HomeMy WebLinkAbout5/19/2026 Item 6b, DiNunzio
John Dinunzio <JDinunzio@slocog.org>
Sent:Tuesday, May 19,
To:E-mail Council Website
Cc:Schwartz, Luke; Scott, Rick; Stephen Hanamaikai; Rich Murphy; Pete Rodgers
Subject:Support for Item 6b - City of San Luis Obispo Vision Zero Action Plan
Mayor and Councilmembers,
On behalf of the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG), we want to recognize and commend the City
of San Luis Obispo for the leadership reflected in this Vision Zero Action Plan. The document is thoughtful, data-
driven, and deeply grounded in the Safe Systems approach, recognizing that tra?ic deaths are preventable, and
that safer street design, safer speeds, education, enforcement, and post-crash care must all work together.
We especially want to acknowledge the City’s partnership role in the broader regional Road to Zero e?ort led
through SLOCOG. City sta?, particularly Luke Schwartz, have been active participants in the Regional Safety
Steering Committee, Technical Working Group, and field walks, while City police sta? have consistently attended
regional safety forums and collaborative discussions focused on serious-injury and fatal-crash prevention.
We also want to personally recognize Police Chief Rick Scott. About four years ago, when we began discussing the
idea of a regional safety forum and a regional Road to Zero policy goal, Chief Scott was one of the early leaders
willing to step into that conversation. His participation led to our discussions with the SLO County Criminal Justice
Administrators Association and Fire Chiefs Associations, the Regional Safety Forum, and the World Day of
Remembrance for Road Tra?ic Victims events, which reinforced that tra?ic safety is not just a transportation issue
but also a public health, community, and human issue.
From a technical planning perspective, we appreciate how strongly this Vision Zero Plan aligns with the SLOCOG
Regional Safety Action Plan. Both plans emphasize the Safe Systems framework, prioritizing High Injury Networks,
reducing speeds on corridors where fatal and serious injury crashes are concentrated, advancing quick-build and
systemic safety improvements, and focusing resources where the data show the greatest risk.
We also appreciate that the Vision Zero Plan explicitly recognizes the importance of coordination with regional
partners such as SLOCOG, Caltrans, CHP, and the County as essential to implementation. Many of our most
serious crashes occur on corridors and transportation systems that cross jurisdictional boundaries, so this
regional coordination truly matters.
Finally, we believe one of the strongest aspects of this plan is its sense of urgency. The acknowledgment that the
most severe crashes occur on a relatively small percentage of streets, that speeding remains a primary factor in
severe outcomes, and that the unhoused community faces disproportionate safety challenges provides a very
clear policy direction for future investment and project prioritization.
Thank you again for your leadership and partnership on this important work.
John DiNunzio
Programming & Project Delivery
San Luis Obispo Council of Governments
1114 Marsh Street
1
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
T: (805) 781-5764
www.slocog.org
Our Mission
The mission of SLOCOG is to establish and maintain an e?ective transportation system,
and enhance the high quality of life in San Luis Obispo County by providing resources
and solutions and promoting collaborative inter-governmental relationships.
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