Title
Adopting the City of Saint Paul Vision Zero Transportation Safety commitment.
Body
WHEREAS, even one death on the streets of Saint Paul is one too many; and
WHEREAS, people who live, work, visit, and play in Saint Paul deserve to be able to go about the city without fear of death or serious injury in their travels; and
WHEREAS, Mayor Carter’s Administration and the Saint Paul City Council recognize that transportation safety is a key part of making Saint Paul a city that works for all; and
WHEREAS, traffic crashes in our city cause tremendous pain and suffering for crash victims, for their families, friends, and colleagues, and for the emergency services personnel who respond to crashes; and
WHEREAS, traffic crashes also carry massive economic and social impacts beyond the traumatic initial events; and
WHEREAS, crashes resulting in death or serious injury are not a foregone conclusion, and by understanding, how, why, where, and to whom they happen the city can make design and policy decisions that help drive down the numbers of these terrible events; and
WHEREAS, from 2018 through 2022 there were 16,070 recorded crashes on surface streets in Saint Paul, including 60 fatalities and 264 serious injury crashes; and
WHEREAS, vulnerable road users - pedestrians in particular - are at a higher risk of injury or death while using the city’s transportation system; and
WHEREAS, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in Saint Paul were over-represented in traffic-related fatalities between 2010 and 2019; and
WHEREAS, recent data has demonstrated that many of the most dangerous parts of Saint Paul’s transportation networks are also in some of our most disadvantaged communities, where people bear a disproportionate burden of fatal and serious crashes; the city will use data and authentic community engagement to ensure that the benefits of safety investments are shared equitably throughout the city; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul and partner agencies in state and county government routinely make policy and project programming decisions that impact the surface transportation system and emergency response; and
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan includes Goal 2: Safety and accessibility for all users, including Policy T-5: Adopt and implement a “Vision Zero” program with the long-term goal of achieving zero traffic fatalities and severe injuries; and
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul Comprehensive Plan notes that “Projects will prioritize the safety of people walking and biking, equity, and improved access to economic opportunity,” and
WHEREAS, implementing a commitment to reducing and eventually eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries will require significant participation from and coordination with partner agencies and across city departments; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul is poised to implement Vision Zero safety-focused projects and strategies in a variety of ways and is committed to measuring the outcomes of Vision Zero on an annual basis.
WHEREAS, by making this commitment the City of Saint Paul is joining a nationwide and international group of forward-thinking cities that are also making a commitment to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries on their streets; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council hereby commits to a goal of zero traffic deaths and serious injuries on all surface streets in Saint Paul by 2045, with an interim goal of 50 percent reduction in fatal and serious injury crashes within ten years; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the City of Saint Paul understands that achieving this ambitious goal will require significant and ongoing coordination with partner agencies including the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Ramsey County, the Metropolitan Council, and Metro Transit; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the City of Saint Paul acknowledges that achieving this Vision Zero commitment will require significant staff effort and financial resources over a sustained period, and that prioritizing safety investments will need to be elevated in the planning of future projects and policies.