Strategies to Coordinate Zero 

Deaths Efforts for State and 

Local Agencies 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

Table of Contents 

ACRONYMS........................................................................................................................ ii 

1. Introduction................................................................................................................. 1 

The Need for Vision Zero...........................................................................................................1 

FHWA’s Vision Zero Commitment ...........................................................................................1 

Background .................................................................................................................................2 

Report Purpose............................................................................................................................2 

Report Organization ...................................................................................................................2 

2. State-led Opportunities .............................................................................................. 3 

Speed Management ....................................................................................................................4 

EMPOWER LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO SET SPEED LIMITS ....................................................................................4 

PRIORITIZE EFFECTIVE COUNTERMEASURES TO MANAGE SPEED....................................................................6 

INSTITUTIONALIZE BEST PRACTICES TO MANAGE SPEED AND IMPROVE SAFETY ..........................................7 

SUPPORT CONTEXT-SENSITIVE DESIGN APPLICATIONS TO IMPROVE SAFETY................................................8 

Safety Culture .............................................................................................................................8 

TAKE A LEADING, VISIBLE ROLE IN ADVANCING THE VISION ZERO GOAL AND SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH9 

EMPHASIZE THE HUMAN ASPECTS OF TRAFFIC SAFETY EFFORTS AND RESULTS ............................................9 

COLLABORATE ON DIVERSE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS, NOT JUST HIGHWAYS .............................................9 

FACILITATE LOCAL SAFETY MEETINGS............................................................................................................10 

Data and Prioritization .............................................................................................................10 

ALIGN FUNDING AND POLICY WITH SAFETY GOALS ......................................................................................11 

COORDINATE ON DATA COLLECTION, SHARING, ANALYSIS, AND USE ........................................................11 

USE DATA TO UNDERSTAND INEQUITIES AND ADVANCE EQUITABLE TRAFFIC SAFETY OUTCOMES ..........12 

3. Region-led Opportunities.......................................................................................... 13 

Speed Management ..................................................................................................................13 

SUPPORT LOCAL AND STATE EFFORTS TO REDUCE SPEED .............................................................................13 

Safety Culture ...........................................................................................................................13 

BUILD CAPACITY AND BRING AWARENESS .....................................................................................................13 

SHARE SAFETY RESOURCES WITH LOCAL JURISDICTIONS .............................................................................14 

Data and Prioritization .............................................................................................................14 

SET REGIONAL TRAFFIC SAFETY GOALS, THEN MEASURE AND REPORT PROGRESS .....................................14 

HELP BRIDGE DATA GAPS BETWEEN STATE AND LOCAL AGENCIES..............................................................16 

PRIORITIZE SAFETY IN PLANNING AND FUNDING EFFORTS...........................................................................16 

4. Community-led Opportunities.................................................................................. 18 

Speed Management ..................................................................................................................18 

i 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

MEASURE AND SHARE SPEEDING-RELATED DATA TO MAKE POLICY AND DESIGN CHANGE ......................18 

Safety Culture ...........................................................................................................................20 

CONVENE PEER NETWORKS AND COORDINATE ON IMPROVEMENTS STATEWIDE ......................................20 

INCLUDE STATE AGENCY STAFF AND POLICYMAKERS IN LOCAL VISION ZERO PLANNING .......................20 

HELP HUMANIZE TRAFFIC SAFETY ISSUES AND SUPPORT COMMUNITY-BASED ADVOCACY .......................21 

Data and Prioritization .............................................................................................................21 

COLLABORATE ON SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS TO STATE-OWNED ROADS ......................................................21 

USE PUBLIC HEALTH TOOLS TO ADVANCE SAFETY PLANNING EFFORTS.......................................................22 

5. Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 23 

ii 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

NOTICE 

This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation 

in the interest of information exchange. The United States Government assumes no liability for its 

contents or the use thereof. This Report does not constitute a standard, specification, or 

regulation. 

The contents of this Report reflect the views of the contractor, who is responsible for the accuracy 

of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the U.S. 

Department of Transportation. 

The United States Government does not endorse products or manufacturers named herein. Trade 

or manufacturers’ names appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the object

of this report. 

QUALITY ASSURANCE STATEMENT 

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve 

Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards 

and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its 

information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes to 

ensure continuous quality improvement. 

NON-BINDING CONTENTS 

The contents of this document do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind 

the public in any way. This document is intended only to provide information and offer a 

compilation of strategies some States chose to implement while moving forward with zero deaths 

efforts. While this document is non-binding guidance, you must comply with the applicable 

statutes or regulations. 

i 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

TECHNICAL REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE 

1. Report No. 

FHWA-SA-20-061 

2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No. 

4. Title and Subtitle 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

5. Report Date 

November 2020 

6. Performing Organization Code 

N/A 

7. Author(s) 

Leverson Boodlal, Leah Shahum, Jennifer Fox and Dileep Garimella. 

8. Performing Organization Report No. 

N/A 

9. Performing Organization Name and Address 

KLS Engineering, LLC (Prime) Vision Zero Network 

45155 Research Pl, Suite 200 1000 Broadway, Ste 480 

Ashburn, VA 20147 Oakland, CA, 94607 

10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) 

N/A 

11. Contract or Grant No. 

DTFH61-16-D-00017 

12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

13. Type of Report and Period Covered 

Final Report 

(September 2018 – November 2020) 

14. Sponsoring Agency Code 

FHWA 

15. Supplementary Notes 

FHWA Project Manager: Chimai Ngo; FHWA Technical Panel: Shirley Thompson, Felix Delgado and David Kopacz 

FHWA Reviewers: Joel Barnett, Danielle Betkey, Fred Bower, Dahir Egal, Dawn Horan, Ken Kochevar, Michael Pezzullo, Bob 

Pollack, Steve Ratke, Karen Scurry, Jim Thorne, Jennifer Warren, and Guan Xu 

16. Abstract 

Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and serious injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility 

for all. At the time of this report, more than 40 communities across the United States have committed to the Vision Zero 

strategy. 

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Safety promotes effective safety partnerships as a way to advance zero 

deaths efforts. To support this effort, FHWA sponsored Vision Zero workshops and webinars in Texas, Florida, and Colorado 

where State, regional, and local stakeholders gathered to discuss safety priorities and strategies to achieve their shared goal of 

zero deaths. 

The robust discussions and suggestions of these State-based workshops and webinars, together with additional information from 

other State, regional, and local agencies, became the basis for developing this document. The document is designed to help other 

State and local agencies foster and build stronger relationships that support coordinated zero deaths efforts. The document 

describes work toward the Safe System Approach for reaching the zero deaths goal, including managing speed for safety, 

strengthening safety culture, and leveraging data and community input to prioritize changes. It does not duplicate materials that 

go into greater depth on these topics; rather, it references current strategies and offers new strategies as a way to boost 

coordination efforts. 

17. Key Words 

Vision Zero, Toward Zero Deaths, Safe System Approach 

18. Distribution Statement 

No restrictions. 

