About
Vision Zero is a policy and data-driven strategy to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries
Who is leading Vision Zero?
Transportation advocates, City officials, City staff, and community members in Columbia, Missouri are working together on Vision Zero to create safe streets for everyone.
City of Columbia
The City of Columbia adopted a Vision Zero policy in December 2016 and is now working to carry out its Vision Zero Action Plan.
PedNet Coalition
PedNet advocates for policies and infrastructure that ensure the transportation system is safe and convenient for everyone. PedNet is leading the Education strategies of the Vision Zero Action Plan.
Columbia Police Department
The Columbia Police Department is leading the Enforcement strategies of the Vision Zero Action Plan.
City of Columbia Public Works
Public Works is leading the Engineering strategies of the Vision Zero Action Plan.
Public Health Department
Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services is assisting with community outreach messaging and public health data.
Behavioral Researchers
Research scientists are studying transportation behaviors in areas with a history of crashes, and tracking the data over time.
How is this funded?
Missouri Foundation for Health
Funding for this project was provided in part by Missouri Foundation for Health. PedNet Coalition was awarded a grant from Missouri Foundation for Health in 2015 to advocate for a Vision Zero policy in Columbia, and to assist with the City of Columbia's initial Vision Zero implementation steps.
City of Columbia
PedNet's Missouri Foundation for Health grant will support City staff assignments to the Vision Zero project for one year. Following the use of this initial grant funding, beginning in 2018 the City of Columbia will continue to fund the staff appointments for the Vision Zero project for a minimum of two years.
What is the history of Vision Zero in Columbia?
Over the course of seven months at the end of 2014 and through early 2015, an alarming series of crashes between drivers and people walking occurred in and around Columbia. These crashes killed four people while walking and injured at least six other pedestrians.
In response, Columbia Mayor Bob McDavid established the Mayor's Task Force on Pedestrian Safety in May 2015. The Task Force was charged with providing the City government with recommendations on how to reduce crashes between drivers and people walking.
PedNet Coalition shared with the Task Force the philosophy of Vision Zero, which has proven to be successful in reducing not just pedestrian crashes, but all traffic deaths and serious injuries overall.
The Task Force released its final report to City Council in March 2016. The top recommendation of the Task Force report was to adopt a Vision Zero policy. The Task Force structured all its other specific strategy recommendations within the framework of Vision Zero.
As a result of the Task Force's recommendation, in December 2016 Columbia City Council unanimously adopted a Vision Zero policy. Columbia became the 22nd city in the U.S., one of the first small cities in the country, and the first city in Missouri to adopt Vision Zero.
In April 2017, the Vision Zero project team finalized the Vision Zero Action Plan for 2017-2020. This is the set of strategies that the team and community partners will carry out over the next 3 years to allow Columbia to reach zero.