Vision Zero Public Hearing

Testimony by

Erin Synk

March 4, 2021

Good evening, Councilmembers. It is great to be with you tonight and speak in favor of

Vision Zero Columbus. My name is Erin Synk. I am the Vice-Chair of Yay Bikes! and

happy to be here speaking on behalf of our members and those that ride bikes for

transportation and recreation in Columbus.

First of all, I want to commend the City of Columbus for embarking on a Vision Zero

initiative to fundamentally rethink how Columbus approaches transportation planning

and prioritizing the safety of vulnerable users such as bicyclists. Eliminating traffic

deaths and improving the experience of cyclists and pedestrians is a laudable goal that

Yay Bikes! fully supports.

Our mission at Yay Bikes! is to help people ride bikes in the conditions that exist today

and improve the conditions that will exist tomorrow. We know that in Central Ohio, 60

percent of people are interested in making some trip by bike that they’re currently making

by car. These “bike curious” folks often sight some barrier as the reason they’re not

riding, the most common being they don’t believe the route and streets they’d have to

ride are safe and comfortable to travel by bike. It’s our hope that Vision Zero Columbus

will reshape our streets to be safer for bicyclists and encourage more people to make that

trip by bike.

Some cities have used Vision Zero as a catalyst for dramatic change to their infrastructure

that makes a city more walkable and bike friendly. Cities like Boston, MA, San Luis

Obispo, CA and Seattle, WA have successfully used their vision zero initiatives to install

miles of protected bike infrastructure, improve sidewalks and enhance transit stops, all of

which improve safety and advance mobility for city residents.

I am, personally, very interested in revisions to the City’s road design manual and

standards. Traditional standards are focused on quickly and efficiently moving motor

vehicles, putting the safety and comfort of people using the right of ways as a distant

second. This leads to street designs that simply aren’t safe for human beings. Updating

these manuals to prioritize people will absolutely save lives, while making Columbus a

more vibrant city and pay dividends for years to come. Yay Bikes! strongly recommends

Columbus use this opportunity to set bold, progressive standards that are a departure from

the status quo.

Above all, Yay Bikes! encourages the City of Columbus to be aspirational and bold in

advancing the Vision Zero Strategy. Let’s set ambitious, “stretch-goals” for projects and

infrastructure improvements that will be challenging to meet, but move the City forward

in profound ways if successful. To be successful, this must be followed by aligning the

resources and funding necessary to reach those ambitious goals. In doing so, Columbus

can prove itself to be a Vision Zero leader in the Midwest and the nation.

I sincerely believe that by taking bold steps and working together, this initiative will be

the beginning of a transformational journey for Columbus. We, at Yay Bikes! look

forward to our continued partnership with the City of Columbus to improve mobility in

the region. Thank you.