Year
2025
Season
Spring
Paper Type
Master's Thesis
College
College of Computing, Engineering & Construction
Degree Name
Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE)
Department
Engineering
NACO controlled Corporate Body
University of North Florida. School of Engineering
Committee Chairperson
Dr. Thobias Sando
Second Advisor
Dr. Angela Kitali
Third Advisor
Dr. Ryan Shamet
Department Chair
Dr. Alan Harris
Abstract
The city of Tacoma adopted Vision Zero in 2020 and is planning to achieve zero traffic deaths and severe injuries by 2035. As part of its outreach plan to engage the local community, the city of Tacoma’s Vision Zero team surveyed the critical issues affecting traffic safety as perceived by road users. One of the Vision Zero strategies is to implement safer speeds across streets by reducing speed limits that are too high. This study aims to analyze the factors influencing the perceptions of speeding and high-speed limits as safety concerns, analyze narratives from respondents on issues affecting traffic safety, and, lastly, provide recommendations to promote traffic safety in Tacoma. Using Bayesian Networks, the study assessed how different factors influence the perception of speeding and high-speed limits as safety concerns. Additionally, a text-mining approach was employed to analyze narratives from respondents who identified speeding and high-speed limits as safety concerns.
The Bayesian Networks analysis revealed that respondents familiar with Vision Zero were 3.01% more likely to perceive speeding and 101.99% more likely to perceive high-speed limits as safety concerns. For respondents who walk around Tacoma, the likelihood of perceiving speeding and high-speed limits as safety risks increased by 20.26% and 6.45%, respectively. Furthermore, the network also reveals that separating bike lanes from traffic, installing speed bumps, and law enforcement can help promote safety in Tacoma.
Furthermore, this study utilizes the project-based alignment framework developed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to analyze how various roadway projects align with this Safe System Approach to assess and score roadway segments in Tacoma. It then proceeds to create a visualization tool in ArcGIS to present the scores and provide a picture of existing conditions at the roadway segments. Results from the framework scoring matrix highlight areas in Tacoma that have high safety risks to road users’ safety.
Identifying roadway segments with higher risk scores, findings from this study will provide knowledge to stakeholders and transportation planners on areas needing measures to enhance safety. Additionally, insights from community feedback reveal that concerns about speeding and high-speed limits are more pronounced among vulnerable road users and those familiar with Vision Zero. These findings can guide public education efforts to promote awareness of Vision Zero goals and support the implementation of traffic calming and enforcement strategies. In combination with the visualization tool, the study provides an actionable foundation for enhancing roadway safety in Tacoma.
Suggested Citation
Matyenyi, Janeroza W., "Traffic safety in Tacoma: A dual study on community perceptions of vision zero and the application of the safe system framework" (2025). UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 1327.
https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/etd/1327