In 2021, City Council unanimously resolved to endorse a Vision Zero goal to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries on Knoxville's streets. In the time since, a team of stakeholders has used data and public input to create a road map for ending life-altering crashes on City roads. The result is the Vision Zero Action Plan.

“Moving around our city should not be a life or death proposition,” says Mayor Indya Kincannon. “I am committed to eliminating traffic fatalities on City-controlled roads by 2040. We can work together make our streets safer for everyone.” 

In the last five years, more than 1,200 people in Knoxville experienced crashes that resulted in a fatality or serious injury. 

The plan is a collaboration with the Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization (Knoxville TPO) with guidance from the Vision Zero Steering Committee, which includes Knox County, Bike Walk Knoxville, Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) and the University of Tennessee.

Vision Zero aligns with the City’s focus on public safety, connectivity and equitable mobility. Steps to achieve the goal are already in the works.

They include: 

• Designating a high-injury network of areas with the most life-altering crashes
• Identifying projects and strategies that will reduce crash occurrences
• Creating a platform for tracking progress

“Vision Zero looks at safety from all angles – engineering, walkability, signage, law enforcement, education, human behavior,” says Brian Blackmon, Director of the City’s Office of Sustainability. “Vision Zero means shifting our priorities from moving vehicles quickly to moving people safely, and taking a proactive approach to prevent crashes before they happen.”

Members of the Vision Zero team will be present at the Neighborhood Resource Fair, Aug. 12, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. at the Jacob Building at Chilhowee Park. The City is also launching a Vision Zero Road Show to share the new plan as well as streetscape improvements and safety tips for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. Interested community groups can request a workshop on the City’s Vision Zero webpage.

Visit KnoxvilleTN.gov/VisionZero for more information, data and resources, and to sign up to receive Vision Zero newsletters by email.