19. Security Classif. (of this report) 

Unclassified 

20. Security Classif. (of this page) 

Unclassified 

21. No. of Pages 

25 

22. Price 

N/A 

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized 

i 
 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

ACRONYMS 

ASE Automated Speed Enforcement 

CDOT Colorado Department of Transportation 

DOT Department of Transportation 

DRCOG Denver Regional Council of Governments 

FDOT Florida Department of Transportation 

FHWA Federal Highway Administration 

HIN High-Injury Network 

MGL Massachusetts General Law 

MPO Metropolitan Planning Organization 

MUTCD Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices 

NACTO National Association of City Transportation Officials 

NTSB National Transportation Safety Board 

ODOT Oregon Department of Transportation 

PBOT Portland (Oregon) Bureau of Transportation 

SHSP Strategic Highway Safety Plan 

RCW Revised Code of Washington 

TxDOT Texas Department of Transportation 

WSDOT Washington State Department of Transportation 

ii 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Safe Road

Users

Safe 

Vehicles

THE

SAFE SYSTEM

APPROACH

Post-Crash

Care

Safe

Roads

Safe

Speeds

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

1. Introduction 

The Need for Vision Zero 

In 2018, 36,560 peoplewere killed in traffic crashes on the Nation’s roadways. In a concerted 

effort to reduce fatalities, most State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) have adopted a 

zero deaths vision or approach in their Strategic Highway Safety Plans (SHSPs). In addition, 

many communities have committed to Vision Zero, a strategy to eliminate traffic deaths and 

serious injuries at regional and local levels. 

Vision Zero is based on the Safe System Approach (Figure 1), which acknowledges that 

roadway users make mistakes 

and that transportation 

agencies should design road 

systems and adopt related 

policies to ensure those 

mistakes do not result in 

serious injuries or fatalities. 

In the U.S., zero deaths 

initiatives are often referred to 

as Vision Zero, Toward Zero 

Deaths, or Road to Zero. 

Regardless of the title, each 

initiative advocates for 

agencies to align with the Safe 

System Approach. The great 

success of these efforts is in 

forging multidisciplinary 

partnerships among various 

Federal, State, regional, and local stakeholders. 

FHWA’s Vision Zero Commitment

The primary safety goal of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is to reduce 

transportation-related fatalities and serious injuries across the transportation system, and for 

this reason it fully supports the vision of zero deaths. Additional information and resources 

relating to FHWA’s zero deaths program can be found on the FHWA Zero Deaths website.1 

1 https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/zerodeaths/ 

Figure 1. Safe System Approach (Source: FHWA). 

1 

o DEATH/SERIOUS INJURY IS UNACCEPTABLE

o

HUMANS

MAKE

MISTAKES

O HUMANS ARE VULNERABLE

o RESPONSIBILITY IS SHARED

O SAFETY IS PROACTIVE

O

REDUNDANCY IS

CRUCIAL
 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

Background 

The growing number of communities that are integrating zero deaths vision and strategies into 

their traffic safety efforts has renewed coordination and collaboration opportunities at the State 

and local levels. 

As a way to advance zero deaths efforts, FHWA supports initiatives that develop effective 

safety partnerships. During 2018 and 2019, FHWA sponsored Vision Zero workshops and 

webinars in Texas, Florida, and Colorado, where State, regional, and local stakeholders 

gathered to discuss safety priorities and strategies to achieve their shared goal of zero deaths. 

The workshops charged more than 200 participants with identifying opportunities for increased 

coordination and progress toward zero deaths - the shared goal of safety for all. 

Report Purpose 

This document aims to highlight strategies that can assist States and local communities in 

coordinating their zero deaths efforts and employing a Safe System Approach. 

This document does not duplicate materials that go into greater depth on these topics; rather, it 

references current strategies and offers new strategies as a way to boost coordination efforts. 

Many strategies offered in this document are from the FHWA-sponsored workshops and 

webinars in Texas, Florida, and Colorado. During these workshops, practitioners shared 

initiatives and activities that exemplify coordination and collaboration resulting from the 

common zero deaths goals. They also discussed advancing a Safe System Approach as critical to 

reach the zero deaths goal, particularly through managing speed for safety, strengthening safety 

culture, and leveraging data and community input to prioritize changes. This document also 

includes coordination and collaboration strategies that other State, regional, and local agencies 

have implemented in their efforts to reach zero deaths goal. 

Report Organization 

This document involves three stand-alone sections that describe State-led, region-led, and 

community-led efforts, respectively. Each section focuses on the three areas of speed 

management, safety culture and data and prioritization. It is noted that speed management is a 

key element of the Safe System Approach while the safety culture and data and prioritization 

are the essentials of a Safe System Approach. This format can help agency staff at each level see 

specific examples applicable to their agency. 

2 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PEDESTRIANS HIT BY A VEHICLE

TRAVELING AT

20

MPH

30

MPH

40

MPH

13% 40% 73%

LIKELIHOOD OF FATALITY OR

SERIOUS INJURY

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

2. State-led Opportunities 

State DOTs regularly coordinate with regional and local agencies on many issues, including 

transportation safety. The Safe System Approach is based on shared responsibility and provides 

even more opportunities for collaboration with the potential to reduce the severity of traffic 

crashes. A major avenue for collaboration is within the State’s Highway Safety Improvement 

Program (HSIP), which requires each State to develop a SHSP2, a comprehensive framework for 

reducing fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. A SHSP identifies a State’s key safety 

needs and guides investment decisions toward strategies and countermeasures with the most 

potential to save lives and prevent injuries. 

A common element among 

many State SHSPs and 

HSIPs, including being a 

core element of the Safe 

System Approach is 

creating safe speeds for a 

specific road context. 

Managing speed helps 

prevent crashes and reduce 

the severity of crashes that 

do happen. This is critical 

for all road users as human 

bodies have limited 

tolerance to crash impacts. 

It is particularly critical for 

people who walk and bike 

because motor vehicle 

speed is a significant 

determinant of whether a 

person struck will survive 

(Figure 2). 

Figure 2. Vehicle speed comparison to chance of pedestrian 

injury and fatality (Source: DRCOG). 

2 https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/shsp/ 

3 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

Speed Management 

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, for more than two decades, 

speeding has been involved in approximately one-third of all motor vehicle deaths in the U.S.3 

In 2018, crashes in which at least one driver was speeding resulted in 9,378 fatalities, which is 26 

percent of total traffic fatalities for the year.4 

A State DOT manages speeds in various ways, most commonly by how it designs roads, how it 

sets speed limits, and what policies and enforcement strategies it uses. Speed management 

offers valuable opportunities for stronger State and local coordination because decisions about 

roads and enforcement are usually controlled at the State level. 

The following are examples of States demonstrating leadership and further coordination and 

collaboration, particularly with local agencies, to realize the shared goal of zero deaths. 

