WORCESTER—City officials recently released its draft of the Vision Zero Safety Action Plan and is encouraging residents to provide feedback on the proposal, which aims to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries through policy, infrastructure, and system changes.
“I want to thank the Department of Transportation & Mobility, and its partners, for all of the hard work that went into putting together this draft Vision Zero Safety Action Plan,” said City Manager Eric D. Batista in a press release. “It is a collective effort to curb traffic violence in our community. Municipal departments cannot do this work alone and I highly encourage all residents to read the draft plan and offer feedback to help us best improve road safety in Worcester.”
The draft plan, available for public review, focuses on a Citywide Action Strategy to address safety through policy changes and a High Injury Network Action Strategy targeting specific roads where severe crashes are most frequent.
Vision Zero follows a Safe System approach, which acknowledges that human errors occur but seeks to minimize harm through safer street design rather than relying solely on behavior changes or enforcement. The initiative prioritizes vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists, aiming to reduce their exposure to deadly crashes.
The draft plan builds on recommendations from the city’s Mobility Action Plan (MAP), which emphasized street safety as a priority for Worcester’s transportation policies.
Residents can submit feedback on the plan until Feb. 24, 2025.
