Vision Zero: A Promise Worth Keeping
By: Octavio Padilla, PIA Vice-President
On July 1, 2025, I had the honor of standing beside Mayor Cavalier Johnson as he officially signed Milwaukee into the Vision Zero program one of the most meaningful, forward-looking efforts our city has embraced in years. As Vice President of Wisconsin PIA, I felt proud not just to witness this moment, but to participate in a movement that places people, safety, and future generations at the very center of our community planning.
Vision Zero is more than a traffic policy, it’s a bold commitment to eliminate traffic-related deaths and serious injuries by the year 2037. It’s based on the simple but radical idea that no loss of life on our streets is acceptable. That idea now drives a major shift in how we design roads, sidewalks, intersections, bike lanes, and transit routes. And thanks to strong leadership and public engagement, Milwaukee is all in.
The City has secured a $25 million federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant, matched with $6.25 million in local funds, to invest in high-impact safety improvements—like redesigned intersections, upgraded signals, raised curbs, protected bike lanes, and smart traffic control. This $31.25 million investment isn’t just a win for infrastructure; it’s a statement about our values and our priorities as a city.
But what’s especially inspiring is the community behind this effort. From the Coalition for Safe Driving MKE to Wisconsin Bike Fed, from the Sherman Park Community Association to Dominican Center and Northwest Side CDC, nonprofits across the city are rallying residents, collecting data, hosting events, and pushing for safer streets in the neighborhoods that need them most.
This isn’t just a City of Milwaukee initiative. This is a call to all of us, in every part of Wisconsin, to get involved in shaping the places we live in. Every town, suburb, and rural community can take part in creating safer, smarter, more walkable and livable streets. You don’t have to be a planner or politician to have a voice, you just have to care enough to speak up. Join your neighborhood association. Show up at city council or town hall meetings. Support or volunteer with local nonprofits already doing the work. Talk to your community officials.
The urgency couldn’t be clearer. Every year we delay action, we lose lives. I’m proud to be a part of this effort and proud that PIA has supported legislation to curb reckless driving in Milwaukee. Let’s make zero deaths not just a vision—but a promise kept.