As Philadelphia marks its 10th year as a Vision Zero City in 2026, we continue to work towards the goal of zero traffic fatalities by 2050. But what will it take to reach that goal? And what’s possible when community needs and lived experiences guide policy and planning decisions?
We hope to answer these questions and more at this year’s Vision Zero PHL Conference on March 12th, 2026 focusing on Putting Community First: Revolutionizing Street Safety. As we look forward to the conference, we are excited to have many great speakers and discussions.
Our day will begin with introductory remarks from Sangeeta Badlani, Founder of the Nikhil Badlani Foundation and Families for Safe Streets New Jersey. After losing her 11-year-old son, Nikhil, in a car crash in 2011, Sangeeta mobilized her grief into a powerful movement for safer streets. Her advocacy has led to the passage of Nikhil’s Law, the requirement of 50 supervised driving hours, and most recently, the creation of the NJ Target Zero Commission.
Sangeeta Badlani seen to the right of Governor Murphy at the signing of Target Zero into law.
Sangeeta empowers the next generation of traffic safety leaders through the Youth Advisory Board and Drivers Ed Through Art program, which have engaged and educated thousands of students across New Jersey.
Following Sangeeta’s remarks, we will host our first of two all-conference plenary sessions. This year, our plenaries will focus on the importance of community engagement and involvement in achieving Vision Zero in Philadelphia.
Our Morning Plenary, Shifting Culture, Changing Minds: How Communities Put Vision Zero First, discusses how changing the culture around traffic safety means shifting social norms and expectations of acceptable travel behavior. This work starts at the community level, through conversations between neighbors and friends. Unfortunately, since 2020, Philadelphia – like many communities across the country – has experienced backsliding, with a growing normalization of more dangerous behaviors. This panel will explore frameworks for effective culture change. Panelists will discuss proven strategies that can be deployed to meaningfully shift how communities shape our collective safety culture across the region.
This plenary will be moderated by Chris Puchalsky, Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives, Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems at the City of Philadelphia, and joined by:
- Eileen Miller, founder of Paul Miller’s Law, which bans drivers from holding handheld devices;
- Pennsylvania State Senator Anthony Williams, sponsor of HB988 Jay Alert legislation;
- Kit Delgado, faculty director of the Penn Medicine Nudge Unit, the world’s first behavioral design team embedded within a health system; and
- Michele Brennan, Strategic Communications Lead at HDR
Stay tuned for an announcement about more panels and speakers! More information, including sponsorships, a link to purchase sliding-scale tickets, and the schedule for the day, can be found here.
The 2026 Vision Zero PHL conference is presented by the Philadelphia Parking Authority. Many thanks to our sponsors: Hayden AI, Michael Baker International, HNTB, CHOP, Jacobs, HDR, Obvio, Urban Engineers, NV5, Emily Fredricks Foundation, Bicycle Transit Systems, Kimley-Horn, Bowman, AARP, CDM Smith, STV, TYLin, TPD, WSP, RK&K, Remington & Vernick Engineers, and Piscitello Law.