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Charlotte Talks: After Rise In Pedestrian Deaths, City Aims To Eliminate Traffic Fatalities

Flickr / Adrian Black

Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018

Charlotte is trying to make its streets safer under a plan called "Vision Zero." Mike Collins talks with the people working toward the goal of zero traffic deaths by 2030.

Charlotte’s rapid growth means more people on its streets, either as drivers, cyclists or pedestrians – three groups that can find it difficult to coexist.

Traffic deaths in the city were up by more than a third in 2017, and pedestrian deaths were the most on record with 27. And while traffic deaths are on the rise, the city actually had fewer traffic crashes last year. 

Credit Charlotte Dept. of Transportation

To combat this deadly trend, the city has adopted a “Vision Zero” program with a goal of eliminating traffic deaths in the city by 2030. 

How can Charlotte streets be safer for people on four wheels or two feet? Are more sidewalks the answer? More bike lanes? Tougher traffic enforcement?

GUESTS

Angela Berry, Charlotte DOT, Vision Zero project manager, traffic safety engineer

Alex Riemondy, Charlotte DOT, transportation planner

Sgt. Jesse Wood, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department transportation division

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