>>> GOOD MORNING.
THE JUNE 2nd MEETING WILL COME
TO ORDER.
I'M ALEX PEDERSEN.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
ROLE?
>> HERBOLD?
>> HERE.
>> MORALES?
>> STRAUSS?
>> HERE.
>> PEDERSEN?
>> HERE.
>> THREE PRESENT.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ IS
EXCUSED.
THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
WE HAVE JUST ONE ITEM ON THE
AGENDA, BUT IT'S VERY
IMPORTANT.
WE WILL HEAR FROM THE SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S
VISION ZERO TEAM ABOUT THE
EFFORTS TO REDUCE FATALITIES.
IT'S SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
WORK OUR COMMITTEE OVERSEES,
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE
PRESENTATION.
AGAIN, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ
IS EXCUSED FROM TODAY'S
MEETING.
AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN THE
REMOTE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD.
I ASK EVERYONE TO BE PATIENT AS
WE OPERATE THE ONLINE SYSTEM.
WE ARE LOOKING TO FINE TUNE THE
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
IT'S THE STRONG INTENT OF THE
CITY COUNCIL TO HAVE PUBLIC
COMMENT ON AGENDAS, BUT THE
CITY COUNCILLING CAN MODIFY
THIS AT ANY POINT.
I WOULD ALSO JUST QUICKLY LIKE
TO NOTE THAT COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES HAS JOINED US.
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THIS
IS UP TO 20 MINUTES.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE WILL NOT NEED
THAT TIME FOR THIS ITEM.
I WILL CALL ON TWO SPEAKER AS
AT TIME.
EACH WILL BE GIVEN TWO MINUTES
TO SPEAK.
IF YOU HAVE NOT REGISTERED ON
THE COUNCIL'S WEBSITE TO SPEAK,
BUT WOULD LIKE TO GO TO, YOU
CAN SIGN UP BEFORE THE END OF
THE PUBLIC PERIOD.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT LINK IS
LISTED ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
ONCE I CALL THE NAME, STAFF
WILL UNMUTE THE MICROPHONE, AND
THE PROMPT YOU HAVE BEEN
UNMUTED IS THEIR TURN TO SPEAK.
THE SPEAKER SHOULD PUSH STAR 6
TO BEGIN SPEAKING.
PLEASE BEGIN BY STATING YOUR
NAME AND THE ITEM YOU ARE
ADDRESSING.
AS A REMINDER, IT SHOULD RELATE
TO AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
YOU WILL HEAR A CHIME WITH TEN
SECONDS LEFT.
IF SPEAKERS DO NOT FINISH THEIR
COMMENTS AT THE END OF THE
TIME, THE MICROPHONE WILL BE
MUTED TO CALL ON THE NEXT
SPEAKER.
ONCE YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE
DISCONNECT FROM THE LINE.
IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW, PLEASE
DO SO WITH THE LISTENING
OPTIONS LISTED ON AGENDA.
I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT
COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ HAS
JOINED US FOR THE MEETING, SO
EVERYBODY IS HERE.
THE REGULAR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR
THE COMMITTEE MEETING IS OPEN.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX BEFORE
PUSHING.
WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM JUAN
TOW FOLLOWED BY CLARA CANTER.
GO AHEAD, JUAN.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS
FOR PROVIDING THE SPACE.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT VISION
ZERO.
I'M A COLUMBIA CITY BAKER
RESIDENT.
I RIDE MY E-BIKE EVERYWHERE
RAIN OR SHINE, AND I CANNOT
TELL YOU HOW MANY CONVERSATIONS
I HAVE HAD WITH FRIENDS,
COWORKERS, AND RANDOM STRANGERS
WHO CAME UP TO TALK TO ME ABOUT
MY E-BIKE ABOUT CYCLING IN
SEATTLE, AND I TELL THEM CYCLE
EVERY DAY IS GOOD FOR THEIR
HEALTH, AND IT'S MORE FUN TO
CYCLE THAN SIT IN TRAFFIC, AND
IT'S GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
TO TAKE THE CARS OFF THE
STREET, BUT THE ONE THING THAT
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS HOLDS
THEM BACK IS SAFETY.
I CAN'T LIE AND SAY, YOU KNOW,
-- IT'S VERY SCARY TO RIDE IN
SEATTLE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN AGGRESSIVE
TEMPTERMENT.
THERE'S PEOPLE INTERESTED IN
DRIVING LESS AND CYCLING MORE,
BUT I HAVE TO WARN THEM ABOUT
THE DANGERS AFTER AN
EXPERIENCED CYCLIST RIDING ON
POPULAR ROUTE WAS KILLED IN
BROAD DAYLIGHT A MILE FROM MY
HOUSE.
I URGE YOU TO FUND VISION ZERO.
TO MANY PEOPLE WANT TO CYCLE,
BUT THEY ARE AFRAID TO.
PLEASE, WHEN I ENCOURAGE OTHERS
TO CYCLE IN SEATTLE, I DO NOT
WANT THIS TO FEEL AS I'M
POTENTIALLY SIGNING THEIR DEATH
WARRANT.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME OUT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> NEXT WE HAVE CLARA FOLLOWED
BY GORDON.
GO AHEAD, CLARA.
>> HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES.
>> HI, MY NAME IS CLARA CANTOR
WITH SEATTLE NATIVE GREEN WAYS,
AND I'M CALLING IN TO COMMENT
ON THE VISION ZERO
PRESENTATION.
I ALSO BIKE TO GET AROUND ON A
DAILY BASIS AND LIVE IN RAINIER
VALLEY IN DISTRICT TWO.
I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE
COUNCIL THAT OVER THE LAST FIVE
YEARS DISTRICT TWO HAS HAD
DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF FATALITIES
OF ANY OTHER DISTRICT.
IN THE LAST MONTH OR TWO, WE
HAVE HAD TWO MEMORIALS FOR
PEOPLE WHO WERE KILLED WHILE
RIDING BIKES ON ROUTES THAT I
USE REGULARLY.
THE FIRST WAS ROBERT NICE WHO
WAS KILLED DOWN IN GEORGETOWN,
AND THE SECOND WAS MICHAEL
COLEMAN WHO WAS REFERENCED AND
KILLED ON THIRD PARK AVENUE.
THESE ARE REALLY PLACES THAT
PEOPLE BIKE EVERY SINGLE DAY,
AND RIGHT NOW THEY FEEL REALLY,
REALLY UNSAFE.
THERE'S A LOT OF INVESTMENTS
THAT CAN BE MADE.
THE VISION ZERO TEAM KNOWS
WHERE THOSE INVESTMENTS CAN BE
MADE.
THEY KNOW THE PROBLEM AREAS.
THEY KNOW THE SPECIFIC STREETS
THAT NEED TO BE IMPROVED AND
THE INTERSECTIONS THAT NEED TO
BE IMPROVED, AND THEY REALLY
NEED FUNDING IN ORDER TO GET
THERE.
I'M ASKING COUNCIL TO CONTINUE
THE FUNDING FROM FOUR VISION
ZERO PAST 2021, AND INCREASE
THE FUNDING IN AN ONGOING WAY
THAT WILL BE REALLY MEANINGFUL
FOR PEOPLE'S SAFETY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, CLARA.
NEXT WE HAVE GORDON.
GOOD MORNING, GORDON.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL MEMBER
I'M GORDON BILFORD.
I'M GRATEFUL THAT YOU ARE ALL
TAKING ON THE TOPIC OF VISION
ZERO.
AS YOU PROBABLY HEARD, WE ARE
NOT MAKING VISION PROGRESS TO
MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS SAFELY
ABLE TO TRAVEL OUR STREETS.
I WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH AN
ANALOGY TO CHEW ON TODAY.
BACK AT THE MICHAEL COLEMAN
MEMORIAL, I WAS SPEAKING
BECAUSE HE WORKED AT THE
AIRPORT, AND MANY OF HIS
COLLEAGUES FROM THE KING COUNTY
AIRPORT WERE THERE, AND I SAID
IF THIS WERE HAPPENING IN AT AN
AIRPORT, IF YOU HAD 20 PEOPLE
DYING AT THE AIRPORT EVERY YEAR
AND SUFFERING LIFE-CHANGING AND
LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES THERE
WOULD BE DRASTIC ACTION TAKEN.
IT WOULD NOT BE SEEN AS OKAY.
I THINK WE NEED THE SAME SORT
OF MENTALITY WHEN THINKING OF
ROAD TRANSPORTATION.
JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE GOTTEN
NUMB TO IT, AND YOU'RE USED TO
HEARING THE TRAFFIC REPORT TALK
ABOUT THE INCONVENIENCES OF A
CRASH RATHER THAN THE HUMAN
LIFE TOLL DOESN'T MEAN WE
SHOULD BE NUMB TO IT.
IT MEANS WE SHOULD ADDRESS THE
TRAFFIC SAFETY CHALLENGES HEAD
ON.
THE CITY HAS A GOOD VISION ZERO
TEAM AND A DATA-DRIVEN STRATEGY
FOR ADDRESSING THE KNOWN
ISSUES, BUT THEY NEED FUNDING.
MY HOPE IS THAT THIS FALL
DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, YOU
WILL FIND A WAY TO ADEQUATELY
FUND VISION ZERO.
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY WITH THE
VEHICLE LICENSING FEE, WHICH WE
TALKED ABOUT, AND THERE MAY BE
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL TO
BRING THE PROGRAM UP TO THE
LEVEL IT NEEDS TO BE TO MAKE A
POSITIVE DIFFERENCE FOR OUR
COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, GORDON.
I'M NOT SEEING ANY OTHER
SPEAKERS PRESENT.
DO YOU SEE ANIES?
>> THERE'S NO OTHER PUBLIC
COMMENT REGISTRANTS.
>> THANK YOU FOR DOUBLE
CHECKING THAT.
THIS CONCLUDES THE LIST OF
SPEAKERS FROM THE GENERAL
PUBLIC, AND NOW WE WILL MOVE ON
TO THE FIRST LEGISLATIVE ITEM
ON THE AGENDA, THE ONLY ITEM, A
VERY IMPORTANT ONE.
VISION ZERO.
WE KNOW WE HAVE MUCH MORE WORK
TO DO TO MEET SEATTLE'S VISION
ZERO GOALS WHILE CRASHES IN
2020 DECREASED COMPARED TO
2019, THE REDUCTION IN
FATALITIES WAS DISTURBINGLY
MINIMAL CONSIDERING THE
DECREASE IN VEHICLES ON THE
ROAD AND CONSIDERING SDOT'S
ONGOING WORK TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC
SAFETY, PROJECTS THAT CAN BE
FUNDED, AND SEATTLE LEVY AS
WELL, AND I NOTE THAT, AND EVEN
THOUGH THERE ARE ONLY A FEW
SPEAKERS THIS MORNING, THAT'S A
TESTAMENT TO THE GOOD WORK SDOT
HAS DONE TO COMMUNICATE THE
PLAN TO THE DIFFERENT ADVISORY
BOARDS.
I WAS AT THE LEVY OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE, AND THEY WERE
COMPLIMENTING A SPEAKER WE WILL
HER PRESENTATION. MPLIMENTING
I THINK SHE GOT THE WORD OUT
THERE TO THE FOLKS WHO ARE
REALLY FOCUSED ON THE ISSUES,
AND NOW WE GET TO HAVE OUR OWN
BRIEFING HERE AT THIS
COMMITTEE.
I WANT TO WELCOME OUR DIRECTOR
OF TRANSPORTATION, SAM ZIMBABWE
AND ALSO OPEN IT UP TO CALVIN
CHOW, IF YOU HAD ANY OPENING
REMARKS TO SET THE TABLE BEFORE
WE HEAR FROM ALLISON AND JIM.
>> NO, I DON'T.
>> THANK YOU, CALVIN.
GOOD MORNING, DIRECTOR
ZIMBABWE.
>> GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TO
TALK ABOUT THIS REALLY
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT
CONVERSATION AND TOPIC.
WE HAVE A PRESENTATION WE WILL
PROVIDE, AND THEN WE REALLY
LOOK FORWARD TO QUESTIONS AND
DISCUSSIONS AS WE GO FORWARD.
I'M JOINED THIS MORNING BY
ALLISON SCHWARTZ WHO IS THE
VISION ZERO PROGRAM MANAGER AND
JIM CURTAIN WHO CURTIN WHO IS
THE PROJECT DIRECTOR.
WE WANT TO REMEMBER THE PEOPLE
KILLED AND HARMED IN TRAFFIC
VIOLENCE.
UNFORTUNATELY THIS SLIDE THAT
WE PROVIDED LATE LAST WEEK IS
ALREADY OUT OF DATE.
147 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN
TRAFFIC CRASHES SINCE WE
LAUNCHED VISION ZERO SIX YEARS
AGO.
THIS INCLUDES 13 FATALITIES IN
2021, FIVE PEOPLE WALKING,
THREE PEOPLE BIKING, ONE PERSON
RIDING A MOPED, TWO PEOPLE IN
MOTORCYCLES, AND TWO PEOPLE IN
VEHICLES.
OUR TEAM RESPONDS TO EVERY
FATAL AND SERIOUS COLLISION
INJURY REPORT AND TRIES TO
UNDERSTAND THE UNDERLYING
FACTORS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN
THAT CRASH.
FIRST RESPONDERS AND SDOT'S OWN
INCIDENT RESPONSE TEAM ARE ON
THE SCENE OF THE CRASHES.
SPD'S COLLISION INVESTIGATION
SQUAD RECONSTRUCTS THE FATAL
CRASHES, AND FAMILY MEMBERS AND
FRIENDS CARRY THE LIFELONG
GRIEF.
SO MANY LAYERS AND LEVELS OF
TRAUMA OCCUR THROUGH THESE
CRASHES ON OUR CITY STREETS.
WHILE WE ARE PRESENTING A LOT
OF DATA TODAY, WE MUST ALSO
CENTER OUR DISCUSSIONS ON THE
LIVES LOST AND HARMED LIKE THE
ONE COMMEMORATED IN THE
MEMORIAL ON THIS SLIDE, AND THE
ONES WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT FROM
THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
VISION ZERO IS A HOLISTIC
STRATEGY.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO
RECOGNIZE JUST THE IMPACTS THAT
ALL OF THIS HAS ON -- THAT IS
HAPPENING WITHIN THE RIGHT-OF-
WAY AS WE CONTINUE TO ADVANCE
OUR TRAFFIC SAFETY GOALS.
AND HOW, ALSO IN LINE WITH OUR
RECENT SOCIAL JUSTICE
INITIATIVE GOALS, IT'S TIME TO
DAYLIGHT THE UNCOMFORTABLE
REALITY, AN ENFORCEMENT
APPROACH CAN LEAD TO FINANCIAL
IMPACT, INJURY, AND DEATH FOR
BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY
MEMBERS ACROSS OUR CITY AND
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WITH THAT, AND BEFORE I TURN IT
OVER TO ALLISON TO WALK THROUGH
THE BRIEF OF THE PRESENTATION,
I HOPE YOU WILL JOIN ME FOR A
BRIEF MOMENT OF SILENCE TO
REMEMBER THOSE LIVES LOST ON
OUR STREETS.
AND TOGETHER WE AFFIRM OUR
SUPPORT FOR SAFE AND RACIALLY
EQUITABLE STREETS.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR COMMITMENT
TO END SERIOUS FATALITIES AND
INJURIES ON OUR STREETS.
WITH THAT, WE CAN GO TO THE
NEXT SLIDE.
JUST A COUPLE OF BRIEF
OVERVIEWPOINTS BEFORE I TURN IT
OVER TO ALLISON.
FUNDAMENTALLY, STREET DESIGN IS
CRITICAL FOR HOW WE ACHIEVE
VISION ZERO.
OUR -- AND OUR SMART STREET
DESIGN ALSO CONNECTS TO THE
CITY'S GOALS AROUND RACIAL
EQUITY AND SUSTAINABILITY.
WE WILL DISCUSS THAT WE ARE NOT
GETTING CLOSER TO VISION ZERO
YET.
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO
CORRECT, MAKING USE OF THE
ENGINEERING TOOLS WE HAVE SEEN
WORK IN OUR CITY.
WE WILL ALSO TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHERE WE SEE THE VISION
ZERO EFFORTS GOING IN A WAY
THAT CENTERS RACIAL EQUITY AND
LOOKS TO ADDRESS THE SAFETY ON
OUR STREETS.
WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER
TO, ALLISON.
>> THANK YOU, SAM.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBERS FOR
HAVING US HERE TODAY.
I'M ALLISON SCHWARTZ ALONG WITH
MY TEAM OF FOUR STAFF WE LEAD
THE CHARGE TO END TRAFFIC
DEATHS AND SERIOUS INJURIES.
AS SAM MENTIONED, WE ARE
ALREADY LOOKING AT 13 TRAFFIC
FATALITIES THIS YEAR, AND I
THINK MANY PEOPLE MAY BE
WONDERING WHAT IS GOING ON, AND
SPECIFICALLY, TO COUNCIL MEMBER
PETERSON'S POINT EARLIER, WHAT
HAPPENED IN 2020?
WHY WERE THERE SO MANY TRAFFIC
DEATHS DESPITE THE DROP IN
TRAFFIC AND CRASHES?
THERE'S STILL DEFINITELY MANY
UNKNOWNS OF HOW THE PANDEMIC
HAS AFFECTED HUMAN BEHAVIOR.
WHILE WHAT WE ARE SEEING IN
SEATTLE ALIGNS WITH NATIONAL
úTRENDS, WE DO WANT TO STEP BAC
FOR A MOMENT AND DISCUSS THE
QUOTE, END QUOTE, NORMAL WE
HAVE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO.
LET'S LOOK AT 2020 IN CONTEXT
OF THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
ON AVERAGE IN SEATTLE 20 PEOPLE
ARE KILLED IN CRASHES, AND 160
ARE SERIOUSLY INJURED EVERY
YEAR.
IN 2020 WE DID SEE THAT
INCREASE TO 25 PEOPLE KILLED
AND SERIOUS INJURIES DIPPED
SLIGHTLY.
THIS IS NESTED IN A BROADER
CONTEXT OF MORE THAN 500
TRAFFIC DEATHS A YEAR IN
WASHINGTON STATE AND 40,000 A
YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE DID SEE LOWER VEHICLE
VOLUMES AND FEWER COLLISIONS
OVERALL, BUT WE BELIEVE WE ARE
SEEING SIMILAR OUTCOMES BECAUSE
WE ARE OPERATING IN ESSENTIALLY
THE SAME SYSTEM.
IT'S POSSIBLE THAT INCREASED
SPEEDS DUE TO FEWER VEHICLES ON
THE ROAD MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED
TO THE INCREASE IN DEATHS.
IN A NORMAL YEAR WE RELY ON THE
TRAFFIC CONGESTION AS A NATURAL
CALMING MECHANISM.
AS WE CONTINUE TO MAKE OUR WAY
OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, I HOPE WE
CAN ALL REALIZE THAT TRAFFIC
DEATH AND INJURY ARE A PUBLIC
HEALTH EMERGENCY AS WELL THAT
HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN SLOW
MOTION, NOT JUST IN 2020, BUT
FOR DECADES.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
WHY DOES THIS TONIGHT TO OCCUR?
WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SAME
SYSTEM AND SAME OUTCOMES, WE
ARE TALKING ABOUT STREET
DESIGN.
FOR DECADES MANY OF THE STREETS
HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO MOVE CARS
QUICKLY AT SPEEDS THAT HUMANS
CAN SIMPLY NOT SURVIVE.
WE ARE WORKING TO UNDO THAT,
AND WE WILL TOUCH ON THE
IMPORTANCE OF LOWERING VEHICLE
SPEEDS THROUGHOUT THE
PRESENTATION.
I WANT TO POINT OUT HALF OF THE
FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY
CRASHES OCCUR ON A TENTH OF THE
STREETS, AND THESE ARE MOSTLY
MULTILANE, HIGH-SPEED, HIGH-
VOLUME ARTERIALS, AND I HAVE
LISTED MANY OF THEM HERE.
WHILE WE HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT
IMPROVEMENTS ON PORTIONS OF
RAINIER AVENUE SOUTH AND
RECENTLY LAKE CITY WAY, AND WE
ARE ACTIVELY DESIGNING
IMPROVEMENTS ALONG MARTIN
LUTHER KING JR. WAY AND WORKING
TOWARDS A LARGE PLANNING EFFORT
ON AURORA, THERE'S MUCH MORE
WORK TO BE DONE IF WE ARE TO
ACHIEVE VISION ZERO.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
YEAR OVER YEAR, WE SEE THE SAME
TOP DISTRIBUTING FACTORS TO
CRASHES.
SPEEDING, IMPAIRMENT,
DISTRACTION, AND FAILURE TO
YIELD TO PEDESTRIANS.
I WANT TO POINT OUT, TOO, EACH
OF THE BEHAVIORS CAN BE
AFFECTED BY STREET DESIGN.
SMART STREET DESIGN CAN SLOW
VEHICLES DOWN.
SPEED ISTHE CRITICAL FACTOR IN
BOTH THE FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY
OF CRASHES.
I ALSO WANT TO NOTE ON THE
RIGHT OF THE SLIDE, OVER THE
LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WE HAVE
SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN
THE CRASHES THAT ARE HIT-AND-
RUN.
THAT CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO
DETERMINE THE CONTRIBUTING
FACTORS TO THE CRASH.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
>> ALLISON, EXCUSE ME,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR PEDERSON
AND DIRECTOR ZIMBABWE FOR BEING
WITH US.
ON THE LAST SLIDE YOU SAID
SOMETHING VERY QUICKLY THAT I
THINK IS IMPORTANT TO CALL OUT
ABOUT SPEED.
THE ONE COMMON THEME I HAVE
ALREADY HEARD IN THE
PRESENTATION IS TALKING ABOUT
THE NEED TO REDUCE SPEED, AND I
JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IT'S NOT
JUST BECAUSE WE THINK THAT IT
IS A GOOD IDEA.
WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY IS THAT
SPEED IS THE NUMBER ONE -- CAN
YOU REPEAT IT SO I DON'T SAY IT
INCORRECTLY?
IT SOUNDED LIKE IT'S THE NUMBER
ONE REASON WHY COLLISIONS OCCUR
AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON WHY
PEOPLE DON'T SURVIVE THE
COLLISION.
CAN YOU PUT IT IN A MORE
ARTICULATE WAY?
>> THANK YOU VERY BRINGING THAT
UP.
THE PHASE THAT I AND MY TEAM
AND OTHERS USE OFTEN.
SPEED IS THE CRITICAL FACTOR IN
THE FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY OF
CRASHES, AND WE DO HAVE A SLIDE
LATER THAT WILL SPECIFICALLY
TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE PHYSICS
BEHIND SPEED AND WHY IT MATTERS
SO MUCH IN TERMS OF
SURVIVABILITY WHEN PEOPLE ARE
INVOLVED IN CRASHES AT HIGH
SPEEDS.
>> GREAT.
I WILL WAIT FOR THAT SLIDE TO
MAKE MORE COMMENTS, BUT WHAT I
JUST -- I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE
GOT THAT GREAT PHRASE THAT YOU
USE WITHIN YOUR TEAM, BUT WHAT
I HEARD YOU SAY IS THAT SPEED
IS THE DETERMINING FACTOR ON
HOW MANY CRASHES THAT OCCUR IN
OUR CITY AND HOW BADLY YOU ARE
INJURED IF YOU ARE HIT?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> I GUESS I REALLY JUST WANT
TO RAISE THAT BECAUSE
THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE
CONVERSATION, I THINK THAT I
HAVE HEARD YOU TALKING ABOUT
SPEED.
