The 2026 Vision Zero PHL Conference marked a decade of Philadelphia being a Vision Zero City with over 350 attendees and 50 speakers coming together to discuss and learn about the challenges and opportunities toward eliminating all traffic fatalities and severe injuries — while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. This year’s theme, Putting Community First: Revolutionizing Street Safety, focused on the impact that community can have on Vision Zero, as well as the positive impact that streets designed with Vision Zero in mind can have on a community.
Among the various breakout and plenary sessions, the Power to the People panel was a stand out to our attendees. This session was moderated by Alexa Ringer, co-organizer of the Philly Bike Train with HNTB, who led the discussion with a panel of community leaders and organizers who have seen success in their grassroots-led safe streets efforts. Panelists included Elizabeth Hocker with Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia and PA Safe Roads PAC, Ee Durbin with Philly Bike Action, Ross Abel with Bike Montgomery County, and Will Tung with 5th Square Advocacy. The discussion included powerful stories of how personal and community experiences inspired positive change on roads across the Philadelphia Region and, in turn, how these changes helped strengthen their surrounding communities. For more information about the changes discussed in this panel, a link to the presentation can be accessed here.
The positive changes discussed during this panel provide hope for our progress toward Vision Zero and highlights how grassroots engagement can be effective for creating real change. However, the struggles in adopting these changes and the remaining work highlights that Vision Zero requires determination and coalitions that can organize people to act for change. If you are interested in getting involved with any of our grassroots partners highlighted in this panel, you can find QR codes to their webpages at the end of the presentation. 
This was just one of many panels at our Vision Zero Conference that highlighted the impact of traffic violence, the solutions for traffic violence, and the politics involved. If you’re interested in learning more about the other panels, you can find all the slideshow presentations from the conference below:
Shifting Culture, Changing Minds: How Communities Put Vision Zero First
Vision Zero Across the Greater Region
The Transit Funding Crisis and its Implications for Vision Zero
Breaking Down Misconceptions about E-Bikes
Quick Fixes & the Long Haul: Navigating State and Local Solutions to Traffic Violence
Walking & Biking Through Philadelphia: 1776 to 2026
Looking Back, Looking Ahead: How Vision Zero Puts Communities First
As we look forward to next year’s conference and continued progress toward Vision Zero, we hope to continue working with our local communities, passionate organizers, and city & state governments to overcome the challenges of Vision Zero and make changes to make our streets safe, inclusive, and accessible for all.
We’d like to thank our Presenting Sponsor, the Philadelphia Parking Authority, for their support and all of our speakers for giving their time and energy to the Vision Zero PHL Conference and toward fighting for safe streets.
Founded in 1972, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia leads the movement, through advocacy and education, to make every bicycle ride safe, to empower youth and adults to ride, and to foster a ridership that reflects the diversity of the region. Read more about our work at bicyclecoalition.org.