The 2023 Washington Region Vision Zero Summit took place primarily over Zoom on Wednesday, June 14th, 2023 between 9:00AM and 5:00PM. We also had a small amount of optional in-person programming from 6:00PM to 8:30PM that evening at MLK Library (901 G St NW, Washington, DC 20001) in their fifth floor event space. See below for more information about our speakers, as well as recordings of each session!

The theme of this year’s summit was Community Engagement and Safe Streets. Throughout the day, we explored how we as practitioners, decision makers, and advocates can authentically seek and incorporate community feedback and build lasting community buy-in for safer streets.

This year’s summit was Pay-What-You-Can for all registrants.

Thank you to our event sponsor:

Speakers and Panels

Welcome from WABA’s Executive Director Elizabeth Kiker and DC Vision Zero’s Interim Director Charlie Willson:

Vision Zero, Looking Back and Ahead: The 2022 DC Vision Zero Update and Mechanisms for Stakeholder Engagement

A member of the D.C. Vision Zero Team and DDOT’s Automated Traffic Enforcement program director will present key aspects of the 2022 DC Vision Zero Update, with a focus on public engagement, followed by comments, critique, and communication and community input modalities that could be attempted in the future. The government representatives will be joined by D.C. community members knowledgeable about street safety improvement programs, interventions available, and which have proven more and less successful, and which have not been sufficiently attempted in the District. This presentation is for both a general audience and those interested in zeroing in on one enforcement mechanism on which a variety of community views exist.

Speakers include moderator Heather Foote (Transportation Footeprints); Ameen Beale (D.C. Pedestrian Advisory Council, Ward 8 representative); Eileen McCarthy (former D.C. Pedestrian Advisory Council chair, Ward 3, and America Walks representative to the International Federation of Pedestrians board of directors); Christine Mayeur (D.C. Vision Zero and Highway Safety Office Transportation Specialist); and Charles Turner (DDOT Automated Traffic Enforcement).

Keynote: Maryland Secretary of Transportation Paul Wiedefeld

Secretary Wiedefeld will talk about Maryland’s Vision Zero efforts, how that work includes community leaders, and any lessons to share with the region overall. The Q&A portion of the session will be led by Montgomery County Councilmember Natali Fani-González.

Equity in Safe Streets and Community Response

Join representatives from local jurisdiction Vision Zero programs to discuss equity issues with regard to their Vision Zero framework. This session will particularly focus on how equity is considered when reviewing and responding to community-reported safety concerns.

Speakers include Christine Baker (Arlington County Vision Zero Program Manager), Christine Mayeur (DC Vision Zero and Highway Safety Office Transportation Specialist), Wade Holland (Montgomery County Vision Zero Coordinator), Victor Weissberg (Special Projects Manager, Prince George’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation), Alexandria Carroll (Alexandria VA Vision Zero), and moderator Alex Baca (DC Policy Director, Greater Greater Washington)

Mapping Bikeability/Walkability Barriers

Volunteers will identify the gaps in sidewalks/trails/bike paths within a half-mile of 96 schools, and how unsafe intersections near those schools can be upgraded. The report will include GIS-created maps, photographs, and text to recommend how the safety barriers can be corrected.

Speakers include Charlie Grymes (Greater Prince William Trails Coalition), Michele Burton (Project Manager, Institute for Public Health Innovation), and Earnie Porta (JD, PhD; Mayor, Town of Occoquan;
Chair, Prince William County, Joint Environmental Task Force)

The DC Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners Vision Zero Caucus

Hear from members of WABA’s Vision Zero Caucus as well as other Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners (ANCs) about Vision Zero efforts taking place throughout the city. 

Speakers include Erin Palmer (ANC 4B02), Josh Jacobson (ANC 1E06), Ashley Ruff (ANC 7F02), and VJ Kapur (ANC 5C07)

Youth Engagement in Safe Streets Efforts

Speakers will discuss various efforts to engage young people in safe streets projects throughout the region. The conversation will be moderated by Stephanie Tulowetzke (Vision Zero Coalition Manager, Washington Area Bicyclist Association)

Speakers include: Kori Johnson (Safe Routes Partnership), Jacob Smith (Executive Director, National Organizations for Youth Safety), Katie Davis (Education Program Coordinator, Washington Area Bicyclist Association), Duwan Morris (Montgomery County Vision Zero Youth Ambassador Program Manager)

Reforming the DMV’s Deadliest Road (Route 210 – Indian Head Highway)

AAA has named Indian Head Highway in Prince George’s County as the deadliest road in the region. Route 210 is only 21 miles long, less than one-half of one percent of PG County’s miles of roads. Yet in 2022, it produced 10% of its fatalities including four pedestrians and a bicyclist. This session explores two local community organizations’ efforts to reduce that death rate. Their successes and frustrations provide many valuable lessons for other traffic safety advocates.

Speakers include: Paul Ruffins (Streetcar Suburbs News) and Ron Weiss

Enhancing Engagement with Cargo Bikes with DC Public Library

The session focuses on how a cargo bike mobile library has improved the reach and engagement of the DC Public Library’s Outreach team. We share the history and use of our Library on the GoGo Book Bike as inspiration for how agencies can use cargo bikes as effective tools for bringing services to their communities.

Speakers include: Jo Percell (Outreach Librarian, DC Public Library) and Liliana Garcia (Library Associate, DC Public Library)

Families for Safe Streets Regional Discussion

Families for Safe Streets is a group that confronts traffic violence and its epidemic of tragic injuries and deaths. They are comprised of victims of traffic violence and families whose loved ones have been killed or severely injured by aggressive or reckless driving and dangerous conditions on District streets. This session discusses the ongoing efforts of five local Families for Safe Streets chapters: DC, Montgomery County, and Northern VA (Arlington, Alexandria, and Fairfax County).

Speakers include: Kristy Daphnis (Montgomery County Families for Safe Streets), Helaina Roisman (DC Families for Safe Streets), Patrick Wise (Alexandria Families for Safe Streets), Hung Truong (Arlington Families for Safe Streets), and Sonya Breehey (Fairfax Families for Safe Streets), with Stephanie Tulowetzke (Vision Zero Coalition Manager, WABA) moderating.

Open Data and Digital Collaboration to Make Streets Safer, Together

Regional Governments of DC, Virginia, Maryland, and around the world are increasingly providing open data for anyone to advocate for improved safety and policy-making. Digital data-driven platforms are public infrastructure that provide open, equitable access to the same tools for planning our cities for use by the public. In this session you’ll learn about what’s available to use today and powerful examples where these tools are used by communities to advocate and change their cities for the better!

Speakers include: Andrew Turner (Director, R+D DC), Mike Doyle (Northern VA Families for Safe Streets), and Trisalyn Nelson (Professor of Geography, UC Santa Barbara)

Evening Program at MLK Library

https://www.facebook.com/100064507099183/videos/221817444071339 (Click here to watch!)

Speakers include:

Ward 6 DC Councilmember Charles Allen

A representative from DC Public Library will be giving brief remarks about their cargo book bike, which will be onsite at the event