Vision Zero

Metro Council member Jacob Kupin from District 19 highlights rising pedestrian deaths and declares a public safety emergency after four years of Vision Zero efforts.

Montgomery County, Maryland, has reduced speed limits on 33 streets since July 2023, with plans to lower speeds on five jointly maintained corridors to 25-35 mph. The changes align with a 2021 state law allowing maximum speeds of 20 mph on local roads and 15 mph in rare cases, aiming to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety. The county is also working to redesign high-crash corridors through infrastructure projects and public education campaigns.

Santa Monica has issued 50 tickets and several hundred warnings using AI camera technology to cite drivers blocking bike lanes since July 1, following a two-month warning period. The program, powered by Hayden AI, aims to reduce collisions by enforcing bike lane safety and is funded by Measure K, a local initiative increasing parking fees to support road safety projects.

New York City's pedestrian traffic deaths reached an all-time low for the first half of 2026, with 46 deaths—a 13% drop from 53 in the same period last year. Overall traffic fatalities decreased 25% since the 2014 launch of Vision Zero, with 94 deaths through June 29, 2026, compared to 91 in 2025. Fatalities among e-bike, moped, and scooter riders slightly increased to 18 from 16 in 2025 but remained below 2024 and 2023 levels.

A city council member in Manhattan, Christopher Marte, is advocating for a ban on horse carriages in New York City after the death of 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan in an accident, despite the union representing carriage drivers (TWU Local 100) proposing safety measures like hitching posts. Marte argues that Vision Zero cannot be achieved with horse carriages, while the union claims additional safety protocols can prevent future incidents.

Denver cycling advocates rode with Mayor Mike Johnston to discuss safety concerns and progress toward Vision Zero goals. The event, organized by the Mayors Bicycle Advisory Committee, highlighted 93 traffic deaths in Denver in 2025 as the city aims to eliminate fatalities by 2030.

Nashville police are searching for a driver who hit four pedestrians in a hit-and-run crash at a high-injury intersection in Midtown. The incident occurred when a white GMC pickup truck made a wide left turn, dragging one person and causing serious injuries. Residents and visitors reported concerns about aggressive and distracted driving, prompting calls to accelerate Vision Zero safety initiatives.

A report by the Center for an Urban Future and Tech:NYC finds that low-income communities of color in NYC face higher traffic crash risks and receive fewer street safety improvements, despite Vision Zero's overall effectiveness. The city's Department of Transportation (DOT) countered, citing data showing declining traffic deaths and increased safety projects in lower-income areas of color since Vision Zero's launch.

The city's Department of Transportation (DOT) proposed installing bus lanes on Brooklyn's Bay Parkway and Cropsey Avenue to improve bus speeds and safety. The project, part of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration, aims to enhance the B6 and B82 bus routes, which serve 80,000 daily riders, and includes Vision Zero safety measures to reduce traffic fatalities.

New York City is restarting the 34th Street busway project, paused last year due to threats from the Trump administration, to improve bus speeds and safety. The project, led by the Department of Transportation, will create dedicated lanes between Ninth and Third Avenues, allowing buses to bypass traffic for 28,000 daily riders.