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DALLAS AIMS TO END TRAFFIC FATALITIES

Recently passed Vision Zero Plan designed to halt deaths by 2030

(MAP: COURTESY DALLAS CITY HALL, PHOTO: 123RF.COM, ILLUSTRATION MELANIE THORNTON)

By Maria Lawson

maria.lawson@peoplenewspapers.com

Dallas’ new Vision Zero plan lays out 40 action items for the city to curb traffic fatalities. The goal: no traffic deaths by 2030.

Action items include: • Improving road and sidewalk infrastructure. • Increasing traffic safety awareness programming. • Elevating police traffic enforcement. • Tracking yearly progress on these efforts to spot improvements.

“I’m really happy to see this being a priority for the city, and this final draft is a result of over two years of planning, public engagement, research on best practices, data analysis, and coordination between city departments and Vision Zero task force,” council member Jaime Resendez said. “Our goals are ambitious, but they’re necessary to address severe injuries and traffic fatalities while increasing safe and equitable mobility across our city.”

The Dallas city council unanimously passed the plan June 8.

The city had the sixth most traffic deaths in the country in 2020: 222 fatalities. Also, in 2020, the city had 66 pedestrian deaths, ranking fifth in the country. Officials estimate it could take about $30 million through a bond program to make needed improvements.

This is our first time as a city saying that we will no longer be car-centric and that we are going to go forward and protect pedestrians as well as cyclists, eventually scooter riders. Omar Narvaez

“We have a bad track record in the city of Dallas of being a city that doesn’t value our pedestrians and our cyclists as much as we do our vehicles,” council member Chad West said. “I think this is exciting to see this move forward. Obviously, I’m in full support of it.”

The Vision Zero plan first came into discussion in December 2019 when the city council pledged to reach a goal of zero traffic fatalities and a 50% reduction in severe injuries by 2030. This plan recently resurfaced with an action plan compiled by city transportation officials that calls for the following improvements each year: • New speed bumps and raised crosswalks on at least four residential streets; • New or renovated pedestrian crossings at three spots; • Restriping one-third of road markings; • And implementing other road safety improvements at 15 intersections and five road corridors in high-crash areas.

The plan also recommends the transportation department brings forward speed limit changes and updates to policies regarding speed limit sign placement, pedestrian crossings, construction zones, and streetlights by the end of next year.

“This is our first time as a city saying that we will no longer be car-centric and that we are going to go forward and protect pedestrians as well as cyclists, eventually scooter riders,”

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VISION ZERO VS. TRADITIONAL APPROACH

Vision Zero • Traffic deaths are preventable • Integrate human failure • Prevent fatal and severe crashes • Systems approach • Saving lives isn’t expensive Traditional Approach • Traffic deaths are inevitable • Expect perfect behavior • Prevent collisions • Individual responsibility • Saving lives is expensive Information gathered from Dallas City Hall.

council member Omar Narvaez said.

More than 50 cities across the country have Vision Zero plans, including Los Angeles and New York, and, here in Texas, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio. Vision Zero originated in Sweden and is a “collaborative, nonprofit campaign helping communities set and reach the goal of Vision Zero — eliminating traffic fatalities and severe injuries among all road users — while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility,” according to its website.

Victor Vescovo presented a Protector Targa 310 boat to the Dallas Police Department on

Lake Ray Hubbard. (PHOTO: RACHEL SNYDER)

Keeping Up With The Perots? Vescovo responds to editor’s challenge by donating a boat to Dallas Police

By Rachel Snyder

rachel.snyder@peoplenewspapers.com

Talk about pricey presents. Ross Perot Jr. donated a helicopter to the Dallas Police Department in December.

Now the department has a 2019 Protector Targa 310 boat courtesy of another wealthy and competitive Dallasite.

In June, the Dallas City Council officially accepted the gift from St. Mark’s School of Texas alumnus Victor Vescovo, co-founder of the private equity firm Insight Equity.

“I was prompted to do that because there was a tonguein-cheek article by the editor of D Magazine who called me out and said, ‘Hey, Ross Perot donated a helicopter, why don’t you donate a submarine?’” Vescovo said. “Well, I have a submarine, but I’m using it — I thought a boat would be more useful, and it was something I had available.”

Vescovo, a noted explorer and likely the first person to have descended to the bottom of the ocean, climbed Mount Everest, and rocketed to space, was ready to replace the boat.

It had served such purposes as patrolling the ocean surface and errands back to shore during deep-sea exploration aboard a larger research vessel, Vescovo said. “I decided since I didn’t have any other use for it, why not spend a little bit of money and refurbish the vessel and donate it to the Dallas Police Department?”

But giving such an extravagant gift isn’t so easy.

When Vescovo initially reached out about donating the $250,000 boat, department leaders thought it may have been some sort of scam. “It took several efforts until they realized that we were serious,” Vescovo said. The boat will now cruise Lake Ray Hubbard, which has a depth of about 40 feet. Police department spokeswoman Melinda Gutierrez described the gift as a generous one that

Well, I have a would benefit officers assigned to the submarine, but I’m lake, which the deusing it — I thought partment has pa trolled since 1972. a boat would be more “It will be used useful, and it was for service calls that come out on the something I had lake,” she said. “The available. service calls could be enforcement reVictor Vescovo lated, water rescues, and water searches. It would also allow us to assist Dallas Fire-Rescue when they need assistance on the lake.” Maybe the department should also thank D Magazine. Perhaps someone should ask Mark Cuban, “What have you got that could help Dallas officers next?” VESCOVO’S LATEST VICTORY… Vescovo piloted a search that led to the discovery on June 22 of the USS Destroyer Escort Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413), known as the “Sammy B,” more than four miles below the Pacific Ocean — making it the world’s deepest shipwreck. The Sammy B sank during the Battle off Samar in October 1944 during which the U.S. Navy defeated the larger Japanese fleet east of the island of Samar in the Philippines. It fought three Japanese battleships, including the Yamato, which is said to be the largest ever constructed. The Sammy B carried 224 crew members, 89 of whom were killed.

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