The city is ready to launch its Road Safety Action Plan, the product of last year’s Road Safety Summit and the work of a committee of advocates and city representatives. It will be unveiled at noon Wednesday at the corner of Westlake and Denny. Speakers will start at 1 p.m.
The plan “lays out the path to zero fatalities and serious injuries on our roadways through environmental improvements, increased enforcement efforts, sustained educational outreach, evaluation, and ways to inspire a culture of empathy on our roads.”
More details from the city:
You are cordially invited to attend
A launch event for the Road Safety Action Plan and Outreach Campaign
Wednesday, August 29th, 2012
In the plazas at Denny Way and Westlake Avenue downtown
Safety fair: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., at 2201 Westlake Avenue, 98121
Speakers: 1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., at 2210 Westlake Avenue, 98121The Road Safety Action Plan (RSAP), the outcome of the mayor’s Road Safety Summit, seeks to achieve zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries on Seattle’s roads. The Action Plan includes a public awareness campaign, which will encourage everyone using the roads to make safe choices.
The RSAP lays out the path to zero fatalities and serious injuries on our roadways through environmental improvements, increased enforcement efforts, sustained educational outreach, evaluation, and ways to inspire a culture of empathy on our roads. This is Seattle’s first citywide traffic safety plan.
Please RSVP if have not done so already.
Email Rebecca Deehr at [email protected] or phone 206-233-2662
Comments
6 responses to “Seattle’s first Road Safety Action Plan launches Wednesday at Denny/Westlake”
I pray this achieves some tangible evidence of success…
SOme of the places that bike lanes exist make no sense to me, they have created MORE danger rather than less. I dont agree with what the city is doing AT ALL.
Any specifics? Or perhaps suggestions for improvement?
Specifics? How about that 2nd Ave bike lane the trucks park across, plus the door threat, plus no look, no yield cars whizzing down steep side streets and into hidden parking garages? Or try following any bike lane (mind the glass, debris, random cobblestones, tire swallowing metal grates and potholes and concrete cracks, oh hey stairs, thanks Cheshiahud loop, and the omnipresent door threat) and see where it dumps you as it peters out like some unfathomable underground stream.
Or sharrows, let’s put some on 45th or whatever, good luck dancing with those four lanes of variously speeding or standstill cars (yum, benzene! does the body good)… and Dexter. How many more hit-and-runs must we suffer?
I’m glad to see that education is a part of this. It seems that one of the most common things that people say after they hit a biker, or after they ride a bike into their own peril, is “They weren’t supposed to be there/do that.” For example: the poster that mentions that bike lanes are a bad idea in some places doesn’t appear to be aware that bikes are legally permitted to ride on every street. If I thought bikes were only supposed to ride where there are lanes, I’d probably be overwhelmed by the wanton lawlessness of cyclists. I hope that the driver/cyclist education issue starts to take greater precedence.
The lack of education on some simple but serious issues is profound, so I hope this is the start of something valuable. Just as an example, in places like Dexter and Denny or 34th and Fremont, where cars are essentially always blocking the bike lane while trying to make right turns, I honestly don’t know if this is legal, but I know that if it is, it’s terrible, and if it’s not, it’s never enforced. But what is really needed is signage and education on what the actual rules are.