THAT'S WHY SPEED IS SUCH AN
IMPORTANT PART OF THE
DISCUSSION.
IT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN THE
NUMBER OF COLLISIONS AND HOW
BADLY PEOPLE ARE HURT.
I WILL TURN IT BACK TO YOU.
JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT
YOU SAID.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
SO I WANT TO SPEND JUST A
MOMENT ON TALKING ABOUT WHAT
VISION ZERO IS.
OF COURSE IT IS A CITY OF
SEATTLE INITIATIVE TO END THE
TRAFFIC DEATHS AND INJURIES ON
THE CITY STREETS BY 2030.
WHAT ARE THE KEY PRINCIPLES
THAT GROUND THE WORK?
WIH VISION ZERO, WE BELIEVE
THAT TRAFFIC DEATHS ARE NOT
INEVITABLE NOR ARE THEY
ACCIDENTS.
WE BELIEVE THEY ARE PREVENTABLE
THROUGH SYSTEM DESIGN THAT
TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE FACT
THAT HUMANS ARE NOT PERFECT,
AND WE CANNOT RELY ON EVERY
INDIVIDUAL MOVING IN, OUT, AND
AROUND THE CITY TO MAKE THE
RIGHT CHOICE EVERY TIME.
WHAT WE CAN DO IS MANAGE THE
SEATTLE STREETS, SIDEWALKS, AND
SIGNALS IN A WAY THAT CENTERS
THE SAFE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE SO
THAT WHEN SOMEONE MAKES A
MISTAKE, IT DOES NOT END IN
INJURY OR DEATH.
NEXT SLIDE.
FOR THE BETTER PART OF THE BEST
SEVERAL DECADES, MOST U.S.
CITIES INCLUDING SEATTLE HAVE
NOT FULLY EMBRACED THE SAFE
SYSTEMS APPROACH, AND WE HAVE
RELIED ON THE TRADITIONAL
APPROACH OF THE THREE Es.
OFTEN WE HAVE REPLACED EQUAL
VALUE ON EACH E. NEXT SLIDE.
WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHERE
THAT APPROACH OF THE THREE Es
HAS GOTTEN US.
UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE NO CLOSER
TO ENDING TRAFFIC DEATHS.
LOOKING BACK ACROSS THE LAST
DECADE, WE CAN SEE A FEW
THINGS.
THIS GRAPH SHOWS THE OVERALL
TRENDS DECLINE.
THAT'S THE TOP DASHED LINE.
INCREASING FOR PEOPLE NOT
PROTECTED BY VEHICLES.
PURPLE LINES, AND DECREASING
FOR PEOPLE PROTECTED BY
VEHICLES, THE ORANGE LINE.
I DO WANT TO NOTE ALSO WE ARE
LOOKING AT DATA SETS IN THE
REALM OF 20 PEOPLE PER YEAR.
SMALL CHANGES YEAR-TO-YEAR CAN
LOOK LIKE LARGE JUMPS, BUT THE
TOTAL FATALITY TREND LINE IS
INCREASING BECAUSE OF CRASHES
WITH PEOPLE WALKING AND BIKES.
NEXT SLIDE.
VISION ZERO IS NOT JUST ABOUT
ENDING TRAFFIC DEATHS BUT
SERIOUS INJURIES AS WELL.
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SERIOUS
INJURE CRASHES DECREASE
SLIGHTLY IN 2020, WHAT I
NEGLECTED TO POINT OUT, THE RAW
NUMBER WAS FEWER THAN THE YEAR
BEFORE, BECAUSE THERE WERE
FEWER OVERALL CRASHES, WE SAW
AS A PERCENTAGE SERIOUS INJURY
CRASHES ACTUALLY INCREASED.
REGARDLESS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO
LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE TO
PAN OUT AND SIGH MORE THAN ONE
YEAR AT A TIME.
ON AVERAGE WE SEE 160 SERIOUS
INJURY CRASH AS YEAR.
OVER TIME WE ARE SEEING SERIOUS
INJURY CRASHES REMAIN PRETTY
CONSTANT, DIMINISHING AT THE
RATE OF ONE LESS SERIOUS INJURY
EVERY TWO YEARS, MEANING AT
THIS RATE, WE WILL NOT ACHIEVE
ZERO SERIOUS INJURIES UNTIL
2280.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AS HIGHLIGHTED A COUPLE OF
SLIDES EARLIER, PEOPLE OUTSIDE
OF VEHICLES ARE INCREASINGLY
AFFECTED BY CRASHES.
PEOPLE WALKING AND BIKING ARE
INVOLVED IN A SMALL PERCENTAGE
OF TOTAL CRASHES, 7%, BUT MAKE
UP TWO-THIRDS OF THE DEATHS.
WE SEE OLDER ADULTS
OVERREPRESENTED WITH THE
AVERAGE AGE OF 58 YEARS OLD.
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WALKING
KILLED IN A CRASH LIKELY
EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS.
THESE ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE
TRAVELERS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
WE LOOK AT RACE DATA ACROSS
FATALITIES, AND WE SEE THE
BLACK COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE
OVERREPRESENTED.
THIS GRAPH SHOWS BY THE RACIAL
CATEGORY THE PERCENT OF PEOPLE
KILLED IN TRAFFIC COLLISIONS,
IN RED, VERSES THE RACIAL
DEMOGRAPHICS OF SEATTLE IN
BLUE.
THERE'S A CLEAR DISPARITY IN
ONE GROUP THAT I CIRCLED HERE.
7% OF RESIDENTS IDENTIFY AS
BLACK, AND BLACK PEOPLE MAKE UP
12% OF THOSE SKILLED IN THE
COLLISIONS ON CITY STREETS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
HERE WE HAVE OVERLAID THE FATAL
CRASHES WITH THE RACE AND
EQUITY COMPOSITE INDEX, A MIX
OF HEALTH INDICATORS AND
INFORMATION AROUND RACE,
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, AND OTHER
VARIABLES.
THE PURPLE COLOR HERE INDICATES
THE HIGHEST DISADVANTAGED BASED
ON THE INDEX, YOU CAN SEE
CONCENTRATED IN SOUTH SEATTLE
AND ALSO THE VERY NORTH PORTION
OF THE CITY.
OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WITH
HAVE SEEN THAT 31% OF TRAFFIC
DEATHS, THE DOTS ON THE MAP,
ARE IN 20% OF THE CENSUS
TRACKS, MAKING UP THE MOST
HIGHLY DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
IN ADDITION TO BEING
DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY
CRASHES, BLACK PEOPLE ARE
DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY
TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT AND FINES
AND FEES.
LAST YEAR THE CITY'S OFFICE FOR
CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSIONED A
STUDY LED BY RESEARCHES OUT OF
RUTGERS AND UDUB, AND THEY
PRESENTED THE FINDING TO THE
PUBLIC SAFETY AND HUMAN
SERVICES COMMITTEE IN SEPTEMBER
OF 2020.
THEY ANALYZED SEATTLE MUNICIPAL
COURT CASES FROM 2000 TO 2017
THAT INVOLVED WHAT IS CALLED
LEGAL FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS,
AND THESE ARE THE FINES, THE
FEES, AND OTHER COSTS THAT ARE
IMPOSED BY THE COURT.
THEY FOUND THAT 83% OF THESE
CASES WERE TRAFFIC INFRACTIONS,
AND THE KEY FINDING HIGHLIGHTED
HERE ON THE SLIDE IS THAT IN
2017, BLACK DRIVERS IN SEATTLE
WERE ISSUED 2.6 TIMES MORE
TRAFFIC INFRACTIONS WITH LEGAL
FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS PER
CAPITA THAN WHITE DRIVERS.
THE RESEARCH GOES IN DEPTH ON
THE DESPERATE AFFECTS OF
TRAFFIC AND PARKING ENFORCEMENT
FINES AND FEES, PARTICULARLY ON
BLACK MEN IN SEATTLE.
TYPICALLY -- GO AHEAD.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> I WILL WAIT FOR ALLISON TO
FINISH.
JUST DIDN'T WANT TO GET LOST
BEFORE THE NEXT SLIDE.
>> THANKS.
TYPICALLY WITH VISION ZERO, WE
HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT HARM
PRIMARILY FROM THE PHYSICAL
PERSPECTIVE REDUCING HARM FROM
CRASHES, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO
RECOGNIZE AND ARE LEARNING MORE
ABOUT THE OTHER FORMS OF HARM
AT PLAY INCLUDING THE
DEVASTATING FINANCIAL AND
ECONOMIC HARM THAT CAN RESULT
AS A RESULT OF ENFORCEMENT
RELATED TO TRAFFIC SAFETY.
NEXT SLIDE, BUT HAPPY TO TAKE A
QUESTION.
>> MAY I JUMP IN NOW?
I JUST -- SOMETHING I HEARD
EARLIER IN YOUR PRESENTATION
WAS THAT IF WE CREATE STREET
DESIGN, AND YOU'RE GOING TO
HAVE TO PUT IT IN THE WORDS
THAT ARE MORE ARTICULATE THAN
WHAT I'M GOING TO GENERALIZE.
IF WE CREATE STREET DESIGN IN
AN APPROPRIATE FASHION, WE
DN'T HAVE TO RELY ON
ENFORCEMENT.
DID I HEAR YOU SAY THAT
CORRECTLY.
>> YES.
WE WILL TALK ABOUT IT MORE IN A
LITTLE BIT.
THE PHRASE WE HAVE BEEN USING
AND FOLKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY --
IT'S CERTAINLY NOT A
CONVERSATION UNIQUE TO SEATTLE.
PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY IN
SIMILAR ROLES ARE DEALING WITH,
YOU KNOW, INCREASES IN
FATALITIES AND ALSO THE
CHALLENGING CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE ROLE
OF ENFORCEMENT IS, CAN BE, OR
SHOULD BE WHEN IT COMES TO
TRAFFIC SAFETY.
THE PHASE IS, WORKING TOWARDS
DESIGNING SELF-ENFORCING
STREET.
THE DESIGN OF THE STREET
GENERATES THE BEHAVIOR WE WANT
TO SEE, RATHER THAN HAVING TO
RELY ON THE TRADITIONAL
ENFORCEMENT THAT WE HAVE.
>> THAT'S GREAT.
I MEAN, JUST TO KIND OF
SUMMARIZE, IT SOUNDS LIKE IF WE
CREATE OUR STREETS IN A WAY
THAT CHANNELIZES PEOPLE TO GET
THEM IN THEIR LANE, WE DON'T
NECESSARILY HAVE TO WRITE
TICKETS THAT WILL LEAD TO LEGAL
FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS?
>> YES.
>> GREAT, THANKS.
HIGHLIGHTING WHAT YOU'RE
SAYING, AND MAKING SURE I'M
CONNECTING THE DOTS YOU'RE
PUTTING OUT FOR US.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO I ALSO WANTED TO JUST TAKE A
MOMENT TO CONNECT THE DOTS
BETWEEN SAFETY AND CLIMATE, AND
I FEEL LIKE THE FIRST PERSON
WHO PROVIDED PUBLIC COMMENT DID
THAT NICELY AS WELL.
THEY GO HAND IN HAND, AND WE
ARE -- IN ADDITION FROM BEING A
WAYS FROM ACHIEVING VISION
ZERO, WE ARE ALSO A WAYS AWAY
FROM OUR GOALS.
WE WANT TO GIVE MORE OPTIONS
FOR WALKING, BIKING, AND
TRANSIT TO REDUCE RELIANCE ON
SINGLE-OCCUPANCY VEHICLES.
