City of Toronto rolls out Vision Zero Road Safety Plan for 2017 – seniors safety zones, red light cameras, road safety audits

This year 45 new measures will be introduced targeted at eliminating fatalities and reducing serious injuries with an emphasis on pedestrians, school children, older adults, cyclists, aggressive and distracted driving, and motorcyclists. These measures are part of the City’s $54 million in funding the Vision Zero Road Safety Plan and overall traffic safety measures this year.Among the initiatives that the City is introducing immediately include:• creation of Seniors Safety Zones to be implemented at 12 high-priority locations, with increased pedestrian walk-times, enhanced signage and enhanced pavement markings• implementation of red light cameras at 76 new locations• accessible pedestrian signal installations at 20 additional locations• geometric safety engineering improvements at 13 locations• road safety audits at 14 high-risk collision locations• expansion of the school Watch Your Speed Program at 20 additional locations• speed reductions along 32 additional corridors• expansion of the mobile Watch Your Speed Program – including 12 additional pole-mounted speed display units in the city's central core, and• implementation of increased pedestrian walk times at 50 additional signalized intersections.More information about the specific measures being implemented and locations is available in a backgrounder available at http://bit.ly/2i9v2HM.The City has also introduced a new graphic identifier which highlights the City's support for the principles of Vision Zero, an international road-traffic safety initiative that aims to achieve a road network with no fatalities or serious injuries. The identifier will be used on City-produced materials that promote road safety.The City has also created a website that provides information about the Vision Zero Road Safety Plan, a mapping tool showing safety measures in place and future planned work as well as safety tips for all road users aimed at making our streets safer. The website is available at http://www.toronto.ca/VisionZeroTO.In 2016, Transportation Services staff accelerated safety changes including:• installation of 400 speed-limit signs along 14 roads where speed limits have been reduced by 10 km per hour• installation of zebra markings at 317 intersections to enhance pedestrian safety• enhancement of 320 signalized intersections with reflective material to improve visibility during power failures• activation of 56 accessible pedestrian signals to assist people with disabilities to cross at signalized intersections• equipping 37 signalized intersections with longer pedestrian crossing times to allow more time for pedestrians to safely cross the street• physical changes at 14 intersections, including curb radius reductions and intersection re-alignments, to reduce pedestrian crossing distances and help reduce aggressive driving• installation of permanent "Watch Your Speed" signs at five additional locations to alert motorists of their speeds in school zones.The City's Road Safety Plan, approved by Toronto City Council in 2016, contains a series of measures and strategies aimed at reducing deaths and serious injuries on Toronto streets as well as improving safety for all road users.