With Vision Zero, A Chance To Lead
Under the leadership of Mayor Kevin Faulconer, San Diego has become the sixth major U.S. city to publicly commit to Vision Zero – a plan to reduce all traffic deaths to zero in the next 10 years. While the City Council still has to formally adopt the plan (including funding for both infrastructure and enforcement, as well as policy commitments), this is still a big step. San Diego joins the ranks of New York City, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington D.C. in committing to this vision. The implementation of Vision Zero was one of BikeSD’s third-year advocacy goals. We’re thrilled that this public commitment, for a plan which is generally viewed as a “progressive” goal, comes with bipartisan support, from our Republican Mayor, as well as both Republican and Democrats on the City Council.
That bipartisan support is very important to BikeSD. In last year’s Mayoral special election, we endorsed Councilmember David Alvarez over Mayor Faulconer, in part because of Councilmember Alvarez’s willingness to push Vision Zero forward. Now we’re happy to applaud Mayor Faulconer for his own leadership in taking Vision Zero to the next step. In an increasingly divided national political climate, it’s no small thing for a Republican Mayor of a major city to champion a plan which would challenge our prevailing culture of how we move in the city. Now we need more. For Vision Zero to work, local elected officials of all stripes have to be ready to stand up and carry through on the policies which will achieve the vision’s goals. All too often, at all levels of government, we’re seeing this crucial follow through ignored.
In the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”), President Obama delivered a game changer in how Americans interact with their healthcare services and their ability to acquire insurance coverage. But no health insurance available will get us moving out of a sedentary lifestyle. Obesity costs the country about $150 billion a year and has been brought on in part due to declining levels of physical activity – including increased levels of driving. Yet with Democrats being the champions of this sweeping healthcare transformation, they also undermine the health goals by continuing to ignore the very transportation options which may stem the tide of this epidemic. Just yesterday, the U.S. Senate Transportation Committee, led by Senator Barbara Boxer (CA-D), released their $275 billion transportation bill (to be possibly spent over two years) called Developing a Reliable and Innovative Vision for the Economy Act, or “DRIVE” Act. As the League of American Bicyclist’s Caron Whitaker writes, the DRIVE act “is not focused on improving multi-modal transportation but rather on the interstate and highway system”.
We see the undermining of sweeping visions locally, as well. Earlier this year, despite a prior record of terrific support for safe streets and the draft Climate Action Plan, Councilmember Marti Emerald fought the implementation of bike lanes in her own district near a major university.
On June 5th, Councilmember Todd Gloria, despite consistent public comments about the paramount importance of bike infrastructure, the need for the city to move past its auto-oriented status quo, as well as his support for the draft Climate Action Plan and the City’s Bicycle Master Plan, broke his own constituents’ trust when he voted to water down the University Avenue alignment in the Uptown Bike Corridor.
We’ve no doubt they’ll both support the adoption of Vision Zero. But statements of support are no longer good enough. The time for talking is over. A “progressive” goal is only as good as the force of will for building an environment for its achievement. The true test of leadership is in the follow through.
Likewise on Monday, Councilmember Mark Kersey, a Republican and chair of the City Council’s Infrastructure Committee, spoke of the importance of implementing protected bike lanes to save lives. He noted the recent tragic death of his own constituent, Mr. Roux of Rady’s Children’s Hospital – killed last week while cycling. Will Mr. Kersey follow through and see that the rhetoric of Vision Zero is matched with a substantial, fully realized environment built for safety? Will he champion for those outside of his own district?
The Mayor has ownership now. Can he deliver Vision Zero? Last February, Voice of San Diego’s Liam Dillon wrote of how Mayor Faulconer was sidestepping the national GOP brand. Now’s his chance to show how true that is. The realization of Vision Zero requires it. And BikeSD will be there to support whoever takes on the mantle of leadership – no matter what their party affiliation.