Primary Department: Commissioner, Precinct 4
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Lesley Briones, Commissioner
Secondary Department: N/A
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official: N/A
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Policy
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Not a grant item
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
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Request for approval to direct the Harris County Engineering Department to update the Vision Zero Action Plan and return to Commissioners Court with a transmittal of next steps to update the Action Plan on August 7, 2025.
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Background and Discussion:
The current High Injury Network (HIN) in the Harris County Vision Zero Action Plan is based on outdated 2014-2018 data. Crash trends in Harris County have been likely impacted by rapid growth in the unincorporated areas of western Harris County and changing commuting patterns, as well as changes in driver behavior in the post-pandemic years. This rapid growth means many transportation corridors have higher traffic volumes and associated crashes that are not captured in the existing High Injury Network.
Further, an update to the Action Plan will allow for an update in the HIN methodology. The existing methodology lacks inclusion of Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and crash rates in prioritizing roadway segments for inclusion in HIN. Including vehicle exposure for prioritizing roadway segments is a key factor for the Vision Zero Action Plan and also helps inform progress on the resilient infrastructure goals in Harris County’s newly passed Climate Justice Plan.
The current Vision Zero Action Plan is lacking the required policy assessment required for USDOT’s Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grant eligibility and important to boost the County’s competitiveness in the awards process.
While Vision Zero goals are embedded in the objectives and initiatives in Harris County Strategic Plan, specifically for Initiatives F1/F2/F3 (related to Objective F, Ensure safety and security for all using the county’s transportation network in alignment with the County’s Vision Zero Action Plan), no timeline for updating the Vision Zero Action Plan is currently available. Moreover, briefings on the County Transportation Plan have not included Vision Zero crash data updates.
Harris County Engineering Department should update the Vision Zero Action Plan with the following information: 1) Updated crash data 2) Updated High Injury Network with a comprehensive methodology; and 3) An assessment of existing standards, policies, and guidelines on transportation safety as related to Vision Zero in Harris County
Expected Impact:
Updating the Vision Zero Action Plan with the latest 5-year crash data and incorporating VMT into the HIN methodology will more accurately identify current high-risk locations, enable data-driven and evidence-based safety improvements, and update related guidelines accordingly. An updated plan will help achieve grant competitiveness and compliance for initiatives like Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A), and a number of federal grants require data-driven justifications for funding and project selection based on most recent crash analyses.
An updated HIN with clear outcome metrics is essential to measure the effectiveness of safety improvements and report accurately on Vision Zero goals. These updates will help advance Goal 2, Objective F in the County Strategic Plan.
Alternative Options:
Not updating the plan may keep Harris County from achieving its Vision Zero goal and alignment with the County’s Strategic Plan. Failure to update the Plan also reduces the County’s ability to undertake data-driven safety improvements based on the most recent crash data.
County Strategic Plan Goal: 2. Connect our community with safe, reliable, equitably distributed, and well-maintained infrastructure.
County Strategic Plan Objective: F: Ensure safety and security for all using the county’s transportation network in alignment with the County’s Vision Zero plan.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): N/A
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): F1: Strengthen the County’s commitment to Vision Zero principles and goals.
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): N/A
Health Initiative (Goal 4): N/A
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): N/A
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): N/A
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan: This also relates to Objective F, Initiatives F2 and F3.
Prior Court Action (if any):
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Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
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10/8/2019 |
21.b.5 <https://agenda.harriscountytx.gov/Agenda.aspx?ID=kP01MA%2f4hI6cR2i5WB3jmw%3d%3d>Request for consideration and approval of the creation of a Vision Zero Working Group to support the county in creating a strategy to eliminate traffic fatalities and injuries, and ensure safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all residents. |
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3/24/2020 |
1.f.8 <https://agenda.harriscountytx.gov/Agenda.aspx?ID=%2baN1TVX4Q4hzZRPCA5NstQ%3d%3d>Recommendation that the County Judge execute amendments/agreements with: Gradient Group, LLC, in the amount of $321,266 for engineering services for a county-wide Vision Zero Action Plan and Implementation Plan. |
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8/11/2020 |
II.10 <https://agenda.harriscountytx.gov/Agenda.aspx?ID=aWhD9LI%2fykk0sCdw2NhWcw%3d%3d>Request by the Commissioner of Precinct One for discussion and approval of a resolution regarding the official public launch of the Harris County Vision Zero Initiative by the Harris County Engineering Department, this initiative is a major component of the Harris County Transportation Plan and focuses on achieving zero traffic fatalities and severe injuries in our region by 2030. |
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4/27/2021 |
17 |
Transmittal of the Charter and Meeting Minutes from the Infrastructure Resilience Team (IRT), Vision Zero Working Groups, and Two Committees from the Standardization Report (Parks and Asset Management). |
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9/13/2022 |
139 |
Request for approval of a Study Report prepared by Gradient and SV Traffic for Vision Zero Action Plan and Addendum, UPIN 21035MF1PX01, Countywide. |
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4/23/2024 |
391 <https://agenda.harriscountytx.gov/Agenda.aspx?ID=ZukjbgbCnkdeTINMWOHB9g%3d%3d>Request for an update from Harris County Engineering and the Harris County Toll Road Authority on Vision Zero initiatives and implementation. |
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8/27/2024 |
204 <https://agenda.harriscountytx.gov/Agenda.aspx?ID=iRgaTHkka%2bF0k5ofE5xJCQ%3d%3d>Request by the Office of the County Engineer for approval to submit an application to the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) for grant funds in the amount of $2,000,000, with no required local match, for the FY 2024 Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants Program for the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Camera Systems for Vision Zero Improvement Project in Precinct 2. |
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Location:
Address (if applicable): N/A
Precinct(s): Countywide
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Anticipated Court Date: 6/12/2025
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): Click or tap to enter a date.
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or COVID-19 related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Reynaldo Guerra, Chief of Infrastructure, Harris County Precinct 4
Attachments (if applicable):