TRANSPORTATION UPDATES
Data shows vision Zero’s traffic safety efforts save lives New data shows that Vision Zero’s efforts to reduce traffic collisions at intersections are working with a 31% decrease in crashes causing serious injury and death in intersections since the Austin Transportation Department began work in 2016. At stop lights, crews adjusted clear- ance times for red and yellow lights and added flashing warning signs. Some of the updated intersections include those at 45th and Red River Street and at South Congress Avenue and Oltorf Street. Vision Zero analyzed 13 of the 19 A new study looked at the safety outcome of intersection improvements started in 2016. SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS 19 intersections improved BY KATY MCAFEE 31% in serious crashes 2016-2022 DECREASE
COMPLETED PROJECT
RUNDBERG LN.
183
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ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF AUG. 9. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT CTANEWS@COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM. Timeline: 2018-22 Cost: $124.2 million Funding source: Texas Clear Lanes Congestion Relief Fund 183 North ramp at I-35 Finishing touches on the U.S. 183 northbound ramp on I-35 were com- pleted Aug. 7 with a ribbon cutting for the entire project that saw the recon- struction of I-35 from Rundberg Lane to US 290 East planned for the fall. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, the project included road reconstruction and the addition of three new flyovers at US 183. The project also included intersection bypass lanes.
Vision Zero started these efforts to make intersections safer, as data shows over a third of traffic collisions between 2017 and 2021 occurred at signalized intersections. “Think of major intersections: high speeds, high volumes, a lot of conflict points. All of those are the conditions that lead toward a higher likelihood of severe injury or death and just high risk generally,” said Lewis Leff, Vision Zero’s lead traffic safety officer. Since 2016, ATD completed safety improvements on 19 separate intersections in Austin. ATD added green protective arrows and flashing yellow arrows for left-turners. Crews increased crosswalk visibility, bicycle signage and added bicycle detection.
improved intersections at which it had at least one year of crash data. Results show that serious injuries and death decreased substantially among every category of safety improvement. Visions Zero’s report explains these results should be interpreted as “early, but promising.” While overall serious injuries, fatalities and collisions are all increas- ing from last year, Vision Zero officials are taking small steps in the right direction, according to Leff. “I think it’s going to take a different, maybe stronger, more transformative approach to the designs that we put out there for intersections [and] segments of road that had severe crashes,” Leff said. “And being able
Increased crosswalk visibility
Bicycle signage and added bicycle detection
Protective green or flashing yellow arrows for left turns
Adjusted stop light cycles and adding warning signals
SOURCE: AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT/ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
to really push that needle forward is going to take a lot of time and effort and resources, but I think we’re on that track.”
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NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION • AUGUST 2022
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