Eliminating traffic-related deaths and serious injuries by 2035, in one of the largest cities in the country, is no easy task.
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But a commission formed by the city to achieve that lofty goal just took a major step forward.
On Tuesday, Dec. 2, the Vision Zero Task Force adopted an action plan that includes concrete steps the city can take to make streets safer for all road users.
The 102-page document offers recommendations for improving road safety, such as lowering speed limits, increasing enforcement, redesigning infrastructure and increasing education and awareness through outreach efforts.
The Vision Zero Action Plan will serve as “a singular tool to manage safety for all pedestrians, cyclists and users of the road,” said John Barth, a northside city-county councilor who chairs the task force.
Advocates see progress
There has been considerable friction between city officials and pedestrian safety advocates since the council adopted a Vision Zero policy last year.
Some cyclists have expressed frustration at what they’ve viewed as a lack of urgency to address an issue that has claimed the lives of 73 people so far this year, according to IMPD crash data. The task force missed its original July 1 deadline to approve an action plan.
Barth was the subject of criticism last year when he worked with the Meridian-Kessler Neighborhood Association to kill a plan for protected bike lanes on Pennsylvania Street. He called the updated design “a reasonable compromise,” but many Vision Zero supporters saw it as a betrayal of trust.
But after the action plan was passed this week, some of those same advocates expressed their appreciation for the task force’s work. And unlike previous meetings, Barth allowed members of the public to testify.
“As we know, action plans are only successful with investment, and I encourage the city to make significant investments,” said Connie Szabo Schmucker, advocacy director at Bicycle Garage Indy.
She wants to see the city prioritize infrastructure improvements on Indy’s most dangerous streets. Just 5% of the city’s streets account for 43% of all fatal and serious crashes, according to the action plan.
For example, a half-mile stretch of East Raymond Street between Shelby Street and State Street has seen several crashes with severe injuries and fatalities in recent years, including a 4-year-old who was killed by a hit-and-run driver who ran a red light.
What’s next?
The city’s Vision Zero landing page will continue to post updates on its progress. Early next year, the page will host an online dashboard that will track traffic fatalities and serious injuries.
LeAndre Level, the city’s Vision Zero administrator, said the action plan is a starting point for achieving Vision Zero. But he stressed that the city “can only do so much” to make streets safer.
“Indianapolis does face unique funding challenges and stretched resources,” Level said.
The most critical factor to a successful Vision Zero strategy, he said, will be how the public responds to these changes.
“We’re going to try to control what we can control, but the biggest success factor is how the public interacts with roads,” Level said. “When you prioritize safety over your convenience, that’s what saves lives.”
A correction was made on Dec. 3, 2025: The headline was updated to accurately characterize the group responsible for adopting the Vision Zero Action Plan.
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Peter Blanchard covers local government. Reach him at 317-605-4836 or peter.blanchard@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @peterlblanchard.
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