In 2015, Seattle gave itself 15 years to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries to zero. With four years left, the city is not on track to meet this goal.
With SDOT staff scheduled to present about traffic safety to the City Council’s Transportation Committee Thursday, Chair Rob Saka announced that he will request a performance audit of SDOT’s Vision Zero program.
“This audit will help us take a hard look at what’s working, what’s not, and where we need to sharpen our approach to prevent further tragedies on our roads,” said Councilmember Saka in a press release. Among other things, the audit will focus on “whether resources are being deployed in the highest-risk locations,” according to the press release.
The audit could set up future legislation, Councilmember Saka told Seattle Bike Blog in a phone interview. “Hopefully by this time next year there will be sustantive action to take,” he said. The audit is “in the auditor’s queue” already.
The audit comes three and a half years after previous SDOT Director Greg Spotts initiated a “top-to-bottom review” of the Vision Zero Program. That review (PDF) resulted in a list of 12 key recommendations including points like “Incorporate Vision Zero and Safe Systems approaches into every project and program” and “Be willing to reduce vehicle travel speeds and convenience to improve safety.”
The proposed performance audit would be an outside assessment of the program rather than an internal review.
We already know what many of the core findings of the audit will likely be. People in cars striking people walking is by far the biggest problem sending our Vision Zero trend line in a horribly wrong direction. Most traffic deaths and serious injuries are occurring on streets with multiple lanes traveling in the same direction, and this is especially true for people walking and rolling. Slowing vehicle speeds and reducing the most dangerous types of conflict points results in safer streets. When the Vision Zero team conducts a major safety redesign, it works. But we aren’t doing nearly enough of them.
Hopefully the audit does not slow the department’s Vision Zero work this year. Voters approved an unprecedented amount of money for safety improvements as part of the 2024 Seattle Transportation Levy, and SDOT will need to work hard to deliver it all by the end of 2032.
Below is the text of Councilmember Saka’s press release:
Today, Councilmember Rob Saka (District 1), Chair of the Transportation, Waterfront, and Seattle Center Committee (also known as “STEPS”, called on the City Auditor to conduct a performance audit of Seattle’s Vision Zero program. Adopted in 2015, Vision Zero is the City’s ambitious goal to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2030.
While Seattle has made significant progress in recent years and is trending in the right direction on several key safety metrics, current outcomes fall short of the City’s stated goals. People continue to lose their lives on City streets each year, particularly pedestrians.
“Safety is the highest priority for my office and the STEPS Committee that I oversee. Performance audits exist for a reason; they are one of our strongest tools for accountability,” said Chair Saka. “Vision Zero is about saving lives, and while we are seeing some real progress, the fact remains that too many people are still dying and suffering serious injuries on our streets. This audit will help us take a hard look at what’s working, what’s not, and where we need to sharpen our approach to prevent further tragedies on our roads.”
Managed by the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), Vision Zero is grounded in a federal Safe System Approach that combines roadway design, enforcement, policy, and education strategies to reduce the likelihood and severity of crashes. The audit will evaluate how effectively these strategies are being implemented, whether resources are being deployed in the highest-risk locations, and how outcomes are being measured and tracked over time.
By initiating this comprehensive review now, the City secures a critical multi-year window to implement data-driven adjustments. Chair Saka’s proactive approach ensures Seattle is best positioned to meet its safety milestones and enhance road safety for all residents well before the 2030 deadline.
Results of the audit will be presented at a future meeting of the Transportation, Waterfront, and Seattle Center Committee and are intended to inform policy, budget, and operational decisions for years to come.
The next meeting of the Transportation, Waterfront, and Seattle Center Committee will be this Thursday, April 16 beginning at 9:30 a.m.. SDOT will provide a review of 2025 traffic safety data and an overview of 2026 Vision Zero projects. Immediately following the meeting, Chair Saka will have availability for media interviews.