Traffic Safety Sea Change Underway in Texas

Angie Schmitt surveys the state of Texas for signs of a movement to eliminate traffic deaths. The movement will require a widespread movement, given the state's poor ranking (10th) among the most dangerous for walking. At the local level, reports Schmitt, "Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio are all on the list of the 20 most dangerous cities for pedestrians."

The article focuses on the efforts San Antonio, Austin, and Houston in making their streets safer for all users. For instance:

• San Antonio last week announced a Vision Zero action plan process that is expected to be complete by the end of 2015.
• In January, the Austin City Council approved a Vision Zero task force. " Since the beginning of the year, citizen representatives and officials from a handful of city departments — public works, police — have been meeting to establish a Vision Zero plan for Texas’s capital city. Details haven’t been released to the public yet, though proposals were released within city departments this week," according to Schmitt.
• Houston is in the nascent stages of creating a Vision Zero task force, as the city's 2013 complete streets policy is still working to gain a foothold in the city.