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Pedestrian and bicyclist safety advocates call on Indianapolis leaders to adopt 'Vision Zero Plan' after recent crashes

Eric Holt, with Indy Pedestrian Safety Crisis, said Saturday's crash is the 40th fatal crash involving a pedestrian or bicyclist in Marion County this year.

INDIANAPOLIS — After a crash that killed a man crossing the street in Speedway, pedestrian safety advocates are calling for safety improvements on the roads all across Marion County.

Eric Holt, with Indy Pedestrian Safety Crisis, tracks every reported incident in Marion County. He said the latest crash is the 40th fatal crash involving a pedestrian or bicyclist this year. They have received 621 reports of a pedestrian or bicyclist struck this year.

"Things are continuing to get worse, and I think the data shows that we really need to, as a city, take this as seriously as we can and start working on it," Holt said.

He's not the only one advocating for safety improvements; others say every year, there's an increase in people getting hit in the road.

"My frustration comes from the fact that I'm not seeing enough stuff happen fast enough to actually make a difference," said Connie Szabo Schmucker, advocacy director for Bicycle Garage Indy.

According to the Indianapolis DPW website, the city's 2023 construction season included adding new bike lanes, crosswalks and signalized intersections. But Schmucker said she fears that's not enough. She said Indianapolis should look at what major cities are doing to improve safety on the roads.

"This is a health crisis, it's a safety crisis and it needs to be dealt with in that manner," Schmucker said.

Both Holt and Schmucker told 13News they have talked with some Indianapolis City-County Council members about new safety proposals, but they want talk to lead to action.

13News reached out to the Indianapolis City-County Council for comment, but no one was available to talk Sunday.

"Acknowledging what we are seeing would actually go a long way," Holt said.

Both said once improvements to pedestrian and bicyclist safety start, the roads will become safer for everyone.

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