EMPOWER LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO SET SPEED LIMITS 

A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report, Reducing Speeding-Related Crashes 

Involving Passenger Vehicles, describes that localities are stressing the importance of lowering 

speed limits to minimize injury risk for vulnerable users. The report recommends that the 

FHWA revise Section 2B.13 of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) to, at a 

minimum, incorporate the Safe System Approach for urban roads to strengthen protection for 

vulnerable road users. The NTSB concludes that expert systems such as USLIMITS2 can 

improve the setting of speed limits by allowing traffic engineers to systematically incorporate 

crash statistics and other factors in addition to the 85th percentile speed and to validate their 

engineering studies. 5 

Answering NTSB’s call, theNational Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) 

developed an innovative, tested, and proven framework for setting safe speed limits for city 

streets. City Limits outlines how to use a Safe System Approach to set speed limits in urban 

environments, in contrast to legacy methods (e.g., the 85th percentile) that often result in speeds 

that are inappropriately fast for urban environments.6 City Limits also provides several 

examples of State legislation granting cities the flexibility to set safer speed limits as described 

below: 

3 https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/speeding 

4 National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2020, April) Speeding: 2018 data (Traffic Safety Facts. DOT HS 812 

932). National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

5 https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-studies/Documents/SS1701.pdf 

6 https://nacto.org/safespeeds/ 

4 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

 Minnesota Statute, Section 169.14, Subdivision 5h, Speed limits on city streets7 allows cities 

to establish speed limits for city streets under the 

city's jurisdiction. This subdivision does not 

apply to town roads, county highways, or trunk 

highways in the city. The statute requires the 

speed limit changes to be implemented in a 

consistent and understandable manner along 

with installation of appropriate signs to display 

the speed limit. 

 Washington State Revised Code of Washington 

(RCW) 46.61.4158 allows local agencies to 

establish or alter maximum limits on local 

streets. Whenever local authorities in their 

respective jurisdictions determine on the basis of 

an engineering and traffic investigation that the 

maximum speed permitted is greater or less than 

is reasonable and safe under the conditions 

found to exist upon a highway or part of a 

highway, the local authority may determine and 

declare a reasonable and safe maximum limit. 

 Massachusetts General Law (MGL) Chapter 90 

Section 17C9 allows cities and towns to reduce 

the statutory speed limit from 30 mph to 25 mph 

in thickly settled or business district. The MGL c. 

90 § 17C defines a thickly settled or business 

district as "the territory contiguous to any way 

which is built up with structures devoted to 

business, or the territory contiguous to any way 

where dwelling houses are situated at such 

distances as will average less than two hundred 

feet between them for a distance of a quarter of a 

mile or over." It is noted that statutory speed limits only exist in the absence of special speed 

regulations. If a special speed regulation exists, that posted speed limit will always 

Figure 3. City of Boston speed limit 

reduction outreach (Source: City of 

Boston). 

7 https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/169.14 

8 

https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=46.61.415#:~:text=RCW%2046.61.,establish%20or%20alter%20ma 

ximum%20limits. 9 https://www.mass.gov/info-details/speed-limits-in-thickly-settled-or-business-districts#overview5 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

supersede a statutory speed limit within a thickly settled or business district. Municipalities 

have the option to opt-in to MGL c. 90 § 17C on a city- or town-wide basis or on a street-bystreet basis. Once a municipality has opted-in to MGL c. 90 § 17C, it is required to notify 

Massachusetts DOT. 

 New York State Assembly Bill 10144/Senate Bill 789210 amended Section 1642 of the Vehicle 

and Traffic Law to allow a city with over one million residents to establish speed limits of 25 

mph on streets that are not part of the State highway system after a period of public 

comment. This was followed by New York City Local Law 54 of 2014, which amended 

Section 19-177 of the New York City Administrative Code to reduce the official citywide 

speed limit from 30 mph to 25 mph (Figure 3). 

PRIORITIZE EFFECTIVE COUNTERMEASURES TO MANAGE SPEED 

As the 2017 NTSB report showed in its 2015 analysis of speeding-related fatal crashes in cities, 

anestimated “49 percent of these fatal crashes occurred on State-operated roads.”11 Statemaintained roads often pass through local jurisdictions that have no direct authority to adjust 

their speed limits or redesign roads to encourage slower travel. State and local authorities can 

collaborate on effective countermeasures to manage speed and address the disproportionate 

problem of unsafe speeds on State-owned roads within local communities. Recognizing the 

high proportion of traffic deaths and injuries related to speed, States could consider leveraging 

their systems and funding toward addressing unsafe speeds on State-owned roads. States could 

also better support programs, as well as design and policy changes, on all public roads. 

States could allow local agencies to use Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) (Figure 4) to 

encourage safe behaviors. Multiple entities recommended ASE, particularly the NTSB in their 

2017 report and the Governors Highway Safety Association in their report Speeding Away from 

Zero: Rethinking a Forgotten Traffic Safety Challenge.

12 In many cases, however, allowing local 

agencies to use ASE requires a change in State law. The Governors Highway Safety Association 

focuses on States’ opportunities to address excessivevehicle speed as a persistent contributor to

motor fatalities. 

10 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2013/S7892 

11 https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-studies/Documents/SS1701.pdf, page 28 12 https://www.ghsa.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/FINAL_GHSASpeeding19_REV.pdf 

6 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

Figure 4. Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) signage (Source: Insurance Institute for 

Highway Safety). 

For example, the New York State Legislature permitted New York City to use ASE, starting in 

140 school zones in 2014 and subsequently expanded. The cameras are a proven effective 

deterrent to speeding. In the program’s first two years, the number of speeding violations 

issued decreased by 63 percent, injuries were down 17 percent, and fatalities were down 55 

percent.13 

INSTITUTIONALIZE BEST PRACTICES TO MANAGE SPEED AND IMPROVE SAFETY 

State DOTs can analyze approaches to managing speed for safety, both in their work and as a 

part of their SHSP updates. Ifwarranted by the State’s data, SHSPs could elevate this issue and 

give it the same attention as other safety areas, such as intersection and roadway departure 

crashes, alcohol impairment, and seatbelt usage. For example, the Washington State 

Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has increased attention to speed management by 

convening a work group that involves State, local, and tribal partners to develop a speedmanagement policy and guidelines focused on safety. “The policy will emphasize lower 

operating speeds on State routes, city streets, county roads, and tribal roads based on context 

and compatible with the needs of all types of users. Key factors to consider when setting 

operating speeds include high densities of older adults, transit users, youth, people who walk 

13 https://www1.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/speed-camera-report-june2018.pdf, page2 and 11 

7 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

or ride bicycles—particularly those who are most reliant on active transportation and transit 

due to income or disability—and land use.”14 

SUPPORT CONTEXT-SENSITIVE DESIGN APPLICATIONS TO IMPROVE SAFETY 

Streets can be redesigned to reduce speeding and other dangerous driving habits and encourage 

multimodal usage, a practical approach toward creating a community where crashes are 

preventable and deaths and serious injuries have been eliminated. 

