Concord climate committee urges Select Board to adopt Vision Zero, calls for funded staffing

The Town of Concord Climate Action Committee voted unanimously to endorse a Vision Zero policy and asked the Select Board to adopt the framework and fund staff to carry it out.

Mothers Outfront coordinator Linda Neman presented the Vision Zero approach, telling the committee: "The goal of Vision Zero is to eliminate serious injuries and fatalities from traffic crashes." Neman said Vision Zero couples a safe‑systems approach with practical, low‑cost measures — paint, flex posts, planters or temporary diverters — that can reduce speeds and crash risk immediately, while longer‑term engineering and policy changes proceed.

Committee members said Vision Zero aligns with goals in the town’s draft transportation strategy and the climate action and resilience plan, which call for shifting trips to walking, biking and transit. Members stressed, however, that a policy alone will not be effective without funding. "We need a transportation manager and an appropriate level of engineering and staff," several members said during the discussion, noting that other municipalities that have adopted Vision Zero paired the policy with staff and tracking systems.

The committee debated how to express support — signing the petition provided by Mothers Outfront or drafting its own letter. A motion to support the petition and request that the Select Board adopt Vision Zero and provide the funding and staffing necessary to implement it was moved, seconded and passed on a unanimous roll call. The committee asked staff to draft a letter to the Select Board memorializing its endorsement and requesting resources for a transportation manager and implementation capacity.

Linda Neman pointed to peer examples in Massachusetts and said the model includes measurement before and after low‑cost interventions so towns can test what works locally. Committee members also noted possible federal and state grant programs that require a documented policy framework as part of eligibility, though they cautioned that grants may not cover long‑term staff costs.

The committee’s vote sends a formal endorsement to the Select Board and asks the board to pair the policy with funded staffing and tracking tools that would be necessary to realize measurable safety improvements.