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.