An example is the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Context Classification toward 

a context-sensitive system of Complete Streets.15 The system defines and describes context 

classifications from C1 (rural) to C6 (dense urban setting). Through a webinar series, FDOT 

provides training and case studies for Complete Streets and Context Classification.16 The FDOT 

2019 Design Manual offers designers more flexibility, though its practices need to become more 

common and accepted.17 

States can encourage context-sensitive street design, especially by recognizing that some 

traditional design standards do not meet cities’ safety needs. For instance, many cities embrace 

the NACTO Urban Street Design Guide, which emphasizes city street design as a unique 

practice with its own design goals, parameters, and tools.18 The guide is endorsed by dozens of 

U.S. cities and several States.19 

Safety Culture 

A Safe System Approach needs to be supported by a strong safety culture. Changing culture is 

often cited as key to transforming traffic safety. This starts internally with the agencies charged 

to lead. All agencies can—and must—be strong leaders in this respect. A zero deaths vision 

requires “a shift in culture both within transportation agencies and other organizations, as well

as within communities. Everyone must accept that fatalities are unacceptable and 

preventable.”20 

The Safe System Approach is established in some parts of the world and is improving safety for 

all road users. States leadership should build on the positive outcomes to educate stakeholders 

about the Safe System Approach and the value of integrating it into planning, programming, 

14 http://wtsc.wa.gov/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/2019/10/TargetZero2019Lo-RES.pdf, page 199 15 https://fdotwww.blob.core.windows.net/sitefinity/docs/default-source/roadway/completestreets/files/fdotcontext-classification.pdf?sfvrsn=12be90da_2 

16 http://www.flcompletestreets.com/CSIWebinars.shtm 

17 https://www.fdot.gov/roadway/fdm/default.shtm 18 https://nacto.org/publication/urban-street-design-guide/ 

19 https://nacto.org/publication/urban-street-design-guide/endorsement-campaign/ 

20 https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/zerodeaths and https://www.mdt.mt.gov/research/projects/trafficsafetyprimer.shtml 

8 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

funding, implementing, and evaluating transportation safety efforts. The following are 

examples of how States can support a strong safety culture. 

TAKE A LEADING, VISIBLE ROLE IN ADVANCING THE VISION ZERO GOAL AND SAFE SYSTEM 

APPROACH 

In Washington, WSDOT dedicated a full SHSP chapter to explain the approach, share examples, 

and present WashingtonState’s plans to advance the Safe System Approach: “The Safe Systems 

Approach chapter explores the influence of roadway design on traffic safety, attempting to 

prevent crashes throughdesign and roadway modifications for all users.”21 

EMPHASIZE THE HUMAN ASPECTS OF TRAFFIC SAFETY EFFORTS AND RESULTS 

It is important to help all traffic safety stakeholders recognize and value theirwork in people’s 

lives; it is often the difference between life and death. Agencies should cooperate to find 

opportunities to ensure that the human aspect of traffic safety work remains in focus and is not 

allowed to fade into the background. State and local agencies have an essential role in 

communicating the human aspect of traffic safety to internal staff and setting the tone publicly 

and with partner agencies: 

 In FDOT District 7, the District Secretary shares a biweekly report recognizing the 

individuals who died on roads in his district, humanizing the losses and helping traffic 

safety practitioners understand the urgent value of their work. This effort to humanize 

the work of traffic safety is a worthwhile practice for others at the local and State levels 

to replicate. 

 The CDOT displays the current number of fatalities for the year on roadside message 

boards. As described on the CDOT safety web portal, the aim is that “this weekly 

memorial will be a wake-up call for everyone to drive more safely. Remember: It’s a 

person, not a number.”22 

COLLABORATE ON DIVERSE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS, NOT JUST HIGHWAYS 

Essential to safety culture is willingness to modernize and embrace change. This is evident even 

in the language we use. For instance, States have traditionally referred to their work as focusing 

on “highways,” even when meaning to include other roads. While not intentional, this 

terminology may not seem to give proper credence to local and county roads, and all road 

users. Ensuring that language, plans, actions, and decisions fully encompass all parts of a State, 

including local communities, helps show solidarity toward safety for all. For example, CDOT, in 

updating the 2014–2019 SHSP, explicitly retitled it the Strategic Transportation Safety Plan. The 

title change is accompanied by strategies that center safety for all modes on all roads, not just to 

21 http://targetzero.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/TargetZero2019_Lo-Res.pdf, page 2 22 https://www.codot.gov/safety 

9 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

move vehicles on highways. It emphasizes collaboration on Vision Zero, including its vision 

and mission. 

FACILITATE LOCAL SAFETY MEETINGS 

Not all local agencies have opportunities to engage with each other. States could facilitate this 

type of communication and collaboration by bringing together local agencies (along with others 

interested in learning more) to work toward Vision Zero, encourage peer information exchange, 

and identify opportunity areas for greater collaboration that will lead to improvements. This 

would also allow for State leaders to hear from local leaders about areas for improvement in 

traffic safety coordination. Local leaders often express interest in smaller informal gatherings, 

which allow for more candid discussions and problem solving. For instance, Vision Zero 

leaders from several Florida communities (including municipalities and metropolitan planning 

organizations) recognized the similarities of their work and have organized small meetings to 

discuss their efforts, share successes and challenges, and work together toward their shared 

Vision Zero goals. This includes sharing strategies for collaborating with the State on mutual 

areas of interest. 

PROVIDE TRAINING ON VISION ZERO AND SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH TO TRAFFIC SAFETY 

State DOTs could provide in-person or virtual meetings intended for both State-level staff 

(including not only transportation, but also public health, law enforcement, and policy) and 

local agency staff. 

The CDOT delivers Whole System, Whole Safety workshops to the state transportation 

commission, local agencies, metropolitan planning organizations, and others.23 The training 

takes a systematic approach to safety—to help agencies and other stakeholders see their 

respective contributions to, responsibilities for, and influences on transportation safety. 

Data and Prioritization 

The Safe System Approach to road safety involves collecting data on where and how crashes 

happen, examining additional inputs—such as the demographics of impacted communities; 

comprehensive injury data from medical institutions; transportation attitudes (which modes of 

transportation are more vulnerable); traffic volume; data from traffic cameras for identifying 

near misses—and then prioritizing programs and projects accordingly. States and local agencies 

should work together to develop a project prioritization approach that addresses equity and 

regional and local high-injury networks (HINs). Coordination between state and local agencies 

can also help organizations identify innovative safety improvements and local matching funds 

to leverage state funding. 

23 https://www.codot.gov/safety/assets/wsws-fact-sheet.pdf 

10 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

ALIGN FUNDING AND POLICY WITH SAFETY GOALS 

It is more common now for States to organize programs around safety outcomes. With data and 

local coordination, states can create performance-driven transportation programs. State DOTs 

could weight project funding selections in favor of projects that align public safety with policy 

goals as described in the Prioritizing Projects Based on Outcomes white paper from the 

Governors’ Institute on Community Design, a Smart Growth America program.24 The 

conclusion of the white paper includes profiles of Virginia, Hawaii, and Tennessee initiatives. It 

provides an overview of how the States have implemented new programs to evaluate, score, 

and rank projects for funding based on Statewide goals. This resource also describes work to 

develop performance measures to evaluate all projects (not just safety projects) consistently. 

