WORCESTER—City officials are gearing up to host a public forum, “State of Our Streets,” on Thursday, Feb. 29, at the Jean McDonough Arts Center in the heart of downtown.
This event features Jeff Speck, celebrated author of “Walkable City,” alongside key city officials. It marks the launch of the Vision Zero Safety Action Plan, an initiative recently announced by City Manager Eric Batista and the Department of Transportation & Mobility.
Vision Zero represents a bold step toward eliminating all traffic-related fatalities and severe injuries in Worcester, emphasizing safe, equitable, and sustainable mobility across the city. The plan comprises two primary strategies: a Citywide Action Strategy focusing on policy and systemic changes to meet Vision Zero objectives, and a data-driven High Injury Network Action Strategy aimed at tackling specific safety challenges on the streets where the most serious accidents occur.
The plan is supported by a Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, aiding a comprehensive analysis of Worcester’s road network to develop an impactful and strategic safety action plan.
In an interview with The Worcester Guardian, Chris Dempsey, a partner at Speck Dempsey, stressed the event’s significance. “In the meeting this Thursday we’re going to show some historic photos of Worcester to remind people that’s what the city once had and that’s what the city can have again,” said Dempsey. “There’s so much potential here to build on that vibrancy and make Worcester an even more special place. Our job is to make sure the way the streets are designed, laid out, and the way that people use those streets really match the city’s ambition and make it safer.”
Dempsey emphasized the crucial choice that a city like Worcester must grapple with—understanding this distinction is paramount. “Cities have to make a choice,” he said. “Do they want to be a place to be or a place to drive? Too often from about 1950 to about 1980 or even more recently than that, the choice that we were making was about making it a place to drive through to try to encourage faster cars, and more cars. But that’s actually very counterproductive to the other stated goals that we have as a city around economic development, equity, public health.”
Stephen Rolle, commissioner of Transportation & Mobility, said that safety is the top priority of Vision Zero, and that it is the concern his organization hears most frequently. “Equity is another priority of ours,” he said. “Whether it’s residents, visitors, employees, business owners…everyone has a different set of circumstances and needs. We need to make sure we have a transportation system that’s robust and provides a variety of options for people. We want to ensure fairness when implementing our transportation network, by understanding both the positive and negative impacts of certain transportation infrastructures.”
Rolle and Dempsey said that the Vision Zero Safety Action Plan is an ambitious endeavor, but a critical one, and one that can be accomplished. It involves detailed data collection and analysis, coupled with community engagement, to develop practical recommendations and strategies. These efforts are aimed at integrating Vision Zero principles into the city’s operations, ensuring a safer, more equitable Worcester for all residents and visitors.
“This is a fixable problem and we are proud to be part of the team that’s working to fix it,” said Dempsey.
Dempsey also praised Worcester’s current trajectory: “The city’s on the rise, evident in the Canal District’s vibrancy and the innovation of Polar Park. It’s our mission to ensure our streets reflect and enhance this vibrancy, making Worcester safer and more inviting.”
Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the forum begins at 6 p.m.
Matt Olszewski is a freelance content and news writer based in Boston, MA. In his free time, Matt enjoys running, hiking or skiing. Matt is currently finishing up the MPH degree program at Tufts University. He can be reached at mattoskier@gmail.com
