Pittsburgh Mayor & City Leadership Announce Commitment to Vision Zero

During a Monday, March 4, press conference, Mayor Ed Gainey announced his administration’s commitment to making Pittsburgh the safest city in America.

“We can save lives, but we can only do that when we come together," he said.

This commitment, embedded in the introduction of a Vision Zero Resolution by Councilperson Barb Warwick, also enjoys strong support from City Council, the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI), and AARP Pennsylvania.

For AARP, Vision Zero is a global movement to eliminate all traffic-related fatalities and severe injuries while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.

From 2018 through the pandemic, the number of crashes in Pittsburgh increased 71 percent. In 2023, there were 21 fatal crashes, seven involving pedestrians.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a person is more than twice as likely as a 16 to 20-year-old. The pedestrian fatality rate rises significantly at age 45, and by age 75 a person is more than twice as likely as a 16 to 20 year old to die after being hit by a car.

AARP Pennsylvania volunteers and staff have been working locally with Pittsburgh city officials as members of the Complete Streets Advisory Group to ensure that local policies meet the needs of people of all ages. By 2030, one in every five Americans will be over age 65. Today, Pittsburgh has one of the country’s largest concentrations of residents aged 65 and over.

Pittsburgh's Department of Mobility and Infrastructure has conveyed that City neighborhoods that pose a high risk to traffic safety will be evaluated for new safety measures. Such traffic calming efforts include flashing stop signs, speed bumps, traffic circles, and reconstructed intersections.

Members of the public interested in learning more about how to get involved and engaged with the city’s Complete Streets Advisory Group are encouraged to visit their website at: https://engage.pittsburghpa.gov/complete-streets-advisory-group.

AARP Pennsylvania looks forward to working with city leadership, community leaders, and residents to ensure Pittsburgh is a safe and livable community for people of all ages.