After many years of advocating for safer streets, we are happy to announce Atlanta is one step closer to joining hundreds of cities worldwide in adopting Vision Zero, an action plan to reduce crashes, eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries.
On Wednesday, March 11 the Atlanta City Council’s Transportation Committee had its first read on legislation to introduce a 25 mph speed limit on local roads. The second read of the legislation is scheduled to take place Wednesday, March 25 at 9:30 a.m.
In 2019, there were 73 traffic fatalities in Atlanta alone; 22 of the individuals were pedestrians. Our traffic fatality rate is three times higher than peer cities like Boston and Seattle. Last year Oslo, Norway, one of the first cities to adopt Vision Zero, achieved zero road deaths.
If passed, this legislation, as it is written today, will reduce the speed limit to 25 mph on all local roads. No one deserves to die or have their life at risk just simply trying to get from one place to the next. Even so, more must be done to make all Atlanta roadways safer, not just neighborhood streets.
The bill does not include collectors (e.g. Atlanta Student Movement Blvd), Downtown/Midtown arterials (e.g. Piedmont Ave), and minor arterials (e.g., Cascade Road and DeKalb Ave). These streets are on the State List of Roadways Approved for use of Speed Detection Devices, also known as the “laser list.” and reducing the speed without a traffic study would create challenges for enforcement. In order to cover all Atlanta streets, the City could: 1) reduce the speed limit, 2) install traffic cameras in areas outside of school zones, and 3) re-certify each street from the laser list for local enforcement. Research shows that occasional traffic enforcement does not have much effect on driver behavior, but reducing the speed limit is an effective way to reduce outlier speeds.
Here’s what we’re asking you to do:
Email the Transportation Committee members and the mayor’s office asking them to take bold action to make our streets safer for everyone.
Post on social media that you support a 25 mph speed limit.
<<Click here for sample content and email addresses for the councilmembers>>
Due to coronavirus, the transportation committee meeting (Wednesday, March 25 at 9:30 a.m.) will be streamed on Facebook Live at @atlcouncil or you can listen in by calling toll-free (877)-579-6743, conference ID: 8315991256. Public comment will be accepted via email up to 30 minutes before the meeting at publiccomment@atlantaga.gov.
Thank you for helping in the fight to save lives and make Atlanta a safer place to call home.
