Since Vision Zero was implemented in 2017, traffic fatalities have increased every year, except 2020, which saw a significant decrease due to stay at home orders.
By Desiree Mathurin, Denverite
Denver and Vision Zero, the city’s initiative to completely eradicate traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030, is receiving some funding to help further the mission.
The city was awarded $576,000 from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program to research safety improvements for nine corridors across Denver. All of the corridors are a part of Denver’s high-injury network, which accounts for 50% of traffic deaths.
The grant program is a part of a Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that allocated $800 million to fund the Vision Zero goal at regional, local and Tribal levels.
In a press release, the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure said they would utilize the grant funding to hire an independent team to examine the selected roadways and identify new safety measures using a Road Safety Audit, which takes into account “the safety of all road users and human factors that may contribute to unsafe road conditions.”
The audits take into account crash reports and data, along with field observations during all hours and days.
Jill Locantore, the executive director of safer streets The Denver Streets Partnership, a coalition of community groups that advocate for safer streets, said the group was supportive of DOTI requesting the funding and ultimately wrote a letter of support to the grant program.
Locantore said she hopes the funding will be used on big picture items instead of “quick fixes,” which Locantore said works but isn’t working enough. She pointed to a section of East Colfax between the Colorado State Capitol and East High School. DOTI installed bollards and pedestrian median islands that force drivers to slow down and yield to pedestrians. It’s effective but not sufficient.