Central to the meeting was the establishment of the Vision Zero Action Committee, which intends to create a Safety Action Plan over the next 10 to 12 months. This plan is part of the broader Vision Zero initiative, an international effort to eradicate fatal and serious injury crashes on transportation systems. The committee will consist of representatives from diverse sectors, including city planning, public health, and education, working together to identify and address specific safety issues within Gardner. The project is supported by Kimley Horn, the city’s consultant, which has already contributed to its groundwork.

This model emphasizes preventing accidents by identifying trends and potential safety issues before they result in serious incidents. The committee will focus on safer vehicles, speeds, roads, and user behaviors while acknowledging the limitations of influencing vehicle safety technologies, which are largely determined by the automotive industry.

The council outlined the necessity of collecting and analyzing crash data to inform the Safety Action Plan. This will involve evaluating traffic and speed data, alongside community experiences, to understand the conditions under which serious incidents occur. Notably, the council shared specific crash statistics, revealing that 44 pedestrian crashes resulted in four fatalities and seven serious injuries, while cyclist-involved crashes included one fatality. The data highlighted areas of concern, such as Route 2 and West Broadway, where serious injury and fatality incidents are concentrated, signaling the need for targeted interventions.

Further emphasis was placed on public engagement as an important component of the safety initiative. The council plans to host public meetings and utilize an interactive map on the project website, allowing community members to report crash incidents or near-misses and suggest safety improvements. This platform, available in multiple languages, aims to gather public input to better understand community needs and experiences. Despite its potential, the platform has received minimal feedback since its launch.

Plans are in place to bolster community involvement through public information sessions, with the first scheduled for April 15th at Mackie Park. The council also intends to distribute flyers at high-traffic community locations and events, such as Walmart and a health and wellness fair at the Gardner Community Center, to raise awareness about the initiative and encourage broader participation.

The Monaches Regional Planning Commission’s Vision Zero Action Plan serves as a foundational analysis for Gardner’s Safety Action Plan, focusing on trends over a ten-year period. The council acknowledged the importance of identifying high injury networks and specific intersections that require attention, with seven such locations already pinpointed in the regional plan. Continued involvement from the police department and other local agencies will be essential in developing effective safety measures.

The interactive mapping tool will be a crucial resource in capturing real-time data and community insights, guiding the committee’s efforts to create a safer environment for all road users in Gardner.