A city audit found that the program has failed to reduce traffic deaths and could benefit from a more systematic approach. Meanwhile, PBOT says it needs more state funding to support road safety projects.
A November audit of the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s Vision Zero program calls on the bureau to do more to evaluate the program’s progress as traffic deaths in the cities continue to rise.
As Jim Redden reports in Portland Tribune, “The audit credited PBOT with reducing speed limits across the city and installing more red light enforcement cameras. But it said the effectiveness of some other safety improvements were not being measured.”
The audit calls for a “more systematic approach” that would help the department understand which safety projects are succeeding and which are ineffective.
PBOT spokesperson Dylan Rivera agreed with the assessment but called on the state legislature to increase funding for transportation and safety efforts, saying, “We need the state Legislature to make a big investment in transportation in 2025, by increasing the funding available from the state highway fund that provides the formula funding that cities and counties across Oregon depend on for basic safety, maintenance and livability needs.”
FULL STORY: PBOT: Vision Zero need more money to succeed
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