Lace & Axle: City of Jacksonville Bicycle and Pedestrian Newsletter
The Lace & Axle semiannual newsletter includes information on pedestrian and bicycle projects, programs, and events throughout the City of Jacksonville. Pick up a copy at local businesses downtown or read online.
For corrections, feedback, or topic suggestions, please get in touch with Tanner Pletzke tpletzke@coj.net.
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The Winter 2025-2026 Lace & Axle
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Latest Issue (Text Only):
Title of the newsletter "Lace & Axle" is stylized with a running shoe on the left and a bike wheel on the right.
&
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.COJ.NET/PEDBIKE;
An image of a cyclist riding in a protected bike lane, painted green, on the rightmost side of a five-lane divided road. The bike lane features small bump-like "delineators" between the vehicle travel lane and the bike lane. There is a stoplight-controlled intersection in the distance and two cars traveling in the foreground.
EDGEWOOD AVENUE SEES MAJOR BIKE LANE
UPGRADE: FIRST OF ITS KIND IN JACKSONVILLE
FDOT District 2 recently completed
nearly 2.5 miles of protected bicycle
lanes along both sides of Edgewood Avenue
in Jacksonville. The new facilities
include green pavement markings and
physical separation from motor vehicle
travel lanes using painted buff ers and
vertical delineators. This project represents
a major step forward for Jacksonville’s
bicycle network and introduces
a new low-stress facility type along
a corridor that previously had none.
Prior to the Edgewood Avenue project,
Jacksonville had only ~0.7 miles
of separated or protected bicycle lanes
citywide, located along Riverplace Boulevard
and the very recently completed
River’s Edge development. With the
addition of Edgewood Avenue, the city
now has roughly 5.6 miles of protected
bicycle lanes, an increase of more than
800% in separated bicycle facilities!
Research from the National Association
of City Transportation Offi cials (NACTO)
shows that protected bike lanes
can reduce crashes involving people
biking by up to 50% compared to conventional
bike lanes, largely by reducing
conflicts when cyclists and vehicles
are integrated in the shared roadway.
While the Edgewood lanes are a signifi -
cant addition, there are opportunities to
strengthen their performance over time.
The current segment runs from Susquehanna
Street to just North of Beaver Street and
does not yet connect to other existing bike
facilities. Future gap closures could help tie
these lanes into nearby routes, including
planned and existing facilities to the south
near the Murray Hill area. Residents can
explore current and planned connections
using the City’s interactive bicycle network
map to see how these pieces could come to-
gether...(SEE: EDGEWOOD ON PAGE 4)
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE
An inset image of a "bike valet" corral where several bikes are parked outside of Everbank stadium.
BIKE PARKING FOR
CHANGE PG.6
An inset image of pedestrians walking on a boardwalk trail at the RiversEdge development.
RIVERSEDGE OPENS
ON SOUTHBANK PG.5
An inset image of a painted bike lane symbol at an intersection. The pavement is slightly wet and reflecting streetlights.
VISION ZERO LIGHTS
THE NIGHT PG.12
AND
MORE...
Bicycle-Pedestrian Planning Team at
PorchFest
An image of a Jacksonville citizen speaking with City of Jacksonville employees working a table at Porchfest. There are several takeaway goodies on the table, historical photos of Jacksonville neighborhoods, and more vendor tents in the background.
An image of bicycle-pedestrian coordinators Matt Fall and Tanner Pletzke smiling and holding up a 2025 Bike Map at the City of Jacksonville Porchfest tent.
Our Bicycle-Pedestrian Planning
team was out in the community
this year at the 2025 Jacksonville
PorchFest, hosting an outreach
table and connecting with residents
during one of the city’s most
vibrant neighborhood musical
events. Throughout the day, our
staff fitted and distributed nearly
100 free bicycle helmets, along
with bike route maps, LED armbands,
and a wide range of bicycle
and pedestrian safety information.
Beyond the giveaways, PorchFest
gave us the chance to have meaningful,
one-on-one conversations
with people who bike and walk in
Jacksonville every day. Residents
stopped by to share their experiences,
ask questions about current
and upcoming projects, and learn
more about how the City is working
to improve safety and comfort
for all roadway users. Events like
PorchFest are a valuable reminder
that community input and everyday
experiences are essential
to shaping safer streets citywide.
