The Capital Region Transportation Council announces development of a Vision Zero Safety Action Plan to build a shared vision of roadway safety in the Capital Region
ALBANY, NY May 8, 2024 – The Capital Region Transportation Council and the Cities of Albany, Saratoga Springs, Troy, and Watervliet, as well as the Village of Green Island are pleased to announce a collaborative effort to develop a Vision Zero Safety Action Plan for the Capital Region, with financial support from the New York State Department of Transportation. This effort will include all roadways within the Transportation Council’s planning area of Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady Counties (except the Town of Morea and Village of South Glens Falls). The Vision Zero Safety Action Plan was made possible by a $1.15 M grant from the Federal Highway Administration through the Safe Streets and Roads for All Program.
The Plan will focus on a reduction of fatal and serious injury crashes to an eventual goal of zero, and include all public roadways, public input focused on underserved communities, and systemic safety analysis. The plan will result in area speed limit recommendations and a prioritized listing of actionable projects including capital transportation projects.
Vision Zero is a multidisciplinary approach, bringing together diverse and necessary stakeholders to address fatal and serious injuries. Vision Zero acknowledges that many factors contribute to safe mobility — including roadway design, speeds, behaviors, technology, and policies — and sets clear goals to achieve the shared goal of zero fatalities and severe injuries. This effort will be guided by the Safe System Approach, which builds and reinforces multiple layers of protection to both prevent crashes from happening in the first place and minimize the harm caused to people when crashes do occur. This approach shifts away from conventional thinking about safety because it focuses on both human mistakes AND human vulnerability, designing a system with many redundancies in place to protect everyone.
The Transportation Council will seek public input over the next year, with fifteen public workshops held across the region and virtually. We are also available to attend community meetings to learn about local safety concerns – contact us at info@capitalmpo.org to request attendance. In addition, the project website (capitalregionvisionzero.org) includes an interactive map for marking locations of safety concerns as well as proposed improvements.
The project team will also be soliciting applicants for Community Ambassadors and Community Advisory Committee members. Priority will be given to applicants representing populations who have been historically underserved and marginalized in transportation planning processes, such as youth, elderly, racial and ethnic minorities, low-income individuals, and those with disabilities. Individuals will be compensated for their time and effort. Application forms and detailed role descriptions for both the Ambassador and the Committee positions are available on the project website (capitalregionvisionzero.org). Applications are due on May 31st.
Transportation Council Executive Director Sandra Misiewicz said, “Safey is a top priority of the Transportation Council. We are pleased to be working with our state, regional, and local government partners to identify policies, programs, and projects that aim to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries across our region’s transportation system, particularly those related to our most vulnerable users. It is imperative that this plan build a regional consensus that will lead to its widespread adoption and implementation.”
Capital Region Transportation Council Chair and Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said, “The Vision Zero Plan will help the City of Albany and municipalities across the region to align their pedestrian, bicycle, and traffic plans into one cohesive plan that ensures we’re prioritizing safety across every mode of transportation. Thank you to the Capital Region Transportation Council for leading this effort and to each of our partner municipalities for working together and maximizing the impact of this federal program made possible by President Biden, Senate Majority Leader Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, and Congressman Tonko.”
Green Island Mayor Ellen McNulty-Ryan said, “The Village of Green Island is delighted to collaborate with the Capital Region Transportation Council and neighboring communities in their Vision Zero Safety Action Plan, ensuring that every mode of transportation remains safe and accessible to all.”
Saratoga Springs Mayor John Safford said, “The City of Saratoga Springs’ adopted Complete Streets Policy promotes safe bicycle, pedestrian and transit plans that expand as well as strengthen mobility choices for all.”
The City of Troy Mayor Carmella Mantello stated, “It is critical that all our neighborhoods are accessible, walkable, bikeable, and safe. It is important to connect our communities through our roads, bridges, and trails. The City of Troy looks forward to working with the Transportation Council on a Regional Vision Zero Safety Action Plan.”
Watervliet Mayor Charles Patricelli said, “We are committed to reducing crashes and injuries on our roadways and look forward to developing a unified approach toward our vision of zero fatalities and serious injuries, while also making traveling by any mode safer and more comfortable.”
State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “The New York State Department of Transportation is proud to partner with the Capital Region Transportation Council to launch their Vision Zero Safety Action Plan, which will utilize a comprehensive approach toward the goal of reducing fatal and serious injury crashes to zero here in the region. Safety is a priority for everyone and working together, all users of our transportation system here in the Capital Region will benefit from this shared vision and investment in roadway safety.”
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The Transportation Council is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, its metropolitan transportation planning process on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, economic status, or sexual orientation.
If information is needed in another language, contact 518-458-2161 or send an e-mail to info@capitalmpo.org.
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