RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A VISION ZERO POLICY AND ESTABLISHING AN INITIAL GOAL OF REDUCING TRAFFIC DEATHS AND SERIOUS INJURIES BY 50 PERCENT BY 2040.
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Transportation National Roadway Safety Strategy outlines the comprehensive approach to significantly reduce serious injuries and deaths on the Nation’s highways, roads, and streets and commits to a national vision of zero roadway fatalities; and WHEREAS, the California Department of Transportation has a vision to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries on California’s roadways by 2050 and provide safer outcomes for all communities as documented in the Director’s Policy (DP-36); and WHEREAS, the Southern California Association of Governments has adopted a Regional Safety Policy (Resolution No. 21-629-1) 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 WHEREAS, the life and health of all persons living and traveling within the City of Riverside (“City”) are our utmost priority, and the City is committed to a holistic approach of making proactive roadway improvements to help avoid traffic-related fatalities and to lessen the severity of crashes while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all; and WHEREAS, Vision Zero is the concept that preventable traffic deaths and serious injuries on our roadways are unacceptable; and WHEREAS, streets and transportation systems have traditionally been designed primarily to move cars efficiently, and Vision Zero supports a paradigm shift by designing streets and transportation systems to move all people safely, including people of all ages and abilities, pedestrians, bicyclists, public transit users, scooter riders, and motorcyclists, as well as drivers and passengers of motor vehicles; and WHEREAS, Vision Zero recognizes that people will sometimes make mistakes while driving, so the road system and related policies should be designed to reduce the likelihood that foreseeable driving mistakes result in severe injuries or fatalities; therefore, transportation planners, engineers, and policymakers are expected to improve the roadway environment, policies, and other related systems to lessen the severity of crashes; and WHEREAS, in 2023, there were 23 traffic fatalities in the City and traffic crashes are among the leading cause of deaths in the United States; and WHEREAS, the City’s transportation infrastructure serves an increasing number of road users, such as pedestrians and bicyclists; and WHEREAS, according to the City, pedestrians and bicyclists were involved in 23 percent of collisions and account for 22 percent of traffic deaths in 2023 in the City; and WHEREAS, the City is working towards reducing vehicle speeds because speed is recognized as a major determining factor of survival in a crash; and WHEREAS, making streets safer for all people using all modes of transportation will encourage people to travel on foot, by bicycle, and by public transit, which supports a healthier, more active lifestyle and reduces environmental pollution; and WHEREAS, successful Vision Zero programs are a result of both a complete government approach (i.e., interdepartmental, coordinated initiatives) and community support of Vision Zero objectives and action plans; and WHEREAS, Vision Zero resolutions have been adopted by many jurisdictions across the United States; and WHEREAS, the City has already adopted a Local Roadway Safety Plan (“LRSP”) that creates a framework to systematically identify and analyze transportation safety issues, collaborate with partner agencies and stakeholders, and develop a multidisciplinary toolbox of proven traffic safety countermeasures. ///
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Riverside, California, as follows:
Section 1: The recitals set forth above are incorporated herein by reference.
Section 2: The City of Riverside supports the development of a Vision Zero Policy that acknowledges preventable loss of life or serious injury is unacceptable on our streets and commits to collecting and analyzing traffic data to support the creation of a Vision Zero Policy.
Section 3: The City of Riverside sets the initial goal of reducing traffic deaths and serious injuries by 50 percent by 2040 and will develop and utilize a Vision Zero Policy as a comprehensive and holistic approach to achieving this goal.
Section 4: This resolution shall take effect immediately upon its passage.
ADOPTED by the City Council this _____ day of ____________, 2025. ______________________________
PATRICIA LOCK DAWSON
Mayor of the City of Riverside
Attest:
__________________________
DONESIA GAUSE
City Clerk of the City of Riverside
I, Donesia Gause, City Clerk of the City of Riverside, California, hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a meeting of the City Council of said City at its meeting held on the _____ day of ___________, 2025, by the following vote, to wit:
Ayes:
Noes:
Abstain:
Absent:
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City of Riverside, California, this _____ day of ____________, 2025. ____________________________
DONESIA GAUSE
City Clerk of the City of Riverside
FILENAME \p \\Rc-citylaw\cycom\WPDOCS\D018\P048\00894266.DOC CA#24-0412.1 TAT 2/04/25
City Attorney’s Office
3750 UNIVERSITY AVE.
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 826-5567
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