Safe Road

Users

Safe 

Vehicles

THE

SAFE SYSTEM

APPROACH

Post-Crash

Care

Safe

Roads

Safe

Speeds

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

Lessons Learned from 

Development of 

Vision Zero Action Plans
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. 

Cover Page Photo Credits (clockwise): Pedestrian crossing sign (FHWA), Bike Lane (Daly City), Safe 

System Approach (FHWA) 
TECHNICAL REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE 

1. Report No.

FHWA-SA-20-073

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

4. Title and Subtitle

Lessons Learned from Development of Vision Zero Action Plans 

5. Report Date

January 2021

6. Performing Organization Code

N/A

7. Author(s)

Leverson Boodlal, Dileep Garimella, Dana Weissman and Leah Shahum.

8. Performing Organization Report No.

N/A

9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)

N/A

KLS Engineering, LLC (Prime) 

45155 Research Pl, Suite 200 

Ashburn, VA 20147

Fehr & Peers DC

1003 K St NW #209

Washington, DC 20001

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 – August 2020)

14. Sponsoring Agency Code

FHWA

15. Supplementary Notes

(Office of Safety). 

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) is committed to eliminating traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries on the 

Nation’s roadways. One of FHWA’s activities is to provide local communities with technical assistance to aid in reaching their 

zero deaths vision. The FHWA has assisted in the development of Vision Zero Action Plans (VZAPs) for two communities—City 

of Daly City (California) and Macon-Bibb County (Georgia). The VZAPs serve as a framework that details goals, objectives, and 

action items, using the Safe System Approach to the extent possible, to implement the safety programs that will guide each 

community toward zero fatalities. The Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: A Guide for Metropolitan 

Planning Organizations and Local Communities served as a guiding document in the processes. 

The purpose of this report is to summarize and generalize the two communities’ plan-development processes. This document 

draws from Daly City and Macon-Bibb County’s experiences and summarizes the common elements that were applied for 

developing a VZAP. This report also includes information on opportunities, challenges and lessons learned.

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

30

22. Price

N/A

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

FHWA Project Manager: Chimai Ngo

FHWA Technical Panel/Review Panel: Dawn Horan, Ken Kochevar, Greg Morris, Stephen Ratke, Esther Strawder, Betsey 

Tramonteand -HQQLIHU:DUUHQ.

Other Reviewers: Kevin Fehr (Daly City, California) and Greg Brown (Macon-Bibb County, Georgia).
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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

1.1 About Vision Zero ......................................................................................................................................... 1

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

1.3 Project Background ...................................................................................................................................... 2

1.4 Purpose of this Report ................................................................................................................................ 2

2. Developing a Vision Zero Action Plan (VZAP) ..................................................................... 3

2.1 Passing a Vision Zero Resolution ............................................................................................................ 3

2.2 Convening a Vision Zero Working Group/Identifying a Champion .......................................... 3

2.3 Adopting the Safe System Approach and Safety Culture ............................................................. 4

2.4 Involving Stakeholders ............................................................................................................................... 6

2.4.1 Secure Leadership Support .............................................................................................................. 6

2.4.2 Stakeholder Kickoff Meeting ........................................................................................................... 6

2.5 Reviewing Existing Plans and Policies ................................................................................................... 7

2.6 Analyzing Crash Data .................................................................................................................................. 8

2.6.1 High-Injury Network (HIN) and Network Screening ........................................................... 10

2.6.2 Land Use and Equity ........................................................................................................................ 12

2.6.3 Crash Data Normalization ............................................................................................................. 13

2.7 Conducting a Vision Zero Workshop ................................................................................................. 14

2.8 Identifying Emphasis Areas .................................................................................................................... 16

2.9 Developing the Vision Zero Action Plan ........................................................................................... 16

2.9.1 Developing Implementation Plan ............................................................................................... 16

3. Challenges, Lessons Learned, and Opportunities .............................................................. 18

3.1 Understanding the Local Culture and Embracing Safety Culture ............................................ 18

3.2 Navigating Related Safety Concepts and Understanding Concurrent Safety Efforts ...... 19

3.3 Securing Agency Leadership Commitment ..................................................................................... 19

3.4 Establish a Vision Zero Working Group (VZWG) and Identify a Champion ....................... 20

3.5 Conduct Data-driven Safety Analysis ................................................................................................. 21
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3.6 Implement Low-Cost Countermeasures ........................................................................................... 22

3.7 Managing Scope and Funding Constraints ..................................................................................... 23

3.8 Inexperience with Data Analysis Tools .............................................................................................. 23

4. Summary and Status ............................................................................................................. 25

4.1 Daly City Implementation Status ......................................................................................................... 25

4.2 Macon-Bibb County Implementation Status ................................................................................... 26

5. Resources ............................................................................................................................... 27

5.1 Technical Resources .................................................................................................................................. 27

5.2 Funding Resources .................................................................................................................................... 27

ACRONYMS.................................................................................................................................. 29
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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 ABOUT VISION ZERO

Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries among all road users. 

First implemented in Sweden in the 1990s, Vision Zero has proved successful across Europe1 —

and since 2014 has been gaining momentum in the United States. At the time of this report, 

more than 50 U.S. cities, counties, and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) have 

committed to the Vision Zero strategy. 

Vision Zero is based on the Safe 

System Approach (Figure 1), 

which acknowledges that road 

users make mistakes and that 

system managers 

(transportation agencies, vehicle 

manufacturers, law 

enforcement, post-crash care 

personnel, etc.) should design 

and manage the road system 

and adopt related policies to 

ensure those mistakes do not 

result in serious injuries or 

fatalities. 

In the United States, 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. 

1.2 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 are available on the FHWA Zero Deaths website.2

 

1 https://visionzeronetwork.org/about/what-is-vision-zero/, accessed December 31, 2020. 

2 https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/zerodeaths/, accessed December 31, 2020

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

Safe Road

Users

Safe 

Vehicles

THE

SAFE SYSTEM

APPROACH

Post-Crash

Care

Safe

Roads

Safe

Speeds

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
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1.3 PROJECT BACKGROUND

Using the report, Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: A Guide for

Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Local Communities3as a guide, FHWA provided 

technical assistance to develop Vision Zero Action Plans (VZAPs) for two communities— City of 

Daly City (San Mateo County, California) and Macon-Bibb County (Georgia).

A VZAP establishes a roadmap for how a community can eliminate traffic deaths and serious 

injuries on its streets through equitable and inclusive community engagement. It details goals, 

emphasis areas, and action items to guide Vision Zero implementation. 

The VZAPs for both Daly City and Macon-Bibb County were developed using a data-driven 

process and the Safe System Approach and in consultation with agencies and organizations at 

the county/city, regional, State, and Federal levels. 

