We should celebrate the fact that there haven’t been any pedestrian or bicyclist deaths in Wheat Ridge since 2023. After all, our neighbor to the east, Denver, recorded 37 in 2025 alone. But this is partially down to luck, and to Wheat Ridge’s relatively small size. Perhaps even more importantly, should we be concerned with how safe do dog-walkers, moms with strollers, and kids on bikes feel while using our streets? Because if we don’t feel safe on our streets, we are less likely to go out and enjoy our town. After all, moving through Wheat Ridge shouldn’t have to put anyone’s life in danger! Fortunately, we have a tool that can help motorists, pedestrians, and rollers of all abilities feel safer: Vision Zero.
Vision Zero is a broadly-embraced global movement to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries. It recognizes that people — even the most careful people — can make mistakes, and are vulnerable to the consequences: driving too fast, stepping off of a narrow sidewalk, trying to get around a parked car in a bike lane. Vision Zero recognizes that everyone shares a responsibility to create safer environments for getting around, that safety measures can and should be proactive, and that redundancy in safety measures saves lives. In short: Vision Zero is here for everyone, not just lycra-clad bicyclists or podcast-focused dog walkers. It’s here to help make sure that when we are all out using the same stretch of road in different ways we all can get where we are going safely and enjoyably.
How does Vision Zero benefit everyone? Well, it’s not a one-and-done, simple fix. It is a systemic approach to road safety which bakes safeguards and room for user error into our road infrastructure. Usually, road systems rely on people doing the exact right thing every single time. But we know that’s an impossible goal — anyone can have a moment of not being “perfect” on the road. Building buffers into road design — which can take many different forms, depending on the road in question — makes things safer for all of us imperfect humans.
Our community has already taken some important first steps by recognizing that anyone using our streets should be safe. This includes community driven planning and funding to build better sidewalks and bike lanes for 38th Avenue west of Kipling, ADA and pedestrian sidewalk ramp installations on 32nd and 44th Avenues, and more — all funded through the voter-approved 2J Next Chapter Bond. The city is involved with the JeffCo’s Vision Zero work, and a resolution supporting a specific Vision Zero framework would be an opportunity for city leadership to commit to prioritizing and funding the data-driven corridors and spot locations identified in the project. That resolution should commit Wheat Ridge to zero traffic deaths and serious injuries, and lay out specific steps to achieve this goal. Please let your city council members know how important this issue is to you, and join us at wratat.org to stay updated on what’s next.
