INDIANAPOLIS — The Department of Public Works’ (DPW) Vision Zero Task Force held its final meeting of 2026 Thursday, providing a snapshot of the latest data and to share plans moving forward. The Vision Zero Action Plan, a city-wide policy framework, aims to make streets safer and eliminate traffic-related deaths and serious injuries by 2035 through enforcement, education and infrastructure redesign.

“We’re still progressing, and the propensity of those fatal crashes are going down,” LeAndre Level, Vision Zero administrator for Indy DPW, said. “We are making progress, but we know this is a marathon not a sprint.”

From January 1 through September 30, preliminary data shows 61 people died and 538 people were seriously injured in crashes across Indianapolis. Of those deaths, 36 people were in cars, 23 people were pedestrians and two were riding bicycles.

While the data showed decreases in car and bicycle deaths, Level said other areas are on the rise.

“We are seeing some outliers of rising data of serious and fatal crash for motorcycle riders and for pedestrians particularly,” he said

DPW’s 2027 adopted budget provides dedicated funding for the new traffic safety program Rapid Response, totaling $5.7 million in funding by 2030 to support to low-cost pedestrian safety
improvements, tactical urbanism projects, and other projects.

“There is a million dollars a year that will be dedicated to support safety infrastructure programs and materials in the roadway moving forward to support those, on top of all the efforts IMPD and others are doing,” Level said.

While progress has been made to make streets safer, advocates at Thursday’s meeting felt the city is falling short.

“We need to act,” one resident said. “Please. You’re not acting like this is Vision Zero. You’re acting like this is Vision 200. We’re already there.”

“We can do better,” another added. “The reason why I’m frustrated is because I know we can do better, and we’re not.”

Level said that the city is doing what it can, but to achieve Vision Zero, it takes all of us.

“We’re going to need to public’s buy in,” he said. “We’re going to need the public’s engagement on the importance of slowing down when driving, being mindful when you’re on the roadway or using the trails and other infrastructure system.”

The city is hosting an open house from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Dec. 8 at the City-County Building for those interested in learning more about community infrastructure projects.

The next Vision Zero Task Force meeting is scheduled for May. To view Vision Zero data, click here.