State Departments of Transportation Finally Turning Their Attention to Safety?

Angie Schmitt sees encouraging signs of a change of perspective in some state DOTs, which seem to be following the national lead of Vision Zero Campaign.

1 minute read

November 15, 2016, 12:00 PM PST

By Casey Brazeal @northandclark


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A sign on the Tilikum Crossing in Portland, Oregon shows the way. | JPL Designs / Shutterstock

It's an old complaint that DOTs are myopically focused on moving cars efficiently and blind to the other goals a transport system might have. Jeff Speck, author of Walkable City, reserved some his most biting criticisms for this group. But in a post for Streetsblog USA, Angie Schmitt sees the possibility for a change. "They’re usually more interested in moving traffic than saving lives. But it looks like that’s starting to change as states follow the lead of the federal government’s 'Toward Zero Deaths' initiative," she writes.

In particular, Schmitt is encouraged by Oregon's Transportation Safety Action Plan, which read in part, "The development of the [plan] is an important step toward continuously changing the traffic safety culture in Oregon. It comes at a pivotal time as it is imperative to counteract the recent fatality increase." The report also adopts the zero fatalities goal, outlining a plan to decrease fatalities in the state to zero by 2035. Schmitt's findings from the Oregon case study are based on an article by Jonathan Muas for Bike Portland.

Schmitt ends her piece on a cautionary note, saying that while the language and plan outlined are encouraging they still have to execute it.  

Thursday, October 27, 2016 in Streetsblog USA

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

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