WHILE THINGS ARE NOT HEADED IN
THE RIGHT DIRECTION, WE DO HAVE
A ROBUST SET OF ENGINEERING
TOOLS THAT WORK, AND WE WERE
INTERESTED IN MORE AGGRESSIVELY
PURSUING THE PROVEN TOOLS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
HERE'S OUR SPEED-FOCUSED SLIDE,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, SLOWING
DOWN SPEEDS IS KEY TO ACHIEVING
VISION ZERO.
IT'S THE CRITICAL FACTOR IN THE
FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY OF
CRASHES, AND THE GRAPH HERE
HIGHLIGHTS THE SHEER PHYSICS
AND EFFECTS HIGHER SPEEDS HAVE
ON HUMAN BEINGS.
OVER THE LAST SEVERALYEARS AND
ESPECIALLY IN 2020 AND INTO
THIS YEAR, WE FOCUSED ON
LOWERING SPEED LIMITS CITYWIDE
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WASHDOT.
THANKS TO THE WORK OF CREWS, WE
HAVE 90% OF OUR SIGNS AT 20
MILES AN HOUR.
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP
IN THE SPACE.
A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN WE LOWERED
SPEED LIMITS IN URBAN VILLAGES,
WE FOUND SIGN CHANGES ALONE
REDUCED TOP-END SPEEDING BY 54%
AND DECREASED INJURY CRASHED BY
20%.
OUR WORK IN THE SPACE OF
LOWERING SPEED LIMITS HAS
GAINED NATIONAL RECOGNITION,
AND WHILE WE HAVE SEEN POSITIVE
RESULTS, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE MANY
STREETS NEED TO BE REDESIGNED
TO ADDRESS SPEEDING.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
>> CHAIR, MAY I ASK QUESTIONS
ON THE LAST SLIDE?
>> YES, PLEASE.
>> APOLOGIES.
THANKS THIS SLIDE ESPECIALLY,
IT'S ESPECIALLY INTERESTING TO
ME.
THE GRAPH SHOWS HOW IT AFFECTS
SURVIVABILITY.
THE X AXIS IS SPEED AND Y IS
SURVIVABILITY, IS THAT
CREDIBILITY?
>> YES.
YEAH, HOW DEADLY THE CRASH WILL
BE.
>> AT 45 MILES AN HOUR, AND WE
HAVE SOME STREETS IN THE CITY,
STREETS NOT SIGNED FOR 45 MILES
AN HOUR, AND PEOPLE DRIVE AT 45
MILES AN HOUR.
THE LIKELIHOOD OF SURVIVING
THAT CRASH, OR THAT COLLISION
IS 50/50.
IS THAT CORRECT?
AM I READING THIS CORRECTLY?
>> I DON'T THINK IT'S QUITE
THAT HIGH, BUT YES, IT DEPENDS
ON HOW OLD YOU ARE AS WELL
GIVEN THAT AS WE AGE, OUR
ABILITY TO RECOVER AND FRAILTY,
THE BODY'S RESILIENCE COMES
INTO PLAY.
>> THANKS, AND THEN I GUESS I'M
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THIS SLIDE
A LITTLE MORE, SO IF I'M ON THE
AVERAGE OF ALL AGES AT 45,
LOOKING LIKE THE INTERSECTION
IS ABOVE 50%.
DOES THAT MEAN I HAVE A 45%
SURVIVABILITY RATE?
>> WHAT IT IS INDICATING NOT
NECESSARILY THE SURVIVABILITY
RATE, BUT HOW DEADLY THE CRASH
WILL BE, AND THOSE TWO THINGS
ARE RELATED, BUT WHAT IT IS
CLEARLY INDICATING, THE FASTER
SOMEONE IS DRIVING, AND IF THEY
STRIKE SOMEONE, PARTICULARLY AN
OLDER PERSON, SURVIVABILITY IS
GOING TO DECREASE SUBSTANTIALLY
AS THE SPEED INCREASES.
>> OKAY.
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO FOLLOW
UP WITH SPECIFIC SPEEDS AND
SPECIFIC SURVIVABILITY RATES.
I SEE WHAT YOUR SLIDE HERE IS
DEMONSTRATING.
I GUESS AT 35 MILES AN HOUR,
WHICH IS WHAT OUR STREETS HAVE
BEEN, AND JUST USING THIS
SLIDE, THE SURVIVABILITY RATE
LOOKS LIKE IT'S ABOUT 30%.
SO SOMEONE HAS -- I GUESS IS IT
70% SURVIVABILITY OR 30%?
>> I THINK, ON THIS -- AS YOU
MOVE UP ON THE Y AXIS, YOU'RE
MORE LIKELY TO DIE FROM THE
CRASH.
THAT 100% AT THE TOP AT 60
MILES AN HOUR, MOST PEOPLE ARE
NOT GOING TO SURVIVE A CRASH.
YOU KNOW THIS IS FROM -- IT'S
ALL -- I THINK THIS IS NATIONAL
DATA IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT
CONTEXTS, AND I THINK THE
SPECIFICS OF EACH INDIVIDUAL
CRASH PLAY INTO THE LEVEL OF
SEVERITY OF THE CRASH, BUT AS
YOU SAID, GOING FROM 35 TO 25,
YOU MOVE FROM THE PLACE WHERE
ABOUT HALF OF OLDER ADULTS
WOULD NOT SURVIVE A CRASH TO A
PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE MUCH --
PEOPLE OF ALL AGES ARE MUCH
MORE LIKELY TO SURVIVE THE
CRASH IF ONE HAPPENS.
YOU'RE ALSO LESS LIKELY TO HAVE
A CRASH IN THE FIRST PLACE.
>> THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL
DIRECTOR ZIMBABWE.
THE 70 AT 35, IT'S 50/50.
DROP DOWN TO 25, IT'S CLOSER TO
ABOUT 15%.
THAT'S JUST SUCH A -- FOR 10
MILES AN HOUR, YOU CHANGE THE
SURVIVABILITY RATE TO HALF.
I CALLED OUT YOUR COMMENTS
EARLIER, ALLISON ABOUT
FREQUENCY.
THIS IS THE INTERLOCKING
úFACTOR.
I GUESS I'M SITTING ON THE
SLIDE SO MUCH BECAUSE I
PERSONALLY WAS HIT BY A DRIVER
WHILE RIDING MY BIKE, AND IT
WAS GOING OVER 35 MILES AN
HOUR.
I SPENT FOUR DAYS IN
HARBORVIEW, AND ACCORDING TO
THIS GRAPH, THERE'S A 30%
CHANCE I WOULD NOT BE HERE WITH
YOU TODAY ASKING THESE
QUESTIONS.
I CAN SHARE MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT THAT AT ANOTHER TIME, BUT
THE FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY IS
WHAT I'M GOING TO KEEP
HAMMERING HOME BECAUSE IF THAT
VEHICLE, IF THE DRIVER THAT HIT
ME WAS GOING SLOWER, THERE
WOULD HAVE BEEN LESS OF AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR IT TO OCCUR,
AND I WOULD NOT HAVE SPENT 12
HOURS IN THE ER AND 36 HOURS IN
THE ICU AND 48 HOURS IN
HARBORVIEW BEING MONITORED.
THIS IS NOT ABSTRACT DATA.
THIS IS -- I HAD A 30% -- YOU
CAN MOVE ON.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT
POINT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES,
PLEASE?
>> THANK YOU.
I AM CURIOUS.
I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, THE
ARTERIALS HAVE BEEN LOWERED, AT
LEAST MOST OF THEM ACROSS THE
CITY, BUT HAVING TWO OF THE
FOUR STREETS WHERE MOST OF THE
ACCIDENTS OCCUR, CRASHES OCCUR,
IN MY DISTRICT, IT'S REALLY
CLEAR TO ME TO SEE LOWERING THE
SPEED LIMIT DOES NOT ACCOUNT
FOR POOR ROAD DESIGN.
WE SEE PEOPLE SPEEDING,
REGARDLESS OF THE NEW LOWERED
SPEED LIMIT ON THE TWO STREETS,
AND SO SORT OF SIMILAR TO THE
POINT THAT COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS IS MAKING, ONE OUT OF
THREE PEOPLE HIT AT 35 MILES AN
HOUR WILL DIE.
I'M CURIOUS IF WE HAVE DATA ON
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING OVER
THE 25 MILES AN HOUR, HOW MANY
ARE GOING OVER 30 OR EVEN OVER
40.
IS ANY OF THAT BEING TRACKED?
BECAUSE I DON'T SEE THAT HAVING
LOWERED THE SPEED LIMIT, I
MEAN, OBVIOUSLY IF OUR CRASHES
ARE STILL AT 160 A YEAR ON
AVERAGE, THAT, BY ITSELF IS NOT
DOING THE TRICK.
I'M CURIOUS IF WE ARE KEEPING
TABS ON THE FREQUENCY OF HOW
MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING OVER THE
SPEED LIMIT.
>> YES, WE WILL BE -- WE HAVE
IN THE PAST, AND WE WILL
CONTINUE TO COLLECT DATA AFTER
WE INSTALLED NEW SPEED LIMIT
SIGNS AND AFTER WE REDESIGNED
THE ROADS.
WE HAVE SOME DATA ABOUT THE
EFFECTS, THE BEFORE AND AFTER
EFFECTS OF THE ROAD
RECHANNELIZATION PARTICULARLY
FOR SPEEDERS GETTING AT THE
IMPORTANCE OF STREET DESIGN.
WHILE WE HAVE SEEN SOME
POSITIVE CHANGES, JUST AS A
RESULT OF LOWERING SPEED LIMITS
AND A MORE VISUAL CUE FOR
FOLKS, THAT'S NOT A ONE-AND-
DONE FIX, CLEARLY.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT STREET
DESIGN AS WE DO THAT.
>> I WILL WAIT UNTIL YOU GET TO
THOSE SLIDES, BUT I HAVE A LOT
OF QUESTIONS ABOUT RAINIER
AVENUE.
>> OKAY.
>> OKAY, SO LET'S SEE, THE
CITYWIDE SPEED LIMITS ARE ONE
EXAMPLE OF A SYSTEMWIDE
IMPROVEMENT THAT WILL BE
NECESSARY TO ADVANCE VISION
ZERO.
WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE BICYCLE
AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ANALYSIS
THAT HAS IDENTIFIED OTHER AREAS
OF FOCUS TO REDUCE SERIOUS
CRASHES, AND IT RECOGNIZES
THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T END
TRAFFIC DEATHS ONLY BY CHASING
FATAL CRASHES.
ACROSS THE SYSTEM WE NEED TO
PREVENT BAD CRASHES FROM
HAPPENING.
ANOTHER WAY TO DO THAT IS BY
GIVING PEDESTRIAN AS HEAD
START.
WE ARE SEEING POSITIVE GAINS
WITH HIGH SCHOOLS LIKE LEADING
PEDESTRIAN INTERVALS THAT GIVE
PEOPLE A HEAD START BY A FEW
SECONDS, REDUCING THE CONFLICTS
AT INTERSECTIONS.
WHERE WE HAVE PUT THEM AND ARE
SEEING A 50% REDUCTION IN
INJURIES AND 35% REDUCTION IN
SERIOUS AND FATAL CRASHES.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
ALL RIGHT.
HERE'S THE SLIDE I WAS JUST
REFERENCING.
SO WHEN WE USE THE COMPLETE
STREET APPROACH, WE CAN IMPROVE
SAFETY FOR ALL TRAVELERS THIS
HIGHLIGHTS BEFORE AND AFTER
RESULTS FOR THE NUMBER OF ROAD
REDESIGNS THAT SDOT HAS PUT IN
PLACE OVER THE LAST DECADE AND
MORE, KNOWN AS
RECHANNELLIZATIONS.
WE TAKE THE TYPICAL FOUR LANE
WITH TWO TRAVEL IN EACH
DIRECTION, ADJUSTED TO ONE LANE
IN EACH DIRECTION WITH THE
CENTER TURN LANE.
