(The Center Square) – After 20 fatalities last year and six so far in 2025, Spokane officials may soon make it illegal to turn right on a red light as part of a barrage of new traffic safety initiatives announced on Wednesday.
Mayor Lisa Brown and Police Chief Kevin Hall outlined five steps as part of the city’s strategy to tackle the deadly trend during a press conference downtown. The proposals follow the approval of $2.8 million in traffic-calming projects last month, which critics argued was “too little, too late.”
Two more people have died since the Spokane City Council gave its seal of approval. Some want the Brown administration and council to do more despite limited funding. As traffic deaths rise nationwide, the mayor said Wednesday that beating last year’s record would be “unacceptable.”
“In 2019, there were 10 fatalities and 63 serious injury crashes. In 2024, we had 20 fatalities and 102 serious injury crashes,” Brown said. “We have already had six fatalities this year, including two people who were walking. We don’t want to meet or exceed last year’s record.”
Last July, Brown signed an executive order to create a Transportation Commission and direct the city to expand several other traffic safety initiatives. She said much of that work is done, with some still underway, as these new initiatives roll out to protect everyday pedestrians.
The first proposal would make turning on a red light downtown illegal. If approved, the city would implement the law over several years, targeting intersections with high pedestrian traffic.
The second initiative would establish a Play Streets Program, allowing neighborhoods to close non-arterial streets for certain events. Hall said the third would reinstate the Traffic Safety and Education Unit, backed by seven officers, three of whom would focus on DUI enforcement.
The fourth initiative delivers on Brown’s executive order from July to install more traffic cameras.
“Traffic safety is public safety,” Hall said. “Lastly, SPD will participate in a new traffic fatality review team that I’m sure you’ll hear more about.”
The final initiative will create a work group to consider the “engineering, environmental, vehicle, and behavioral factors in fatal crashes.” The Spokane Police Department, Spokane Fire Department, and engineering, planning and human services staff will join the effort to review fatal crashes locally.
The 12-month pilot program will use crash data to provide solutions for reducing traffic fatalities.
Councilmember Zach Zappone, who pushed for a resolution leading to Brown’s executive order, thanked the mayor for her support as his vision is implemented. He praised the plans to build what’s already happening, calling on residents to embrace some of the multi-modal policies.
“Allow kids to play on the street, do a spontaneous Chart-Art festival, close down the street and have a barbecue, or do a little hop between your houses and enjoy some food,” Zappone said. “Come out, meet your neighbors, have that connection, and really enjoy your neighborhood.”
