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Palm Beach Gardens adopts Vision Zero action plan to eliminate severe crashes by 2040
Summary
The City of Palm Beach Gardens unanimously adopted a Vision Zero Action Plan developed with a federal SS4A planning grant, committing to eliminate severe traffic injuries and fatalities on city-owned roads by 2030 and citywide by 2040 and to pursue implementation grants with regional partners.
The City of Palm Beach Gardens on Monday unanimously adopted a Vision Zero Action Plan, a data-driven road safety strategy developed with consultant Kimley-Horn and funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) planning grant.
Joanne Scoria, assistant director of planning and zoning, told the council the plan grew from a multi-year effort that began in 2020 and included a community working group, a competitive procurement selecting Kimberly Horn and Associates, and public engagement through pop-up events and surveys. She introduced consultant Brad Davis, who presented the plan and its findings.
Brad Davis said the plan commits the city to eliminating serious injuries and fatalities on city-owned roads by 2030 and citywide by 2040. “By adopting this plan, it makes you all eligible to apply for Implementation Grants,” Davis said, explaining that the planning grant also creates eligibility for larger implementation funding rounds. He described the plan as both "data driven" and "community driven," combining crash analysis with local input to identify priorities.
Davis outlined the local crash trends that shaped the plan: an average of about three crashes per day across the city over the past five years and roughly one serious or fatal crash per month over that period. He noted that a small portion of the roadway network — 12% — accounts for 83% of severe crashes and singled out PGA Boulevard and Northlake Boulevard as corridors where most of the severest crashes occur. He added that “95 percent of the most severe crashes in the city occur on roads that the city does not own,” which will require coordinated work with the county and FDOT.
Council members praised the plan. Vice Mayor Middleton and Council Member Kim said the plan provides useful tools for education and enforcement, including outreach about e-bikes, and noted the city’s media and police departments have already run successful safety campaigns. Council Member Reid asked whether the plan will be incorporated into the countywide master transportation plan; staff confirmed it will be shared with the county and used as a tool in regional coordination.
The plan includes a High Injury Network to prioritize projects and a set of implementation steps: continuing the Vision Zero working group, applying for federal and state grants, and publishing an annual safety report to track progress. The council voted 5-0 to adopt the resolution approving the Vision Zero Action Plan.
Next steps specified in the plan and noted by staff include pursuing implementation grant applications, coordinating with Palm Beach County and FDOT on safety improvements for PGA and Northlake Boulevards, and publishing an annual safety report to monitor results.
