MOVING FROM VISION TO ACTION – VISION ZERO AND COMPLETE STREETS Saturday, October 20, 2018 Paula C. Flores, FITE Of Greenman-Pedersen, Inc.
• VISION ZERO OVERVIEW • ENGINEERING – ONE OF THE 6E’S • COMPLETE STREETS & DESIGN GUIDANCE • CALL TO ACTION
HEALTH CRISIS “…obesity, inactivity, depression, and loss of community has not ‘happened’ to us; rather we legislated, subsidized, and planned it.” - Dannenberg et al. 2012 Making Healthy Places.
Traffic violence is a public health crisis!
VISION ZERO OVERVIEW
NATIONAL TRENDS Source: National Safety Council
NATIONAL TRENDS 2016 Motor Vehicle Crash Highlights 40,327 Fatalities 4.6 Million Injuries $416.2 Billion in societal costs the population of a small city — are needlessly killed on American streets every year! Source: National Safety Council
NATIONAL TRENDS
On average, one person is dying on Hillsborough Streets every day!
HUMANIZE THESE DEATHS LaMour Welch, 29 Ernest Kelly, 12 Eugene Fischer, 65 Emily Lopez, 17
HUMANIZE THESE DEATHS
NATIONAL TRENDS Pedestrian fatalities increase from 2007-2016, While all other traffic deaths decrease by 14% Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System
WHAT IS VISION ZERO? • Acknowledges traffic losses are preventable • Takes systems approach to prevention • Is data-driven • Addresses all road users • Engages diverse, critical stakeholders • Brings new URGENCY! Source: Future of Transportation National Survey (2010) Source: Vision Zero Network
WHAT IS VISION ZERO? Source: Vision Zero Network
ZERO IS THE RIGHT GOAL
ZERO IS THE RIGHT GOAL
ZERO IS THE RIGHT GOAL • Leadership is Essential • Not all E’s are created equal • Speed matters most • Data = Knowledge
SPEED TAKES THE BACK SEAT Source: FHWA Achieving Multimodal Networks
Speed Matters Most SPEED MATTERS MOST
Speed Matters Most SPEED LIMIT REDUCTION RESULTS NYC Seattle -14% in crashes - 40% in crashes -49% in pedestrian crashes - 30% in injury crashes -42% in bicyclist crashes Mexico City -18% in crashes
MANAGING SPEED • Speeding kills more than 10,000/year • On par with drunk driving • Doesn’t carry the same social consequences • 30% of all fatal crashes nationwide • Societal cost = $40 Billion annually • National problem, effective solutions must be applied locally
How is Vision Zero different? “Vision Zero is a new approach in the U.S., and as such, “business as usual” will not get us to zero. We need City processes, partnerships, and laws to prioritize traffic safety and allow for systematic change.” Source: Denver Vision Zero Action Plan
VISION ZERO ACTION PLANS
THE 6 TH E - EQUITY EQUALITY EQUITY
TRANSPORTATION EQUITY UNDERSERVED GROUPS • Low income • Minority • Elderly / Young • Persons with disabilities • Limited English proficiency
TRANSPORTATION EQUITY UNDERSERVED GROUPS • 24% of Americans live in poverty w/ no car • Work outside traditional 9-5pm hours • More likely to travel by bike • Less likely to practice safe bicycling techniques • More likely to walk on roads lacking safe, accessible facilities
TRANSPORTATION EQUITY DID YOU KNOW… 90 COMMUNITIES % WITH 49 SIDEWALKS %
TRANSPORTATION EQUITY Walking & Bicycling to Work by Household Income
TRANSPORTATION EQUITY Why would anyone do this?
TRANSPORTATION EQUITY Why would anyone do this?
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2012
TRANSPORTATION EQUITY If we are not designing for all people of different ages and abilities… we are doing something wrong!
