Residents petition Phoenix council to adopt high‑visibility crosswalks and stop bars under Vision Zero recommendations

A petition presented to the Phoenix City Council on May 7 requested the city change crosswalk and intersection marking policy to improve pedestrian safety, citing the city’s Vision Zero road safety plan and a community advisory committee recommendation.

Nicole Rodriguez, who identified herself as a Phoenix resident, asked the council to direct the Street Transportation Department to adopt high‑visibility crosswalk markings (for example, zebra or perpendicular bar markings) and require stop bars at all pedestrian crossings. Rodriguez referenced the city’s September 2022 Vision Zero Road Safety Action Plan and said the Division Zero community advisory committee recommended discontinuing low‑visibility transverse lines in favor of high‑visibility markings on Oct. 23, 2024.

Rodriguez’s petition cited city statistics and said that a substantial share of fatal and serious crashes involve pedestrians and signalized intersections. The petition text that Rodriguez presented also noted the council had allocated $10,000,000 annually for safety improvements and asked for policy changes to align with Federal Highway Administration guidance and the city’s complete streets policy.

The clerk confirmed the petition could be accepted in full; council and staff did not take an immediate ordinance or resolution at the meeting. The petition was entered as citizen comment and will be considered through the council’s normal review channels. Rodriguez asked for explicit actions by the Street Transportation Department to update design guidelines and markings in accordance with the petition’s recommendations.