Orange County adopts Vision Zero Strategy

On August 9, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to adopt Vision Zero, a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries by focusing on designing safer roadways.

Each year, more than 40,000 people are killed on American streets. Communities must do more to prevent this unnecessary suffering by addressing the many factors that contribute to safe mobility. Vision Zero acknowledge these factors, which include roadway design, speed, behaviors, technologies, and policies, and sets clear goals to achieve the shared goal of zero fatalities and severe injuries by the year 2040.

Vision Zero strategies include using rectangular rapid-flashing beacons, raised crosswalks, leading pedestrian intervals, pedestrian crossing islands, pedestrian hybrid beacons, road diets, and crosswalk visibility enhancements in an effort to protect pedestrians and bicyclists from vehicles. Learn more about this network at https://visionzeronetwork.org/. 

Orange County Public Works Traffic Engineering Division Manager Humberto Castillero, P.E., PTOE, presented details of Vision Zero and the plan prior to the vote. Castillero stressed the importance of collaboration, acknowledging and thanking those regional stakeholders in attendance representing the Florida Department of Transportation, MetroPlan Orlando, City of Orlando, and Best Foot Forward.

Following Castillero’s presentation, the board voted unanimously to adopt a resolution making Orange County one of nearly 50 communities that now make up the Vision Zero Network. Watch the August 9th meeting with Castillero’s presentation to the Board at http://netapps.ocfl.net/Mod/meetings/1.

Best Foot Forward thanks Orange County partners for making this commitment, and looks forward to continuing to collaborate with the county and with all our of coalition members to change behaviors through the Best Foot Forward program!