Vision Zero
We advocate so that no one dies or suffers serious injuries just trying to get around Denver. Traffic deaths are preventable and unacceptable.
Read our blog post, How Denver can meet the moment with Vision Zero and view pictures from our 2023 World Day of Remembrance vigil and ceremony.
Our Vision Zero Core Principles
Zero Deaths and Serious Injuries is the Right Goal.
Life is Most Important.
Every Person Matters.
The Government is Responsible for Safe Street Design.
People Make Mistakes.
Safe Designs Lead to Safe Behaviors.
Enforcement Cannot Correct for Dangerous Street Design.
Traditional officer-initiated enforcement should be a last resort, not the primary tactic. Over-reliance of enforcement can exacerbate racial and social injustices and erode mutual feelings of trust and safety between our police officers and the communities they serve.
In November 2021 we co-hosted a panel on Decriminalizing Multimodal Transportation that discussed this theme at length. Tune in by visiting our blog.
The Most Dangerous Locations and Behaviors Merit the Most Attention.
People Driving Have a Critical Responsibility.
Safe Streets Enhance Our Freedom.
Vision Zero Wins
- January 2023: Denver City Council votes to decriminalize jaywalking, acknowledging the reality that “jaywalking” is what people often have to do to navigate car-centric communities and that the criminalization of jaywalking has led to racist and discriminatory enforcement. Learn more about the Freedom to Walk and Roll: Denverite, Westword, Denver Post
- December 2021: Denver City Council passes an ordinance reducing neighborhood speed limits from 25 miles per hour to 20 miles per hour. The likelihood of serious injury or a fatality in a traffic crash increases the faster a vehicle is moving, and lowering the speed limits on neighborhood streets helps keep everyone safe. Learn more about 20 is Plenty.
Cole’s story
On July 13, 2016 Cole Sukle and his two best buddies were enjoying a sunny summer day, riding skateboards through their neighborhood, when they stopped to cross Yale Blvd on their way to the middle school basketball court nearby. Standing safely within the bike lane, one of the boys looked to his left, barely processing the speeding car already upon them and too late to do anything more than jump back. He watched helplessly as the speeding drunk driver hit his two friends and drove away. Miraculously, two of the boys escaped harm’s way, but Cole was rushed to Denver Health where he died the next day.
When the City of Denver asked Cole’s family if they’d be willing to share his story as part of the announcement of a new plan to eliminate traffic fatalities in Denver, they were honored to oblige. Like most people, the Sukles didn’t know much about what made streets safe or unsafe. They taught their kids to look both ways, stay on the sidewalk and always use the crosswalk. But the Vision Zero action plan that Cole’s story helped announce opened their eyes to the ways cities can design streets and neighborhoods to be safe for people walking and biking, or cater to cars, leaving streets deadly and dangerous.
Cole’s story is just one of hundreds that inspires the Denver Streets Partnership to constantly hold the City accountable to its commitment to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries by the year 2030.
Vision Zero Projects
Community Art Projects
Twenty is Plenty
The evidence is clear: Speed kills.
Even small increases in vehicle speed can have fatal results. We’re calling on city leaders to reduce the default speed limit for Denver’s neighborhood streets from 25 mph to 20 mph
Vision Zero Community Program
In partnership with Denver Department of Public Health & Environment and Denver Public Works, this initiative is giving teams of community members an opportunity to design a project to increase awareness of Vision Zero and promote safer streets in their neighborhoods.
Here’s what we’ve been up to:
Denver Streets Partnership statement as Denver matches grim milestone for traffic fatalities
By November 4, 2021, a record 71 people died as a result of traffic crashes that year. Read our response to this grim milestone and our demands of government leaders at all levels to prevent such carnage to truly reach Vision Zero.
2020 Vision Zero Action Plan Progress Report Card
View the third annual report card on the City and County of Denver’s progress to meet their own Vision Zero Action Plan aimed at eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries. The Report Card focuses specifically on Denver’s progress meeting their goals on street safety improvements with an overall grade and individual grades in eight categories.