1.4 PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT

The purpose of this report is to summarize and generalize the two communities’ plandevelopment processes. This document draws from Daly City and Macon-Bibb’s County 

experiences and summarizes the common elements that were applied for developing a VZAP. 

This report includes information about recruiting stakeholders and fostering partnerships to 

build support, analyzing crash data, and identifying emphasis areas. This report also includes 

information on opportunities, challenges, and lessons learned. 

3 https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/tsp/fhwasa18024/chp1.cfm, accessed December 31, 2020 
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2. DEVELOPING A VISION ZERO ACTION PLAN (VZAP)

This section outlines key steps in developing a VZAP, based on the experiences of Daly City and 

Macon-Bibb County. Agencies will need to tailor these high-level principles to fit into their 

established structures and cultures. The steps outlined below can provide a starting point and 

built upon, as appropriate, to address the unique needs of each community. 

2.1 PASSING A VISION ZERO RESOLUTION

Developing a VZAP is a natural step that follows the adoption of a Vision Zero Policy by the 

City/County council. Other partners such as departments of transportation, engineering, and 

public works; law enforcement agencies; schools; emergency response providers; and 

departments of health often endorse the policy and participate in its implementation. The basic 

goal is to achieve zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries among all road users (including 

people walking, biking, using transit, and driving). The Daly City Council adopted Vision Zero 

resolution in April 2016 to “achieve a singular goal of reducing death and serious injuries on our 

roads.” Similarly, in May 2016, the Macon-Bibb County Commission passed a resolution 

supporting Vision Zero as a strategy to create safer streets. By adopting a Vision Zero resolution, 

both Daly City and Macon-Bibb County demonstrated a commitment to and a desire for 

developing VZAPs. 

2.2 CONVENING A VISION ZERO WORKING GROUP/IDENTIFYING A CHAMPION

Typically, the creation of a Vision Zero Working Group (VZWG) is essential to ensure collective 

alignment and coordination across agencies in support of Vision Zero. The VZWG could include 

representatives from departments and programs related to traffic safety, transportation, and 

public awareness of health and safety topics. The VZWG will ultimately be charged with 

advancing the VZAP and its recommendations within individual organizations. The 

responsibilities of the VZWG typically include the following: 

 Using crash data to identify trends or potential problem areas.

 Recommending and prioritizing emphasis areas, strategies, and specific actions to

include in the VZAP.

 Engaging relevant safety stakeholders and actively involving the public.

 Identifying funding sources to implement the VZAP.

 Participating in VZAP implementation and tracking progress after the initial plan is

developed.

In Macon-Bibb County, the VZWG included county staff from planning, engineering, 

enforcement, schools, public affairs, the Pedestrian Safety Review Board (PSRB), and Bike Walk 

Macon. The VZWG met monthly and oversaw each step of the plan development. While there 

was no formal VZWG in Daly City, the Engineering Division of the Public Works Department 

acted as a ‘champion’ in leading the development of the VZAP.
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2.3 ADOPTING THE SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH AND SAFETY CULTURE

A Safe System Approach is holistic and requires the road system be considered in its entirety 

from infrastructure to policies. The Safe System Approach, shown in figure 1, acknowledges that 

traffic fatalities and serious injuries are preventable and that system designers (including 

transportation planners, engineers and policymakers) have a responsibility to put safety first. The 

six guiding principles of the Safe System Approach are: 

 Deaths and serious injuries are unacceptable;

 Humans make mistakes;

 Humans are vulnerable;

 Responsibility is shared;

 Safety is proactive; and

 Redundancy is crucial.

To develop their VZAPs, both Daly City and Macon-Bibb County adopted the Safe System 

Approach to the extent possible by following the principles and segmenting implementation 

across the five elements of the Safe System: Safe Road Users, Safe Vehicles, Safe Speeds, Safe 

Roads, and Post-Crash Care. 

In addition, Daly City and Macon-Bibb County demonstrated the existence of a safety culture –

both at the organizational and public safety level. Safety culture can be defined as “the shared 

Figure 2: Macon-Bibb County VZWG Meeting (Credit: Macon-Bibb County)
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values, actions, and behaviors that demonstrate a commitment to safety over competing goals 

and demands”.

4

 By adopting a Vision Zero policy and in developing VZAPs, both Daly City and 

Macon-Bibb County exhibited the extent to which safety is valued and pursued by the 

organization as a whole beginning with the highest-ranking officials (e.g. Mayor/Council). Both 

of these communities also encouraged a public safety culture through education and outreach 

programs to help citizens understand the risks associated with transportation and to make safe 

choices when using their transportation system (e.g., walking and bicycling tips, seat belt usage, 

limiting distracted driving, and wearing protective gear). For instance, Macon-Bibb County held 

two Pedestrian Safety Summits (2016 and 2017); launched On the Move (Figure 3) and Cross the 

Walk education campaigns; and led Open Streets events, opening streets to people on foot and 

wheels while closing them to cars. 

Figure 3. Macon-Bibb County Pedestrian On the Move Campaign (Credit: Macon-Bibb 

County). 

4 https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/zerodeaths/safety_culture.cfm, accessed December 31, 2020 
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2.4 INVOLVING STAKEHOLDERS

2.4.1 SECURE LEADERSHIP SUPPORT

Vision Zero begins with community commitment. Community leaders who publicly commit to 

Vision Zero can be instrumental in the successful development, implementation, and evaluation 

of the VZAP. Gaining support from the community leaders can aid in developing the plan and 

achieving outcomes. Both Daly City and Macon-Bibb County benefited from strong support by 

the community leaders. 

2.4.2 STAKEHOLDER KICKOFF MEETING

A project kickoff meeting with key stakeholders can set the tone and direction, as well as ensure 

all parties understand expectations and desired outcomes. This is also the time to ensure 

participants understand the Safe System Approach that underlies Vision Zero. Having this base 

knowledge and recognizing how the Safe System Approach is different from the traditional road 

safety approach is key to building buy-in for change, which will be important in moving the 

VZAP forward. 

As the Safe System Approach promotes shared responsibility, involving stakeholders from 

backgrounds representing the five elements early in the process is crucial. The initial list of 

participants may include representatives from the following organizations: 

 Community leadership

 Department of planning

 Department of transportation, engineering, and/or public works

 Emergency service

providers

 Law enforcement

agencies

 Metropolitan planning

organization

 Department of health

 State safety engineer or district engineer

 Department of education and schools

 Pedestrian, bicycle, and transit coalitions

 Local Technical Assistance Program

Other organizations may include: 

 Federal agencies such as FHWA and Federal Land Management Agencies

 Department of Motor Vehicles

 State Highway Safety Office

 Other community advocates and vested parties

Figure 4: Daly City Stakeholder Meeting 

(Credit: Daly City)
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The participation of interested stakeholders is important to show commitment to Vision Zero 

and to discuss key topics such as the following: 

 Brief overview of Vision Zero and Safe System concepts; 

 Community’s Vision Zero and safety background; 

 Data available for analysis; 

 Agency goals and expected outcomes; 

 Identification of stakeholders and definition of roles and responsibilities 

 Project schedule with major milestones and responsible agencies 

Both Daly City and Macon-Bibb County hosted stakeholder kick-off meetings as a way to start 

their respective VZAP development processes. Macon-Bibb County conducted two meetings. 

