OKC Releases Draft Vision Zero Plan

Oklahoma City is considering its first-ever Vision Zero action plan to reduce traffic deaths, reports Brett Fieldcamp in the Oklahoma City Free Press.

The plan identifies dangerous streets and recommends enforcement and infrastructure improvements. According to Fieldcamp, “Following an extended public comment period and an initial presentation to the OKC Planning Commission, officials have been tooling and tightening the plan in anticipation of a Planning Commission vote on January 23rd, one step closer to the massive set of safety guidelines and considerations becoming official City policy.”

The plan highlights the city’s High Injury Network, the seven road segments that pose the most risk to pedestrians. Recommendations for various improvements are scored based on how well they are likely to perform, with medians, median barriers, and pedestrian islands as the highest-scoring projects.

During its public comment period, the city received a large number of comments about speeding and other traffic violations, prompting discussions about traffic enforcement and the potential of using new mechanisms such as red light cameras to enforce traffic regulations and discourage dangerous behavior.