IT REDUCES THE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR SPEEDING AND FOR
COLLISIONS, AND NOTABLY FOR
INJURY COLLISIONS.
THE DESIGN IS SELF-ENFORCING,
ENCOURAGING THE BEHAVIOR WE ARE
HAVING, AND IT'S SLOWER SPEED
SO PEOPLE CAN HAVE A GREATER
TIME TO REACT, A WIDER FIELD OF
VISION, AND IF THE CRASH DOES
OCCUR, THE IMPACT WILL LIKELY
BE LOWER BECAUSE OF THE LOWER
SPEED, AGAIN, CRITICAL TO THE
SURVIVABILITY OF PEOPLE,
ESPECIALLY PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF
VEHICLES.
WHEN WE REDESIGN THE STREETS,
WE ARE ALSO, YOU KNOW -- IT
ALSO PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY
TO REPURPOSE SOME OF THE
ADDITIONAL SPACE FOR ADDITIONAL
LOADS OR USES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
>> SO I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO
RAINIER AVENUE.
USED AS A REFERENCE HERE AS A
PRESENTATION FOR STREET DESIGN,
AND EVEN ON THE PORTIONS WITH
THE ROAD DIET, THE CENTER TURN
LANE IS BEING USED AS A PASSING
LANE VERY OFTEN, AND YOU KNOW,
PEOPLE FREQUENTLY SPEED.
THERE'S REGULAR CRASHES, AND IN
SOME PLACES, IT'S STILL FIVE
LANES WIDE, AND THERE'S VERY
LITTLE TRAFFIC CALMING, YOU
KNOW, THERE'S LONG STRETCHES OF
THE ROAD WHERE THERE'S NO
TRAFFIC LIGHTS OR STREET
CROSSINGS, AND SO I AM
INTERESTED IN KNOWING WHAT WE
CAN DO TO MAKE THAT ROAD SAFER,
HOW WE TURN IT INTO A REAL
STREET THAT REFLECTS THAT THERE
ARE MANY SMALL BUSINESSES, AND
WE HAVE HAD HUNDREDS OF UNITS
OF HOUSING GOING UP ALONG
RAINIER AVENUE WHERE PEOPLE ARE
ACCESSING LIGHTRAIL AND TRANSIT
STATIONS.
WE NODE KNOW THERE ARE MORE
PEDESTRIANS INCOMING ON THE
ROAD.
I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO LEARN
HOW WE INSTALL MORE CROSSWALKS
AND CAN NARROW THE LANES OR
MAYBE EVEN GET RID OF THE
CENTER TURN LANE SO WE CAN ADD
MORE, MAYBE EVEN PROTECTED LIKE
LANES ON THERE.
I WILL STOP THERE, BUT I HAVE A
LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
>> GREAT QUESTIONS.
I APPRECIATE THEM.
WE DO, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE MADE
INVESTMENTS IN RAINIER THAT
HAVE PRODUCED SOME POSITIVE
RESULTS, WE KNOW THAT THINGS
ARE STILL HAPPENING ON THIS
PORTION OF RAINIER AVENUE, AND
WE DID JUST DO A COMPLETE --
TOWARDS THE END OF LAST YEAR,
THE SECOND PHASE OF
IMPROVEMENTS ON RAINIER THAT
EXTENDED THE RECHANNELLIZATION
TO RAINIER BEACH, AND WE HOPE
TO CONTINUE TO WORK SOUTH OF
HENDERSON AS WELL TO MAKE
RAINIER SAFER.
TO YOUR POINT, THERE'S POSSIBLE
ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT
CAN AND SHOULD BE MADE
THROUGHOUT THE CORRIDOR, AND
IT'S A MATTER OF ONE, ENSURING
WE HAVE THE FUNDING TO MAKE
IMPROVEMENTS.
THE INITIAL WORK IS TO KIND OF
REDESIGN WITH PAINT IN A LOT OF
WAYS, WITH SIGNAL TIMING, AND
IN SOME INSTANTS, IMPROVEMENTS
TO PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS, BUT
THERE MAY BE MORE, MAYBE SOME
MORE CONCRETE WORK WE CAN DO.
>> CAN I FOLLOW UP WITH ONE
MORE?
>> PLEASE.
>> SO ANOTHER PORTION OF THE
PRESENTATION SHOWS THE SOUTH
END IS RIGHT FOR SAFETY
IMPROVEMENTS.
I KNOW THAT THERE IS AN
EXAMINATION THROUGH THE RSJI
LENS, AND STILL IN THE BIKE
MASTER PLAN, THERE'S THE FEWER
MILES FUNDED THROUGH
CONSTRUCTION.
I JUST AM CURIOUS WHY THE MOST
DIVERSE AREA IN THE CITY IS
SEEING THE LEAST AMOUNT OF
INVESTMENT, AND AS YOUR SLIDES
ARE SAYING, WE KNOW PEOPLE OF
COLOR ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY
IMPACTED BY THE SAFETY
CONCERNS.
>> I CAN JUMP IN A BIT ON THAT
AND THE PREVIOUS COMMENTS AS
WELL.
I THINK A LOT OF THIS IS THE
PIPELINE FOR PROJECTS.
WE HAVE A LOT THAT IS UNDERWAY
AND IN THE PLANNING AND DESIGN
STAGES, BUT WE HAVE TO PRIME
THAT PUMP MORE TO BE ABLE TO
DELIVER, AND THAT ALSO INCLUDES
BEING ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH
COMMUNITIES ABOUT HOW PEOPLE
ARE TRAVELING AND HOW CHANGES
COULD IMPACT, AND WE ALSO, YOU
KNOW, IN USING THESE STREETS AS
EXAMPLES, WE HAVE TAKEN A VERY
DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH TO VISION
ZERO THAT INCLUDES BEFORE AND
AFTER AS THIS SHOWS AND ALSO
THE COMMITMENT TO COME BACK AND
CONTINUE TO WORK TO IMPROVE
SAFETY ALONG THE CORRIDOR.
WE MAY MAKE ONE CHANGE, SEE HOW
IT IS WORKING, CONTINUE THAT,
AND OTHER PIVOT.
IF WE ARE SEEING SOME
IMPROVEMENTS ALONG THE STREET
LIKE RAINIER, BUT NOT GETTING
TO ZERO THAT WILL TELL US THAT
WE STILL NEED TO MAKE
INVESTMENTS AND FIGURE OUT HOW
TO MAKE IT TRULY A SAFE
CORRIDOR FOR EVERYBODY.
THINGS LIKE ADDITIONAL SAFE
CROSSINGS, WAYS TO MAKE THAT
CENTER TURN LINE INTO A
NONPASSING LANE, AND HAVING IT
BE USED FOR THE INTENDED
PURPOSES IS HOW WE WILL LOOK AT
THIS.
>> I CAN TELL YOU, WHETHER IT'S
RAINIER OR ALASKA, PEOPLE USE
THE CENTER LANE AND THE PAINTED
BIKE LANE AS A PASSING LANE.
THAT'S WHY I'M PUSHING SO HARD
FOR PROTECTED BIKE LANES.
PAINT DOESN'T PROTECT ANYBODY.
WE CAN CONTINUE THIS
CONVERSATION LATER.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES.
WE CAN MOVE ON --
>> EXCUSE ME, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD WITH A QUESTION.
>> SORRY, A LITTLE SLOW ON THE
DRAW THERE.
JUST GOING BACK ONE SLIDE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE
FONT THERE.
IS THAT THE WHOLE WAY OR A
PORTION OF IT?
RUNNING FROM THE DOCK TO THE
WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE, AND JUST
WANT TO GET A SENSE OF HOW MUCH
OF FONTLAROY IS COVERED THERE,
AND I WANT TO TAKE THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THE
QUESTION, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS
ONE OF THE FULLY FUNDED
PROJECTS IN THE MOVE LEVY, THE
FONTLAROY SAFETY PROJECT HAS
BEEN DEFUNDED, AND IT'S STILL
IN CIP.
I'M PONDERING IF I SHOULD
CONSIDER THAT A TERMINATION OF
THE PROJECT, BUT JUST A DELAY,
AND ALSO INTERESTED IN TWO
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
WHAT TIME PERIOD IS THIS DATA
FOR ON FONTLAROY, AND I JUST
WANT TO GET A SENSE OF WHY
THERE'S SO MUCH VARIABILITY IN
THE DATA OF INJURY COLLECTIONS
AND 40 MILES AN HOUR SPEEDING.
JUST, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY
COMPARING FONTLAROY TO AS
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES SAID,
RAINIER, WHERE THE COLLISIONS
ARE DOWN ON FONTLAROY
SIGNIFICANTLY, AND LESS SO ON
RAINIER WHERE IN BOTH INSTANCES
THE 40 MILES AN HOUR SPEEDING
IS DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY.
SIGNIFICANTLY MORE ON RAINIER
THAN FONTLAROY.
IN OTHER WORDS, IN ONE CASE
SPEEDING IS DOWN A LITTLE, BUT
INJURY COLLISIONS ARE DOWN A
LOT, AND IN ANOTHER, SPEEDING
IS DOWN A LOT, BUT INJURY
COLLISIONS ARE DOWN A LOT LESS.
>> Reporter: THAT'S A GREAT
QUESTION.
I WILL NEED TO GET BACK TO YOU
ON THE FONTLAROY QUESTION
AROUND WHAT EXTENT AND WHAT
TIME PERIOD THIS IS LOOKING AT,
IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
>> I THINK IT'S BOTH THE AMOUNT
OF FONTLAROY THAT YOU'RE
COVERING THERE.
IS THAT WHAT YOU MEAN BY
EXINNOCENT.
>> YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK MY
UNDERSTANDING IS IT'S THE PART
THAT WAS RECHANNELLIZED.
I THINK IT STARTS AT EDMONDS,
AND I THINK, JUST IN TERMS OF
THE PERCENTAGES T MAY ALSO
HELP, AND I THINK WE COULD
PROVIDE TO THE COUNCIL THE RAW
NUMBERS BECAUSE THAT ALSO PLAYS
INTO PERCENTAGES.
SOME OF THE PERCENTAGE DROP
COULD BE THE RESULT OF THE RAW
NUMBERS PERSPECTIVE.
>> AND THEN QUESTION ABOUT THE
FUTURE OF --
>> THE FUTURE, I MEAN WE HAVE
HELD THAT PROJECT AS SOUND
TRANSIT GOES FOR THE
ENVIRONMENTAL EXTENSION
PROCESS, NOT KNOWING EXACTLY
HOW THE FUTURE CONSTRUCTION OF
THAT, BOTH IN TIMING AND IN
SPACE WOULD AFFECT THE
FONTLAROY PROJECT.
AS THE PROCESS CONTINUES TO
MOVE, WE CAN DISCUSS HOW TO
ADVANCE THE INVESTIGATIONMENTS
ALONG THERE AS WELL.
>> PLEASE CONTINUE, ALLISON.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
I WANT TO CIRCLE BACK TO THE
THREE Es APPROACH.
GUIDED BY THE RACIAL EQUITY
TOOL KIT AND JUSTICE GOALS, WE
IN THE VISION ZERO TEAM WITH
FOLKS ACROSS SDOT HAVE BEEN
ASKING OURSELVES A NUMBER OF
QUESTIONS, AND AGAIN, GUIDED BY
THE RACIAL EQUITY TOOL KIT.
HOW EFFECTIVE HAS EACH OF THE
Es BEEN?
WHAT ARE THE UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES?
I HOPE THE EARLIER SLIDES HAVE
HIGHLIGHTED THE APPROACH WE
HAVE RELIED ON IS NOT GETTING
US CLOSER TO WHERE WE NEED TO
BE FROM A SAFETY OR EQUITY
PERSPECTIVE.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THERE IS ANOTHER E TO BRING IN
HERE.
WHAT WE ARE DOING IS TO LOOK TO
MORE INTENTIONALLY GROUND AND
CENTER OUR WORK IN RACIAL
EQUITY.