First, the VZWG met with the executive leadership (mayor and county commissioners) to secure 

their buy-in and commitment to the project goals and objectives. Following this meeting, the 

County conducted a second meeting engaging a mix of county, regional, State, and Federal 

stakeholders. 

2.5 REVIEWING EXISTING PLANS AND POLICIES

To strengthen understanding of the safety environment and coordinate safety efforts, 

jurisdictions may want to consider conducting an initial literature review that focuses on recent 

plans and policies related to the agency’s multimodal travel network. Policies from surrounding 

jurisdictions that appear relevant to improving the safety environment may also be identified 

and reviewed. In addition, plans and policies that are not transportation focused could be 

relevant in Vision Zero planning. Examples include 

those addressing equity, housing and land use, and 

public health, among others. 

Both Daly City and Macon-Bibb County conducted a 

comprehensive review of existing policies, programs,

and plans to gain a greater understanding of the 

safety context, strengths of the jurisdiction’s safety 

work, and policy gaps. Daly City was updating its 

pedestrian and bicycle master plan during the review 

and was able to incorporate Vision Zero into that 

document. In addition, examining existing plans 

provided opportunities to coordinate emphasis areas, 

strategies, and actions in the VZAPs. Similarly, 

Macon-Bibb County evaluated the Georgia SHSP 

emphasis areas to see if they are relevant in MaconBibb and included those that were, i.e., intersection 

Figure 5: 2019-2021 Georgia SHSP 

(Credit: GOHS) 
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safety and pedestrians. Finally, the results of each community’s findings were documented in a 

technical memorandum. 

The below documents were reviewed as part of this process. 

 Agency documents 

o Vision Zero resolution 

o Pedestrian, bicycle, and other modal master plans 

o Land use plans, urban development plans 

o Road safety audit (RSA) reports 

o Transportation studies and projects (system safety analysis reports, local road 

safety plans, speed management action plans, etc.) 

 Regional and State documents 

o Strategic Highway Safety Plans (SHSPs) 

o Highway Safety Plans (HSPs) 

o Pedestrian safety action plans 

o Long-range Transportation Plans 

o Metropolitan Transportation Plans 

o Transportation Improvement Programs 

o Unified Planning Work Programs 

2.6 ANALYZING CRASH DATA

Analyzing crash data is central to initiating Vision Zero efforts, as this provides a baseline 

understanding of crash trends across the jurisdiction and can also help define primary crash 

attributes: 

 Who: Data may be available about crash victims, such as the age, gender, or ethnicity of 

the people, involved in serious crashes. This may be useful in understanding if children, 

seniors, or other traditionally underserved demographic groups are particularly 

vulnerable to serious and fatal crashes. This may also influence countermeasure 

selection. 

 What: Describes crash type and crash severity. Crash type could relate to the modes of 

transportation for crash victims (e.g., pedestrian, cyclist, driver, passenger), as well as the 

manner in which the different users collided (e.g., rear-end, sideswipe, head-on).

 Where: Identifies locations of severe crashes, whether along roadway segments or at 

signalized or unsignalized intersections, as well as the land use context (e.g. schools, 

parks, activity centers) of those locations. Refer to Sections 2.6.1 thru 2.6.3 for discussion 

on the High Injury Network (HIN), incorporating land use, equity and normalizing data.
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 When: Crash data typically include the date and time of a crash. This can help

jurisdictions identify when crashes generally occur. For example, crashes may spike on

weekend evenings or during peak commute hours. Pinpointing when crashes occur most

frequently can help

agencies understand

how to best allocate

limited resources, as

well as to target

infrastructure

improvements (e.g.,

lighting or traffic

calming) or policies (e.g.,

time-based turn

restrictions). 

 Why: Specifically

describes the cause of crash, which may also be closely linked to the crash type. A rearend crash may have occurred when the driver of the first vehicle stopped suddenly and

the driver of the second vehicle did not have time to react. Or it may have occurred

because the driver of the second vehicle was distracted. These crash attributes are often

related to the traffic violations that cause the crash, such as failure to yield, traveling on

the wrong side of the road, or driving while intoxicated.

In developing their VZAPs, both Macon-Bibb County and Daly City analyzed all crashes that 

resulted in fatality or serious injury (designated killed or seriously injured, or KSI, crashes) for a 

5-year period. By limiting the analysis to KSI, the conditions that lead to the most severe crashes

and their contributing circumstances can be identified. The KSI approach was consistent with the 

Safe System Approach’s principle of eliminating fatal and serious injuries for all road users. 

Figure 6: Daly City % of KSI on arterial roads, 2013-

2017 (Credit: Daly City)
roadway network.

occur along 17% of the City's 

fatal or serious injury crashes 

64% of all crashes and 83% of 

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2.6.1 HIGH-INJURY NETWORK (HIN) AND NETWORK SCREENING

A HIN identifies streets with a high concentration of traffic fatalities and serious injuries. Both 

Daly City and Macon-Bibb County used the roadway network, crash data, and geographic 

information system (GIS) software to create the HIN. The KSI crash data were joined spatially to 

the roadway network, allowing for crash analysis at the roadway segment level. Next, crash 

densities were developed for each roadway segment. Each roadway segment was then ranked 

based on its weighted crash density (measured as crashes per mile). Roadway segments with the 

highest weights were incrementally aggregated to create a set of corridors that contribute to the 

most KSI crashes. 

Network screening is the process of identifying sites for further investigation and potential 

safety treatment. The intent is to identify sites expected to benefit the most from targeted, costeffective treatments. 

Figure 7: Daly City HIIN, 2013-2017 (Credit: Daly City)
and Improvement

Systemic Program Funding for 

Identify 

Evaluation

Systemic Program 

Perform 

Locations

Candidate 

Prioritize 

Screen and 

Risk Factors

Crash Types and 

Identify Focus 

Projects

Prioritize 

Countermeasures

Select 

Element 3

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Macon-Bibb County conducted a network screening analysis of the HIN to identify the 1-mile 

segments within each HIN roadway that showed the most KSI crashes. Even with limited funding 

availability, these segments are short enough to further analyze and to implement low-cost 

proven safety countermeasures in the short term. The analysis also offered the opportunity to 

perform RSAs, which are a formal safety performance examination of an existing or future road 

or intersection by a multi-disciplinary team. The RSAs are used to identify potential solutions 

leading to both short-term improvements and longer-term efforts, including construction 

projects. It is a proactive and innovative approach that helps identify safety issues to be 

addressed in future road improvement projects. 

