Dear friends,
On this World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, we at Transportation Choices Coalition join with others across the globe to remember those whose lives have been tragically cut short or irreversibly changed by traffic violence. This day is a solemn reminder of the crisis we face — a crisis that touches communities all across Washington State. Last year alone, we lost more neighbors, family members, and friends to traffic violence than in any year since 1990. Every one of those losses is a tragedy.
This tragedy is not just a statistic; it has hit close to home for us at TCC. Earlier this year, our bookkeeper was killed in a car crash while she and her husband stopped to help someone whose car had broken down. Her passing is a reminder of the precious lives behind each number in these statewide reports—each person taken from their family, each child left without a parent. We think of her and her four children every day, and it motivates us to do the urgent work of creating safer roads across our state.
We know where the most dangerous roadways in our communities are. State-owned roads like Aurora Avenue, Division Avenue in Spokane, and Highway 2 through Monroe have become, in effect, the main streets for these communities. Yet these streets were never designed with the safety of people walking in mind. Nearly half of all pedestrian traffic deaths in Washington occur on state-owned roads. That number alone should spur action, and we believe that with focused effort, we can turn the tide.
At TCC, we’re calling for a new approach—a Megaproject for Safety. Just as Washington’s Department of Transportation has dedicated resources and expertise to build megaprojects for floating bridges and freight, it’s time for a bold commitment to safety projects that address the rising number of people killed on our roads. These projects would transform our main street highways with essential features like sidewalks, crosswalks, bus stops, and dedicated bus lanes. They would prioritize safety for people walking, biking, and taking public transportation.
In Seattle, progress will be made through initiatives like Proposition 1, a $1.55 billion transportation levy dedicated to improving sidewalks, streets, and transit. This investment reflects the need to create a city designed with safety at its core. Now, we need to expand this approach statewide.
We know how to fix our streets, and we know that when our state puts its mind, money, and might to a problem, it can do big things. We believe that every life lost to traffic violence is one too many. This World Day of Remembrance is a time to honor those lost and a call to action to create streets that value every life.
If you want to help us advocate for road safety, take a minute to fill out our simple interest form. Together, we can help fix Washington’s most dangerous roads.
Thank you for standing with us as we fight for safe and equitable transportation across our state.
Sincerely,
Kirk Hovenkotter
Executive Director
Transportation Choices Coalition