As school starts and students are walking and biking to school, Valley Transportation Authority has launched a public safety campaign that aims to reduce collisions and fatalities across the Bay Area.
VTA officials encouraged motorists to slow down and keep an eye out for pedestrians and cyclists. The messaging campaign was introduced Aug. 9 at Homestead High School in Cupertino. Local leaders, including Stacy Banerjee, chairperson of the Los Altos Complete Streets Commission and VTA’s Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee, urged caution while navigating the county’s roads.
“We inherited a roadway network that is designed for motor vehicles, not necessarily bikes and pedestrians,” Banerjee said at the launch event. “And we know people often drive too fast, and in the case of Los Altos, in my city, much of the city is without sidewalks, so (it can be very) dangerous.”
The Complete Street Commission is tasked with developing solutions for safe transit for all, advising the city council on proposed traffic policies and providing transportation project and budget priorities, and engaging the community.
According to Banerjee, VTA has invested more than $300 million in the past decade in infrastructure that improves safety for cyclists and pedestrians, and while cities’ cooperation with establishing transportation safety accommodations is crucial, more is needed to meet Vision Zero, an international initiative to end traffic fatalities.
“As the Congestion Management Agency for Santa Clara County, VTA works to enhance safety for bicyclists and pedestrians by funding and building infrastructure including separated bike lanes and trails, Complete Streets concepts, and supporting safety education programs,” said Pat Burt, VTA board chairperson and Palo Alto City Council member, in an Aug. 9 news release.
Shared responsibility
Infrastructure guides how people use the road, but “the choices that we make matter,” Banerjee said.
“We all have a responsibility to be safer drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists,” she added.
Banerjee advised bicyclists to follow traffic rules, pedestrians to cross streets with care and drivers to slow down, watch for cyclists and stop for pedestrians.
Messaging for the new campaign will be visible on VTA buses and light-rail trains, at bus stop shelters, online and on social media.
“This campaign has a simple, but vital message: ‘Slow Down,” said Pam Foley, VTA board member and San Jose City Councilmember, in the release. “I am very proud that at VTA we are expanding this message beyond just San Jose to the entirety of Santa Clara County. The simple decision to slow down could save a life.”
