Annapolis, MD - Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman signed an executive order to adopt the Anne Arundel County Vision Zero Plan.
“When it comes to saving lives, our administration brings every relevant agency, community, and state and federal partner to the table,” said County Executive Pittman. “That’s the effort our Office of Transportation has been tasked to lead with Vision Zero.”
From 2016-2020, there were 234 deaths and 1,311 serious injuries in Anne Arundel County. Among the 24 jurisdictions in Maryland, Anne Arundel ranked 3rd for fatalities and 5th for serious injuries from motor vehicle related crashes. Both the County’s General Development Plan, Plan 2040, and the County’s Transportation Master Plan, MoveAnneArundel!, called for the adoption of a Vision Zero Plan.
“Vision Zero is a data driven approach to eliminating death and serious injuries on our roadways,” Sam Snead, Director of the Office of Transportation said. “This plan allows all of the agencies to come together regularly to develop strategies and share information to work toward a common goal. The collaborative effort reduces duplication and working in silos, resulting in a cohesive, more effective outcome. ”
This plan brings together individuals from multiple government agencies to work in concert to develop, implement, and track the performance of the strategies. Over the past year and half the Vision Zero steering committee, through intense data analysis, worked to identify the types of crashes that occur, and then categorize them under what are known in the industry as the four “Es:” Engineering, Enforcement, Engagement/Education, and Emergency Services as well as two overarching “Es,” Equity and Evaluation.
Committee members include representatives from the Anne Arundel County:
- Office of Transportation
- Department of Public Works
- Office of Planning and Zoning
- Police Department
- Fire Department/Emergency Management Services
- Department of Health
External partners on the committee include representatives from:
- Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration
- City of Annapolis
- Motor Vehicle Administration’s Highways Safety Office
- Maryland Transportation Authority
- Baltimore Metropolitan Council
“We are excited to see Anne Arundel County implement a local highway safety plan in alignment with the state’s strategic plan and look forward to continuing to provide any support and tools they need to achieve their goals,” said MDOT MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer, who also serves as Governor Larry Hogan’s Highway Safety Representative. “By incorporating a localized approach to Vision Zero planning, we are creating a comprehensive system, working with our federal partners, as well as leaders at the county and state level, to help make our roads safer for all users, reducing crashes and fatalities.”
Fulfilling the goals of Plan 2040 and Move Anne Arundel, the Vision Zero plan included a variety of County and State stakeholders dedicated to eliminating fatal or serious injuries through engineering of the roads, educational campaigns such as "Look Alive", enforcement programs, like Click it or Ticket, and emergency medical services.
“Anne Arundel County is taking a strong stand to make safety a top priority, and we are grateful for the hard work and collaboration in the county and across the region to reduce injuries and fatalities on our roadways,” Michael B. Kelly, Baltimore Metropolitan Council Executive Director. “We commend Anne Arundel for developing this Vision Zero plan and will continue to support all traffic safety efforts with our partners.”
By signing this Executive Order, Anne Arundel County joins the State of Maryland, and other Counties in Maryland including Prince Georges, Montgomery, Harford, Cecil, Baltimore, and Baltimore City, in the commitment to reach zero deaths and serious injuries on our roadways through the Vision Zero strategy. By doing so, we position ourselves to receive federal and state grant funding to support the implementation of the Plan and fund safety related projects.
The plan is available at www.aacounty.org/visionzero.
