Pasco discusses Vision Zero-style safety goals; council splits on 50% vs. zero by 2040
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Summary
City staff and consultant DKS presented a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan and proposed commitment goals—either a 50% reduction in fatal and serious crashes or elimination by 2040; councilmembers expressed differing preferences and staff will return with a draft resolution.
PASCO, Wash. — City officials and transportation consultants outlined options for a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan on Aug. 4 and asked the City Council to weigh in on a commitment goal to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries.
Veronica Sullivan, Washington state safety lead for DKS Associates, presented crash trends showing 775–991 crashes annually over the last decade and a rise in fatal and serious-injury crashes since the COVID dip in 2020. Sullivan said crashes producing hospital-level injuries ranged as high as 29 in 2022 and that many of the fatal and serious-injury collisions are concentrated in and near downtown.
Sullivan described the CSAP process—data analysis, community engagement and grant-seeking—and presented two possible commitment goals for council consideration: reduce fatal and serious injuries (FSI) by 50% by 2040, or eliminate FSI (a 0 target) by 2040. Staff recommended aligning the goal year with the adopted Transportation System Master Plan and emphasized the plan’s role in securing grant funding such as the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program.
Council discussion reflected mixed views. Councilmember Perales and others voiced support for an aspirational goal of zero by 2040, noting alignment with broader Vision Zero efforts and potential grant advantages. Other councilmembers, including Councilmember Grimm and the mayor, said a 50% reduction is more achievable given current conditions and would still represent major progress.
Sullivan said the plan will continue data quality control and deeper analysis in fall, and staff plans more outreach through an interactive website, virtual webinars and a comment map open to the public through October. She asked council to provide direction so staff can prepare a resolution; councilmembers indicated preferences in the meeting but did not adopt a formal resolution that night.
Ending: Staff said they will finalize the CSAP draft through fall engagement, return with a recommended resolution in two weeks to formalize a commitment goal, and continue work on project identification and grant applications.