Vision Zero

Sustainability Director

Brian Blackmon
[email protected]
(865) 215-4430

400 Main St., Room 598
Knoxville, TN 37902

Last item for navigation
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share via Email
Vision Zero logo

  WorkshopRequest a Group Workshop

If your community group, neighborhood association, social club, faith organization, or workplace would like to learn more and share your concerns about safety on Knoxville's roads, consider inviting the City's Vision Zero team to facilitate a dialogue at your next meeting.
 
  Speaker iconEmail the Team  
  Facebook logoFollow on Facebook  
  EmailSign Up for E-Newsletters  
     
In 2021, City Council unanimously resolved to endorse a Vision Zero goal to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries on Knoxville’s streets.

Vision Zero is an international movement to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. Vision Zero communities commit to the following principles:
  • Sustained collaboration across the community
  • Data-driven decision making
  • Equity and community engagement
  • Transparent communication about processes, progress, and challenges

Vision Zero aligns with the City's focus on public safety, connectivity, and equitable mobility. By using a comprehensive approach that brings together road design, public education, and law enforcement, we can prevent life-altering crashes.



CRASH DATA

Over the last five years, 1,183 traffic crashes in Knoxville resulted in a fatality or serious injury. This means there is a life-altering crash every 37 hours in our community.

The Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization (Knox TPO) reviews crashes and publishes data, maps, and visualizations. They have identified several factors and trends in these life-altering crashes:



Safe Systems KNOXVILLE'S COMMITMENT TO SAFE STREETS

The City's formal commitment to Vision Zero in 2021 reflects a long history of efforts towards public safety. Since 2017, we have invested over $43 million in comprehensive and integrated street networks to safely accommodate all types of users and modes of transportation.

The City uses a safe systems approach that integrates roadway design, law enforcement, transit, public health, and other sectors - and involves multiple government divisions, community groups, technical experts, and other key stakeholders.

We gather data and engage the community to inform long-term planning, such as the Sidewalk Study and Bicycle Facilities Plan.

We implement best practices and programs such as the Complete Streets Policy, reduced speed limits, Neighborhood Traffic Safety Program, and Engineering Traffic Safety.

We lead coalitions and campaigns to improve safety, such as 'Save Lives with 25' and 'Minimum Three in Tennessee'.

And we're bringing together engineering, education, and enforcement to reach our Vision Zero goal.


TIMELINE

Stage 1: Develop the City’s Vision Zero Action Plan

As part of our commitment to Vision Zero, the City will adopt an Action Plan that serves as a 'road map' to reach our goals. Our Action Plan will focus on engineering, education, and enforcement strategies, and be guided by a broad coalition of stakeholders.

The City launched this planning stage in February 2022.

In late 2022, the City joined a coalition of local governments led by Knoxville-Knox County Planning to complete a Regional Roadway Safety Plan. This process includes the creation of a City-specific Action Plan, which should be completed by summer 2023. Our Action Plan will align with Vision Zero and federal 'Safe Streets For All' program guidelines.

Stage 2: Implement Action Plan

After the Action Plan is adopted, the City and partners will implement specific projects and programs outlined in the plan.

The Action Plan (which will be published on this webpage) will include guidelines on when and how progress will be measured and reported.


RESOURCES

ABOUT
  Report a Safety Problem on City Streets (Potholes, Lighting Outages, Street Cleaning, etc.)
City311
   
ROADWAY DESIGN

  Click to open Rules of the Road Pocket Card
TN Rules of the Road Pocket Card
   
ROAD USER EDUCATION


NEWS & EVENTS