An image of bike-ped coordinator Matt Fall shaking hands with a citizen at the City of Jacksonville Porchfest tent.
An image of COJ employee Sherri fitting a toddler-sized bike helmet on a child at Porchfest. The child's parent looks down and smiles.
Jacksonville’s Safe Routes to School
The City of Jacksonville has been working in
partnership with the North Florida Transportation
Planning Organization (TPO), which
leads the region’s Safe Routes to School (SRTS)
program, along with Duval County Public
Schools (DCPS), to support safer and healthier
ways for students to walk and bike to school.
Together, the partners have already engaged
with Englewood Elementary, Arlington Elementary,
and Mandarin Middle School, and
are beginning SRTS plans for each campus,
with reports expected to be completed in 2026.
An illustrative icon of a schoolhouse.
Each SRTS report will identify recommended infrastructure
improvements within the fi rst- and
last-mile commute students take between home
and school, as well as education, encouragement,
and safety programs tailored to each campus.
This work dovetails with Duval County Public
Schools’ ongoing “Be Safe, Be Seen” initiative
and may also position schools for future implementation
funding through FDOT’s statewide
SRTS program, helping move recommendations
from planning to on-the-ground improvements.
Updated Bike Network Map and New 2025
Bicycle-Pedestrian Brochure Now Available
The City of Jacksonville has completed its
annual update to the interactive On-Street
Bikeways and Shared-Use Paths (Trails)
Network web tool. This online map allows
residents to explore a comprehensive, citywide
view of Jacksonville’s bicycle network,
including shared-use paths (trails), separated
bike lanes, buffered bike lanes, standard
bike lanes, and shared routes (shar-
rows). The tool displays existing, funded,
and planned facilities, giving users a clearer
picture of how the network functions
today and how it will continue to expand
and connect to destinations in the future.
The interactive map is designed to be easy
to use and information-rich. By clicking
on individual facilities, users can view key
attributes such as facility type, length, location,
project status, and more, helping
residents plan routes, understand ongoing
project prioritization, and see how bicycle
infrastructure connects across localities.
An image of a hand holding several folded bike-ped maps ready to be given away.
In tandem with the web tool update, the
City has also released our new 2025 Bicycle-
Pedestrian Brochure Map. Th ese fold-
able, pocket-sized brochures are shared
at outreach events and through local bike
shops, giving Jaxons an easy, on-the-go
way to explore bike routes and shared-
use paths, and plan their cycling routes.
A unique feature of the brochure is that
it’s made from limestone rather than paper,
making it tear-proof, water-resistant,
and more environmentally friendly, ideal
for riders who may encounter rain when
cycling with maps in pockets or bags.
A digital version of the 2025 Bicycle-Pedestrian
Brochure Map is also available
online, while hard-copy limestone
brochures can be picked up at events
and partner locations across the City.
View the interactive web tool HEREHERE
A screenshot of the online COJ bike-ped map, with an arrow pointing to a QR code that, when scanned, takes you to the online inventory.
An image of two citizens walking along the S-Line urban greenway, with an illustrative arrow pointing to a QR code that, when scanned, takes you to the printable version of the COJ bike map.
View the map HERE
An illustration of thought bubbles denoting a question or comment.
HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PEDESTRIAN
AND BICYCLE PLANNING PROGRAM?
Email us at JPDTransportation@COJ.net
Bike Lanes Push Street Design Further
(From: EDGEWOOD):
There are also other design tradeoff s
worth noting: Th e flexible vertical de-
lineators provide visual separation and
allow street sweepers to more easily
access the bike lanes for debris removal.
At the same time, the lower profi le
allows some vehicles to drive over the
separators, and debris can accumulate
between cleanings. In addition, the protected
lanes do not continue through
some intersections, where people biking
often experience the most stress. FDOT
addressed these locations by providing
bicycle ramps that guide riders onto the
sidewalk to cross with pedestrians before
reentering the protected lanes on the far
side, an approach that reduces confl icts
but may feel circuitous for some users.
Another opportunity for future refi ne-
ment relates to how the protected lanes
interact with driveways and side streets.
