Senior and Disability Work Group

Vision Zero Changes Must Reflect the Needs of Seniors and People with Disabilities

As the City and its many departments make changes in support of Vision Zero, it is essential that these changes reflect the needs of seniors and people with disabilities – and the reality of higher rates of traffic violence that these groups experience. For example, seniors make up just 15% of the population, but they are 50% of pedestrians killed each year.

That’s why we helped found and lead the Senior and Disability Workgroup as part of the Vision Zero Coalition. This workgroup is the only citywide body focused on Vision Zero policy through the lens of seniors and people with disabilities.

In November 2019, the Senior and Disability Workgroup launched a toolkit for city agencies, advocates, and community members on how to design bike protected lanes that are safe and accessible for all pedestrians. Download the accessible PDF of Getting to the Curb: A Guide to Creating Protected Bike Lanes That Work for Pedestrians.  

What’s Next

The Senior and Disability Work Group is currently:

• Shaping the City’s Vision Zero Action Strategy.
• Advocating for the City to launch a Safe Streets for People with Disabilities program, modeled on the successful Safe Streets for Seniors program. This would engage the disability community in identifying safety concerns, solutions, and practices.
• Launching a campaign to improve accessible pedestrian signals.
• Creating a design review group to vet protected bike lane designs and educate decision-making bodies on key learnings.

Who’s Involved

The Senior and Disability Work Group is comprised of staff from community groups, nonprofits, and city agencies, including Walk San Francisco, Senior & Disability Action, Independent Living Resource Center, the Mayor’s Office on Disability, and the Department of Aging and Adult Services.