Similarly, CDOT adopted a goal to reduce vehicle crashes by 2,500 by June 30, 2020, and by 

7,500 by June 30, 2022. To achieve this aggressive goal, CDOT has increased Strategic Safety 

Program funding for safety improvements, including increasing Traffic Incident Management 

miles covered. The Strategic Safety Program is funding the DOT set-aside specifically for safety 

improvements related to roadway assets, including cable guard rail, 6-inch reflective striping, 

and rumble strips. Penalty funds from the Highway Safety Improvement Program finance the 

program. 

COORDINATE ON DATA COLLECTION, SHARING, ANALYSIS, AND USE 

According to the American Public Health Association, “poor transportation decisions canharm 

health and arenot always fair across all communities.”25 As data are essential for decisionmaking, State DOTs could fund efforts to identify and address gaps in traffic safety and road 

data to effectively and efficiently prioritize safety efforts. State DOTs could facilitate discussions 

between stakeholders at various governmental levels to reveal opportunities for improving data 

collection, sharing, analysis, and use. In an effort to bridge the gap among potential partners, 

the American Public Health Association shares ways for States, regional planning 

organizations, and localities to coordinate on transportation and health.26 

For example, the WSDOT Traffic Records Committee is a partnership of Federal, State, and local 

stakeholders in transportation, law enforcement, criminal justice, and health. The committee 

was created to encourage collaboration and improve the State’s traffic records system. The 

WSDOT is also developing an ongoing inventory system that provides comprehensive 

information about road systems. Traffic Records Committee goals include removing barriers to 

24 https://smartgrowthamerica.org/app/uploads/2019/03/Prioritizing-projects-based-on-outcome_FINAL.pdf 25 https://www.apha.org/topics-and-issues/transportation 26 https://www.apha.org/topics-and-issues/transportation 

11 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

data sharing and integration; providing quality data, analysis, and tools to customers; and 

sustaining close collaboration and acquired knowledge within the committee.27 

USE DATA TO UNDERSTAND INEQUITIES AND ADVANCE EQUITABLE TRAFFIC SAFETY OUTCOMES 

As part of their Vision Zero work, many local communities are addressing situations in which 

some parts of the communities are more negatively affected by traffic crashes than others. As 

described in section 4, localities have done significant work to overlay HINs with health and 

equity data. The State of Washington’s 2019 Target Zero Plan includes focus areas and actions to

promoteequity in traffic safety outcomes. It acknowledges that “many of the approaches that 

transportation agencies can take to increase active transportation, reduce crash potential, and 

improve connectivity can also advance health equity if improvements are prioritized to specific 

communities, including low-income, the elderly, rural residents, workers, students, and 

youth.”28 Examples of strategies designated in the Washington plan include providing traffic 

safety agencies and partners with training on cultural competence, multicultural engagement, 

and multicultural communications; identifying and recruiting ambassadors who represent their 

communities and can assist State agencies overcome language or cultural barriers; and engaging 

in open, deliberate dialogue about inclusion to turn intention for equitable outcomes into action. 

27 http://wtsc.wa.gov/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/2019/10/TargetZero2019Lo-RES.pdf, page 168 28 http://targetzero.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/TargetZero2019_Lo-Res.pdf, page 220 

12 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

3. Region-led Opportunities 

Given the breadth of planning and programming decisions Metropolitan Planning 

Organizations (MPOs) make, they play an important role in safety, especially because they 

connect State and local agencies. There are approximately 400 MPOs in the U.S. representing 

urbanized areas with populations of 50,000 or more as defined by the Census Bureau. The 

MPOs are uniquely positioned to help lead regional planning, funding, and policy toward 

realizing the zero deaths vision. The MPOs also analyze data and convene safety initiatives to 

inform safety studies either regionally or for local public agencies. The following are examples 

of how MPOs can become leaders to support coordination. 

Speed Management 

SUPPORT LOCAL AND STATE EFFORTS TO REDUCE SPEED 

While most MPOs do not manage speed directly, their activities do overlap with key priority 

areas for zero deaths efforts. For instance, MPOs provide local and State agencies with data that 

could include speed related information. MPOs often engage in policy and legislative actions 

and could elevate safety-focused efforts to a higher priority region-wide. MPOs also play a 

significant role in funding decisions. 

Hillsborough MPO (Florida) developed the Speed Management Action Plan, which analyzed 

data to identify where high-speed roads are most unsafe. The MPO found that 75 percent of the 

most severe crashes in the county occur on roads with posted speeds of 40 mph or higher. The 

MPO is focusing on speed, aggressive driving, and safe lighting. This systemic focus on safety 

can be adopted for better regional coordination and support the areas’ localities.

Safety Culture 

A safety culture is essential for efforts to achieve zero deaths goals. The MPOs should 

encourage and assist locals in building and sustaining a safety culture within their 

organizations as well as among road users. 

BUILD CAPACITY AND BRING AWARENESS 

The MPOs often provide training and technical assistance and can use these opportunities to 

emphasize a safety-first approach in policy setting, planning, programming, and project 

development. The MPOs can also bring awareness of safety issues, needs, challenges, and 

opportunities, and use their facilitation role to encourage collaboration and coordination among 

technical and policy stakeholders. For example, the Broward County MPO conducts walking 

audits with local stakeholders to increase their involvement in planning. Since a part of the 

walking audits is to identify safety issues that need immediate attention, the walking audits also 

keep stakeholders engaged in safety and encourage partnerships. 

13 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

The MPOs can leverage their role as transportation planning organizations to facilitate the 

connection between transportation planning and safety. The FHWA report Building Links to 

Improve Safety: How Safety and Transportation Planning Practitioners Work Together 

describes ways transportation planners and safety practitioners can link transportation 

planning and safety planning to address safety challenges.29 The MPOs could also be role 

models to show the importance of a safety culture, which helps with implementing Vision Zero 

and Safe System Approach. 

SHARE SAFETY RESOURCES WITH LOCAL JURISDICTIONS 

The MPOs often have access to safety information and other materials that they can share with 

local practitioners. Examples of safety materials include the FHWA Office of Safety Proven 

Safety Countermeasures,

30 Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: A Guide 

for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities,

31 and the NACTO Urban 

Street Design Guide.

32 

The MPOs also develop specific resources particularly for local agencies. For example, the 

Indianapolis MPO is developing a Vision Zero toolkit to assist local jurisdictions in their Vision 

Zero efforts. Also, the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) is developing 

another toolkit to help local jurisdictions in Colorado in the local safety plan development 

process. 

Data and Prioritization 

Safety performance management is part of the Transportation Performance Management 

program. The Safety Performance Management Final Rule establishes five performance 

measures, including the number and rate of fatalities and serious injuries.33 The rule also sets 

out the process for State DOTs and MPOs to establish and report their safety targets. The MPOs 

are vital to coordination with state and local partners toward these performance measures. 

