Between 2014 and 2018, the City of Athens recorded nine traffic-related fatalities, not including those involving a train.

In an effort to work toward the goal of reducing and then eliminating transportation fatalities and serious injuries, the city’s Planning Department presented Vision Zero to the Athens City Council on Monday, May 22, 2023.

“Other cities in the nation have adopted the program, and we see it as a valuable tool to utilize toward reaching this goal,” Mayor Ronnie Marks said.

Through Vision Zero, Athens will establish a Safety Committee that will advise City Council on the development and implementation of a Vision Zero Safety Action Plan. 

The resolution the City Council approved on Monday supports designing transportation systems to move all people safely, including people of all ages and abilities, pedestrians and bicyclists.

Paige Parker, a city planner who researched Vision Zero, said the program will also benefit the city when it applies for federal transportation grants because cities with Vision Zero plans receive additional scoring.

The goal is to achieve zero fatalities and serious injuries by 2040.

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