By Christine Moore, Orange County District 2 Commissioner

Vision Zero is a proven international transportation safety movement committed to eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries while increasing safety and healthy lifestyles. One of the main and lowest cost tactics of the Vision Zero plan is improving sidewalks. 

Vision Zero has four points relevant to the importance of sidewalks. 

· Safe System Design: This approach prioritizes designing streets and public spaces for people. This includes creating complete streets with features like connected sidewalks, ample room for pedestrians, and traffic calming measures. 

· Infrastructure Improvements: Vision Zero initiatives often involve implementing proven “countermeasures”. These can include deploying Speed Feedback Signs to encourage safer driving behavior. Well-marked controlled and uncontrolled crosswalks to increase visibility. 

· Addressing Human Mistakes: Vision Zero acknowledges that people make mistakes and seeks to design the transportation system to accommodate human error. This means designing sidewalks and crosswalks to minimize the consequences of potential errors by drivers and pedestrians. 

· Emphasis on Vulnerable Users: Vision Zero prioritizes the needs of vulnerable road users like pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders. 

Vision Zero complements the concept of Complete Streets by focusing on pedestrians. While Complete Streets aims to accommodate all users and types of travel, Vision Zero adds a targeted safety focus by implementing measures to reduce crashes and their severity, such as improved lighting, speed management strategies, and pedestrian refuge islands. In essence, Complete Streets provide the infrastructure, and Vision Zero enhances safety. 

As the incoming chair of MetroPLAN, the region’s federal transportation planning agency, and chief supporter of the county’s public works budget, I can tell you there is nothing more important than planning for the safety of vehicular and pedestrian road users. I reviewed a safety plan yesterday to make sure UCF and Full Sail students are safer along University Blvd. The study took a full year and now plans are being weighed against available resources. I can tell you that increasing street lighting and wider sidewalks are the first and lowest cost choices of professional public works planners. 

Orange County Government commits over $5 million annually to upgrade sidewalks in residential neighborhoods. Initially, there are always a few unhappy folks. I’m amused when people say, “but no one is walking.” Right. Would you walk with young children or your aging parents in the middle of a road? No, of course not. However, most of the initial concerns evaporate once residents enjoy walking safely and socializing with their neighbors. 

Over the past six and a half years, I have dealt with numerous subdivisions and dozens of sidewalks installed in the county’s right-of-way. The best example I can share about the second or transformative nature of new sidewalks is in Lockhart. So many older neighborhoods were built before the codes required sidewalks. Additionally, most of the major county roadways in the community didn’t have sidewalks either. Crime rates and blight were the main topic at every People of Lockhart Community Meeting. The group tried to help by solely picking up trash. This didn’t improve much in perpetuity and thus, I sought additional methods. 

To make a long journey short, new and clean sidewalks were the ticket to reducing crime, improving pedestrian safety, and activating the community. Sidewalks were added on the following major streets, Eden Park, Rose Avenue, and Beggs Road. Again, there was significant angst prior to construction. However, residents received new sod and driveway aprons. Trees were trimmed and by completion, the street looked marvelous. Families were out walking and their joy spilled over into improving the overall quality of life. 

To be continued…