In Daly City, the Vision Zero 

crash analysis was 

complemented by a previous 

Systemic Safety Analysis Report 

(SSAR) undertaken by the City. A 

systemic approach to safety 

involves widely implemented 

improvements based on highrisk roadway features correlated 

with specific severe crash types. 

This approach helps agencies 

broaden their traffic safety 

efforts at little extra cost. 

Additional information on 

systemic approach to safety is 

available on the FHWA website5

. 

The VZAP crash analysis was 

built on the crash database 

developed for the SSAR with 

some minor differences - 

the SSAR analysis was 

based on trends associated with all traffic crashes, while the Vision Zero analysis focused 

specifically on KSI crashes. Another difference was that the SSAR included some crashes just 

outside the City limits, which were removed in the vision zero crash analysis. With these different 

focuses, the results for some key variables differed. For example, rear-end crashes were the 

second most prevalent crash type in the SSAR, comprising 24 percent of crashes between 2013 

 

5 https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/systemic/, accessed December 31, 2020 

Figure 8: Systemic Safety Planning Process (Credit: FHWA)

ELEMENT 2

ELEMENT 1
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and 2017, but they made up just 7 percent of fatalities and serious injuries during the same time 

period.6 The city used the SSAR and the Vision Zero crash analysis to identify similarities and 

differences. 

2.6.2 LAND USE AND EQUITY

Beyond evaluating attributes associated with a crash, the data analysis might also evaluate 

roadway characteristics and the land-use context surrounding the crash. This analysis requires 

knowing the crash locations and having data about the roadway network and surrounding 

environment. It can be completed by merging context data with the crash data, then evaluating 

how the crash data interact with roadway features like speed limit, bicycle and pedestrian 

amenities (e.g., crosswalk, sidewalk, bike lane), vehicle volumes, and number of lanes, or 

environmental features such as proximity to certain land uses. 

For instance, equity was a priority for Daly 

City. As a result, the city analyzed crash 

trends through a socio-economic lens.

Communities of Concern are locations 

with a high concentration of low-income 

and racial minority households and 

locations with a high concentration of 

four or more of the following 

characteristics: limited English-proficient 

residents, zero-vehicle households, 

seniors, persons with disabilities, singleparent families, and severely rentburdened households.7

 Residents in 

Communities of Concern make up 26 

percent of Daly City’s population. Yet 36

percent of fatalities and serious injuries occur in Communities of Concern, suggesting that 

disadvantaged populations may be more likely to be involved in serious traffic crashes.8

 

 

6 https://www.dalycity.org/DocumentCenter/View/3369/Vision-Zero-Action-Plan-2020-PDF, page 8, 

accessed December 31, 2020 

7

 Metropolitan Transportation Commission Plan Bay Area 2050 Equity Analysis 

8 https://www.dalycity.org/DocumentCenter/View/3369/Vision-Zero-Action-Plan-2020-PDF, page 17, 

accessed December 31, 2020 

Figure 9: Daly City Communities of Concern 

(Credit: Daly City)
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Similarly, the Community Vulnerability Index scores each of the 156 Census tracts in San Mateo 

County based on seven indicators: health insurance coverage, education, supplemental security 

income, gross rent as a percentage of income, poverty, unemployment, and disability status.9 Four 

of the county’s 10 most vulnerable Census tracts fell within Daly City. These four tracts make up 9 

percent of the land area in Daly City and include 29 percent of Daly City residents. Serious crashes 

are overrepresented within Daly City’s vulnerable communities, with 40 percent of fatalities and 

serious injuries occurring in these four Census tracts.8

Macon-Bibb County adopted a similar socio-economic approach by establishing inclusive actions 

to provide safe transportation options for all road users across the county. This approach 

recognized that certain communities within the county are more affected than others. According 

to a 2016 Census survey estimates, 13.3 percent of households in Macon-Bibb County have no 

access to a private vehicle.10 Those without access to a car must rely on other means of 

transportation, such as public transit, bicycling, and walking. 

2.6.3 CRASH DATA NORMALIZATION

In addition to calculating descriptive statistics for crashes and their contexts, it can be helpful to 

ground the data through comparison datasets or normalize the data. 

2.6.3.1 Comparison Datasets to Understand Over-representation 

Comparing descriptive crash statistics to the surrounding context can provide a better 

understanding of whether a certain crash type is over- or underrepresented in its environment. 

For example, the Daly City analysis looked at the percentage of serious and fatal crashes that 

occurred within one-half mile of schools, parks, and activity centers. In addition to reporting that 

value, the analysis also looked at the percentage of Daly City land area and the percentage of 

the Daly City population that lives within the half-mile buffers. This allowed a comparison 

between the percentages of serious and fatal crashes, area, and population, to determine 

whether the serious crashes were disproportionately represented near these location types and 

among certain communities. 

2.6.3.2 Normalized Data to Understand Rates 

Instead of (or in addition to) developing comparison datasets, analyze the crash data by 

normalizing them to another unit of measure (essentially creating a crash rate). For example, the 

crash analysis could compare serious injuries and fatalities to population instead of vehicle-miles 

traveled (VMT). This can assist with comparisons between different roadways in the same 

jurisdiction. 

 

9

 San Mateo County Community Vulnerability Index 

10 https://www.governing.com/archive/car-ownership-numbers-of-vehicles-by-city-map.html, accessed 

December 31, 2020 
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As an example, Macon-Bibb County identified 13 roadways to receive low-cost proven safety 

improvements. The county also calculated the KSI rate (expressed as KSI crashes per mile) for 

each of the 13 HIN roadways. Using a KSI rate allowed the county to develop a more accurate 

comparison of segment crashes than a simple crash frequency, by improving the ability to 

compare crashes on roadways of differing lengths. For example, two roadways could have the 

same number of crashes but different roadway lengths. By factoring in a measure of exposure 

(in this case, route length), the calculation indicates which roadway may be a more promising 

choice for safety treatments, especially when funding is limited. 

2.7 CONDUCTING A VISION ZERO WORKSHOP

An open-house Vision Zero workshop can be another important step in developing a VZAP. The 

workshop could inform stakeholders about the principles of Vision Zero and the Safe System 

Approach, share the results of the analytical process, and provide a forum to discuss emphasis 

areas, strategies and specific actions for consideration. In addition, the workshop serves to allow 

stakeholders to strategize with potential safety policies and programs to be included in the plan. 

