Regional Vision Zero

“Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. First implemented in Sweden in the 1990s, Vision Zero has proved successful across Europe — and now it’s gaining momentum in major American cities.” - Vision Zero Network

Here is a map of communities that have pledged to Vision Zero, including Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Hoboken, and Jersey City.

While the traditional approach to road safety focuses on correcting human behaviors and preventing all crashes, the Safe System Approach is holistic and works to build multiple layers of protection both to prevent crashes from happening and to minimize injuries when crashes do occur.

U.S. DOT has adopted the Safe System Approach as the guiding paradigm to address roadway safety and will be the framework in which DVRPC works towards Vision Zero.

On February 1, 2023, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced a historic $800 million in grant awards for 510 projects through the new Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program, a record amount of funding to improve roads and address traffic fatalities. The SS4A competitive grant program, established by the 2022 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIA), provides a total of $5 billion to be awarded over five years for regional, local, and Tribal initiatives. DVRPC was awarded $1.47 million for its Regional Vision Zero 2050 Action Program. 

More information can be found on the USDOT website, including webinars and resource lists to help stakeholders prepare for SS4A applications.

DVRPC and its partners will create a safety action program to advance the Connections 2050 Long-Range Plan Regional Vision Zero 2050 goal with a process designed to strengthen ongoing regional collaboration toward eliminating crash fatalities. The Regional Vision Zero pIan will conform with USDOT criteria published in the Fiscal Year 2022 SS4A Action Plan Notice of Funding Opportunity. In addition to required plan elements like a regional High Injury Network, DVRPC will review recently-completed and forthcoming county and local plans for inclusion in the regional plan–possibly qualifying them for future SS4A implementation grant rounds.

Also as part of this grant, Upper Darby Township will hire a consultant to develop a complete streets study which will include safe access to transit facilities for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists. The study will be completed with full community participation and feedback.

Check out our April 2023 Regional Safety Task Force (RSTF) meeting recording for more details about Regional Vision Zero. 

Additional information will be available as the project progresses.

DVRPC Safety Page - The homepage for DVRPC’s Office of Safe Streets, including links to key programs and recent publications.

Transportation Safety Analysis and Plan - The guiding document for transportation safety in the region and analysis of the greatest contributing factors in severe traffic crashes.

Regional Safety Task Force - The webpage for the task force includes archived meeting summaries and materials dating back to 2005.

Crash Data Viewer - A webmap of crashes in the DVRPC region with embedded analysis tools and summary statistics.

DVRPC Data Center - Includes a catalog of downloadable datasets and DVRPC’s existing maps and apps.

LINK - A web-based tool that helps you understand the potential impact of building bicycle or pedestrian facilities. [Link Pending Publication]

• Join us at our next Regional Safety Task Force meeting
• Use our Traffic Safety media toolkit
• Use the word “crash” not “accident”
• Sign up for DVRPC’s Regional Vision Zero updates (click the button towards the top of this page)