Public Works Engineering is pleased to announce that it has secured a grant to help reach the goal of zero deaths or serious injuries on Eugene’s transportation system. In July 2016, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) awarded the City $65,000 to help in the pursuit of Vision Zero.
The grant will kick start the Vision Zero process. Over the coming months, City staff and community leaders will create a Vision Zero Action Plan. The grant will fund the planning process, which includes partially funding a position on the Transportation Planning Team and paying for consultant costs.
The action plan process includes the formation of a task force consisting of a diverse group of stakeholders. They’re expected to meet at least seven times through the summer of 2017.
Sweden created and adopted Vision Zero in the 1990s. It’s a multifaceted approach to make roads safer. Vision Zero acknowledges that traffic losses are preventable. It’s a more strategic approach to transportation safety because it uses data driven research and looks at problems from a system level to prevent traffic crashes. Acting Traffic Engineer, Matt Rodrigues, is also going to Sweden this fall to present and learn more about Vision Zero.
Since passing the resolution in November, Public Works Engineering has already launched a crosswalk safety campaign and worked with ODOT to open a new shared use path alongside a busy state highway.