The City of Saint John could soon have its first comprehensive road safety strategy.
City staff are recommending that council include funding for a strategy in the 2025 budget.
It comes as some councillors have said they want to see more resources to improve road safety.
“It is important to have that [strategy] in place before any significant resources are added to the service level,” Tim O’Reilly, the city’s public works director, told council’s public safety committee last week.
O’Reilly said it is important for the city to invest its limited resources where and when they will best improve road safety.
He added the strategy would help decide what success looks like and prioritize initiatives to help make that happen.
In terms of measures, O’Reilly said there are a number of possibilities such as overall reduction on a year-over-year basis.
There is also the potential to narrow in on certain categories, he said, including injury and death collisions, and collisions involving vulnerable users such as pedestrians and cyclists.
“Saint John’s plan needs to make sure that it’s not just focused on motorists, not just focused on reducing collisions for motorists, but focusing on all modes of transportation because it’s important for everybody,” said O’Reilly.
City staff are taking a pragmatic approach to deciding whether to recommend adopting Vision Zero, which involves a future with zero serious injuries or deaths on the roads.
Factors that would be taken into account when developing the strategy include community input, industry best practices, input from strategic partners, and data-supported evidence.
In addition to funding for the strategy, O’Reilly also recommended increasing staffing by one full-time equivalent to help develop and implement the strategy.
Committee members voted to send the request to council’s finance committee for consideration.
