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RESOLUTION NO. 21-629-1
A RESOLUTION OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS APPROVING THE
2021 SAFETY TARGETS AND REGIONAL SAFETY POLICY
WHEREAS, SCAG is the largest Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) in the United States covering six counties (Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura), and serving 19 million people pursuant to 23 USC § 134 et seq. and 49 USC § 5303 et seq.; and
WHEREAS, SCAG is responsible for bringing Southern California’s diverse residents and local partners together with unifying regional plans, policies, and programs that result in more healthy, livable, sustainable, and economically resilient communities; and
WHEREAS, improving mobility, accessibility, reliability, and transportation safety has been a goal included in SCAG’s long -range plans, including Connect SoCal, for decades; and
WHEREAS, transportation safety is a serious issue in the region, where on average 1,600 people are killed, 6,300 are seriously injured, and 136,300 are injured in traffic collisions every year; and
WHEREAS, transportation safety is an equity issue because low income and communities of color are disproportionately impacted; 66 percent of SCAG’s High Injury Network exists in Disadvantaged Communities; and
WHEREAS, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP -21) Act requires MPOs to establish annual safety targets; and in 2018, 2019, and 2020, SCAG adopted Toward Zero Deaths-supportive regional safety targets; and
WHEREAS, 23 U.S. Code §450 requires the Regional Transportation plan to include a system performance report, including progress achieved by the MPO in meeting safety performance targets, and requires that the Trans portation Improvement Program (TIP), once implemented , is designed to make progress toward achieving the safety performance target; and
WHEREAS, Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) provides a framework for reducing fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads, utilizing a safe systems approach that is based on the understanding that even one traffic -related fatality is unacceptable, and that the road system needs to put layers of protection in the form of safe roads, vehicles, speeds, and people (safe road us ers) around the fallible and vulnerable human in order to prevent fatalities and serious injuries; and
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WHEREAS, SCAG recognizes that it can to help in motivating and facilitating action to reduce fatalities and serious injuries, and it seeks to continue to lead or join aligned TZD efforts; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Regional Council of the Southern California Association of Governments, that SCAG hereby adopts a calendar year 2021 safety target of 3.5 percent annual reductions in fatalities and serious injuries to reach the goal of zero by 2050, if not sooner; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT:
1. SCAG adopts a Regional Safety Policy to commit to working with partner agencies to encourage and support actions towards the elimination of transportation -related fatalities and serious injuries by 2050, if not sooner, in Southern California; and
2. SCAG endorses Toward Zero Deaths as a comprehensive and holistic approach to achieving this goal; and
3. SCAG affirms its commitment to motivating data driven approaches, including High Injury Networks and safety modelin g, to inform safety policy and planning and the strategic use of available funds and resources; promoting equity in regional safety policies and plans by considering and analyzing impacts on Disadvantaged Communities, Communities of Concern, and Environmen tal Justice Areas, and protecting vulnerable roadway users, such as pedestrians and bicyclists, older adults and youth; engaging regional stakeholders in transportation safety policy and plan development, implementation, and evaluation, with the goal of ac hieving alignment with TZD; and providing leadership at the state and regional levels to promote safety, including supporting work on statewide efforts (e.g., SHSP) and legislation that furthers TZD; and
4. SCAG encourages partner agencies to consider adopt ing and developing TZD policies and plans for their respective jurisdictions.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED by the Regional Council of the Southern California Association of Governments at its regular meeting this 4th day of February, 2021.
[SIGNATURES ON FOLLOWING PAGE]
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Rex Richardson
President, SCAG
Councilmember, Long Beach
Attested by:
Kome Ajise
Executive Director
Approved as to Form:
Michael Houston
Chief Counsel
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Attachment: Resolution No. 21-629-1 (Regional Safety Targets 2021)