No Loss of Life is Acceptable; San Franciscans Call for “Vision Zero”
Reducing Traffic Deaths to Zero in 10 Years
Walk San Francisco, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and a diverse coalition of community groups are calling for the City to commit to a Vision Zero policy to eliminate traffic deaths in San Francisco in the next 10 years. Chicago and New York, have already adopted this life-saving Vision Zero goal, implementing concrete plans to reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries on their streets.
Last year, 2013, saw a near-record number of people killed while walking and biking: 21 pedestrians and four bicyclists were victims of lethal traffic crimes–the highest number since 2007. Just since New Year’s Eve, three people, including a 6-year-old Sofia Liu and an 86 year old man, were killed in crosswalks.
Despite repeated calls for much-needed, street safety improvements, more targeted and data-driven, traffic crime enforcement, and effective education, the Mayor, District Attorney and San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Chief have made only small commitments to the safety of people walking on the city’s increasingly chaotic streets through the Pedestrian Strategy, which remains largely unfunded.
A coalition of community groups, lead by Walk SF and the SFBC, is calling on Mayor Ed Lee, District Attorney George Gascon and SFMTA Chief Ed Reiskin to follow the leadership of the San Francisco Police Department to adopt a goal of Vision Zero by committing to:
- Fix the known dangerous locations where people are being injured on our streets — the majority of which are in the SoMa and Tenderloin neighborhoods — by delivering on-the-ground improvements quickly;
- Ensure full and fair enforcement of traffic laws, with a focus on the most dangerous behaviors and problematic locations;
- Invest in training and education programs for all road users, with a focus on frequent drivers, who spend the most hours on the road and are involved in a disproportionate number of fatalities and serious collisions.
TAKE ACTION:
Speak up at the special SFMTA Board Meeting to show your support for Vision Zero and to call on the agency to fix the known dangerous locations–before anyone else is hurt.
RSVP to attend, or if you are unable, email the SFMTA Board.
VISION ZERO COALITION:
Join Walk SF and the community groups supporting Vision Zero including Alamo Square Neighborhood Association, CA Walks, CC Puede, Central City SRO Collaborative, Chinatown Community Development Center, Chinatown TRIP, College Hill Neighborhood Association, Community Housing Partnership, Excelsior Action Group, Folks for Polk, Friends of Monterey Blvd., Livable City, Mission Community Market, Mission Economic Development Association, North of Panhandle Neighborhood Association, Pedestrian Safety Advisory Committee, San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, SF Housing Action Coalition, SF Bay Walks, San Francisco Unified School District, Tenderloin Housing Clinic, Tenderloin Neighborhood Development, United Playaz, and the Yerba Buena Alliance.
Download a Vision Zero flyer and join the call for an end to ALL traffic-related deaths in 10 years.
Learn more about Vision Zero Initiative and the growing movement to save lives through infrastructure, enforcement technology, and education.
Join or renew as a Walk SF member today to help support more walkable neighborhoods throughout the city. Help build the voice for safer, greener streets today!