THAT REQUIRES US TO THINK ABOUT
SAFETY MORE HOLISTICALLY, AND
IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE ABOUT
PROTECTING PEOPLE FROM THE HARM
OF A TRAFFIC CRASH, BUT WE NEED
TO CONTINUE TO LEARN ABOUT,
ACKNOWLEDGE, AND REDUCE THE
FINANCIAL AND FINANCIAL HARM
THAT CAN OCCUR IN THE RIGHT-OF-
WAY THAT HAS RESULTED IN SOME
INSTANCES BY RELYING ON
ENFORCEMENT TO HELP ADVANCE
SAFETY.
NOW, AND LOOKING AHEAD, WE ARE
LOOKING TO GUIDE OUR EFFORTS
WITH THE RACIAL EQUITY
FRAMEWORK, AND WE ALSO WANT TO
MAKE SURE WE ARE ACTIVELY
ALIGNING OUR WORK AND
CONNECTING DOTS TO THE
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
TRANSPORTATION EQUITY WORK
GROUP THAT OUR COLLEAGUE IN THE
PROGRAM HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY
HARD ON FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF
YEARS.
PART OF THE WORK INCLUDES
INTENTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH
BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND PEOPLE
OF COLOR COMMUNITIES.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AS WE CONTINUE TO EVALUATE OUR
EFFORTS AND MOVE TOWARDS A SAFE
SYSTEM APPROACH GUIDED BY THE
RACIAL EQUITY FRAMEWORK, I DID
WANT TO TOUCH ON HOW WE ARE
ENGAGING WITH SPD AND
ENFORCEMENT.
WE ARE ACTIVELY CONTINUING TO
COORDINATE WITH THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE MONTHLY CHECKINS WITH
THE TRAFFIC COLLISION
INVESTIGATION SQUAD AND A LOT
OF E-MAILS AND PHONE CALLS IN
BETWEEN TO LEARN AS MUCH AS WE
CAN IN REALTIME ABOUT THE BAD
CRASHES ARE OCCURRING.
WE ARE NOT REQUESTING TARGETED
ENFORCEMENT RIGHT NOW, IT'S
CERTAINLY WITHIN SPD'S REALM TO
ENFORCE THE RULES OF THE ROAD.
I ALSO WANT TO SHARE MY TEAM IS
GETTING A RACIAL EQUITY TOOL
KIT EFFORT UNDERWAY RELATED TO
THE AUTOMATED ENFORCEMENT
PROGRAMS, SPECIFICALLY THE
SCHOOL SAFETY AND RED LIGHT
CAMERAS, AND WE ARE WORKING IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH SPD ON THAT
WHO RUNS THE PROGRAM AND ALSO
WITH THE MUNICIPAL COURT, AGAIN
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES AND
RACIAL DISPARITIES.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO USE
THE DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH TO
REDUCE FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY
CRASHES AND ADVANCE RACIAL
EQUITY.
WITH THAT, I THINK I'M GOING TO
HAND IT BACK TO SAM FOR THE
FINAL SLIDE OR TWO.
>> THANK YOU, ALLISON.
WE WANT TO LEAVE IT OPEN UP TO
MORE CONVERSATION AND
DISCUSSION AROUND A COUPLE OF
KEY CHALLENGES AND
OPPORTUNITIES.
WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF
WHAT HAS BEEN PROVEN TO WORK
AND GO AND DO MORE.
WE HAVE NOT TALKED AS MUCH
ABOUT -- WE TALKED ABOUT SOME
OF THE FUNDING CONSTRAINTS, AND
VISION ZERO IS WOVEN INTO ALL
OF OUR INVESTMENTS ACROSS THE
DEPARTMENT AND ALL PROGRAMS.
WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL THE 2021
VEHICLE LICENSE FEE SPEND PLAN
ADDED MORE THAN $1 MILLION TO
THE TEAM BUDGET.
IT INCREASED THE BUDGET ALONE
BY 50%.
AS ALLISON AND HER TEAM WORK IN
PARTNERSHIP ACROSS THE
DEPARTMENT, THOSE RESOURCES ARE
REALLY CRITICAL TO SCALING UP
HOW WE RESPOND AND CAN CONTINUE
TO DO MORE.
WE ALSO WANT TO NOT LEAVE
PEOPLE ON AN UNHOPEFUL NOTE,
EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE STRUGGLED,
WE HAVE MADE INVESTMENTS, BUT
WE ARE STILL FIGHTING THE TIDE,
AND WE HAVE EXAMPLES OF OTHER
PLACES THAT DO SHOW IT'S
POSSIBLE.
THE CITY OF OSLOW, A LITTLE
SMALLER, OBVIOUSLY A DIFFERENT
CONTEXT IN SOME WAYS, BUT, YOU
KNOW, SOME OF THE SAME
CHALLENGES WE FACED, REACHED A
ZERO FATALITIES FOR PEDESTRIANS
AND CYCLISTS, AND THAT'S BEEN
OVER MANY YEARS OF THE SERIES
OF INVESTMENTS.
WE ARE STILL AT THE EARLY
STAGES OF THIS, BUT WE DO WANT
TO LEAVE ON A HOPEFUL NOTE THAT
IT IS POSSIBLE, AND WE THINK WE
CAN GET THERE, WORKING
TOGETHER, AND IT'S ALSO
SOMETHING THAT REALLY REQUIRES
A HOLISTIC VIEW WITHIN SDOT AND
ALSO WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND
SHARED COMMITMENT TO ENDING THE
IMPACTS OF THE TRAFFIC CRASHES
ON OUR COMMUNITIES.
I THINK WITH THAT WE WANT TO
CLOSE AND HAVE ANY FURTHER
DISCUSSION, AND AGAIN, REALLY
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
HAVE THIS CONVERSATION, AND
ESPECIALLY WITHOUT OTHER THINGS
ON THE AGENDA SO WE CAN HAVE
MORE TIME AND SPACE TO HAVE IT.
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR AND
ALLISON SCHWARTZ AND YOUR TEAM
AS WELL.
JIM CURTIN, GOOD TO SEE YOU AS
WELL.
WE CAN OPEN IT UP FOR
QUESTIONS.
I HAVE A COUPLE JUST TO GET
THINGS STARTED.
WE, OBVIOUSLY, ASKED A LOT OF
QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY, AND
YOU CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THE
VISION ZERO TEAM AS WELL.
I WANTED TO KNOW, YOU MENTIONED
OSLOW, NORWAY, AND I WOULD LIKE
TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHICH OTHER
SIMILAR CITIES HAVE ACHIEVED
BETTER SAFETY OUTCOMES, AND
WHAT SPECIFICALLY ARE THEY
DOING DIFFERENTLY THAN SEATTLE.
OSLOW IS A HOPEFUL EXAMPLE IN
TERMS OF THEM GETTING TO ZERO.
THE LIMITED INFORMATION I HAVE,
I KNOW THEY ALSO HAVE A STRONG
ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM, AND
OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE DIFFERENT
CONTEXTS THERE THAN WE DO HERE,
AND BECAUSE AS I UNDERSTAND IT,
THEIR ENFORCEMENT IS SO STRONG,
AND FINES ARE SO HIGH AND
SEVERE, ARE THERE OTHER CITIES
WE CAN LOOK AT WITH BETTER
OUTCOMES?
THAT COULD BE A QUESTION YOU
GET BACK TO US ON, RATHER THAN
PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT,ER FEEL
FREE TO ANSWER.
I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER MORALES
HAS FOLLOWUP QUESTIONS AS WELL.
>> GO AHEAD, ALLISON.
>> SORRY, I CAN'T SEE YOU.
I MEAN, I THINK WE TEND TO
POINT TO THE EUROPEAN EXAMPLES
BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES WHO
HAVE GOTTEN THE CLOSEST.
I FEEL LIKE TO SAM'S POINT, THE
PRESENTATION HAD A LITTLE
DEBBIE DOWNER TONE TO IT, BUT
WE ARE DOING, YOU KNOW, PRETTY
WELCOME PAIRED TO MANY OF THE
PEER CITIES.
IT'S HARD TO MAKE THE
COMPARISON BECAUSE WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT HUMAN LIVES AND
TALKING WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT
TO DISCOUNT THE FACT THAT 20
PEOPLE ARE DYING AND 160 MORE
ARE INJURED, BUT AMONGST OUR
PEERS IN THE UNITED STATES, WE
ARE ONE OF THE SAFER CITIES.
ONE GOOD CITY TO LOOK AT IN THE
U.S. IS NEW YORK, AND JUST HOW
AGGRESSIVE NAY HAVE BEEN AT
USING THE TOOLS WE KNOW ARE
WORKING.
TOOLS PROVEN BY OUR OWN
IMPLEMENTATION TO WORK TO
REDUCE CRASHES, AND SO A
VARIETY OF TRAFFIC CALMING
MECHANISMS THEY AGGRESS I
HAVELY DEPLOY, AND THEN HAVE
BEEN DOING SO FOR THE LAST FOR
THE LAST SEVEN PLUS YEARS IF
NOT DECADE MORE, AND THEY HAVE
SEEN DECREASES IN THE
PEDESTRIAN FATALITY RATES IS MY
UNDERSTANDING.
WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO LOOK AT
OTHER EXAMPLES.
WE ARE PRETTY CONSTANTLY
ENGAGED WITH FOLKS THROUGH THE
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CITY
TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS AND
THERE'S A NETWORK CONNECTING
THE PEER CITIES TOGETHER TO
CONSTANTLY EXCHANGE INFORMATION
AND LOOKING TO EACH OTHER TO
LEARN MORE.
>> THANK YOU.
I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO
HEAR CITIES IN ADDITION TO NEW
YORK.
THEY HAVE FIVE BOROUGHS,
CURIOUS HOW IT WILL BREAKDOWN
AND COMPARE TO SEATTLE.
ANY OTHER CITIES YOU CAN FIND
ACHIEVING BETTER OUTCOMES, AND
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
>> THANK YOU.
WELL, I AM REALLY CURIOUS --
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
I THINK IT'S OBVIOUS THE VISION
ZERO TEAM IS GRAPPLING WITH HOW
TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT 20
PEOPLE ARE DYING IN THE CITY
EVERY YEAR, AND HOW TO MAKE THE
KIND OF INVESTMENT YOU NEED IT
MAKE TO -- SO IT DOESN'T TAKE
US TO 2280 OR WHATEVER YOU SAID
OF THE GOAL OF ZERO FATALITIES.
I THINK A LOT OF THE CHALLENGE
FOR US, IN OUR AMERICAN
CULTURE, OTHER ROAD DESIGNS ARE
HARD TO ACCEPT.
I THINK WE HAVE TO MOVE THAT
WAY.
I KNOW THERE ARE EXAMPLES IN
EUROPE, PARIS, AND DURING COVID
THEY CHANGED THEIR BUSIEST
STREETS, CLOSED TO PRIVATE, YOU
KNOW, TO CARS, AND SAN
FRANCISCO CLOSED MARKET STREET,
AND I KNOW IT'S POSSIBLE IN
EUROPE AND IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT
WHAT I WANT TO REALLY KNOW, FOR
YOU, FOR YOUR TEAM, WHAT IS IT
GOING TO TAKE?
A CULTURE ISSUE?
POLICY ISSUE?
YOU MENTIONED FUNDING A COUPLE
OF TIMES.
I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW
WHAT KIND OF FUNDING YOU NEED
TO MAKE THE KIND OF IMPACT THAT
WOULD ACTUALLY START TO MOVE
THIS TOWARDS THE GOAL OF VISION
ZERO.
IF FUNDING IS THE ISSUE, WHAT
DO YOU NEED TO ACHIEVE THE
GOAL?
