Tragedy inspired one man’s drive to end pedestrian and bicycle deaths in Fresno

Advocates for bicyclists and pedestrians seeking safer streets gathered Sunday night at Fresno City Hall as part of a World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims and called for the city to implement Vision Zero, an international effort to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries.

The local effort was spearheaded by Joe Martinez, whose son Paul was killed by a speeding driver in 2013. The tragedy prompted Martinez to become an activist for the effort and led him to connect with political leaders like Nancy Pelosi to make Vision Zero a reality.

“l knew I had to do something,” to bring about change, Martinez said.

Also represented were members of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, which advocates for the safety of bicyclists and walkers at City Hall.

The goals of Vision Zero include designing streets for “safety over speed,” ensuring roads serve all users including bicyclists, mass transit users and pedestrians, and updating vehicle safety standards.

“We’re going to adopt Vision Zero, so this doesn’t happen to anyone else,” said City Councilmember Mike Karbassi, who attended the gathering and then led a vigil walk to a lighted Fresno Water Tower.

This story was originally published November 21, 2022 at 5:30 AM.