In several locations, the bike lanes and
vertical separators pause well in advance
of access points and then resume
far to the right of turning vehicles. Th is
configuration can unintentionally encourage
faster turning movements and
create slip-lane-like conditions as drivers
reenter Edgewood Avenue. Future
design refinements that maintain separation
closer to access points or tighten
turning geometry could help slow vehicle
movements and improve visibility
between drivers and people biking.
Despite these limitations, the Edgewood
Avenue protected bike lanes are a welcome
and meaningful addition to Jacksonville’s
bicycle network. As the City and
FDOT continue to work together, future
enhancements such as stronger separation,
improved intersection treatments,
better driveway design, and network connections
could further improve safety,
comfort, and connectivity. Projects like
this move Jacksonville closer to a more
complete, low-stress bicycle network that
serves riders of all ages and abilities. □
An illustrative icon of a bicycle.
A vertical image looking down the new Edgewood Avenue N bike lanes. The bike lane is painted green, with "skip striping" visible in the background to denote a shared bike lane/bus stop. The bike lane is separated from vehicle traffic by two large paint stripes, and small domed delineators.
An image of a bike ramp leading from the Edgewood Ave N bike lanes up to the sidewalk at an intersection. Bikes are meant to exit the bike lane and join the sidewalk. A yellow sensory mat marks the boundary between the sidewalk ramp and the sidewalk itself.
An overhead illustrative map of the section of Edgewood Avenue North that includes the new bike lanes. A bubble with the words "NEW BIKE LANES" points at the green line denoting the bike lanes.
Why Driveway Design Matters
FOR BIKE SAFETY
Driveways and access points are among
the most common locations for con-
flicts between motor vehicles and people
biking. Guidance from both the Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA)
and NACTO emphasizes that driveway
design plays a critical role in managing
vehicle speeds and improving safety.
Best practices recommend keeping protected
bike lanes visually and physically
continuous as close as possible to driveways
and intersections, using tighter turning
radii to slow vehicles, and maintaining
clear sight lines between drivers and cyclists.
Designs that allow vehicles to make
fast, sweeping turns or accelerate quickly
onto main roadways can increase crash risk
and stress for people biking. By contrast,
channelized turns and continuous separation
encourage slower, more deliberate
movements and clearer yielding behavior.
As protected bike networks expand,
thoughtful driveway and access management
becomes increasingly important.
Refinements such as extending separation
closer to access points, improving markings,
or upgrading separators over time can
help ensure that protected bike lanes function
as intended and provide consistent
comfort and safety along an entire corridor.
Riversedge Sets New Standard for Bicycle,
Pedestrian Design in Jacksonville
The newly opened RiversEdge development along Jacksonville’s
Southbank represents a major milestone in creating inviting
public space and high-quality active transportation facilities
in the urban core. What was once an underused stretch of waterfront
is now a lively, accessible destination with beautifully
crafted separated bicycle and pedestrian pathways, a boardwalk
overlooking the St. Johns River, and amenities that support everyday
use by residents and visitors alike. By thoughtfully separating
travel modes and prioritizing comfort and safety, Riv-
ersEdge stands out as one of the strongest examples of bicycle
and pedestrian design in an urban landscape in all of Jacksonville.
RiversEdge includes a variety of features that make it both functional
and welcoming. Dedicated pedestrian walkways and separated
bicycle facilities guide users toward and through a public
park that offers shaded seating, gathering spaces, and scenic
views. The parks are pet-friendly, with walking areas and water
fountains for both people and pooches. A bicycle repair station
provides convenience for cyclists passing through or stopping
to enjoy the space. These amenities help make the corridor
inviting for people of all ages and abilities, whether they
are commuting, exercising, or simply exploring the Riverwalk.
An image shows a two-way protected cycle track, tinted green overall with directional bike lane markings and yellow striped centerlines. In the background, new condominiums and apartments at RiversEdge are visible. It is a sunny, partly cloudy day.
An image shows a bicycle and pedestrian counter displaying current counts of cyclists and walkers in the foreground, and downtown Jacksonville visible in the background. It is a clear, sunny day.
Two pedestrians stroll down a wide boardwalk. No human development past the boardwalk is visible, it overlooks a small green creek with trees surrounding.
