Pierce County Council adopts Vision 0 action plan to reduce traffic deaths by 2035

Pierce County on Tuesday adopted a Vision 0 action plan aimed at eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries on county roadways by 2035, voting 4-3 to approve Resolution R2025-132.

The plan, developed by Planning and Public Works with consultant DKS Associates and funded in part by a federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant, outlines engineering, education and enforcement strategies—plus grant-seeking priorities—to target roadway segments and user groups at highest risk.

Why it matters: County staff say the plan makes Pierce County eligible for federal implementation grants and helps prioritize safety investments at the local level. Supporters argued the plan gives the council a toolbox of evidence-based options and improves the county’s competitiveness for large federal grants. Opponents warned about costs, limits of engineering solutions and the need to prioritize enforcement and basic road preservation.

The plan and vote Planning and Public Works staff and consultant Brian Chandler briefed the…