A Dallas City Council committee received a briefing on Tuesday regarding the city’s “Vision Zero” road safety plan, but many questions remained unanswered.
The briefing was requested by council members following an NBC 5 Investigation that revealed documents indicating limited progress in reducing traffic fatalities and injuries within the city.
In November, NBC 5 Investigates obtained a draft copy of a Vision Zero progress report, which indicated that only a few action items had been completed, while many others were listed as “in progress” or had not yet begun.
During Tuesday’s briefing, Dallas Transportation Director Gus Khankarli declined to disclose how many of those action items had been completed since then. He stated that detailed information would not be provided until the entire council convenes for a briefing on the program next month.
Khankarli responded to a council member’s inquiry by suggesting that they wait until March 6th to receive additional information, citing the need for more time to gather pertinent details.
Some council members expressed frustration over the lack of specific information provided during the briefing, questioning the need for further delays in outlining concrete steps to address road safety concerns.
Khankarli assured the committee that the city is making progress on the Vision Zero plan by conducting traffic studies to identify safety solutions and redesigning certain streets with higher accident rates. However, he acknowledged that there is room for improvement and stressed the constraints on available resources.
There were indications during the briefing that additional resources might be allocated to the Vision Zero program. Khankarli suggested that some council members might allocate a portion of their discretionary funds, totaling approximately $5 million per member, toward Vision Zero initiatives in the 2024 bond package.
Council Member Paula Blackmon stated in a recent interview that she plans to contribute half of her discretionary funds to Vision Zero-style improvements, emphasizing the importance of addressing traffic safety concerns raised by constituents.
One of the significant challenges facing some Dallas neighborhoods is the lack of marked crosswalks. Khankarli explained that while the city is hesitant to restripe crosswalks at intersections without proper ADA compliance and wheelchair access, efforts are underway to address such issues.
In response to questions from council members, Khankarli affirmed that the transportation department will utilize Vision Zero strategies to mitigate traffic fatalities and injuries, acknowledging the urgent need to change existing trends.
Although the Dallas City Council committed to pursuing a Vision Zero approach in 2019, the city is not yet recognized as a national Vision Zero Network member. Khankarli indicated that the city is incorporating Vision Zero principles and is committed to aligning its plan with the network’s objectives.
