The City of Minneapolis has released a draft of the Minneapolis Vision Zero Action Plan, which outlines key steps for the next three years to advance the City’s goal of ending traffic deaths and injuries on City streets by 2027. The City is taking public comment on the plan through October 16.
The draft plan was developed by City staff from multiple departments with significant direction from community stakeholders, partner agencies and the public. The City officially became a Vision Zero city in September 2017 when the City Council passed a resolution setting a goal of eliminating traffic deaths and injuries within 10 years. Minneapolis is one of more than 35 Vision Zero cities in the U. S.
An average of 95 people suffered life-altering injuries or were killed in traffic crashes each year on Minneapolis streets from 2007 to 2016. Traffic crashes disproportionately impact people in neighborhoods with lower incomes, Native American residents, and people walking and bicycling. Traffic deaths and severe injuries are unacceptable and preventable.
The draft Vision Zero Action Plan includes 16 strategies and 68 actions to be implemented between 2020 and 2022.
Highlights of proposed strategies include:
- Reduce speed limits. Slower speeds on our streets make travel safer for everyone no matter how they get around. Minnesota cities recently received authority to control speed limits on City-owned streets and the City is taking appropriate steps to lower speed limits on most City streets.
- Make safety improvements on High Injury Streets. Seventy percent of severe and fatal crashes happen on just 9% of streets in Minneapolis. The City and partners will proactively install traffic safety treatments on High Injury Streets. These treatments will include four-to-three lane safety conversions, pedestrian medians, bump outs, and other street safety best practices.
- Address leading unsafe traffic behaviors. The five traffic behaviors that lead to the most severe and fatal crashes in Minneapolis are driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, distracted driving, speeding, red light running and unsafe turning. The City will address these unsafe behaviors head-on through a combination of education, communications and enforcement actions.
- Seek to implement automated traffic enforcement. Automated traffic enforcement has proven effective at saving lives and it eliminates the need for officer interaction. The City will seek legislative authority to implement camera enforcement while studying and engaging on the details to implement it effectively and equitably.
Comment on the draft plan at visionzerompls.com or provide feedback during two upcoming events: Open house 4-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, City Hall, room 319; or online open house, 6-6:45 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, City of Minneapolis Facebook page.