The development also includes a user counter along the
shared-use path, allowing the City to track how many people
are walking, biking, and using other forms of micromo-
bility over time. This data will be valuable in understanding
how residents and visitors use the facility and in highlighting
demand for high-quality bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure
across Jacksonville. As the RiversEdge space continues
to grow in popularity, the information collected will
help shape future investments and demonstrate the benefi t
of creating safe, comfortable space for nonmotorized travel.
RiversEdge reflects years of careful planning, collaboration,
and community investment. In 2023, the Downtown
Investment Authority approved extended construction
timelines and increased incentives to support the project’s
development, ensuring the project included the amenities
and attention to detail that make the existing public space
exceptional. This forward-thinking approach has resulted in
a vibrant urban space that not only activates the waterfront
but demonstrates what is possible when safety, connectivity,
and placemaking come together. As Jacksonville continues
to expand its bicycle and pedestrian networks, RiversEdge
serves as a model for future projects that seek to enhance
mobility and create inviting public places for all Jaxons. □
BIKE TO THE GAME,
BIKE FOR CHANGE
An image of bike valet operator Garfield Cooper looking past the camera. He is holding a stack of plastic security tubs, and a flag/banner behind him reads "VALET"
Garf, also the owner of ZenCog
Bicycle Company, extends this
community spirit to EverBank
Stadium with a FREE bike valet
service for Jacksonville Jaguars
home games. Located in Lot D,
the valet opens 2-3 hours before
kickoff and stays open about an
hour post-game, offering fans a
secure spot to park their bikes.
HOW THE JAGUARS’ BIKE
VALET AND THE HONEY
POT BIKE COLLECTIVE
WORK TOGETHER
In the heart of Jacksonville’s Urban Core, Th e
Honey Pot Bike Collective (THPBC) is transforming
lives one pedal at a time. Founded
in 2008 by local cycling advocate Garfi eld
“Garf” Cooper, this volunteer-run 501(c)(3)
non-profit, originally called Jax ReCycle, has
refurbished and redistributed over 600 bikes
to adults in need, partnering with organizations
like the Sulzbacher Center and Operation
New Hope. From helping job seekers
get to work to providing reliable transportation
for those experiencing homelessness,
THPBC’s mission is clear: bikes change lives.
A wide-angle image shows the large bicycle parking area at Everbank Stadium, which is partially visible in the background. On the right of the image, ZenCog branded tents harbor customers dropping off and picking up bicycles parked in the valet area.
It’s a game-changer for residents
who ride to games, making it easy
to skip traffic and parking hassles
while supporting a good cause.
Donations collected at the valet
help fund HPBC’s efforts to keep
bikes rolling for those in need.
It’s like Garf always says:
“Where there’s a wheel, there’s a way.”
The Collective accepts donated bikes in any
condition, from rusty frames to fully functional
rides, and their dedicated volunteers
restore them to safe, working order. Th ese
bikes are then donated or sold at low cost to
individuals who need them most, oft en bundled
with helmets, lights, and locks to ensure
safe cycling. Beyond repairs, THPBC fosters
Jacksonville’s cycling community through
events like the annual Luminaria Bike Ride,
where families pedal through Avondale
to enjoy holiday lights, and hands-on repair
workshops that empower new cyclists.
Beyond repairs, THPBC fosters Jacksonville’s
cycling community through events
like the annual Luminaria Bike Ride, where
families pedal through Avondale to enjoy
holiday lights, and hands-on repair
workshops that empower new cyclists.
An image of volunteers working on donated bicycles inside of the Honey Pot Bike Collective. There are wheels and bicycles hanging from the ceiling, on racks in the background, and four separate people working on separate bike projects at bike stands or workbenches.
Q&A With Garfield “Garf” Cooper,
President of The Honey Pot Bike Collective
‣ Garfield “Garf” Cooper is a
lifelong cyclist, community
organizer, and owner of
ZenCog Bicycle Company.
‣ As founder and president
of The Honey Pot Bike Collective,
he’s helped repair
and distribute hundreds
of bikes to people in need
while fostering a strong
local cycling community.
‣ From grassroots repair
nights to the bike valet
at Jaguars games, Garf’s
work keeps the city rolling
one good deed – and two
wheels – at a time.
