Future of Vision Zero at stake as Kenney administration nears its end

person riding bike
Photo credit Holli Stephens/KYW Newsradio

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia’s effort to eliminate traffic fatalities through Vision Zero is at a critical moment as advocates and officials met Friday for the annual conference at Temple University.

Mayor Jim Kenney created the Vision Zero program by executive order in 2016, his first year as mayor. The name comes from the goal of having zero traffic fatalities by 2030. Its strategy included neighborhood slow zones, protected bike lanes and speed cameras. But, as with so much else, the pandemic derailed the effort. Fatalities spiked in 2020 and are still higher than they were in 2019, but they’re coming down again.

The city is about to get major federal funding for safe streets and Kenney says he’s optimistic.

“I’m confident that with the support of each and every Philadelphian, we can save lives and make our streets safer.”

But the future of Vision Zero now relies on others. Kenney says he wants city council to pass a charter change referendum to make it a permanent part of government. Otherwise, it’s up to the next mayor to decide whether it continues.

Sarah Clark, stuart of the Bicycle Coalition, says it’s vital that it stays.

“It’s an epidemic, just like the opioid crisis and gun violence, so we are making every effort to impress upon all the candidates that they need to prioritize the traffic fatality epidemic and that Vision Zero is the key to bringing it down.”

Deputy managing director Mike Carroll says the federal infrastructure law will be a game-changer.

“Having billions of dollars finally coming to cities to invest in infrastructure is a fantastic, once in a generation chance we have to address all these issues at once.”

Carroll is confident its importance is evident.

“We won’t all be at the ribbon-cuttings, but it’s going to mean a lot to us and it certainly means a lot to me to be at the beginning, at the conception of a lot of projects that are going to make a difference in Philadelphians' lives.”

Featured Image Photo Credit: Holli Stephens/KYW Newsradio