The stakeholders who participate in the workshop typically represent organizations and groups 

that have a vested interest in road safety. Stakeholders can include decision-makers who can 

advance the VZAP process by helping plan and implement the goals, as well as evaluate 

progress. Table 1 below identifies typical stakeholders. 

Table 1. Areas of Practice and Potential Vision Zero Stakeholders 

Area Potential Stakeholder Engineering

 Director of Engineering/Public Works

 County/City Engineer

 Transportation Planner/Engineer

 State DOT Region or District Office

 FHWA Division Office

 Bureau of Indian Affairs

Enforcement

 Chief of Police

 County Sheriff’s Department

 Local/Tribal Police Department

 State Police/Patrol

 College Campus Police

Emergency 

Services

 Local Emergency Service providers

 Emergency Service Director/Fire Chief

 Hospitals

 Department of Health
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Area Potential Stakeholder Education

 Office of Communications/Public Affairs

 Department of Education/Schools

 Public Safety Organizations and Coalitions (e.g., pedestrian and

bicyclist groups)

 Driving education and training professionals (e.g., AAA, AARP)

 Department of Public Health

Other Stakeholders

 Agency Mayor/Council/Commissioners

 Local Planning and Zoning Department or Commission

 Governor’s or State’s Highway Safety Office

 Metropolitan Planning Organization/Regional Council of

Governments

 Local/Tribal Technical Assistance Program

 Transit Agency

 Community Advocates

The Macon-Bibb County conducted an open house-style workshop to provide the public and 

relevant stakeholders with an opportunity to provide input in developing its Action Plan. The 

workshop was well publicized prior to the event with the Macon-Bibb County Public Affairs 

Office sharing a press release in a newsletter distributed to more than 3,000 subscribers and 

an article posted on the Macon-Bibb County website.

Figure 10: Macon-Bibb Vision Zero Workshop (Credit: KLS Engineering, LLC)
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Similarly, Daly City also conducted a workshop involving the various city, regional, State, and 

Federal stakeholders. Workshop participants came from different backgrounds, covering the five 

Safe System elements. An elected official was also present and contributed to the discussion. It 

is noted that Daly City intends to conduct a public workshop after implementing the Action Plan. 

Both workshops’ outcomes were positive which is reflected in the final VZAP’s. 

2.8 IDENTIFYING EMPHASIS AREAS 

An emphasis area is an area of opportunity to improve safety through a comprehensive 

approach. The VZAP emphasis areas should be consistent with trends identified during data 

analysis. If data are unavailable, emphasis areas may address concerns of stakeholders and the 

community. 

The State SHSP and HSP provide great starting points. In most cases, these plans have already 

used data analysis to identify emphasis or priority areas at the State level that may be applicable 

to the local agency. Local Road Safety Plans which follow the SHSP process are also another way 

to determine safety challenges and solutions for local agencies.

For example, Macon-Bibb County worked with the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety 

(GOHS), which leads Georgia’s SHSP and HSP, to review and incorporate the relevant emphasis 

areas and strategies from these two plans. This activity gave both the County and the GOHS an 

opportunity to collaborate for the first time. As a result of the partnership, Macon-Bibb County’s 

VZAP includes emphasis areas and strategies that are consistent with the SHSP and HSP. 

2.9 DEVELOPING THE VISION ZERO ACTION PLAN 

A VZAP is a living document and includes information on existing safety plans and policies, 

feedback from community and stakeholders, crash analysis, HIN and emphasis areas and 

implementable actions. It is also typical of a VZAP to identify a reachable “zero year” date as the 

goal. Many agencies use a 15 to 20-year time frame as their target. For instance, Daly City and 

Macon-Bibb County identified 2035 and 2040, respectively, as the target years to eliminate all 

traffic fatalities and serious injuries. 

2.9.1 DEVELOPING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

An implementation plan is an integral component of VZAP and needs to include a discussion of 

implementation items such as actions, responsible parties, costs, and partners. The 

implementation plan, for each of Daly City and Macon-Bibb, was based on the Safe System 

Approach with implementation segmented across the Safe System elements: Safe Roads, Safe 

Speeds, Safe Road Users, Safe Vehicles, and Post-crash Care. In addition, a separate category 

called ‘Vision Zero Program’ was also included to establish a framework for the jurisdiction to 

institutionalize Vision Zero within its agencies. Each of the actions in the implementation plan 
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lists the timeline, cost, lead agency and partners. Both VZAPs categorized action items for 

implementation as short (<5 years), medium (5–10 years), and long-term (>10 years) with the 

understanding that any of the actions can be advanced or repositioned depending on the future 

needs and funding available of each local agency. In addition, both agencies indicated that 

working with their partners helped prioritize future actions on an annual basis. Coordinating 

other projects and programs through the Safe System Approach and approved action plan can 

leverage other funds and opportunities to achieve the Vision Zero goal. This is part of an 

evaluative approach whereby the actions are revised, as needed, to mobilize resources to those 

issues with the greatest need. 
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3. CHALLENGES, LESSONS LEARNED, AND OPPORTUNITIES 

This section discusses challenges and opportunities that local agencies typically confront as they 

develop their VZAPs. Much of the information presented is drawn directly from the lessons 

learned by Daly City and Macon-Bibb County as they developed their VZAPs. 

3.1 UNDERSTANDING THE LOCAL CULTURE AND EMBRACING SAFETY CULTURE

Challenge: Vision Zero provides an opportunity to comprehensively examine the agency’s 

transportation goals and genuinely focus on safety as the highest priority. This different 

perspective may be challenging for some communities to embrace initially. A successful VZAP 

requires agency commitment to support and strengthen a safety culture which places safety first 

and foremost in road system-investment decisions. The challenge is to foster support from staff 

and community leaders who may believe in the vision but have a difficult time committing to 

the steps necessary to make it a success. 

Lessons Learned: One way to address the challenge is for community and agency leaders to 

demonstrate strong commitment to the Vision Zero goals. Executive management of both Daly 

City and Macon-Bibb County enthusiastically supported a strong safety culture that encouraged 

agency staff to follow and actively effect change.

Opportunity: Vision Zero and the Safe System Approach requires support from a strong safety 

culture. Changing culture is often cited as key to transforming traffic safety. This starts internally 

with the agencies charged to lead and their willingness to modernize and embrace change. All 

agencies can be strong leaders in this respect. 

Activities may include training and workshops to help staff learn about safety in general, and 

Safe System Approach concepts and Vision Zero examples and opportunities in particular. It 

may be helpful to directly engage participants by asking each what it means to create a safe 

organization where they integrate safety into their program areas. Participants could also 

discuss how to ensure safe travel options for everyone in their community. Another way to learn 

is to bring in external speakers to facilitate and present examples from other places (e.g. Road to 

Zero Coalition, Governors Highway Safety Association, Vision Zero Network, etc.). 

