FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

City of Stamford

Monday, January 30, 2023

Contact:

Lauren Meyer

203-977-5115

lmeyer@stamfordct.gov

MAYOR SIMMONS TESTIFIES IN SUPPORT OF STATE LEGISLATION IMPLEMENTING VISION ZERO COUNCIL RECOMMENDATIONS 

Stamford, CT – Today, Mayor Caroline Simmons testified via Zoom at the Connecticut General Assembly’s Transportation Public Hearing in support of House Bill No. 5917, “An Act Implementing the Recommendations of the Vision Zero Council.” This bill would implement the recommendations of the Vision Zero Council, which was established in 2021 by the General Assembly as part of Public Act 21-28.

The Vision Zero Council is an interagency work group tasked with developing state policy to eliminate transportation-related fatalities and severe injuries involving pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, motorists, and passengers. Members of the Council comprise of the commissioners (or their designees) of the Departments of Transportation, Public Health, Emergency Services and Public Protection, Motor Vehicles, Education, Aging and Disability Services, and the Deputy State’s Attorney.

In September 2022, Mayor Simmons signed an Executive Order establishing the Stamford Vision Zero Program, becoming the first municipality in Connecticut to do so.

Mayor Simmons’s full testimony can be found below:

TESTIMONY PRESENTED TO THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

Monday, January 30, 2023

H.B. No. 5917 (RAISED) AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE VISION ZERO COUNCIL

Good morning, Chair Cohen, Co-Chair Lemar, Vice Chair Lopes, Vice Chair Berger-Girvalo, Ranking Member Hwang, and Ranking Member Kennedy, and members of the Transportation Committee. My name is Caroline Simmons and I am Mayor of the City of Stamford. I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you concerning H.B. 5917, “An Act Implementing the Recommendations of the Vision Zero Council.”

In Connecticut and across the country, we are facing a troubling rise in the number of pedestrian accidents and fatalities. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, in 2021, drivers struck and killed an estimated 7,485 people on foot – the most pedestrian deaths in a single year in 40 years. In 2021, there were 285 traffic deaths statewide in Connecticut and that number rose to 354 traffic deaths as of December 2022.

Whether you live in a small town or a big city, the issue of pedestrian safety is impacting all of us, and that is why I write in full support of this bill. The City of Stamford experienced a tragic loss last month when two pedestrians were struck by a driver who was under the influence and driving 86 mph on Washington Boulevard, one of the main corridors of our City. Last year, the City of Stamford had six fatal crashes and five total pedestrian deaths – one of the highest in recent years.

One of my administration’s top priorities is investing in our City’s infrastructure and implementing pedestrian safety measures, which is why I signed an Executive Order in September 2022 establishing the Stamford Vision Zero Initiative. We were the first municipality in the state to do this and I know West Hartford recently committed to a Vision Zero policy; I hope other cities and towns across Connecticut follow suit.

The City of Stamford Transportation, Traffic, and Parking Department is focused on incorporating the safe systems approach to all projects and we have over 20 locations throughout the City where we plan to pilot projects, including more bump outs, pedestrian refuge islands, and left-turn calming measures in our Downtown. However, many of our accidents occur on state roads, therefore we cannot achieve our Vision Zero goals alone – we need the support and partnership of the Department of Transportation and other statewide stakeholders.

H.B. 5917, “An Act Implementing the Recommendations of the Vision Zero Council,” underscores the commitment of leaders across state agencies and the General Assembly to this important issue. It also ensures that Connecticut is prioritizing pedestrian and transportation safety and working toward implementing equitable, safe planning and community-based solutions to achieve the goal of zero transportation-related fatalities across the state. Implementing the recommendations of the State’s Vision Zero Council is the first step toward achieving this goal and I urge the committee to support H.B. 5917 so we can save lives and make our streets safer for all.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Mayor Caroline Simmons