Safety has always been a priority in Goleta, and now the City has a guiding principle for increasing traffic safety - a Vision Zero approach.  

What is Vision Zero?

The Vision Zero approach upholds the principle that serious collisions on public roadways are preventable, and that society should not accept that any person should be killed or seriously injured while using the transportation system. Vision Zero policies promote building more safety and livability into a city’s roadway system to better protect its users.

Why is Vision Zero important in Goleta?

According to the most recent available data from the California Office of Traffic Safety, between 2017-2020, Goleta had more fatal and serious injury collisions than approximately 80% of similar-sized California cities.

The City is committed to increasing safety on public roadways for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists, and has already implemented several efforts and projects that work toward achieving this. Examples include the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan (BPMP) developed in 2018, the Goleta Traffic Safety Study completed in 2022, and numerous capital improvement projects throughout the City such as complete streets initiatives, intersection improvements, and improvements to bicycle and pedestrian networks.

The City has realized a gradual decline in bicycle and pedestrian serious sand fatal injuries in recent years, but there is more work to be done.

How is Goleta adopting a Vision Zero approach?

In February of 2024, the City Council approved the adoption of a Vision Zero approach in Goleta, which led to the City immediately incorporating Vision Zero goals as a guiding principle for transportation planning, design of streets and sidewalks, and maintenance of public rights of way. The City of Goleta joins more than 50 other communities nationwide that have committed to creating safer streets through a Vision Zero approach.

As an early step, over the summer of 2024, the City Council adopted an ordinance to lower speed limits on major roadways in Goleta by 5 to 10 miles per hour. Speed limits were lowered on roadways that had the highest rates of serious and fatal injuries or attracted high concentrations of bikes and pedestrians. The lower speed limits are intended to reduce the occurrence of traffic-related serious and fatal injuries, while improving comfort and safety for bikes and pedestrians, particularly children, seniors and the disabled. See map for detailed locations.

What’s Next?

In September 2024, the City of Goleta received $364,000 in funding from the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program. This funding may be used for initiatives such as:

• Development of a public safety dashboard to track and monitor safety projects.
• Launching a Vision Zero Public Safety Campaign to raise awareness about traffic safety concerns.
• Development of a Neighborhood Traffic Calming Toolkit and Implementation Strategy.
• Implementation of a Safe Routes to School program to establish non-motorized transportation options for students residing in the Old Town neighborhood.

We invite you to be on the lookout for these upcoming initiatives as we work to make a safer Goleta for everyone.

Learn More About Vision Zero

• Vision Zero Network
• News From Vision Zero Communities

Questions?

Email: pavement@CityofGoleta.org
Phone: 805-562-5504