A strategy for raising awareness—within agencies and among the public—is to help humanize 

traffic-safety issues. Vision Zero offers an opportunity to elevate the voices and stories of people 

who have been involved or who have lost loved ones in crashes. This may entail inviting victim 

advocates to share their stories during staff training events in public workshops. Note: Several 

Vision Zero cities have created working groups comprised of public advocates and other 

external stakeholders that allows their direct involvement in developing and/or implementing a 

VZAP. 
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3.2 NAVIGATING RELATED SAFETY CONCEPTS AND UNDERSTANDING 

CONCURRENT SAFETY EFFORTS

Challenge: Vision Zero, Systemic Approach to Safety, Safe System Approach, Complete Streets, 

SHSP, and HSP all have overlapping goals, objectives, and principles. The Safe System Approach 

has gained momentum across the United States and has increasingly become a core aspect of 

the Vision Zero. Because safety technology, terminologies, and frameworks are constantly 

evolving, it is more effective that plans reflect current thinking and appropriately address the 

correlation of different safety concepts. In addition, the scale, cost, and focus of a VZAP can vary 

based on the work the community has already completed, is currently working on, or plans to 

develop in the near future. 

Lessons Learned: Daly City was able to take advantage of other ongoing activities, such as 

systemic safety analysis and the pedestrian and bicycle master plan, which allowed the city to 

spend time to develop strategies that would not otherwise be possible. Similarly, Macon-Bibb 

County reviewed the emphasis areas listed in the Georgia SHSP (2019), identified those relevant 

and included those that specifically related to intersection safety and pedestrians. The VZ effort 

was the first time that the County also worked with the Georgia GOHS, which leads Georgia’s 

SHSP and HSP, to identify recommendations specifically relevant to Macon-Bibb County. 

The Daly City VZAP was developed concurrently with a bicycle and pedestrian master plan and 

the SSAR. Similarly, Macon-Bibb County coordinated implementation of its VZAP with the 

Macon Action Plan, Macon Urban Development Plan and the region’s 2040 Long Range 

Transportation Plan (LRTP). 

Opportunity: It is important to develop a strong understanding of Vision Zero and the Safe 

System Approach. One strategy is to share Vision Zero resources (e.g., Safe System Approach 

principles, definition and meaning of the HIN, leading causes of injury crashes) with internal 

agency staff and other stakeholders. For example, the Denver Regional Council of Governments 

(DRCOG) is developing a toolkit tailored to help local jurisdictions in Colorado with the local 

safety plan-development process. Close coordination among various plans is also recommended 

to ensure analysis findings and recommended actions are consistent. 

3.3 SECURING AGENCY LEADERSHIP COMMITMENT 

Challenge: Successful Vision Zero Plans depends on sustained commitment. Multiagency 

collaboration is also crucial to Vision Zero success. For example, it is beneficial that the 

transportation department, which often leads Vision Zero efforts, may work closely with the 

public health department, the mayor’s office, the police department, and other relevant 

agencies. Involving these leaders is essential to ensure consistent interagency coordination and 

ownership of activities and reminds everyone that safety is a shared responsibility. 
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Lessons Learned: In Macon-Bibb County, the mayor and county commissioners took an active 

role—they participated in kickoff meetings, the Vision Zero workshop, and demonstrated to 

agency leads that Vision Zero was important to the county and the community. This buy-in set 

the tone for follow-up agency involvement. 

Similarly, Daly City received support from the mayor and city council throughout the process. 

Council members participated in kickoff meeting and workshop. In addition, Daly City had a 

champion at the Engineering Division of the Public Works Department who ensured that other 

key staff were involved and bought into the process; the success of this effort proved a 

significant help during staff turnover. 

Opportunity: These components may not align initially, so jurisdictions can be proactive to 

involve various community leaders (and potential future leaders) and the relevant agencies to 

introduce them to the Vision Zero and build awareness of opportunities to improve safety 

throughout their communities. Recognize that events will occur that are not anticipated or easily 

controlled—such as a high-profile crash, a funding opportunity, or media attention—but that 

can motivate people to engage in traffic safety efforts. So, investing early and often and building 

interest and consensus can bring benefits later. 

3.4 ESTABLISH A VISION ZERO WORKING GROUP (VZWG) AND IDENTIFY 

A CHAMPION

Challenge: Create a strong Vision Zero task force with diverse stakeholders—from the public 

realm and community groups—to share responsibility and sustain commitment to the work. 

Bringing diverse voices and ideas to the task can foster buy-in and commitment to the work 

necessary to make change. Similarly, identifying a leader and/or champion with sufficient 

organizational responsibility for the Vision Zero initiative can make a difference in the speed and 

adequacy of implementing action items relating to the Vision Zero Action Plan. 

Lessons Learned: In Macon-Bibb County, the VZWG included county staff from planning, 

engineering, enforcement, schools, public affairs, the Pedestrian Safety Review Board (PSRB), 

and Bike Walk Macon. The VZWG met monthly and managed every step of the plan 

development. There was no formal VZWG in Daly City; however; the Engineering Division of the 

Public Works Department acted as a champion to lead the VZAP development. 

Both Daly City and Macon-Bibb County assigned a staff member to advance the Vision Zero 

effort through implementation. In Macon-Bibb County, the need for a clearly designated 

champion was filled by the chair of the PSRB. Meanwhile the VZWG is trying to acquire funding 

to hire a transportation safety manager whose role would be to execute the VZAP and 

recommended safety improvements. Regular meetings are hosted with key leadership to 

increase awareness and keep the vision zero agenda at the forefront. 
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Opportunity: Community members, including the business community, can also play an 

important role in adopting a VZAP. The vehicle and technology industry can lend a hand in 

ensuring safety of vehicles is being addressed. Given that communities have many competing 

priorities and limited resources, public shows of support can help elevate Vision Zero to 

community-wide importance. Champions can emerge both inside public agencies and within the 

broader community. 

3.5 CONDUCT DATA-DRIVEN SAFETY ANALYSIS

Challenge: Data is critical to a crash analysis. However, given various limitations related to data 

ownership and privacy issues, as well as reliability, it can be difficult to collect and analyze highquality data on crashes and their context. When available, traffic and roadway data are essential 

to ensure an accurate safety analysis. Ideally, jurisdictions will have their own reliable data; if not, 

they can seek data from regional, State, or Federal agencies. 

Another challenge for communities with fewer serious injuries and fatalities is the difficulty of 

drawing meaningful conclusions about crash trends or contributing contextual factors. These 

communities may consider broadening the pool of crashes they analyze to increase their 

datasets, for example, by looking at more years of crash data or looking at all injury crashes. In 

addition to traditional sources of data, such as crash, roadway, and first responders, engaging 

the public can also be an effective tool to ensure transparency in the process. 