SET REGIONAL TRAFFIC SAFETY GOALS, THEN MEASURE AND REPORT PROGRESS 

Increasing the safety of the transportation system for motorized and nonmotorized users is an 

area some MPOs consider when developing their long-range transportation plans. This work 

includes MPO leadership to develop measurable goals to guide long-range transportation 

planning. Forward Pinellas, the Pinellas County, Florida, MPO, embeds safety in its long-range 

transportation plan and commits its assistance to FDOT in improving the safety of Florida’s 

29 https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/tsp/fhwasa16116/ 30 https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/provencountermeasures/ 

31 https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/tsp/fhwasa18024/ 

32 https://nacto.org/publication/urban-street-design-guide/ 33 https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/tpm/ 

14 
 

 

 

 

 

 

SPRING 2020

www.planhillsborough.org vision-zero

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

surface transportation system by “achieving a 5 percent annual reduction in the rate of fatalities 

and serious injuries.”34 Forward Pinellas then reports findings in its annual Traffic Crash Trends 

and Conditions Report.35 

An important component of the Vision Zero action plan is tracking progress toward 

implementing strategies and ultimately shifting the severe and fatal crash trends down to zero. 

For example, the Hillsborough MPO reports quarterly the progress and accomplishments of its 

Vision Zero program (Figure 5). 

Figure 5. Plan Hillsborough quarterly report (Source: Hillsborough MPO). 

The DRCOG is developing a Regional Vision Zero plan that defines necessary action initiatives, 

and in many cases, sub-actions, as well as the regional partners that need to be involved or take 

responsibility.36 The DRCOG is partnering with CDOT on multiple action initiatives, many 

overlapping with strategies listed in CDOT’sStrategic Transportation Safety Plan (Figure 6). 

The DRCOG is also conducting a regional HIN analysis and building regional crash profiles to 

prioritize focus areas (including an interactive map) and identify priority countermeasures. 

34 https://forwardpinellas.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/2040-LRTP.pdf, page 5 35 https://forwardpinellas.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Advantage-Pinellas2045-FullAppendices.pdf 

36 https://drcog.org/sites/default/files/Taking_Action_on_Regional_Vision_Zero_ADOPTED_061620.pdf 

15 

SPRING 2020

www.planhillsborough.org/vision-zero

UPDATES, SUCCESSES, AND WHAT'S AHEAD ON THE ROAD TO ZERO
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

Figure 6. Denver Regional Council of Governments Regional Vision Zero Coordination 

(Source: DRCOG). 

HELP BRIDGE DATA GAPS BETWEEN STATE AND LOCAL AGENCIES 

State DOTs and regional agency coordination can improve data access and analysis.37 By 

developing regional crash-data maps, MPOs can help local and State agencies assess locations 

with safety concerns and develop profiles to focus safety efforts. For example, the North Jersey 

Transportation Planning Authority conducts data analyses to identify safety priorities for each 

county within its region. County transportation agencies review the maps to identify locations 

with safety issues that may be candidates for safety projects. 

PRIORITIZE SAFETY IN PLANNING AND FUNDING EFFORTS 

In terms of setting policies, planning, and implementation, MPOs could work with localities to 

use data, targets, and metrics to ensure safety is prioritized regionally. Regarding planning, 

MPOs have opportunities to incorporate safety into each step of the performance-based 

transportation planning process. Typical steps are public engagement, multidisciplinary 

coordination, data collection and analysis, goal and objective identification, performance 

measure and target setting, project prioritization, monitoring, and evaluation. Other planning 

processes and plans that should address safety are bicycles and pedestrians, regions, corridors, 

freight, and transit. Examples of safety prioritization include the following: 

37 https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/local_rural/training/fhwasa10027/ 

16 

COLORADO'S STRATEGIC TRANSPORTATION SAFETY PLAN

EMPHASIS AREA EMPHASIS AREA EMPHASIS AREA EMPHASIS AREA

STSP STSP STSP STSP STSP STSP STSP STSP

STRATEGIES STRATEGIES STRATEGIES STRATEGIES STRATEGIES STRATEGIES STRATEGIES STRATEGIES

DRCOG'S REGIONAL VISION ZERO

RVZ

STRATEGIES

RVZ

STRATEGIES

RVZ

STRATEGIES

RVZ

STRATEGIES

RVZ

STRATEGIES

RVZ

STRATEGIES

RVZ

STRATEGIES

LOCAL JURISDITION SAFETY PLANS

DETAILED SAFETY

ACTION PLAN

IDENTIFICATION OF

LOCAL PARTNERS

SHORTER 

IMPLEMENTATION

TIMEFRAMES

PRIORITIZED SAFETY

PROJECT LIST
 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

 The Alamo-area MPO uses evidence-based target setting to encourage performancebased transportation planning, including safety goals, as described in the 2016 FHWA 

MPO Guidebook for Using Safety as a Project Prioritization Factor. 

38 Their Pedestrian 

Safety Action Plan includes prioritization criteria, implementation, and measurement to 

accommodate walking as a mainstream, rather than alternative, transportation activity.39 

The City of San Antonio Vision Zero Program40 and the MPO both refer to this action 

plan to make walking safer. 

 The Atlanta Regional Commission develops crash profiles that identify high crash 

severity by victim type or location, including corridor, intersection, and pedestrian and 

bicycle locations. The commission also developed a multifaceted approach to maximize 

Federal dollars for active transportation and focus spending on safety. The resulting 

Transportation Improvement Program includes quantitative measures of safety and 

equity for road asset management.41 The approach and importance of safety are 

documented in the Transportation Improvement Program Project Evaluation 

Framework 42 . 

 The Hillsborough MPO used scenario planning43 in its 2040 Long Range Plan44 to 

examine how different levels of financial investment would affect performance on key 

measures, including transit, pedestrian, and bicycle level of service and vehicle, bicycle, 

and pedestrian crashes. 

38 www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/transportation_safety_planning/publications/mpo_guidebook/fhwahep16090.pdf 39 http://www.alamoareampo.org/Bike-Ped/docs/PedestrianSafetyActionPlan.pdf 

40 https://www.sanantonio.gov/portals/0/files/tci/VisionZeroE-Brochure.pdf 

41 http://documents.atlantaregional.com/transportation/projsolicitation/2017/project_eval_documentation.pdf 42 https://documents.atlantaregional.com/transportation/projsolicitation/2017/project_eval_documentation.pdf 

43https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/scenario_and_visualization/scenario_planning/scenario_planning_guideboo 

k/fhwahep16068.pdf 

44 http://www.planhillsborough.org/imagine2040/ 

17 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

4. Community-led Opportunities 

States and their local communities are intricately connected and depend upon one another to 

advance safety goals. As part of their Vision Zero work, many local communities are 

recognizing the interconnectivity of road safety issues and striving to collaborate more 

effectively with State agencies. Sometimes local agencies can make policy and design changes 

more quickly than States. The following are examples of local communities supporting strong 

collaboration, particularly with State agencies, toward the shared goal of zero deaths. 

Speed Management 

Local communities increasingly recognize the importance of managing speed for safety and are 

sharpening their focus on proven countermeasures to do so. As discussed in section 2, local 

community efforts are often regulated by State controls, though there are ways to have local 

communities more involved. 

MEASURE AND SHARE SPEEDING-RELATED DATA TO MAKE POLICY AND DESIGN CHANGE 

By assessing which serious crashes are related to speed, localities can document and advocate 

for safety improvements, including at the State level. As described in section 2, States are 

increasingly being asked to update their approach to speed management to reflect best 

practices. The following are examples of how local communities can document and present data 

to showcase issues and suggest solutions based on proven countermeasures that help States 

make these changes. 

