SOTC: De Blasio Name Checks Vision Zero, But Not the Transit-Equity Link

Photo: ##https://twitter.com/LiamLaGuerre/status/432930879162576896##@LiamLaGuerre##
Photo: ##https://twitter.com/LiamLaGuerre/status/432930879162576896##@LiamLaGuerre##

Mayor Bill de Blasio gave a mention to Vision Zero in his first State of the City address.

Near the top of his speech, de Blasio said: “Through Vision Zero, we have begun putting into place ambitious new policies to end the tragic and unacceptable rash of pedestrian deaths on our city streets.”

That was it, but it’s a promising sign that de Blasio referenced traffic safety early in his remarks.

De Blasio did not otherwise address transportation policy. A surface transit mention — his plans to expand BRT for instance — would have been a good fit for his equality theme.

De Blasio touted his plan to build and preserve affordable housing, and referred to the hiring of Carl Weisbrod and Vicki Been to head the Department of City Planning and Housing Preservation and Development, respectively, but did not mention them by name.

We should know what de Blasio’s Vision Zero policies are fairly soon, after city commissioners produce a pedestrian safety plan, due to the mayor on Saturday.

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