Vision Zero tells Columbus disability advisory commission it aims for zero traffic deaths by 2035

Audriana Wild, a community relations coordinator in the Department of Public Service and a member of Columbus’s Vision Zero team, told the commission on May 28 that the city’s Vision Zero initiative aims to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2035. "To achieve zero, we have to accept that no fatal crash is an accident," Wild said, adding that the city is prioritizing safety-focused investments in infrastructure, enforcement and public education.

Wild reviewed recent local trends and program results, saying that while fatal crashes rose in 2021, 2024 marked the lowest number of fatal crashes since 2017 and the city recorded months with zero traffic fatalities in August 2025 and April 2026. She described the "high-injury network"—a relatively small percentage of road miles that account for a large share of severe crashes—and said the network’s concentration shifted from 10% of lane miles to 7% while still covering a majority of severe incidents.

Wild highlighted engineering interventions that the city credits with measurable safety benefits. She said lowering the downtown speed limit from 35 to 25 mph was associated with a 15% reduction in crashes, and an East Broad Avenue demonstration project that converted a six-lane section to two travel lanes with a protected bike lane produced a 54% reduction in crashes and an 89% reduction in excessive-speed events (defined in the presentation as 55 mph or higher).

Asked how those local speed decisions interact with state authority, Wild said the city presented data and traffic studies to state officials to make the case for local reductions in specific downtown segments. On enforcement, she said Vision Zero pursues a balanced approach: changing roadway design and operations while coordinating targeted enforcement and education—especially where new infrastructure requires different user behavior.

Wild said the program is pursuing federal grant opportunities and had submitted applications with a 20% match in planning and implementation categories. She also described an upcoming federally funded "vulnerable road user safety plan" intended to prioritize pedestrians and cyclists and to create a pedestrian-priority network and a five-year Safe Routes to School plan.

Wild offered to provide commissioners with map-friendly alternatives to the online high-injury network maps for members who cannot access the web-based display; the maps are available at columbus.gov/visionzero, she said.

The commission did not vote on any measures during the presentation session because it did not have a quorum. Wild’s presentation concluded with an offer to answer follow-up questions by staff and to provide outreach-ready materials for community groups.