With 7 overarching strategies and 100 action items to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries, the Vision Zero Action Plan aims to make streets safer for all. Now, we need to hear from you! Come to an Open House, join a webinar, or take the online survey by April 24th to share your insights.

Key strategies and actions to achieve Vision Zero in Milwaukee include:

1. Build Safe Streets for All Users, Prioritizing the Most Dangerous Roads

• Prioritize Safety Improvements on the High Injury Network (HIN)
• Operationalize the Complete Streets Handbook including equity based road project prioritization tools and public education on process
• Proactively address safety concerns in high-risk areas
• Improve lights, signs, and signals to reduce speeds and promote pedestrian safety, prioritizing the HIN
• Utilize the Citywide Transportation and Mobility Plan to prioritize projects and address action items in the VZAP
• Prioritize transportation options
• Equitably focus traffic law enforcement on driving behaviors that contribute to death and injury
• Support court system options that emphasize prevention, education, accountability, and harm repair
• Improve administration of transportation safety laws to deter dangerous behavior, support prevention, and provide justice to impacted families

2. Support Accountability in the Justice System with a Focus on Prevention

3. Foster Vibrant, People Centered Places

• Enact land use policies that support dense, mixed-use development and encourage public transit
• Reimagine streets as places for people

4. Promote Traffic Safety through Communication, Encouragement, and Education

• Conduct proactive community outreach on street projects, such as door knocking, block meetings, walks, bike rides, community events, etc.

• Educate the public on traffic laws, slower speeds, traffic violence, traffic calming effectiveness, Vision Zero, etc. through innovative campaigns, community-driven methods, and partnerships
• Develop ongoing, multi-channel community engagement methods, such as advisory committee(s), public meetings, surveys, direct neighborhood outreach, and/or coalitions
• Build a culture of safety, centering those most impacted by traffic violence
• Support transportation education for all ages, transportation methods, and abilities
• Implement technology and quality improvement changes
• Advocate for federal regulation and law changes to make vehicles safer, especially for pedestrians
• Use technology to improve safety and lead by example
• Incentivize smaller and lighter vehicles to reduce crash impacts

5. Ensure Timely and Effective EMS and Medical Care

6. Advocate for Safer Vehicles

7. Champion State-Level Changes

• Advocate for state-level Vision Zero policies
• Enhance accountability for unsafe driving
• Reform licensing and regulations to promote safety and equity
• Secure diverse and sustainable funding

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.