>> SO, SURE, LET ME TAKE SOME
-- THE START OF THAT AT LEAST,
AND JUST GOING BACK A LITTLE
BIT TO WHERE WE HAVE THE
COMPARISON TO OTHER CITIES, I
THINK EVERY CITY ACROSS THE
COUNTRY HAD A CHALLENGING 2020
AND SO -- HAS HAD A CHALLENGING
COUPLE OF YEARS.
SOME OF THAT IS, PERHAPS, DUE
TO THINGS LIKE VEHICLE DESIGN
AND THE VISIBILITY OF PEOPLE
WALKING AND BIKING FROM LARGER
VEHICLES AS PEOPLE HAVE OPTED
FOR LARGER VEHICLES AS WELL ON
THE CITY STREETS, AND
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, TO YOUR
QUESTION, I THINK IT'S A RANGE
OF THINGS.
I'M RELUCTANT TO SAY IF WE
THROW MORE MONEY AT IT, IT WILL
SOLVE EVERYTHING.
WE KNOW THE STREETS THAT ARE
THE MOST CHALLENGING FOR US
FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE ARE
NEEDING SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT
TO REDESIGN.
WE DIDN'T TALK THAT MUCH ABOUT
AURORA TODAY, BUT HIGHWAY 99
AND AURORA, IT REMAINS REALLY
THE MOST DEADLY STREET IN THE
CITY, AND WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO
SECURING THE GRANT TO DO SOME
REALLY IMPORTANT CONCEPT
DESIGNS AND TAKING THAT A
LITTLE BEYOND CONCEPT IN SOME
PLACES FOR HOW TO REENVISION
AURORA TO REALLY BE A SAFE
COMMUNITY CONNECTOR, RATHER
THAN THE DIVIDER IT IS TODAY.
MAKING THOSE INVESTMENTS ARE ON
A REALLY LARGE SCALE TO MAKE
SOME OF THOSE PHYSICAL CHANGES
IN A PLACE LIKE AURORA THAT HAS
BEEN BUILT OVER YEARS TO BE
MUCH MORE FOCUSED ON MOVING
CARS THAN ON CONNECTING PEOPLE.
SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS WE
DID, OUR PROGRAM TO CHANGE OUT
THE SIGNS WAS A MINOR COST.
IT'S NOT PURELY A FUNDING
CONVERSATION.
WE HAVE DEFINITELY HAVE BEEN
HAVING INTERNAL CONVERSATIONS
WITHIN SDOT ABOUT WHERE WE MAY
BE OUR OWN OBSTACLE TO
RESOLVING SOME OF THE ISSUES
AND HOW WE CAN DO THAT FASTER
AND MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT
REALLY DO PRIORITIZE SAFETY IN
EVERY ONE OF OUR PROJECTS AND
DECISIONS.
THAT'S NOT A MONEY ISSUE
EITHER.
THAT'S MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE
INTERNAL POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES THAT LOOK AT SAFETY
EVERY TIME IN TERMS OF MAKING
THE DECISION THROUGHOUT THE
DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S REALLY CRITICAL FOR
ACHIEVING VISION ZERO.
IT'S REALLY A MIX OF THINGS
THAT WILL GET US EVENTUALLY TO
THE VISION.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> ANOTHER SPECIFIC QUESTION.
I WAS WONDER IF, DIRECTOR
ZIMBABWE, YOU COULD SPEAK TO
THE ROLE OF THE KEEP IT MOVING
STREETS AND STAY HEALTHY
STREETS TO THE THESIS IT'S THE
DESIGN OF THE STREET THAT IS
IMPORTANT TO MAKING STREETS
MORE SAFE.
THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY UNSAFE
DRIVING AND HISTORICALLY ON
BEACH DRIVE, AND CAPTAIN
GROSSMAN HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR HE
ALSO EMBRACES THIS CONCEPT OF
THE SAFE DESIGN OF STREETS
BEING PARAMOUNT, AND
ENFORCEMENT IS NOT A USEFUL
TOOL, AND SO JUST WONDERING,
REALLY, HOW YOU SEE THOSE
DESIGN TOOLS YOU HAVE AVAILABLE
TO YOU, IF PROPERLY RESOURCED,
AND IN HELPING ALSO TO
ACCOMPLISH THE VISION ZERO GOAL
IN PLACES, BUT AS WITH THE
DRIVE.
>> THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES ALSO
TALKING ABOUT WHAT OTHER CITIES
HAVE DONE DURING THE RECOVERY
FROM THE PANDEMIC.
WE DID CLEAN HEAVILY INTO THE
STAY HEALTHY STREETS AND KEEP
MOVING STREETS IN PARKS AS A
BIG TOOL.
THOSE HAVE BEEN BY AND LARGE,
MOST OF THOSE, THE ALKY POINT
AN EXCEPTION, PLACES WHERE
THERE WERE EXISTING SAFETY
INVESTMENTS MADE.
NEIGHBORHOOD GREENWAYS WE WERE
NOW OPENING UP TO MORE PEOPLE
WALKING AND BIKING, AND IN
DIFFERENT WAYS.
SOME OF THE UNDERLYING
INVESTMENTS OF THOSE, THE SAFE
CROSSINGS OF THE BUSIER
STREETS, THEY WERE CRITICAL TO
THE ABILITY TO DO -- TO SEE
GOOD SUCCESS WITH THE STATE
HEALTHY STREETS.
WE WERE STILL NAVIGATING AND
FIGURING OUT WHAT THE RIGHT WAY
TO MAKE SOME OF THOSE INTERIM
INVESTMENTS PERMANENT AND HOW
TO REAP THE BENEFITS OF THOSE
IN AN ONGOING BASIS, AND SO I
THINK THAT'S A PLACE BY PLACE,
AND AS WE THINK ABOUT IT HAS
CHANGED HOW WE THINK ABOUT
DEPLOYING NEW NEIGHBORHOOD
GREENWAYS GOING FORWARD AS
WELL, AND WHAT WE CAN DO IN
TERMS OF DIFFERENT DESIGN
APPROACHES FROM THE START.
I THINK WE HAVE SEEN THOSE BE
POPULAR, AND WE HAVE ALSO HEARD
SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE STAY
HEALTHY STREETS AND WANT TO
IMPLEMENT THEM IN AN ONGOING
WAY THAT IS SENSITIVE TO THE
COMMUNITY CONCERNS AND DESIRES
AS WELL.
THAT'S DEFINITELY PART OF THE
TOOLBOX, AND WE APPRECIATE THE
RESOURCES THAT ARE IN THE
FUNDING PROPOSAL FROM THE
RESCUE FUNDS TO RECOVERY FUNDS.
I NEVER KNOW WHAT THE R IS, TO
HELP US MAKE THE GAINS
PERMANENT AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT ANSWER,
DIRECTOR.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS?
SDOT IS ACCESSIBLE ALL THE
TIME, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE
THEIR RESPONSIVENESS.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
I WANT TO PIGGYBACK OFF YOUR
COMMENTS REGARDING OSLOW WHERE
YOU MENTIONED, CHAIR, THE HIGH
COST OF THE TICKET, AND STRONG
ENFORCEMENT MODEL.
I THINK SOMETHING THAT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT TO GO ALONG
WITH THAT CONTEXT, AND TO NOT
JUST VIEW ENFORCEMENT IN OSLOW
IN A VACUUM, THEY ALSO HAVE
SEPARATED LANES FOR EVERYONE,
WHETHER IT'S A PEDESTRIAN,
SOMEONE RIDING A BIKE, OR
DRIVING.
THERE'S A CLEAR PLACE, AND IT'S
KNOWN TO EVERYONE ON THE ROAD
WHICH LANE THEY NEED TO STAY
IN.
THAT'S ALSO NOT THE CASE HERE
IN OUR CITY, AND I DON'T KNOW
THE RELATIONSHIP WITH LEGAL AND
FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS.
HERE IN THE UNITED STATES LEGAL
AND FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS GOING
FURTHER THAN THE INCIDENT IN
WHICH SOMEONE IS BEING
REPRIMANDED FOR.
I CAUTION THE RELIANCE ON
ENFORCEMENT AS PER THE SLIDE WE
SAW IN THE PRESENTATION UNLESS
IT COMES ALONG WITH THE DESIGN
AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO KEEP
EVERYONE IN THEIR LANE AND SAFE
AND SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER.
AGAIN, JUST HIGHLIGHTING THE
SLIDE ABOUT FREQUENCY AND
SEVERITY.
THE REASON WITH ARE LOWERING
THE SPEED LIMITS IS TO REDUCE
THE COLLISIONS HAPPENING
BETWEEN PEOPLE AND PEOPLE
DRIVING.
I HEARD A TERM CALLED
VULNERABLE USERS OF THE ROAD.
THOSE ARE PEOPLE BIKING AND
WALKING, AND I GUESS I HAVE
TROUBLE WITH THE TERM.
IT'S A PERSONAL ISSUE FOR ME,
AND ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING IT IS
SOMEBODY WHO DOES NOT HAVE A
STEEL CAGE AROUND THEM ON THE
ROAD.
RIGHT?
SO IF YOU ARE IN A CAR, IN A
STEEL BOX, TRAVELING AT 35
MILES AN HOUR, YOU HAVE A VERY
HIGH SURVIVABILITY RATE OF A
COLLISION.
IF YOU ARE NOT INSIDE OF THAT
PROTECTED BOX, YOUR
SURVIVABILITY RATE IS MUCH
DIFFERENT.
SO EVERYONE HERE.
I OWN A CAR.
I ALSO OWN A BIKE.
I ALSO WALK.
SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT AND
THINKING ABOUT HOW WE USE OUR
ROADS, IT'S NOT FOR A CERTAIN
SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION.
IT IS FOR EACH OF US, DEPENDING
ON WHAT WE ARE DOING THAT DAY.
MANY PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN
ADVANTAGE OF THE BIKE SHARES,
AND THOSE ARE PEOPLE WHO MAY
NOT OWN BIKES, AND THEY NEED A
SAFE AND SEPARATED PLACE TO USE
THOSE MORTAL TOOLS WITHOUT THE
FEAR OF BEING INJURED, AND THAT
BRINGS TO THE POINT OF
CONNECTIVITY, IF YOU DON'T HAVE
A SAFE AND SEPARATED PLACE FOR
PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GET AROUND
ON ALL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION,
WHICH IS WALKING, RIDING THEIR
BIKE, USING THEIR CAR, USING
TRANSIT, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A
SAFE AND SEPARATED PLACE FOR
EACH OF THE MODES, PEOPLE WHO
DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW HOW TO
RIDE A BIKE OR RIDE A BIKE IN
TRAFFIC, THEY DON'T HAVE THE
SAME ACCESS TO OUR STREETS AS
EVERYONE ELSE.
PUT A DIFFERENT WAY, IF SOMEONE
GROWS UP IN A PLACE THAT IS NOT
THE CITY, DOESN'T HAVE A HIGH
LEVEL OF FAST-MOVING TRAFFIC,
THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME LEVEL
OF COMFORT RIDING ON THE
STREET, OR PUTTING IT ANOTHER
WAY, AGAIN.
IF YOU'RE FIVE YEARS OLD OR TEN
YEARS OLD OR A YOUNG CHILD, YOU
DON'T HAVE THE PERCEPTION AND
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS TO BE
ABLE TO NAVIGATE THE STREET IF
YOU HAVE A SAFE AND SEPARATED
BIKE LANE, YOU WOULD.
THAT LEVEL OF STRESS IS LOWERED
TO A PLACE THAT ALLOWS SOMEONE
WHO DOES NOT HAVE THE TECHNICAL
ABILITY TO USE THE ROADWAY.
I WILL BRING IT BACK TO WHERE I
STARTED.
EACH OF US, MOST OF US, OWN A
CAR.
MOST OF US WILL ALSO RIDE A
BIKE FROM TIME TO TIME, AND
MOST OF US WALK.
WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT CHANGING
HOW WE DESIGN OUR ROADWAYS,
IT'S NOT FOR A CERTAIN SEGMENT
OF THE POPULATION.
IT'S SO EACH OF US AND ALL OF
US CAN HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO
WALK, BIKE, AND DRIVE.
THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS.
I WILL JUST KIND OF CLOSE OUT
WITH, AGAIN, BRINGING, YOU
KNOW, A POINT TO 35 MILES AN
HOUR VERSES 25 MILES AN HOUR
FROM THAT SLIDE WE SAW, AND I
PERSONALLY WAS HIT BY A DRIVER
DRIVING THEIR CAR AT 35 MILES
AN HOUR AND ACCELERATING THAT
PUT ME IN THE HOSPITAL FOR FOUR
I STILL HAVE PAIN TODAY FROM
THAT INJURY.
IF THAT CAR HAD BEEN MADE OUT
OF STEEL, HAD NOT HIT A CURB
BEFORE IT HIT ME, OR MULTIPLE
FACTORS, I WOULD NOT BE HERE
WITH YOU TODAY HAVING THIS
CONVERSATION.
IF THAT CAR WAS GOING 25 MILES
AN HOUR, JUST 10 MILES AN HOUR
DIFFERENCE, I WOULD NOT HAVE
SPENT AS MUCH TIME IN THE
HOSPITAL.
AT 20 MILES AN HOUR, I WOULDN'T
HAVE HAD SEVERE INJURIES.
I WOULDN'T HAVE THAT TODAY.
SO THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO
HAVE PASSED AWAY FROM DEADLY
COLLISIONS, AND THANK YOU,
DIRECTOR, FOR TAKING A MOMENT
OF SILENCE AT THE TOP OF THE
MEETING, AND THERE'S SO MANY
MORE PEOPLE IN OUR CITY WHO
HAVE BEEN INJURED, OR WHETHER
THEY WERE WALKING OR CROSSING
THE SIDEWALK OR CROSSING IN THE
CROSSWALK, BUT SO MANY PEOPLE
THAT YOU PROBABLY KNOW THAT
HAVE BEEN HIT, HAVE BEEN
INJURED, AND THESE COLLISIONS
ARE PREVENTABLE, SO, AGAIN,
THANK YOU, ALLISON, AND THANK
YOU, DIRECTOR ZIMBABWE.
I'M SURE WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR
MONEY TO HELP YOU CONTINUE WHAT
YOU'RE DOING.
>> THANK YOU.
>> JUST ONE OTHER QUESTION
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, COMING BACK TO
THE RESOURCE ISSUE THAT I KNOW
THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS
STRUGGLING WITH, BUT MY
RECOLLECTION IS THAT WE ALSO --
WITH THE OVERALL LEVY REDUCTION
OF $7 MILLION, THAT THERE WAS A
REDUCTION IN THE SAFE ROUTES TO
SCHOOL PROGRAM, AND I THINK THE
NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC CALMING
PROGRAM WAS ZEROED OUT.
THERE'S NO FUNDS AVAILABLE
THERE, AND FOR THAT PROGRAM
THIS YEAR, CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE
RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR THESE
REALLY IMPORTANT -- I MEAN
VISION ZERO IS AN OVERALL
POLICY GOAL, BUT IT IS MADE UP
OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT ARE
REALLY CRITICAL TO MEETING
THOSE GOALS.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC
CALMING PROGRAM IS ONE PROGRAM.
THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS IS
ANOTHER PROGRAM, AND AGAIN,
DISTRICT ONE, THERE'S A GROUP
OF -- THERE'S A COALITION OF
RESIDENTS CALLED THE 16th
AVENUE SOUTHWEST COALITION,
MADE UP OF REPRESENTATIVES OF
THE PSA, AND THEN TEACHERS,
STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND WHO HAVE
BEEN ADVOCATING FOR SAFETY
INVESTMENTS, AND I APPRECIATE
THERE WAS SOME ANALYSIS DONE
AROUND THAT STREET ASSOCIATED
WITH THE FUNDING, BUT I'M
DISAPPOINTED THAT LIKE THE
INVESTMENTS THAT WE ARE LOOKING
AT THERE ARE SPEED BUMPS, AND
IT SEEMS LIKE NEEDS ARE MUCH
GREATER 16th SOUTHWEST IS A
MAJOR ARTERIAL.
IT IS IN THE AREA OF THE
SCHOOL.
SOUTHWEST COLLEGES HAD BEEN
ASKING FOR HELP A COUPLE OF
YEARS AGO, AND JUST WANTING TO
UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH THE
LIMITATIONS OF WHAT WE ARE
DOING IN THAT AREA ARE ABOUT
RESOURCES VERSES THE ANALYSIS
AROUND NEED THAT I KNOW SDOT
HAS DONE WE ARE CONNECTION WEST
SEATTLE.
>> JIM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU
WANT TO JUMP IN HERE.
I SEE YOU COMING OFF MUTE.
>> MOST CERTAINLY.
GOOD MORNING COUNCILMEMBERS,
THANK YOU.
COMING IN LATE HERE, BUT HAPPY
TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, TO GO BACK, AND YOU
TALKED ABOUT SAFE ROUTES TO
SCHOOL FUNDING AND NEIGHBORHOOD
TRAFFIC CONTROL FUNDING AS
WELL.
I THINK A THANKS IS IN ORDER
FOR COUNCIL.
IN THE LAST BUDGET PROCESS,
PARDON ME, YOU ALL TOOK ACTION
TO ADD A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF
ACTION BACK INTO THE SAFE
ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROGRAM.
AS YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNDED IN
PART BY THE AUTOMATED SCHOOL
SAFETY CAMERA PROGRAM, WHICH,
OF COURSE, WAS BARELY
FUNCTIONING LAST YEAR AS WE
WENT TO A SCHOOL-FROM-HOME
APPROACH, SO THANK YOU TO THAT.
I MEAN IT WAS A HUGE HELP.
IT HELPED US CONTINUE WITH THE
GREAT WORK THAT IS CONTINUING
IN EACH AND EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD
ACROSS THE CITY OF SEATTLE FROM
A SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC
CONTROL PROGRAM IS AN OLDER
PROGRAM.
IT'S BEEN IN THE CITY FOR QUITE
SOME TIME, BUT WE ARE REALLY
SHIFTING A LITTLE BIT.
SHIFTING AWAY FROM KIND OF THE
STAND-ALONE REQUEST FOR TRAFFIC
CALMING, AND MOVING MORE
TOWARDS A HOLISTIC MODEL.
YOU I HAVE LIKELY HEARD OF THE
HOME ZONE PROGRAM, AND THAT IS,
OF COURSE, ADDRESSING SOME OF
THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC
CONTROL PROGRAMS AND TRAFFIC
ISSUES, AND NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE
HIGHLAND PARK, SOUTH PARK, AND
ALSO IN THE RAINIER VALLEY, AND
ALSO IN NEW HOLLY, AND ALSO IN
OTHER LOCATIONS AS WELL, AND
YOU KNOW, RATHER THAN TAKE A
STREET-BY-STREET APPROACH, OR
IN MANY CASES THE INTERSECTION-
BY-INTERSECTION APPROACH, WE
ARE LOOKING MORE BROADLY TO
LOOK AT HOW WE CAN IMPROVE
TRAFFIC.
OFTEN TIMES WHAT WE WILL DO IS
INTERVENE IN ONE AREA, AND PUT
IN A COUNTERMEASURE, AND YOU
KNOW, WE ARE JUST PUSHING
PEOPLE IN ANOTHER AREA, RIGHT?
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
THINKING AS HOLISTICALLY AS WE
CAN, WHEN IT COMES TO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC ISSUES,
AND REGARDING 16th AVENUE
SOUTHWEST, THE STREET THAT I
WAS ON JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, AND
YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HAVE A LOT
OF CHALLENGES SINCE THE WEST
SEATTLE BRIDGE CLOSED AS YOU
KNOW, AND WE ARE LOOKING TO
BRING SOME MUCH-NEEDED CHANGES
OUT THERE.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF SPEED
BUMPS AND SPEED CUSHIONS ADDED
OVER THE YEARS.
WE HAVE ADDED SEVERAL NEW
PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE CROSSING
ON THE CORRIDOR FROM HENDERSON
NORTH OF THE COLLEGE, UP IN
THAT AREA, AND WE ARE LOOKING
TO HELP WITH THE
INFRASTRUCTURES AROUND SANTA
SLOANE ELEMENTARY AS WELL.
THERE'S QUIRKY STREETS WHERE
THE GRID IS NOT SQUARE LIKE WE
LIKE.
WE ARE SQUARING UP THE
INTERSECTIONS, AND MAKING
WALKING, DRIVING, AND BICYCLING
IN THE AREA MORE ORGANIZED FOR
EVERYONE.
AND THEN, FINALLY I THINK, LAST
BUT NOT LEAST, WE ARE LOOKING
AT THE CHANNELIZATION ON 16th
AVENUE, AND SOMETIMES WE DO
FIND THAT A LITTLE BIT OF PAINT
GOES A LONG WAY, AND VISUALLY
NARROWING THE ROADWAY, AND
REDUCING THE SPEEDS WE SEE FROM
DRIVERS AND ALSO CREATING
SHORTER CROSSINGS FOR PEOPLE
WHO ARE WALKING AND BIKING
ACROSS 16th.
>> TO FOLLOW UP WITH A QUESTION
IF I COULD.
JIM, THE REFERENCES TO THE
CHANGES AROUND SANTA SLOANE,
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PAST
PROJECTS?
>> WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK
--
>> I KNOW.
I WANT TO TELL THE
CONSTITUENTS, I'M GETTING A LOT
OF E-MAILS RIGHT NOW, AND I
WANT TO -- I APPRECIATE THE
WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE.
IT'S BEEN FANTASTIC, BUT I
DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT
SOMETHING YOU'RE DOING IN THE
FUTURE IF WHAT YOU ARE TALKING
TO ME ABOUT NOW IS THE PAST
WORK, AND I WANT TO FOCUS ON,
SO, FOR INSTANCE, YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT SOME CHANGES ON
16th THAT ARE NOT REFERENCED IN
THE MOST RECENT CONSTITUENT
COMMUNICATION, AND IT'S ONLY
FOCUSED ON THE SPEED BUMPS.
I WANT TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT ELSE
YOU'RE LOOKING TO DO THERE.
>> YEAH.
I WAS MOST CERTAINLY
REFERENCING WHAT WE HAD DONE IN
THE PAST.
WE ARE NOT DONE.
THAT'S ONE THING ABOUT THE SAFE
ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROGRAM.
WHEN WE GO OUT AND ENGAGE WITH
CONSTITUENTS AND PEOPLE WHO
WORK AT THE SCHOOL, WE HAVE A
LAUNDRY LIST OF THINGS THAT
NEED TO BE DONE.
WE ARE NOT DONE, AND I WILL GET
WITH THE TEAM, AND I WILL GET
YOU THE LATEST AND GREATEST
INFORMATION AS SOON AS I CAN.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER,
AND THANK YOU TO THE VISION
ZERO TEAM AND DIRECTOR
ZIMBABWE.
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY.
I KNOW YOU ARE ACCESSIBLE AND
RESPONSIVE TO US.
WE WILL REACH OUT WITH ANY
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, AND I
WANTED TO -- I'M GLAD WE WERE
ABLE TO FOCUS ON THIS VERY
IMPORTANT ITEM TODAY FOR THE
ENTIRE MEETING, AND WITH THAT,
I WILL GO AHEAD AND CONCLUDE
THE MEETING, AND THIS CONCLUDES
THE JUNE 2nd, 2021 MEETING OF
THE TRANSPORTATION AND
UTILITIES COMMITTEE.
THE COMMITTEE PLANS TO MEET
AGAIN ON JUNE 16th.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR
ATTENDING.
WE ARE ADJOURNED.
BYE.