2019 Vision Zero Action Plan Progress Report Card
View the second annual report card on the City and County of Denver’s progress to meet their own Vision Zero Action Plan aimed at eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries. The Report Card focuses specifically on Denver’s progress meeting their goals on street safety improvements with an overall grade and individual grades in eight categories.
Press Release: Denver Streets Partnership grades Denver’s 2019 Vision Zero Efforts a C+
70 people killed on Denver streets, critical shortfalls in sidewalks, bike lanes, intersection improvements not enough to significantly improve 2018 score.
2018 Vision Zero Action Plan Progress Report Card
Denver showed progress but failed to meet many of their own 2018 goals for street safety improvements outlined in the Vision Zero Action Plan, missing opportunities to make improvements along the High-Injury Network and building less than half of the 14 miles of sidewalks goal. Denver’s bright spot was strong progress building out the bike network.
Related Resources
North Denver Fatal Bike Crashes Leave Friends, Family Wanting Answers
Two people on bicycles were recently killed by motorists in North Denver. Both crashes happened on Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) roads that continue to be the deadliest in this part of town. The recent deaths were two of the 82 people that were killed in crashes in Denver in 2022.
Denver’s streets are deadlier than ever
Denver is headed in the wrong direction when it comes to achieving Vision Zero, its goal of eliminating traffic deaths by 2030.
National data highlights need for safer streets with pedestrians in mind
Jonathon Stalls knows the dangers of being a pedestrian in Denver. In the winter, he has to walk through mud and snow alongside busy streets. “You have engineering that has long, long, been centering high-speed car traffic as the priority,” he said.
Remarks on Speed Limit Reduction for City Council Safety, Housing, Education & Homelessness Committee
Denver Streets Partnership statement as Denver matches grim milestone for traffic fatalities
Reimagining policing and public safety
Much of our time spent in public is spent on our streets. This is also where Denverites are most likely to come in contact with police while walking, driving, biking, socializing or just simply being present. Data and first-hand experiences have shown us that people of color are disproportionately stopped by police and at times these […]
The Denver Streets Partnership releases the 2020 Vision Zero Action Plan Progress Report Card
For the third year, the Denver Streets Partnership released a report card grading Denver’s progress on meeting their own goals outlined in the Vision Zero Action Plan aimed at eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries. The Report Card focuses specifically on Denver’s progress meeting their goals on street safety improvements, such as building sidewalks and bike lanes. […]
Denver looks to tech to make its streets safer to stroll
Denver is leveraging smart technology to improve safety for bikers and pedestrians. The investment in tech could position the city as a national leader in safety innovation and move it closer to achieving the goal of ending all traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2030.
Man killed in high-speed crash identified; suspect in custody
Family members have identified Brad Brubaker – a Highlands resident and father – as the man who was killed in a high-speed crash near West 32nd Avenue and North Lowell Boulevard on Saturday.
February 11-14: Join the 2021 Love-In virtually on Facebook
Celebrate Valentine’s Day week with a virtual Love-In to support local main streets and local businesses.
Federal Boulevard Candlelight Vigil Honors Chris Baker, Hit and Run Victim
More than two dozen family members and friends gathered to honor hit and run victim Chris Baker, whom a driver struck and killed at 70th Avenue and Federal Boulevard on January 19, 2021. Denver Streets Partnership Program Manager Emily Kleinfelter spoke during the candlelight ceremony, and later Denver Streets Partnership Executive Director Jill Locantore spoke with members of the media.
CDOT’s Safer Main Streets aims to make streets safer for people walking, biking, and driving
Denver Streets Partnership chair Danny Katz is excited that CDOT will invest more than $7.4 million on Federal Boulevard and $10 million on West Colfax to improve streets for people walking, biking, and riding transit.