Lessons Learned: In developing their VZAPs, Macon-Bibb County and Daly City analyzed all 

crashes that resulted in fatality or serious injury (usually designated as killed or seriously injured, 

or KSI, crashes) for a 5-year period. By limiting the analysis to KSI, the conditions that lead to the 

most severe crashes and their contributing circumstances can be identified. The KSI approach 

was consistent with Safe System Approach’s principle of eliminating fatal and serious injuries for

all road users. 

In addition, Macon-Bibb County collected public comments through an online interactive tool, 

which allowed citizens to pinpoint specific areas of concern on a map. The tool contained a map 

of the county—viewable as a street map or an aerial photo—that could be enlarged to identify 

specific streets/intersections. A drop-down menu in a sidebar next to the map provided a list of 

questions for users to provide feedback. The web tool was available online for approximately 6 

weeks. The county received more than 200 comments, which were incorporated in the plan 

development.

Opportunity: Depending on a State’s organizational structure, crash data can be stored by the 

State DOT, the Department of Public Safety, or the Department of Motor Vehicles. Thus, a close 

working relationship is needed with other expert data systems to help analyze the crash data. 
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Some jurisdictions may not have robust data, and therefore may have a difficult time advancing 

Vision Zero. However, limited data should not inhibit developing a VZAP. Agencies can use 

auxiliary data, such as traffic citations, census data, hospital records, public input, and speed 

monitoring. Other risk-assessment processes, such as RSAs or the United States Road 

Assessment Program (usRAP), provide systematic assessment of risk methods to identify major 

safety shortcomings. They can be used to identify safety issues for a VZAP. 

3.6 IMPLEMENT LOW-COST COUNTERMEASURES 

Challenge: Once the safety issues are identified, an agency can identify countermeasures to 

address them. A number of countermeasures have been developed over time to address safety 

issues, with varying costs and effectiveness. However, not all of them are practical at the local 

level because of cost considerations. By focusing on low cost, quick-build projects, jurisdictions 

can help build perception of and buy-in for Vision Zero. These may not be the most challenging 

or expensive projects, but rather they can demonstrate the ability to make changes and 

showcase possibilities. Vision Zero expands well beyond traditional individual-level solutions, 

such as pedestrian-education campaigns, and focuses more on low cost effective solutions that 

can be widely deployed (reduced speeds, crosswalk restriping, stop bar alignments, larger signs, 

etc.) 

Lessons Learned: The VZAPs for both Macon-Bibb County and Daly City included a 

comprehensive list of improvements that the agencies and their safety partners will pursue in 

the years ahead. However, both agencies recognized that, because of cost constraints, not all 

actions will take place simultaneously. As a result, their VZAPs categorized action items for 

implementation as short (<5 years), medium (5–10 years), and long-term (>10 years) with the 

understanding that any of the actions can be advanced or repositioned depending on the future 

needs and funding available of each local agency. In addition, both agencies indicated that 

working with their partners helped prioritize future actions on an annual basis. Coordinating 

other projects and programs through the Safe System Approach and approved action plan can 

leverage other funds and opportunities to achieve the Vision Zero goal. This is part of an 

evaluative approach whereby the actions are revised, as needed, to mobilize resources to those 

issues with the greatest need. 

As an example of short-term implementation, Daly City was awarded an $180,000 grant in 

summer 2020 to retrofit crosswalks along roadways on the HIN with high visibility crosswalk 

striping, stop bar re-alignment and other improvements. Daly City began implementing Vision 

Zero improvements in its annual street resurfacing project by striping narrowed lanes to slow 

traffic on select streets. 

Opportunity: Most agencies can implement improvements in the short term by using low-cost 

treatments, including traffic signs, pavement markings, and vertical delineators. Knowing the 
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road maintenance schedule can help implement treatments such as road diets and other trafficcalming measures that would otherwise be considered longer term. In short, all road projects—

whether new, rehabilitation, maintenance, or some combination thereof—could be considered 

as candidates for safety improvements. In addition, Vision Zero communities can incorporate the 

Safe System Approach when selecting strategies and countermeasures. They can be 

countermeasures that ensure separation in space and time for different modes, engineering 

countermeasures that control speeds, and strategies that increase users' awareness. 

3.7 MANAGING SCOPE AND FUNDING CONSTRAINTS

Challenge: Local agencies often have limited dedicated transportation safety funds and they 

often compete with other local agencies for Federal, State, regional, or local funds. Proposing 

projects through current safety funding programs can be time-consuming, with little guarantee 

of success for most local governments. Therefore, scoping the VZAP development is important 

and an agency should be clear about its expectations. 

Lessons Learned: In Daly City and Macon-Bibb County, State Safety and State District Engineers, 

FHWA Division Safety Specialists, and Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) representatives 

were present at the kickoff meetings and the workshops. This involvement at the State and 

Federal levels created a partnership intended to last well beyond plan development and 

potentially pave the way for implementation. 

Opportunity: Agencies could brainstorm quick build concepts or “institutional changes” when 

developing the VZAP so they can have projects ready when the action plan is adopted. This can 

be prepared at the staff level or, if desired, by the agency or through outreach to the 

stakeholder group or the VZWG, if there is one. Having a list of the top 5 quick-build projects 

allows the agency to get started and implement the plan as soon as possible after adoption. 

For example, prior to adopting its VZAP, Daly City staff held a series of discussions to create and 

select the top 5 quick-build concepts; staff considerations included effects on traffic and 

parking, feasibility, cost, and timeline. 

3.8 INEXPERIENCE WITH DATA ANALYSIS TOOLS

Challenge: A challenging issue is that crashes on locally managed roadways tend to be 

dispersed, especially on lower-volume roads. Using established methods to select 

countermeasures often proves unsuccessful if crashes are not spatially clustered. Determining 

what locations warrant countermeasures or low-cost, systemic improvements requires careful, 

sophisticated data analysis. But some local agencies do not have the personnel, resources, or 

software to analyze safety data and identify countermeasures—even if sufficient crash data is 

available. 
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Lessons Learned: The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) made its Numetric tool 

available in early 2020 for network screening, diagnosis, and countermeasure selection. The 

Numetric tool was not available during the data analysis process but currently, Macon-Bibb is 

using the tool to query intersection crashes. 

Opportunity: Local agencies can also use free mapping software, such as Google Maps and 

Google Fusion Tables, to perform spatial analysis and generate heat maps. Consequently, all 

relevant stakeholders can view the analysis. Even without advanced analytics, spatial 

representation of crashes, and coding roadway characteristics (e.g., wet/dry pavement or 

light/dark), agencies can use this software to perform quick visual inspections of conditions under 

which crashes occur. The results of these inspections can inform more detailed analysis and 

investigation. 
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4. SUMMARY AND STATUS

The VZAPs incorporated the guiding principles of the Safe System Approach to the extent 

possible and included the following primary components. 

