City Councilmembers Unveil the Vision Zero Initiative

City leaders, Thursday, unveiled a plan they say will help to eliminate traffic fatalities and injuries.

The initiative, called "Vision Zero" incorporates a 10-point priority action plan that includes things like establishing a task force to obtain and provide input on street design and traffic safety policies and Identifying "Traffic Safety Champions" who will engage and communicate with the community.

Other parts of the plan are as follows:

• Establish a Safe Speed Initiative: Implementing 25 MPH speed limit on city streets.

• Targeted Enhancement Initiative to inventory and identify sidewalks and intersections for safety and mobility improvements.

• Enhancing Marked Crosswalks to develop location spacing standards at intersections, bus shelters and side streets.

• A 63-mile connected bicycle network to support biking corridors and priority intersections; 19 miles are currently in place.

• Enhanced Snow & Ice Removal Initiative to increase frequency of sidewalk and bus shelter clearing, evaluate opportunities for treatment on bike lanes.

• Work with New York State to implement speed and red light camera deployment, with revenues dedicated to Vision Zero initiatives.

• Lake Avenue Enhanced – create a rapid bus transit corridor to reduce collisions and enhance public transportation along this dangerous stretch of road.

• Vision Zero Report: To include key outcome and activity-based metrics.

City Council members noted the City has the ambitious goal of eradicating all traffic-related fatalities and severe injuries within the city.

They believe adopting the Vision Zero plan marks a significant achievement for the City Council’s Pact with the People, which vowed to advocate for the plan to enhance Rochester's safety, housing quality, and equitable opportunities.

"Vision Zero is a roadmap for the City to create a safer, more equitable transportation system,” said Rochester City Councilmember Mitch Gruber. “As we follow this plan and effectively engage the community, the City of Rochester will foster a culture of safety and responsibility on our streets.”

In 2010 the city instituted a red light camera program but after facing a lawsuit over the program and facing major opposition from city residents, Lovely Warren, the mayor at the time, decided to not renew the program when it expired in 2016.