□
Knowing What
Counts
Documenting how many people walk and bike in
Jacksonville is essential to planning safe, connected
transportation networks. In 2025, the City of
Jacksonville released its first formally organized
Nonmotorized User Count Strategy Report, a
citywide framework for collecting and analyzing
pedestrian and bicycle activity. Th is eff ort helps
ensure that walking and biking are measured,
documented, and considered alongside motor
vehicle traffic when sidewalks, bike lanes,
and trails are planned, designed, and funded.
The 2025 City of Jacksonville Nonmotorized
User Count Strategy Report establishes a consistent
approach to where, when, and how pedestrian
and bicycle counts are collected. Rather
than relying on assumptions about who uses
our streets and trails, the strategy focuses on
real data that captures existing use, emerging
trends, and growth over time. Th is information
supports safer project design, strengthens grant
applications, and helps City staff and engineers
better understand demand for bike lanes, shared
use paths, and sidewalks across Jacksonville.
Looking ahead, the City will use this strategy
to produce an annual nonmotorized user
counts report, tracking trends and changes in
how people walk and bike on Jacksonville’s sidewalks,
trails, and bike lanes. Over time, this
data will help measure progress, inform investments,
and tell a clearer story about how residents
are choosing to move around the city.
View the 2025
Nonmotorized
User Count
Strategy HERE
A small inset icon of the City of Jacksonville Non-Motorized User Counts Strategy Report cover page, with a QR code that links directly to it in front.
An image of two cyclists riding past a bicycle and pedestrian counter display at Corkscrew Park. The spiral descending ramp is visible in the background.
An image of FDOT nonmotorized user counts manager Jotan Borms installing a pole-mounted MioVision camera at Riverplace Blvd.
Remembering Len Burroughs
WRITTEN BY STEVE TOCKNELL OF NFBC
Len Burroughs passed away on October 2, 2025.
The cause of Len’s death was pancreatic cancer.
An avid bicyclist, Len was a longtime member
of the North Florida Bicycle Club, a board member
of Pedaling for Safety, and a founding member
of the Jacksonville BPAC (now Bike Walk Jax).
As a partner with the JSO SHADCO, the North
Florida Bicycle Club, and Groundwork Jacksonville,
Len organized and led several bicycle
safety fairs. Len also served as a leader of the
Murray Hill Preservation Association and as a
member of the City of Jacksonville Southwest CPAC.
During the time that Len has been a leader of
these groups, Jacksonville has improved from 3rd
to 15th on the Smart Growth America list of the
most dangerous cities for pedestrians in the USA.
Len’s work as a bicycle advocate helped lead to the
designation of City of Jacksonville funding specifi -
cally for local bicycle and pedestrian improvement
projects; to state funding for the construction of the
Fuller Warren Shared Use Path over the St. Johns
River; and to city and federal funding for major
segments of the Groundwork Jacksonville Emerald
Trail. As a strong advocate for projects that would
advance safety and mobility for bicyclists and pedestrians
in Jacksonville, Len has been consistently eff ec-
tive while hardly ever appearing to be antagonistic.
On a personal level, Len has been a friend and almost
constant companion to everyone he knew, and
he seemed to know nearly everyone in Jacksonville
who has ever been on a group bike ride. Until fatigue
and pain sidelined him last August, Len was
riding 100 miles a week with his bicycling friends.
An image of Len Burroughs with his arm around his wife at the top of an overlook, with a large mountain visible behind them on a partly cloudy day. They are both smiling at the camera.
An image of Len Burroughs in cycling kit standing over his road bike. He is smiling at the camera, and several bikes are parked on racks in the background behind him. He appears to be in a parking lot.
But Len’s best and closest friend was the
love of his life and his wife of 54 years,
Vicki Aline Johnson. Throughout their years together,
they enjoyed cruises and adventures
with family and friends near and far, including
trips to Vicki’s family in Rockford, IL and visits
to Len’s family lakehouse near Clanton, AL.
Lenward Burroughs was born in Birmingham AL
on June 19, 1949. He attended Ramsey High School
and subsequently the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
With his wife Vicki, Len moved to Jacksonville
in 1972 or 1973. Len worked for 25 years
as an Area Manager for Ecolab Inc, retiring in 2011.
