City of Rochester officials and City Council members announced Thursday Rochester's Vision Zero plan. It's an initiative meant to eliminate traffic fatalities and injuries.
To achieve that, city leaders created a 10-point priority action plan.
It includes a task force to obtain and provide input on traffic safety and street design, as well as implementing a 25-mile-per-hour speed limit on city streets. That's in addition to identifying busy sidewalks and intersections for safety and mobility improvements
The Vision Zero plan also proposes creating a 63-mile connected bicycle network, increasing how frequently snow and ice are cleared from sidewalks and bus shelters and working with New York state to bring speed and red light cameras back to the city.
“I was here two years ago at this very same spot, pleading for safer driving in the city after a teenager was killed at a nearby intersection while riding his bike,” said Mayor Evans. “Now here we are again, dealing with another heartbreaking fatal collision that occurred at the very same intersection this past Monday. Both incidents were completely avoidable had someone chose to not drive recklessly. That’s why it’s urgent that we do everything we possibly can to address this problem and that’s why we are becoming a Vision Zero city.”
"Vision Zero is a roadmap for the City to create a safer, more equitable transportation system,” said Rochester City Councilmember Mitch Gruber. “As we follow this plan and effectively engage the community, the City of Rochester will foster a culture of safety and responsibility on our streets.”
Rochester previously instituted a red light camera program in 2010. The city faced a lawsuit over the program two years later, but it was struck down in state Supreme Court. The program expired in 2016.