2024 Vision Zero Strategy

Vision Zero is an approach to traffic safety that seeks to eliminate all traffic fatalities and serious injuries. Vision Zero seeks to move away from the traditional approach to traffic safety that assumes perfect human behavior and to a systemic approach that designs for human mistakes.

The Vision Zero concept originated in Sweden in 1997. Zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries is an ambitious goal, but it is possible. Since Sweden implemented Vision Zero in the 1990s, serious injuries and deaths have reduced by half all while traffic volumes have increased. The country now has one of the lowest traffic fatality rates in the world. More than 45 cities, counties. and regions in the United States have adopted Vision Zero. New York City adopted a Vision Zero plan in 2014 and has since experienced a 27% decline in fatalities and 44% decrease in pedestrian deaths (Vison Zero Network).

Vision Zero aims to improve safety for all road users, but particularly our most vulnerable road users, including elderly, children, bicyclists, and pedestrians.

Vision Zero is a systemic approach to safety with shared responsibility:

TRPA has established a goal of achieving zero fatalities and serious injuries on roadways in the Tahoe Basin by 2050.

From 2013 to 2021 there were approximately 1,673 reported injury crashes in the Tahoe Basin. Of these crashes, 41 involved a fatality and 183 involved a serious injury. This is an average of 5 fatalities and 20 serious injuries every year. These are not just numbers; they are family members, friends, colleagues, and community members. We need to double down on our efforts to improve safety to significantly reduce these numbers. The first step is a comprehensive, data-driven plan.

The Vision Zero Strategy outlines TRPA's roadmap to Vision Zero, including:

• A data-driven approach
• Collaboration across agencies
• Robust public engagement
• Integration of equity
• A comprehensive list of projects & strategies
• Proposed updates of our policies and procedures

The Vision Zero Strategy is not a new plan, but a comprehensive update to the  2019 Lake Tahoe Region Safety Strategy , with a focus on the principles and goals of Vision Zero. The 2019 Safety Strategy identified 30 candidate locations for safety projects, with a further 8 identified as priority projects for implementation. Progress has been made by local and state partners to translate these projects into on the ground improvements.

Drag the arrows on the slider to see the improvements in the before and after images.

The 2024 Vision Zero Strategy re-evaluates the 2019 project list, incorporating new projects based on public outreach, crash data, equity considerations, and a traffic stress analysis.

Use the selectors at the top of the interactive dashboard to filter the data by date, jurisdiction, crash severity, or mode involved. The "Crashes Displayed" number on the right and charts on the bottom row will automatically adjust as filters are selected. Personal information is not included for privacy. Click the bottom dark blue square button with an arrow in the top right to view the dashboard in another browser tab.

The dashboard will be updated as new crash data becomes available, approximately yearly, to provide transparency and track progress.

High Injury Networks (HIN) are a key strategy for transportation agencies to begin to address traffic fatalities and injuries. HINs identify streets with a higher concentration of injury crashes and serve as a tool to guide investment in safety projects. TRPA used the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) and Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) crash data from 2013 to 2020 to produce High Injury Networks (HINs) for vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle injuries in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Each High Injury Network represents the streets and roads that make up 65% of the crash victims for that mode.

Disadvantaged communities identified by the Transportation Equity Study, called Community Priority Zones, are overlaid on top of the High Injury Network. Using an equity-centered approach in Vision Zero planning ensures that all individuals, regardless of their socio-economic background, race, age, or ability, have equal access to safe transportation and that safety projects within disadvantaged communities are prioritized for funding and implementation. The HIN will be updated as new crash data becomes available, approximately annually.

 Click here  to dive into the technical methodology used for Tahoe's High Injury Network Analysis. The methodology was largely based off the one used by the  Southern California Association of Governments  with adjustments to meet the context of Tahoe's rural area.

We recognize that crash data doesn't always tell the full story. Crashes may go unreported if injuries are minor, crash reports may be incomplete, or there may be locations where people feel stress while traveling, but haven't been involved in a crash. The Active Transportation Plan developed a Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) analysis, which aims to quantify the stress that bicyclists feel while traveling along a segment or intersection.

• BLTS 1: low-stress, all ages and abilities
  • Roadway and intersection crossings would be comfortable for children and traffic intolerant.
• BLTS 2: moderately low-stress, interested but concerned
  • These locations would be comfortable for people that are interested in cycling but concerned about the safety and stress of bicycle riding within the transportation network.
• BLTS 3: moderately high-stress, enthusiastic and confident
  • These locations would be comfortable for the enthused and confident rider types.
• BLTS 4: high-stress, strong and fearless
  • These locations would be comfortable for only the strong and fearless.
• BLTS 4.5: exceptionally high-stress, strong and fearless
  • These locations are typically narrow roads with high speeds and small or no shoulder where strong and fearless cyclists must take the travel lane.

This strategy is meant to be a living document that continues long after governing board endorsement. TRPA will continue to evaluate our progress towards meeting our goal of Vision Zero. Staff will provide regular updates to the Governing Board, with opportunity for public input. Crash data will also be updated on the Crash Data Dashboard and in the High Injury Network as it becomes available, approximately annually.

Rachael Shaw, Associate Transportation Planner

Rshaw@trpa.gov | 775-589-5267