The City of Bellevue is doubling down on its commitment to enhancing road safety and diminishing traffic fatalities to zero. As part of its ongoing Vision Zero initiative, Bellevue has joined the U.S. Department of Transportation's Allies in Action program alongside 16 other entities to eliminate traffic deaths on a national scale. This coalition now boasts over 180 partners spanning various sectors, from government bodies to grassroots organizations, who are all pledged to implement concrete steps toward this goal, as per the City of Bellevue.

Since its inception in 2015, Bellevue's Vision Zero plan has been steadfast in its pursuit to eradicate traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2030. Annual progress reports and action plans act as both a ledger of their journey and a roadmap for the future. According to a recent statement from the city, its contribution to the Allies in Action includes plans for 2025. This includes broadening road safety audit programs, advancing speed safety camera systems, and piloting adaptive pedestrian signals, among others.

All of these measures are in alignment with the National Roadway Safety Strategy which the USDOT launched in 2022. This national plan was a response to the continually escalating numbers of road-related deaths in the U.S. With traffic fatalities reaching an estimated 40,990 in 2023, programs like Vision Zero and Allies in Action have gained urgency and prominence.

In a sign of growing collaborative efforts, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has promoted Allies in Action as a key component in combatting the road safety crisis. The full roster of participating organizations, as well as a message from Secretary Buttigieg, can be accessed on the city's official website.