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Sunnyvale council adopts wording change to Vision Zero: ‘Safety for all users is the top priority’
Summary
After public comment and a council discussion about trade‑offs between safety and traffic efficiency, the council voted 5–0 to update a guiding principle in the city’s Vision Zero plan to clarify that safety is the top priority for transportation projects.
The Sunnyvale City Council voted unanimously on Oct. 28 to revise one of the Vision Zero guiding principles to read, “Safety for all users is the top priority in the development of transportation projects.”
The change originated as a colleague memo and was discussed at length during general business. Angela Obezo, transportation and traffic manager, told the council that many peer jurisdictions do not include “efficiency” in equivalent principles and that the revision is intended as a clear statement of values rather than a change to project‑level engineering practice.
Public commenters were split. Kevin J. and Charlene Liu, representing street‑safety advocates, urged council to adopt stronger language that would require non‑transportation uses (for example, on‑street parking) to demonstrate they do not reduce safety. Other speakers, including a local resident and a public‑safety commenter, warned that absolute wording could be used to block projects and that congestion itself can produce safety risks and emergency‑response delays.
Councilmember Mellinger, who moved the revised wording, said the phrasing is intended to be a clear, non‑technical statement of values for the community and council. Staff said the change will not alter ongoing project evaluations; engineering analysis, emergency‑response considerations and other policies remain in effect, and staff will continue to present alternatives to council for decisions.
The motion passed 5–0; Councilmembers Cisneros and Lay were recorded absent. No immediate project approvals were changed as a result of the vote.
Sources: Staff presentation, colleague memo and city council proceedings, Oct. 28, 2025.
