Bellevue affirms commitment to eliminating roadway fatalities

The City of Bellevue has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating roadway fatalities by joining the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Allies in Action campaign, which now includes over 180 organizations across the country. This partnership enhances Bellevue's ongoing Vision Zero initiative, which began in 2015 and aims to completely eradicate traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030. Each year, the city publishes a progress report and action plan to monitor its efforts toward improving road safety, with the upcoming 2024 Vision Zero Action Plan serving as a key framework for these actions. Among the planned initiatives for 2025 are additional road safety audits, improvements to the speed safety camera program, and further testing of adaptive pedestrian signals to enhance traffic management. The Allies in Action campaign is a crucial part of the National Roadway Safety Strategy, which was launched in 2022 in response to the alarming rise in traffic fatalities across the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 41,000 people lost their lives in traffic crashes in 2023, underscoring the critical need for comprehensive safety measures. Bellevue’s commitment reflects a growing recognition of the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing roadway safety challenges. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has expressed support for these initiatives, emphasizing the need for communities to work together to reduce traffic-related fatalities.