Council re‑commits to Vision Zero and orders stronger follow‑up on greenways and pedestrian safety

Mayor Pro Tem Zwick and several council members pressed for a more explicit approach to Vision Zero — the policy goal adopted in 2016 to reduce severe and fatal traffic injuries to zero. Council members noted recent increases in severe‑injury crashes and argued that the city must choose whether to prioritize throughput or safety.

Zwick asked the council to acknowledge trade‑offs honestly and to devote staff time to a suite of relatively low‑cost, high‑impact interventions — including diverters/modal filters and completing planned greenways identified in prior action plans. Several council members praised Zwick’s leadership and urged expedited community engagement and coordination with first responders to ensure designs meet operational needs.

Council approved a motion to return with strengthened implementation plans, to accelerate greenways work where feasible, and to conduct meaningful advance community engagement on designs. Council members cited data showing multiple years of increased severe‑injury crashes and urged more visible public accountability to achieve Vision Zero goals.

The motion passed on a voice vote with members recorded in favor; staff accepted direction and will return with implementation details and timelines.