 Safe System Approach. The Safe System Approach acknowledges that traffic fatalities 

and serious injuries are preventable and that system designers (including transportation 

planners, engineers, and policymakers) have a responsibility to put safety first in the 

design and operations of a road system. 

 Multidisciplinary Leadership. A multidisciplinary stakeholder group guided the 

development of the VZAP. The group included staff from planning, engineering, 

enforcement, schools, public affairs, and other agencies. 

 Data-driven. Using the most recent 5 years of complete crash data. The data helped 

prioritize resources so that investments provide the most benefits, as driven by a 

reduction in fatalities and serious injuries. Crash trends and feedback from agency staff 

were used to identify HINs and emphasis areas. 

 Stakeholder and Public Engagement. The plans were developed in consultation with 

agencies and organizations at the county/city, regional, and State levels through a series 

of meetings, as well as a Vision Zero workshop. These priorities and concerns, combined 

with the data analysis, formed the basis of the strategies and actions. 

 Equitable. The plans took an equitable approach by establishing inclusive actions to 

provide safe transportation options for all road users across the jurisdictions. This 

approach recognizes the fact that certain communities are more affected than others. 

4.1 DALY CITY IMPLEMENTATION STATUS

After the completion of the VZAP, Daly City conducted a stakeholder webinar to solicit final 

input prior to adoption. On April 27, 2020, the Daly City Council approved the VZAP, the very 

first plan of its kind in San Mateo County. The presentation of the VZAP to the City Council was 

conducted via teleconference and broadcast on the web. 

Since the time of the VZAP adoption, Daly City has significantly advanced some of the 

recommended action items as described below: 

 Posted the adopted VZAP on Daly City’s website (https://www.dalycity.org/936/VisionZero-Action-Plan).

 Applied and received an $180,000 grant in summer 2020 to retrofit crosswalks along 

roadways on the HIN with high visibility crosswalk striping and other improvements. 

 Incorporated narrowing of travel lanes, stop bar re-alignment, and other Vision Zero 

style improvements into the annual slurry seal projects list. 
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 Applied for grants to perform Vision Zero style improvements from a quick build Active 

Transportation Program (ATP) grant, and have applied for a local grant of consultant 

funds to perform branding and marketing for Daly City Vision Zero. 

 Began implementing Vision Zero improvements in its annual street resurfacing project 

by striping narrowed lanes to slow traffic on select streets. 

 Implemented Vision Zero style improvements on Guadalupe Canyon Parkway, part of the 

HIN, during a resurfacing project near John F. Kennedy elementary school. Changes 

included narrowing travel lanes to reduce vehicle speeds and striping a buffer to shift 

travel lanes away from the curb-side school pick-up/drop off zones. 

 Monthly Traffic Safety Committee now includes a report from the Police Department on 

any serious injury or fatal crashes. This was one of the items in the action plan. The 

group discusses the crashes and determines if and when improvements will be 

considered based on the analysis from police and the group. 

4.2 MACON-BIBB COUNTY IMPLEMENTATION STATUS

The Macon-Bibb VZAP was presented and adopted by the full Macon-Bibb Commission on 

November 17, 2020. The hearing was streamed live on Macon-Bibb County’s Facebook page 

and county website. 

Currently, the County is conducting discussions with GDOT and GOHS to hire a Safety Manager, 

which was one of the items in the VZAP. The County also participated in a mandatory GOHS 

grant seminar; which they may need to file a grant proposal for the Safety Manager position. 
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5. RESOURCES 

This section lists the various technical resources that were used in the development of the 

VZAPs. Some existing Federal funding resources that could be applied to Vision Zero projects 

are also provided. It is noted that many of these resources were introduced during the Daly City 

and Macon-Bibb County Vision Zero workshops. 

5.1 TECHNICAL RESOURCES

 FHWA Zero Deaths and Safe System (https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/zerodeaths/) 

 Transportation Safety Planning and the Zero Deaths Vision: A Guide for Metropolitan 

Planning Organizations and Local Communities

(https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/tsp/fhwasa18024/chp1.cfm). 

 Institute of Transportation Engineers Vision Zero (https://www.ite.org/technicalresources/topics/transportation-safety/).

 FHWA Systemic Approach to Safety (https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/systemic/).

 Focused Approach to Safety (https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/fas/).

 Local Technical Assistance Program (https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/clas/ltap/). 

 Speed Management Action Plan 

(https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/speedmgt/ref_mats/fhwasa18050/).

 FHWA Local Road Safety Plans 

(https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/provencountermeasures/local_road/).

 FHWA Proven Safety Countermeasures 

(https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/provencountermeasures/). 

 FHWA Every Day Counts Initiative, Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian

(https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/everydaycounts/edc_5/step2.cfm).

 Crash Modification Factors Clearinghouse (http://www.cmfclearinghouse.org/). 

 Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Guide and Countermeasure Selection System 

(http://www.pedbikesafe.org/). 

5.2 FUNDING RESOURCES

 Safe Routes to School (https://www.transportation.gov/mission/health/Safe-Routes-toSchool-Programs). 

 Surface Transportation Block Grant Program 

(https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/specialfunding/stp/). 
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 Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program 

(https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/fastact/factsheets/cmaqfs.cfm). 

 Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/grants/mcsapbasic-incentive-grant/motor-carrier-safety-assistance-program-mcsap-grant). 

 NHTSA Highway Safety Grant Program (https://www.nhtsa.gov/highway-safety-grantsprogram). 

 State Highway Safety Grant Programs (https://nhtsa.dr.del1.nhtsa.gov/AboutNHTSA/Highway-Safety-Grant-Programs). 

 Highway Safety Improvement Program Funding 

(https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/fastact/factsheets/hsipfs.cfm) available in States for all public 

roads. 
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ACRONYMS 

ATP Active Transportation Program 

DOT Department of Transportation 

FHWA Federal Highway Administration 

HIN High-Injury Network 

ITE Institute of Transportation Engineers 

GHOS Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (Georgia)

KSI Killed or Seriously Injured 

LRTP Long Range Transportation Plan 

LTAP Local Technical Assistance Program 

MPO Metropolitan Planning Organization 

NCHRP National Cooperative Highway Research Program 

NHTSA National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 

PSRB Pedestrian Safety Review Board 

RSA Road Safety Audit 

SHSP Strategic Highway Safety Plan

SSAR Systemic Safety Analysis Report

USDOT United States Department of Transportation 

usRAP United States Road Assessment Program 

VZAP Vision Zero Action Plan 

VZWG Vision Zero Working Group