Vision Zero Commitment: A Resolution of the Boston Region MPO

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WHEREAS, from 2018 through 2022, approximately 1,000 people each year were killed or seriously injured in traffic crashes across the Boston Region MPO’s 97 municipalities;

WHEREAS, recent data indicate a concerning 20 percent rise in fatal and serious injury crashes in the region from 2018 to 2022, with vulnerable road users disproportionately represented in fatal and serious injury outcomes;

WHEREAS, the loss of even one life on our transportation network is unacceptable, and every person has the right to move safely through their community regardless of their mode of travel;

WHEREAS, the Boston Region MPO recognizes that traffic fatalities and serious injuries are not "accidents," but are preventable crashes that can be mitigated through systemic changes to infrastructure, policy, and culture;

WHEREAS, data show that vulnerable road users and residents in historically underserved communities are disproportionately impacted by traffic crashes;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the members of the Boston Region MPO Board formally commit to the goal of Vision Zero: the elimination of all traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries on roadways within the region by 2050.

Our Core Commitments

By signing this document, we pledge to uphold the following pillars of the Vision Zero Action Plan:

Prioritize Safety: We will continue to evolve our planning paradigm to prioritize human life and health over vehicle speed.

Implement a Safe System Approach: We recognize that humans make mistakes and we commit to designing a transportation network that provides multiple layers of protection to both prevent crashes from happening and to minimize the harm caused to those involved when crashes do occur.

Equity-Centered Investment: We will prioritize safety improvements in communities that have historically faced underinvestment and that experience the highest rates of traffic-related harm.

Data-Driven Decision-Making: We will utilize transparent, rigorous data analysis to identify high-injury networks and deploy proven safety countermeasures.

Collaborative Governance: We will work across municipal boundaries and department silos to ensure a cohesive, regional approach to safety.

Accountability and Action

We recognize that this commitment requires more than words. We pledge to integrate these principles into all of our work to ensure that regional planning, project design, funding, and implementation directly supports the infrastructure, education, and policy changes necessary to save lives.

Signatories of the Board

By signing below, we affirm our dedication to the Vision Zero goal and to the safety of the residents of the Boston region.

____________________ ____________________

Massachusetts Department At-Large, City of Everett

Of Transportation

____________________ ____________________

Massachusetts Department At-Large, Town of Brookline

Of Transportation Highway Division

____________________ ____________________

Massachusetts Bay At-Large, City of Newton

Transportation Authority

____________________ ____________________

Regional Transit Authorities At-Large, Town of Arlington

____________________ ____________________

MBTA Advisory Board North Shore Task Force, City of

Beverly

____________________ ____________________

Massachusetts Port Authority SouthWest Advisory Planning

Committee, Town of Wrentham

____________________ ____________________

Metropolitan Area Planning Council North Suburban Planning Council,

Town of Burlington

____________________ ____________________

Community Advisory Council Three Rivers Interlocal Council,

Town of Norwood

____________________ ____________________

City of Boston Inner Core Committee,

City of Somerville

____________________ _____________________

City of Boston MetroWest Regional Collaborative,

City of Framingham

____________________

Minuteman Advisory Group on

Interlocal Coordination,

Town of Lexington

____________________

South Shore Coalition,

Town of Hull