State, federal officials learn about San Francisco's Vision Zero initiative

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency on Tuesday joined the San Francisco Department of Public Health and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority in hosting federal and state transportation officials interested in the city's Vision Zero policy.

In 2014, San Francisco adopted Vision Zero, pledging to build better and safer streets, educate the public on traffic safety, and enforce traffic laws. The Vision Zero goal is to have zero traffic fatalities by 2024.

Senior officials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, California Office of Traffic Safety, Federal Highway Administration and California State Transportation Agency met at San Francisco City Hall on Tuesday to learn about Vision Zero’s effects.

“Having these organizations and delegates here to learn about our Vision Zero efforts really underscores San Francisco’s recent work to create a culture of traffic safety,” SFMTA Director of Transportation Ed Reiskin said. “While our goal of zero traffic fatalities by 2024 has a long time horizon, we are working quickly today to increase safety citywide while larger projects and initiatives are being developed.”

By this summer, the SFMTA will implement separate lanes for southbound bicyclist and right-turning vehicles in order to reduce collisions, leading pedestrian intervals to allow more time for "Walk" signals before cars receive green lights and red curb daylighting to increase pedestrian visibility at intersections.

"As a necessary step toward the future, California recognizes that walking and bicycling are becoming an increasingly popular alternative for commuting and recreation," California Office of Traffic Safety Director Rhonda Craft said.