City focuses on eliminating traffic fatalities over the next 10 years
Good Morning Cleveland! ☀️🍂 Today, I’ll be recapping yesterdays Transportation Committee Meeting. @cledocumenters @NeighborUpCle #CleDocumenters
08:02 AM Sep 22, 2022 CDT
The audio for the meeting didn’t start immediately with the meeting, so we are getting started midway through a conversation. Currently present are:
Councilwoman Deborah Gray
Councilman Brian Kazy
Councilman Charles Slife
Councilwoman Rebecca Maurer
Councilman Kevin Bishop
The Interim Director of port control, Dennis Kramer, is here. Unfortunately due to the delayed audio start, I’m not sure exactly what he is seeking..a contract of sorts I believe.
Kramer let’s the Council know they are currently in the process of hiring a new director.
Councilman Kazy asks about safety measures in lieu of a tragic accident with an employee in New Orleans.
https://www.wdsu.com/amp/article/new-orleans-airport-osha-employee-killed/41056306 May her family and loved ones find peace. 🕊
Kramer reaffirms that a newer type of safety technology as it pertains to baggage handling was implemented in 2017.
To be clear, Kramer is here on behalf of the emergency ordinance. It has unanimously passed. https://t.co/vSSmWGva7N
That concludes the legislative portion of the meeting. We now have a special presentation.
Ms. Mersman, Senior Strategist for Transit and Mobility, is here to give a presentation on the Cleveland Vision Zero Action Plan.
Cleveland crash data tells us that vulnerable road users, who are defined as individuals who walk, bike, or use motorcycles are disproportionately killed. https://t.co/KQZFWbKoNl
Older Pedestrians are over-represented in fatalities and serious injuries. People aged 50-69 represent 25% of Cleveland population, but 35% of pedestrians in FSI crashes.
Studies also show that Black people are inequitably impacted by crashes, particularly in Cleveland’s east side. This data is back led up by a study an intern at NOACA conducted with stats from the coroners office.
There are key high-crash hot spots to prioritize. Most of these areas are on the east side, including 55th, Woodland, Lee, Buckeye, Superior, and St. Clair. On the west side, W. 117th, Lorain, Denison, and W. 25th.
There are over 200 visions in the Action Plan. How do we decide where to start? Again, we the people are driving the ship. https://t.co/5EwLhmU7Zt
Some design measures that can help improve road safety include Road diets, speed tables, chicanes, curb extensions, roundabouts, signals, lighting, medians, and access management. Policy changes help too!
Ms. Mersman reiterates that all these things are being done in the name of safety. We want to lower the number of road fatalities to ZERO by 2032. This concludes the presentation, the floor is open for questions and comments.
Councilman Slife says it’s important to prioritize people over property. Due to de-population in the city, it has given individuals more license to speed.
Slife asks for an update on the speed table pilots. As of last week, all 10 have been formally installed.
Councilman McCormack has joined and reiterates his thanks and support for all the work done around this action plan. Calls road safety a “meat and potatoes” issue.
Councilman Bishop says he’s been to cities in Ohio where speed limits are 30. Wonders how that is determined. ODOT issues a speed zone process as detailed below. https://t.co/eC0TAwDDVx
Councilwoman Maurer asks for clarification on the “85th percentile” metric used by ODOT. Explanation: https://t.co/9tQTaIVrwa
Councilwoman Gray asks how they will get this information out to the public. You can visit the action plan on their website at https://www.visionzerocle.org
They are also utilizing social media, council newsletters, radio ads, and of course our work with @cledocumenters!
Councilman Kazy asks what is being done to incorporate enforcement during this process? The action plan will focus on different behaviors that cause accidents. Otherwise, enforcement is still being discussed and is a longer term conversation. Short term strategies involve police.
And with that, the Transportation and Mobility meeting has been adjourned.
Have questions? Think we got something wrong? Send any inquiries on the meeting or these tweets to @cledocumenters or email us at cledocumenters@gmail.com.