The City and County of Denver, Colorado, acknowledged speeding as a significant safety 

problem and prioritized managing speed for safety in its Vision Zero Action Plan. The city 

collected 72-hour speed data on 37 corridors, mostly along HIN (Figure 7). The study included a 

comparison of speed limit change based on the conventional (85th percentile) approach and the 

context-sensitive (50th percentile) approach. The study results led to the implementation of 

street design changes along the City’s HIN, including upgrading pedestrian countdown signals, 

adding leading pedestrian intervals, and modifying late-night signal timing. A comparison of 

crash data two years prior (November 2015–2017) and two years after (November 2017–2019) 

showed a total crash reduction of almost 17 percent (923 crashes before compared to 768 after). 

Crashes in which someone was killed or seriously injured were reduced by 47 percent (34 

compared to 18 after). No fatalities were reported after the improvements were made compared 

to eight in the two years prior.45 The CDOT and the City of Denver coordinating on Federal 

Boulevard safety improvements was critical to this initiative’s success.46 

45 https://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/vision-zero/2019-report.html 46 https://www.codot.gov/projects/federal-boulevard 

18 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After Bo ton lowered the

default peed limit to 25 mph,

the e timated odd of a vehicle

exceeding 35 mph

exceeding 30 mph

exceeding 25 mph

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

The City of Boston evaluated the effects 

of lowering the default speed limit on 

city streets.47 Effective January 9, 2017, 

the default speed limit on City of 

Boston streets was reduced from 30 

mph to 25 mph. The city’s move came 

after the Massachusetts legislature in 

2016 amended State law to allow cities 

and towns to lower speed limits from 

30 mph to 25 mph on municipal roads 

in densely populated areas or business 

districts. Vehicle speeds were collected 

at sites in Boston where the speed limit 

was lowered and at control sites in 

Providence, Rhode Island, where the 

speed limit remained unchanged, 

before and after the speed limit change 

in Boston. The study sites in both 

Boston and Providence included 

arterials, collectors, and local roads. The 

speed limit reduction was associated 

with a 0.3 percent reduction in mean 

speeds and reductions of 2.9 percent, 

8.5 percent, and 29.3 percent in the odds 

of vehicles exceeding 25 mph, 30 mph, 

and 35 mph, respectively (Figure 7). 

Portland, Oregon, pursued an 

administrative rule in 2015 with 

Oregon DOT (ODOT) to allow the city to use alternatives to the 85th percentile methodology, 

and it won permission in 2016.48 Since adopting Vision Zero, the Portland Bureau of 

Transportation (PBOT) has proactively worked with ODOT to put this new authority into 

practice and pursuelower speed limits, especially onroads identified in the city’s HIN. The 

PBOT worked with ODOT to create a process in which PBOT submits a formal request—an 

Alternate Speed Zone Investigation—to lower the speed limit for a street in question, which 

ODOT reviews. The investigation method includes information on the street context, including 

47 https://www.iihs.org/topics/bibliography/ref/2168 

48 https://visionzeronetwork.org/project/taming-speed-for-safety-portland-case-study/ 

Figure 7. Boston speed limit evaluation results 

(Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety). 

19 

fell 29.3%

fell 8.5%

fell 2.9%
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

land use, facilities for people walking and bicycling, crash history—and recommends speeds to 

protect people walking and bicycling based on a decision matrix. Using this process, Portland 

has successfully lowered speed limits on more than 100 streets since August 2017.49 These 

streets include various types such as collectors, neighborhood greenways, and streets within 

business districts. 

Safety Culture 

As described in section 2, the shift toward safety culture starts internally, with the agencies 

leading traffic safety work. This is of course true at the local level as well, and the Vision Zero 

approach being embraced by a growing number of local communities emphasizes the many 

ways local communities can champion culture change. 

CONVENE PEER NETWORKS AND COORDINATE ON IMPROVEMENTS STATEWIDE 

Collaborating with peers in other local communities on similar issues can inspire innovative 

ways to achieve Vision Zero goals, not just in individual places but also Statewide. Recognizing 

that most communities face similar challenges and opportunities for improvement, there is 

benefit in making more systemic safety changes at the State level. 

For example, the California City Transportation Initiative is a coalition of California’s largest 

cities dedicated to safe, sustainable, and equitable transportation outcomes.50 Coalition cities 

met regularly to discuss shared goals and communicate in a unified voice with State-level 

leaders, promoting policy-level changes to make Vision Zero a reality in California. Areas of 

collaboration, to date, have included policy education on speed management, improving crash 

data, and funding priorities. 

INCLUDE STATE AGENCY STAFF AND POLICYMAKERS IN LOCAL VISION ZERO PLANNING 

For localities, working with State staff could lead to mutual understanding of the challenges 

localities face (ranging from specific issues on State-owned roads to broader policy goals) while 

raising awareness of State resources that may be available. As described in the Vision Zero 

Action Plan resource, States can be key to local Vision Zero success,51 whereas local agency 

involvement can improve the State SHSP outcomes. Many Vision Zero local communities are 

finding that engaging State and regional agencies in Vision Zero task forces and developing 

Vision Zero action plans canresult inthe State’s participation and understanding—and 

ultimately deliver greater safety results. For example, Austin’s coordinationof city, region, and 

State stakeholders helped it develop and implement a Pedestrian Safety Action Plan.

52 The plan 

49 https://www.portland.gov/transportation/vision-zero/speed-limits 50 https://nacto.org/program/cacti/ 

51 https://visionzeronetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/VZN_ActionPlan_FINAL.pdf 

52 http://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Transportation/Pedestrian_Safety_Action_Plan_1-11-

18.pdf, page 55 

20 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

analyzed Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) crash data to create a holistic 

framework for improving pedestrian safety citywide. The collaboration also enlisted Texas 

A&M’s Transportation Institute to complete thePedestrian and Bicycle Crash Prediction Tool 

analysis, further strengthening the plan and the commitment to implementation. As noted in 

the plan, “Coordinating pedestrian safety improvements with transportation partners also 

demanded that staff hold one-on-one meetings with TxDOT, Capital Metropolitan 

Transportation Authority, Capital Area MPO, and a multitude of other City departments.”

HELP HUMANIZE TRAFFIC SAFETY ISSUES AND SUPPORT COMMUNITY-BASED ADVOCACY 

Communities have many opportunities to lead advocacy for road safety. For example, the City 

of San Francisco committed funding to support training, including in media engagement and 

public speaking, for members of the regional Families for Safe Streets group. Families for Safe 

Streets works on behalf of loved ones injured and killed in crashes and those directly affected 

by their loss. The group has become a powerful voice for safety Statewide. 

