By Gwen Davis

Last Thurs., Seattle mayor Ed Murray along with officials from the Seattle Police Department and Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) announced Vision Zero, “an effort to end traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030,” according to the city.

In 2015, officials will lower speeds on specific streets around the city, including West Seattle. Targeted streets will be reduced to 25 mph, replacing the standard 30 mph.

The five streets in West Seattle include:

· 35th Avenue SW

· SW Roxbury Street/Olson Place SW

· Delridge Way SW

· Fauntleroy Way SW

· Harbor Avenue SW

According to the document describing the details of Vision Zero, “each year, more than 150 people sustain life-changing serious injuries and approximately 20 people die on our streets. People over age 50 are particularly vulnerable and have made up 70 percent of pedestrian fatalities in the last three years.”

The city contends that traffic collisions are a leading cause of death for Seattle residents age 5-24. In 2013, there were 10,310 police-reported collisions in Seattle, according to city data. 155 people were seriously injured and 23 were killed.

However, the Vision Zero document implies that commuters should not be too worried that reduced speeds will result in longer commutes: “The average car trip in Seattle is 3.5 miles. Reducing the speed limit from 35 to 30 mph will add about a minute to this trip (or 17 seconds per mile), assuming free flowing traffic,” the document states.

In addition to reducing street speeds, the initiative will include fewer right turns on red, more school-zone cameras and increased focus on bike safety.

Vision Zero will also install signs throughout the city on pedestrian safety laws. Lawmakers are confident that even slowing traffic down by just 10 mph can make a huge difference in survival rates, in accordance to what research has shown.

Officials will reevaluate Vision Zero efforts every year and update the public on its progress, the document states.