LEADERSHIP, COLLABORATION, & ACCOUNTABILITY VZ Lessons • Early, strong, and consistent leadership Learned - US • Systemic change is not easy • Change doesn’t occur over night
FOCUS ON SYSTEM-LEVEL CHANGES • Shift from traditional educational approach aimed at individual behavior VZ Lessons • Embrace “upstream” approach to shape - Learned - US policies, systems, and the built environment • Focus on key factors that affect people’s behavior and choices
COMMIT TO SPEED VZ Lessons MANAGEMENT Learned - US • not simply a strategy or an optional tool • it is fundamental and critical
MEASURE AND REPORT REGULARLY VZ Lessons • data-driven approach Learned - US PRIORITIZE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT • prioritizing equity considerations early and regularly
NATIONAL TRENDS *Survey of 1,089 people aged 15-20 – www.victoriawalks.org.au/young_people/
AMERICANS WANT CHOICES 66 73 want more transportation currently feel they % % options so they have the have no choice but freedom to choose to drive Source: Future of Transportation National Survey (2010) Source: Future of Transportation National Survey (2010)
AMERICANS WANT CHOICES 57 33 Want to spend less Don’t drive due to age, % % time in the car ability, or economic status Source: Future of Transportation National Survey (2010)
TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL OF ALL HOUSEHOLD TRIPS: 57 57 Less than 3 miles % Less than 1 mile % 33 Are Driven Source: National Household Travel Survey (2009) %
People Favor Safer Designs 80 US adults favor safer street % design for walking even if driving is slower… Source: CDC – Creating Walkable Communities: Understanding Trade-offs, August 2018
Source: USDOT/NHTSA
STREETS ARE INADEQUATE • No sidewalks • Too dangerous to cross on foot Source: Smart Growth America / National Complete Streets Coalition
STREETS ARE INADEQUATE • No room for people • No sidewalks • Too dangerous to cross Source: Smart Growth America / National Complete Streets Coalition
STREETS ARE INADEQUATE • Inaccessible for wheelchair users Source: Smart Growth America / National Complete Streets Coalition
STREETS ARE INADEQUATE • Uninviting for bus riders Source: Smart Growth America / National Complete Streets Coalition
STREETS ARE INADEQUATE • Unsafe for people on bicycles Source: Smart Growth America / National Complete Streets Coalition
STREETS ARE INADEQUATE • Traffic jams • Too many crashes Source: Smart Growth America / National Complete Streets Coalition
STREETS ARE INADEQUATE A typical state-owned arterial in suburbs - Wide, straight lanes make speeding more likely. Source: Photo by T4America
SAFETY OVER SPEED In fact… most of our streets were not built with people in mind!
SAFETY OVER SPEED In fact… most of our streets were built for cars
6 ENGINEERING ONE OF THE 5E’s • Plan • Design • Engineering • Construction • Operations
1 ST PRIORITY - PEOPLE
REDESIGN FOR PEOPLE SPEED
MODE PRIORITY - HIERARCHY DEGREE OF SUSTAINABILIT Y
WHAT ARE COMPLETE STREETS Streets are for everyone, no matter who they are or how they travel!
WHAT ARE COMPLETE STREETS SAFE COMFORTABLE CONVENIENT
FOR ALL USERS, OF ALL ABILITIES Source: Image by Elena Streinikova
PEOPLE – MOVING CAPACITY
PEOPLE – MOVING CAPACITY (persons per hour, per lane, per direction)
HOW DO WE TRANSFORM OUR STREETS?
HOW DO WE TRANSFORM OUR STREETS?
DESIGN GUIDES …to change the practice and agency norms
CONTEXT BASED DESIGN CONTROLS Design Users • AFFECTS: Design Vehicle vs. Control Vehicle • • stopping sight distance Design Speed vs. Posted Speed vs. • passing sight distance • Target Speed • median width • radius/curves Traffic Characteristics • • lateral clearances • clear zones = Create self-enforcing streets • acceleration/deceleration lane through design need and length
DESIGN GUIDES …to change the practice and agency norms ACTIVE SPEED MANAGEMENT TOOLS Roundabouts • Road Diets • Lateral shifts or narrowing • Curb extensions • Center islands • Smaller curb radii • Eliminate free-flow channelized right turn • lanes On-street parking •
Resistance • Lack of funding • Liability and Risk to change • Safety Concerns with Narrow lanes
LACK OF FUNDING • Shift priorities away from an all roads approach Resistance • Institutionalize “complete streets” process to change • Increase funding for transit, walkability, biking • Prioritize public investments in walkability • Local commitments & Public-private partnerships
NARROW TRAVEL LANES • AASHTO Green Book offers Resistance substantial flexibility • allows range of 9-foot to 12-foot to change travel lanes • 10-foot lanes are allowed in low speed (<45MPH) environments
MYTH - The Cars in MY City are Huge! SPACE SP E MY Prius Pickup Bus 6.6’ 5.8’ 8-9’ Ladder Truck 7-8’ Stabilizers 12-16’
LIABILITY AND RISK • One who deviates from established Resistance design criteria (guidance) is not negligent to change • follow and document a clear process using engineering judgement
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