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Will COVID-19-Related Budget Cuts Create Roadblocks For LA’s Street Safety Program?
Pedstrians in downtown Los Angeles, prior to coronavirus physical distancing guidelines. (Al Kamalizad for LAist)
Vision Zero identifies streets and intersections where pedestrians are seriously injured and killed at high rates — then makes safety improvements like high-visibility crosswalks, speed bumps and protected bike lanes.
But officials from the mayor’s office say the program will be cut 5% in the next fiscal year, to $48 million, thanks to COVID-19.
Despite Vision Zero's goals, traffic fatalities — particularly pedestrians killed by drivers — have risen since the program started. Critics say that’s because there wasn’t enough funding to begin with.
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