It's Been 10 Years Since Portland Adopted Vision Zero. What's Changed?

""I think some people only look at the numbers and see the number of deaths are not going in the right direction. It's important to explain that Vision Zero is not a model, it's a goal," Koyama Lane told the Mercury. She says Portland should remain steadfast in its belief that no one should die while trying to get around the city. "Getting to that number zero is a holistic goal that we can never give up on," Koyama Lane said."

"That doesn't mean it'll be easy. In 2024, 58 people died in traffic crashes on Portland's streets. This marked a decrease from the year prior, when the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) reported 69 people were killed in traffic crashes. But it's a good deal higher than zero. Koyama Lane's resolution sets out to reaffirm its commitment to the Vision Zero Action Plan, which guides the city's actions on traffic safety."

Portland adopted Vision Zero in 2015 to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries. Hundreds of people have died and many more have been gravely hurt since adoption. City Council unanimously reaffirmed commitment to Vision Zero and established a cross-bureau, collaborative approach to oversee implementation. A resolution by Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane frames Vision Zero as an aspirational goal rather than a model and mandates a task force led by deputy city administrators from Public Works, Public Safety, and Community and Economic Development. In 2024, 58 people died in traffic crashes, down from 69 in 2023 but far from the zero target.

Read at Portland Mercury