ATLANTA— As overall traffic fatalities are rising at a record pace across the country, Mayor Andre Dickens and Atlanta Department of Transportation (ATLDOT) Commissioner Josh Rowan got an up-close look at how City of Atlanta maintenance crews are working to combat the epidemic of traffic deaths and crashes in Atlanta’s communities.
In addition to the hundreds of thousands of lives lost due to COVID, the pandemic is at the heart of an increase in the number traffic fatalities over the past two years. Nearly 32,000 people were killed in vehicle crashes in the first nine months of 2021—a 12 percent increase from the same period in 2020—according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“As more cars are on our roads, some drivers have become more reckless, in the process endangering themselves and others with high speeds and inattentive driving,” said Mayor Dickens. “Vision Zero is an invaluable resource which enables us to lower speeds, reduce crashes and stop traffic deaths in our city. It was an honor to meet several of our ATLDOT employees who work each and every day to support this vision and help keep Atlanta’s streets safe for drivers, bikers and pedestrians.”
During a tour of the ATLDOT Claire Drive operations facility, Mayor Dickens and Commissioner Rowan reviewed demonstrations of maintenance operations that support the City’s Vision Zero roadway safety initiative, including:
“The work showcased during today’s tour is focused on the main goals of the Vision Zero platform – lowering speeds, improving visibility, and making streets safer for all modes of transportation to eliminate serious injuries and traffic deaths,” ATLDOT Commissioner Rowan said. “ATLDOT maintenance crews work every day, even throughout the pandemic, to improve roadway safety. I am proud of our team and the many ways they are putting our Vision Zero principals into action.”
Developed in Sweden and adopted by Atlanta and other U.S. cities, Vision Zero is a systems-based approach to eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries through safer street design, speed management and other proven strategies.
In April 2020, the Atlanta City Council illustrated its commitment to implementing Vision Zero interventions by lowering the default speed limit on local roads in Atlanta to 25 miles per hour. Additionally, ATLDOT planning teams also conduct rigorous project plan reviews focused on design options that promote safe access to city streets for all users.
More information on Vision Zero can be found online here.
