DURHAM, N.C. — The Bull City recently hired Lauren Grove as its Vision Zero coordinator. Vision Zero is national safety initiative aimed at ending serious injury or death on the roadways. 

Grove’s background is in neuroscience research, working with low-income women in Detroit who often didn’t have a vehicle.

She looks at transportation safety through a public health lense. 

“Ciities should be able to provide that opportunity to access medical appointments, go to grocery stores,” said Grove.

Grove is one of only two Vision Zero coordinators currently in our state. 

Raleigh also has a designated role, while Chapel Hill has a job opening for the position.

Charlotte, Greensboro and Apex all have traffic safety engineers who work on Vision Zero projects. 

“If we locate transportation next to affordable housing so people don’t have to rely on driving everywhere, they can, in theory, walk out the door, wait at the transit stop and get to where they’re going via transit,” Grove explained. “There are over 40,000 people in the U.S. dying every year, and there are people dying in our cities and towns every year, and it’s all preventable. So, we really need to be focusing on the fact that, one, it is a public health crisis, and it’s important to recognize that.”

Grove says she is excited to be part of this growing work that more and more municipalities in our state are investing in. 

“We have to consider all of the people that move through this area, walking, biking, taking the bus, and that needs to be integral to a successful vision. Vision Zero policy is saying we are strongly committing to safety over congestion,” said Grove.