Data and Prioritization 

COLLABORATE ON SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS TO STATE-OWNED ROADS 

In developing HINs and prioritizing safety improvements, locals could highlight areas of 

concern on State-owned roads and collaborate with State partners to address them. Safety 

improvements may be quick-build pilot projects or longer-term efforts that take significant 

planning and funding. Regardless, the analysis stage should not overlook State-owned roads 

with high incidence of serious crashes. The key is to acknowledge problem areas and 

collaborate to address them, even when this is complicated by having State-owned roads 

running through a city. For examples: 

 The City of Los Angeles’ Vision Zero work overlays its HIN with data from the city’s

Community Health and Equity Index, which combines data on demographics, 

socioeconomic status, health conditions, land use, transportation, food environment, 

crime, and pollution into a single lens through which to compare health conditions 

citywide. Analysis showed that 49 percent of HINs in the City of Los Angeles are within 

the most vulnerable communities.53 Such data help the city prioritize safety resources 

toward those areas. 

 The Austin Pedestrian Safety Action Plan describes coordination between the Austin 

Transportation Department and TxDOT on a pedestrian-focused road safety audit of a 

frequent-crash location on an Austin highway. Between 2007 and 2016, there were 10 

pedestrian fatalities on a short stretch of I-35.54 City and State agencies worked together 

53 http://visionzeronetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/VisionZero_Equity.pdf, page 5 54 https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Transportation/Pedestrian_Safety_Action_Plan_1-11-

18.pdf, page 43 

21 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

on education and pedestrian safety improvements, including stencils pointing 

pedestrians to the nearest overpass and underpass. The process brought together 

multiple agencies and stakeholders to tackle the complex problem of pedestrian safety 

on highways, and the Austin Transportation Department is coordinating with TxDOT to 

conduct more road safety audits at other frequent-crash locations. 

 The City of Fort Collins evaluated more than 250 intersections using a Highway Safety 

Manual statistical review and CDOT Safety Performance Functions to identify locations 

that have a higher than expected crash frequency. The city then aligned the evaluation 

with $4 million in safety funds to supplement Federal funding for intersections along 

U.S. Route 287. 

USE PUBLIC HEALTH TOOLS TO ADVANCE SAFETY PLANNING EFFORTS 

The public health sector, with its commitment to research, evaluation, equity, and a populationlevel approach to analyzing traffic collisions, brings a necessary perspective to Vision Zero 

efforts. By integrating public health in Vision Zero efforts, many communities are bridging the 

gap between potential partners and building connections between transportation policy, safety 

projects, and health outcomes.55 For example, Chicago is aligning its Vision Zero effort with its 

citywide public health plan, and New York engaged public health agencies to identify research 

and evaluation topics to better understand how best to implement Vision Zero. In another 

example, San Francisco is using hospital data to better inform safety decision-making as a part 

of its Vision Zero effort. A collaboration between the San Francisco Department of Public Health 

and the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital found that over one-quarter of pedestrians 

and bicyclists transported to the hospital by ambulance with serious injuries from traffic 

collisions were not accounted for in police collision reports, the basis for State collision 

reporting. That underreporting also left out significant numbers of crash victims who were 

African American.56 The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is working with the 

San Francisco Department of Public Health to improve data collection and analysis at the local 

level, providing an opportunity to inform and correct State data collection and policy. 

55 https://visionzeronetwork.org/project/the-central-role-of-public-health-in-vision-zero/ 

https://visionzeronetwork.org/project/the-central-role-of-public-health-in-vision-zero/ 56 http://visionzeronetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Public-Health-Case-Study-.pdf 

22 
 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

5. Conclusion 

As this document demonstrates, opportunities exist to systemically improve road safety across 

the U.S. Whether referred to as Vision Zero, Toward Zero Deaths, Road to Zero, or another 

safety-focused effort, strong coordination and collaboration between various governmental 

levels—Federal, State, regional, and local entities—is key to advancing the goal of achieving 

zero deaths. 

This document provides examples of State and local governments recognizing and improving 

upon their coordination and effectiveness. This collaboration is central to developing and 

implementing successful Vision Zero initiatives. Thus, it is important that entities recognize and 

improve upon the unintentional, though sometimes difficult to avoid, reality that they work in 

institutional silos that could slow progress. One defining characteristic of the Safe System 

Approach, which underpins Vision Zero, is the acknowledgement that responsibility for safety 

within the transportation system is shared by road users and system designers, including 

engineers and planners, as well as others who influence policy, including public health leaders, 

law enforcement officers, and elected officials. This recognition entails acknowledging the 

benefit of breaking down silos between stakeholders to unite action and responsibility behind 

the shared goal of safety. 

This document highlights strong interest in strengthened collaboration between various 

stakeholders, particularly those at the State and local levels. While it does not cover every 

opportunity for improvement, it highlights some particularly timely and beneficial areas of 

strengthened collaboration toward zero deaths. An overarching theme is the need for more 

consistent and in-depth communication between State and local leaders, including regular 

discussions and problem-solving initiatives among partners. 

Another priority is to bring a Safe System Approach to State and local coordination efforts, as 

this document highlights, particularly related to managing speed for safety, developing a strong 

safety culture, and leveraging data to prioritize safety. There is potential in these three areas for 

more regular and in-depth communication between State and local safety leaders about 

opportunities and challenges, potentially leading to greater understanding and willingness to 

partner for change. 

Speed management is a key opportunity area, given that this is fundamental to Safe System 

effectiveness. Yet State and local authorities often approach speed management differently, 

reflecting different experiences and perspectives. As this document reinforces, local 

communities are increasingly prioritizing speed-management strategies in their Vision Zero 

efforts. Localities should make States aware of specific local needs regarding speed 

23 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategies to Coordinate Zero Deaths Efforts for State and Local Agencies 

management, given that States focus on a broader variety of environments (State highways, 

rural areas, etc.). As understanding of and commitment to the Safe System Approach grows 

across the country, alignment between State and local communities can help each effectively 

leverage speed-management strategies for safety. 

Similarly, State and local coordination will be critical to develop and institutionalize strong 

safety cultures at all levels. A core message of this document is the imperative to focus initially 

and purposefully on internal culture at the agencies leading, or partnering on, traffic safety 

efforts. It will be key to build common understanding of and investment in the Safe System 

Approach among the core group of influential individuals designing, shaping, and evaluating 

the transportation system. This strong safety culture should be shared externally with other key 

stakeholders and the general public. This work will be more effective and long-lasting if the 

State and local partners are aligned consistently with their internal safety culture goals and 

messaging. 

Finally, leveraging data to prioritize safety underlies all of these efforts. As shared throughout 

this document, data are increasingly used to focus resources on the most important areas of 

traffic safety. If the goals and strategies for collection, analysis, and usage of data are consistent 

between State and local safety leaders, then data will be more effective in building safe 

transportation systems. 

In conclusion, as a growing number of communities across the U.S. embrace zero deaths 

strategies, collaboration across the local and State levels is not simply advisable—it is critical. 

This entails facilitating more regular communication and problem-solving efforts between State 

and local traffic safety stakeholders and focusing on critical areas for improvement, including 

speed management, building safety culture, and leveraging data to prioritize safety. The 

ambitious and important goal of safe transportation for all road users is shared across different 

levels of government, and that shared goal will be advanced through communication and 

collaboration. While work to develop and sustain these strong partnerships takes time, there are 

no shortcuts to achieving the worthwhile shared goal of safety for all on our roads. 

24