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To reach zero traffic deaths and life changing injuries, a Vision Zero Action Plan must be developed. The plan will build out how to implement the following key, overarching strategies making streets safe for all:
- Building and sustaining leadership, collaboration, and accountability among diverse stakeholders (community members, transportation professionals, policymakers, public health officials, police, etc.)
- Using data in decision making and ensuring transparency on progress and challenges
- Prioritizing equity and community engagement with a focus on the high-injury street network
- Managing speed to safe levels
- Using 2037 as the goal year to achieve zero traffic deaths and serious injuries, bringing urgency and accountability
We can save lives and safely moving around our City, together. Let's plan on it!
Timeline
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Timeline item 1 - complete
Brainstorm and Problem Identification
- Thousands of residents have shared hundreds of ideas for safer streets in the last decade. Many of those ideas made it into adopted plans as recommendations.
- Many of those recommendations have been completed (for example: expanding traffic calming, supporting free Driver's Ed, adopting Vision Zero, establishing a Traffic Safety Unit, etc)
- Milwaukee has experienced major increases in deaths and life-changing injury from traffic. In the past 10 years 721 people have been killed in traffic crashed and 5465 have severe, life changing injuries.
- The 2023 Crash Report shows where crashes are concentrated and is guiding countermeasures.
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Timeline item 2 - active
Check-In and Reflect on Past Recommendations
- Review recommendations that have not been implemented: are they still good ideas?
- What is missing? What new opportunities have arisen?
- How should recommendations be prioritized and operationalized into projects, programs, or policy changes?
- How effective are the recommendations that were implemented? What data or research needs exists? What adjustments should be made?
- Share what Vision Zero is and how it can combat reckless driving and promote safety for all.
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Timeline item 3 - incomplete
Draft Plan Review
- Develop and public review of the draft plan
- Recommendations will be based on feedback from first 2 steps, emerging best practices, and previous planning efforts
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Timeline item 4 - incomplete
Plan Adoption
- Vision Zero Action Plan proposed for adoption
- Public meetings including with a Common Council Committee
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Timeline item 5 - incomplete
Implementation and Updates
- Once adopted, the plan will be implemented by many City of Milwaukee departments and outside partners
- The plan will undergo periodic review and progress will be reported out publicly
- Community feedback, data, and crash trends will be used to update the plan periodically
Timeline of Plans with Vision Zero and Reckless Driving Recommendations
Key Concepts
- Death and serious injuries are unacceptable
- All crashes are undesirable, but Vision Zero prioritizes eliminating crashes that result in death or serious injury. The transportation system should allow for human error that does not result in severe crashes.
- Crash not accident
- Accidents imply nothing could be done to prevent the incident and/or that no one is at fault. Eliminate the word “accident” from your vocabulary and begin using “crash.”
- Equity at the forefront
- Black, brown, and low-income communities are disproportionately impacted by dangerous streets and dangerous driving. These communities must be prioritized. Vision Zero also must not result in over-policing of these communities.
- Slow speeds save lives
- A person hit by someone driving a car at 20 MPH has a 9 in 10 chance of surviving; at 30 MPH, the chances of survival drop to 60%. Slowing speeds through safe street design must be prioritized. Everyone must drive at safe speeds, not just “bad drivers.”
- Multi-sector
- Vision Zero requires the commitment and work of multiple departments, agencies, and stakeholders – City Departments, partner agencies, and people living and visiting Milwaukee. A safe transportation system is the responsibility of all.
