INDIANAPOLIS — The Public Works Committee of the Indianapolis City-County Council has advanced the "Vision Zero" proposal to the full council.
The Vision Zero proposal calls for making changes that result in zero pedestrian and cyclist deaths in Indianapolis.
It is an established program that has been tried in several cities across the country. 13News looked into how effective it has been, and saw positive results in several cities.
The proposal was first introduced in the City-County Council on July 8 as Proposal No. 224, 2024, by Councilor John Barth (D-7).
"This proposal is all about saving lives and ensuring that Indianapolis is a city where people can walk, bike and drive without fear," Barth said. "We need to prioritize the safety of our most vulnerable road users—pedestrians and cyclists—and this proposal is a crucial move to that direction."
The proposal was sent to the Public Works Committee, which approved it to the full council on July 18.
The Vision Zero proposal will establish a 15-member task force. It will cover appointments from both the council president and the mayor to oversee the action plan.
Officials said the task force will serve as a "collaborative effort" between the City-County Council, the City of Indianapolis, other local government agencies, community organizations and residents.
The task force will host public meetings, gather community input and provide updates to the council.
“Now is the time to act. We also need to add that this is a solvable problem. This isn’t something that is just a lofty goal. This can be achieved. It’s just going to take implementation and action,” Councilor Andy Nielson said.
Indy's pedestrian safety crisis
According to data from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization, pedestrian fatalities in the city increased by 25% from 2020 to 2023. There were also more than 300 reported incidents involving cyclists in the past three years, many resulting in serious injuries.
The Indy Pedestrian Safety Crisis website tracks pedestrian incidents and fatalities. By July 19, they had tracked 23 pedestrians and cyclists killed by drivers in Marion County.
(NOTE: the video at the top of this story is from when the Vision Zero proposal was first introduced.)