Montgomery County has experienced a significant decline in serious and fatal traffic accidents, driven by its “Vision Zero Initiative,” a collaborative safety project focused on eliminating these tragic incidents by 2030. The initiative’s latest annual report, which covered Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), showed an 11 percent reduction in serious and fatal crashes when compared to the years before the pandemic, spanning 2015 to 2019. Specifically, there has been a significant drop — 28 percent — in high-injury network (HIN) corridors that are prioritized for safety improvements.
According to thepress release, these reductions stem from various interventions, including ten projects on HIN corridors, representing just three percent of the County’s roads but accounting for over 41 percent of serious injuries and fatalities. Additionally, eight new traffic signals and pedestrian hybrid beacons were installed to help safeguard foot and bicycle traffic. The positive changes were emphasized by Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, who spoke of the collective effort and personal responsibility needed to ensure safer roads.
Moving forward with its action plan, the program not only focuses on infrastructure improvements but also strives to foster a community prioritizing safety. This approach is evident in the installation of 6.7 miles of new sidewalk and the undertaking of 29 bikeway projects which aim to facilitate car-free travel options. Significantly, outreach teams put together 259 events centered around safety guidance and involving residents in conversations around the program’s objectives.
Leveraging law enforcement as a pillar of its strategy, the county reported substantial enforcement efforts including 15,795 stops for excessive speeding and over 360,000 automated speed citations. In a statement obtained by thepress release, MCDOT Director Chris Conklin expressed his gratitude for the funding support, while also mourning the loss caused by traffic accidents. Conklin highlighted the dual benefits of safety initiatives, citing the example of simultaneous pedestrian and bicycle safety upgrades coming alongside bus rapid transit development on Veirs Mill Road.
As the end of the year approaches, public safety officials are taking the opportunity to remind the community of the dangers of impaired driving, especially during the holiday season. Police Chief Marc Yamada, in the report, urged residents to plan safe commutes after festivities and endorsed the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP), which offers free Lyft credits to ensure sober rides home. More information on the efforts and progress of the Vision Zero initiative can be found on theCounty s website.
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