Education, engineering, and enforcement are the three "e's" of Vision Zero in San Francisco. A lack of on of those "e's"—enforcement—might explain why more people are dying on the city's streets this year that any year since the city adopted Vision Z

San Francisco is five years into a ten-year Vision Zero goal, according to an article by Heather Knight, but traffic fatalities are rising on the city's streets. So far in 2019, "22 people have lost their lives on the city’s streets. That’s one less than died in all of 2018 and two more than died in all of 2017." That total includes 15 pedestrians. Another five people have died on freeways located in the city.
"[The city is] on pace to surpass the 31 deaths in 2014, the year Vision Zero began," adds Knight.
Looking for answers to the question of why San Francisco is backsliding on traffic safety, Knight identifies a lack of traffic enforcement as a likely culprit.
"New figures obtained by The Chronicle show the San Francisco Police Department is ticketing far fewer drivers for illegal behavior behind the wheel than it did the year Vision Zero was adopted," according to Knight. The neglect of traffic enforcement "could be explained by too many unfilled vacancies in the department’s traffic division and ever-changing leadership of the crucial unit."
The article includes more information about the lack of traffic safety enforcement, including data specific to the kinds of tickets written and in which neighborhoods.
FULL STORY: Deaths on SF’s streets are up. Traffic enforcement is down. ‘It’s hard to believe these aren’t related’

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Greening Oakland’s School Grounds
With help from community partners like the Trust for Public Land, Oakland Unified School District is turning barren, asphalt-covered schoolyards into vibrant, green spaces that support outdoor learning, play, and student well-being.

California Governor Suspends CEQA Reviews for Utilities in Fire Areas
Utility restoration efforts in areas affected by the January wildfires in Los Angeles will be exempt from environmental regulations to speed up the rebuilding of essential infrastructure.

Native American Communities Prepare to Lead on Environmental Stewardship
In the face of federal threats to public lands and conservation efforts, indigenous groups continue to model nature-centered conservation efforts.
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