Denver Mayor's ‘Vision Zero’ Plan: Costly and Unrealistic Goal

October 28, 2023 Adam Johnson

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston's proposal to spend up to $1.6 million next year on the ambitious "Vision Zero" plan is raising some serious concerns among conservative groups and fiscal conservatives. The aspirational plan, which aims to eliminate all traffic-related deaths in the city by 2030, is an overly optimistic use of taxpayer money.

During the budget hearing at the Denver City Council, many expressed their support for the Vision Zero program and called for even more funding. However, it begs the question - at what cost? With Denver already facing a budget deficit of nearly $100 million, is it truly wise to allocate such a large amount for a single program?

According to the city's dashboard, Denver has recorded 60 crash-related deaths so far in 2023.

While every life lost is a tragedy, this number is relatively low compared to previous years, with an average of 68 crash-related deaths per year between 2013 and 2023. This raises the question of why such a hefty budget is needed for a problem that seems to be improving on its own.

Moreover, the proposed budget includes a staggering $1 million for road safety, including fundings for safe routes to school and speed studies. While prioritizing the safety of schoolchildren is commendable, is it necessary to spend such a huge amount for these specific areas? What about other pressing issues in the city that also require funding, such as affordable housing and homelessness?

The inspiration for Vision Zero comes from Sweden, a country that saw a significant drop in traffic fatalities after implementing this plan in the 1990s. However, comparing Denver to Sweden in terms of traffic safety is like comparing apples to oranges. Sweden has a much smaller population and a vastly different infrastructure. It is simply unrealistic to expect the same results here in Denver.

The proposed solutions of reducing speed limits and creating bike lanes on certain streets also have significant drawbacks. The officials seem to be ignoring the fact that these changes would negatively impact the flow of traffic, causing delays and frustration for drivers.

In addition, lowering speed limits and adding bike lanes would also require a significant amount of roadwork, further adding to the wasteful spending proposed by Mayor Johnston.

Instead of focusing solely on implementing these costly changes, the city should prioritize the improvement of public transportation and invest in educating drivers about safe driving practices. These measures would have a more significant impact in reducing traffic fatalities at a much lower cost to taxpayers.

It is also noteworthy that while the budget includes $8.2 million for 167 police recruits, there is no guarantee that it will lead to an increase in traffic enforcement. In fact, recent reports have shown that the Denver Police Department has been struggling to fill vacancies, with over 100 positions still remaining unfilled.

This raises serious doubts about the effectiveness of this budget allocation.

Moreover, the proposed changes such as reducing speed limits and increasing the use of speed and red-light cameras require approval from the Colorado Department of Transportation. It is highly unlikely that they would approve such extreme measures, further highlighting the impracticality of this vision for zero traffic deaths.

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Mayor Mike Johnston's proposal to spend $1.6 million on the Vision Zero program is not only a costly endeavor but also a futile one. The city should focus on more tangible solutions to improve traffic safety instead of chasing an unrealistic goal.

The final approval of the 2024 budget on Nov. 13 will be a critical decision for the future of Denver.

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