TheBurg

16 | theburgnews.com | 08.18 E velyn Hunt pointed to the street map sprawling across long tables. Post-it notes in pink or blue were scrawled with such phrases as "Heavy foot traffic" and "Raised intersection?" Hunt put her finger on the north side of 19th and State streets. "For some reason, more of the accidents happen on this side versus the other," she said. Immediately, a consultant slid a pack of pink Post- its toward her. Wordlessly, he was inviting her to add her observation to the comments accumulating on the map. In an effort impressive for its swiftness, a phalanx of municipal, regional and state officials is examining how to make Harrisburg-area roads safe for all users. Starting with a particularly deadly stretch from Camp Hill to Harrisburg, the push is on to help motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists move in harmony. to Zero e cliché about dangerous roadways is that somebody has to die before government finally steps in. Maybe five deaths since 2017 along one speedway of a Harrisburg road inspired a shared epiphany. Maybe the senseless death of Cynthia Wilson, apparently crossing State Street for a quick trip to the store, was the last straw. Amid the outcry, the city turned to a Vision Zero Action Plan, vowing for zero roadway fatalities by 2030. Traditional transportation planning incorporates the three elements of mobility, accessibility and safety, said Harrisburg's city Engineer Wayne Martin. But safety has taken the proverbial back seat. "ere's now a national and international shift toward safety being the number-one priority," he said. Which explains the sudden elevation of State Street, and hazards citywide, in the public policy agenda. "Believe me when I say the statistics on State Street should be enough to get past any concerns for travel- time delays and things like that," Martin said. Process & PLAn Urban traffic deaths might seem anomalous—after all, city streets aren't beltways—but the killer component is speed differential, said Martin. Today's cars are increasingly safe for occupants, but the more drivers exceed speed limits—which peaks on State Street at the close of the work day, according to a Vision Zero finding—the higher the speed difference between the vehicle and the unfortunate walker or bicyclist. "We know that the auto industry is going to be more advanced," Martin said. "So, we need to focus on these other road users, because they're more susceptible." Enter Vision Zero. It's a process and action plan in one. Officials scrutinize crash data and anecdotal evidence to uncover the problem spots. Vision Zero task force meetings attract the full array of agencies responsible for and using city streets: city administration, police, engineering, Capital Area Transit, Harrisburg school district. Because the state owns many of the roadways under scrutiny, including State Street and Front Street, PennDOT is at the table. "e challenge is, we're trying to move large volumes of traffic, especially the commuters coming in during the morning," said PennDOT spokesperson Greg Penny. "How do you balance the interest of moving large volumes of traffic with the interest of providing safety to bicyclists and pedestrians?" Vision Zero's rapid response component targets the most troublesome areas first. Road data provide hard evidence, while input from residents, motorists and pedestrians offers real-life perspective. Hence, surveys conducted during rush hours, and community input meetings with maps and Post-it notes, like the one attended by Evelyn Hunt. "We can look at all the statistics we want about crashes and timing of signals and vehicle volumes and speeds, but that's not going to pick up a near-miss," said Martin. "at's not going to pick up aggressive behaviors. You're really going to get that from community members." Initial solutions are inexpensive and quick to Walk This Way Harrisburg's streets are unusually dangerous for pedestrians. What can be done? bY m. DIAne mccormIcK

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