Celebrations of Life were held for Len at
several friends’ homes, but there was no formal
memorial service. In November, the NFBC and
Bike Walk Jax co-hosted a Len Burroughs Memorial
Beaches Bike Ride, on the entire 30-mile Atlantic
Coastal Ride route that Len rode every Friday
for many years. Len’s ashes have been buried in a
memorial garden that includes his mother, father
and sister, at their family lake house in Alabama.
In Len’s memory, please make donations to the National
Park Service and/or to PBS/NPR on an ongoing basis,
to help preserve the beauty and history of our nation.
□
The City of Jacksonville Launches
Vision Zero Action Plan
For too long, Jacksonville has faced an
unacceptable number of serious and
fatal traffic crashes, especially those
involving people walking and biking.
National safety analyses have consistently
ranked our city among the most
dangerous in the country for both pedestrians
and cyclists, becoming a stark
reminder that current street designs
and policies were not providing the
level of safety our residents deserve.
While recent rankings show modest
improvement (https://tinyurl.com/Dan-
gerousbyDesignCOJ), the underlying
risk on many of our streets remains too
high, and this reality helped drive the
political and organizational momentum
behind developing Jacksonville’s
first Vision Zero Action Plan (VZAP).
In 2023, the City was awarded a Safe
Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant
from the USDOT to support the development
of a comprehensive action
plan aimed at eliminating all traf-
fic deaths and reducing serious injuries
by 50 percent by the year 2035.
In July of 2025, Mayor Donna Deegan
formally unveiled the plan at a dedicated
Vision Zero press conference, joining
Jacksonville with more than 2,000
communities nationwide that have
committed to Vision Zero goals. Th e
launch represented both a policy milestone
and a renewed commitment to
safety for people walking, biking, rolling,
and driving across Jacksonville.
An image of mayor Donna Deegan signing the Vision Zero pledge poster. There is a blue curtain behind her. An image beneath this shows a screenshot of the opening two pages of the Vision Zero Action Plan, which features a personal letter from Donna Deegan titled "A MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR," which also features her headshot.
An image of bicycle-pedestrian coordinator for the City of Jacksonville Matt Fall speaking at a podium during the Vision Zero event. Mayor Donna Deegan is smiling behind him.
The City of Jacksonville Vision Zero logo. It shows illustrative silhouette icons of a wheelchair user with their hands up, a parent walking with a child, a driver sitting at the driver's seat, and a cyclist.
Jacksonville’s VZAP is framed within
the Safe System Approach (SSA),
which acknowledges that human error
is inevitable and that roadway systems
must be designed to prevent those errors
from resulting in death or serious
injury. A central piece of the plan
is the identification of both state and
local High-Injury Networks (HINs),
comprising those corridors and intersections
where the greatest number of
serious and fatal crashes occur. Prioritizing
projects along these HIN routes
allows the City to focus investments
where they will save the most lives,
whether through engineering improvements,
speed management, or targeted
enforcement and education eff orts.
The plan also outlines a set of feasible,
data-driven strategies that address not
only infrastructure but policy, engagement,
and evaluation. Th ese include
recommendations for improved crosswalks
and bike facilities, street designs
that calm traffic and reduce vehicle
speeds, measurable performance targets
to track progress, comprehensive
crash analysis to guide decision-making,
and a robust public engagement
and branding strategy to build awareness
and community participation
in safety efforts. Collaboration with
agencies like the Florida Department
of Transportation, the Jacksonville
Transportation Authority, law enforcement,
and regional partners is a key
component of the strategy’s success.
Residents are encouraged to visit the
City’s Vision Zero webpage to explore
the full Vision Zero Action Plan, which
includes extensive crash data, recommended
action items, and implementation
strategies. The webpage also
houses interactive maps of both the
state and local High-Injury Networks,
both powerful tools for understanding
where the greatest risks currently
exist, as well as performance monitoring
and safety dashboards that allow
the public to track progress over
time. The main page is the best place
to learn, explore, and stay updated:
A QR code that, when scanned, links to the City's Vision Zero dashboard website.
In addition to long-term engineering
and policy changes, the City has already
begun implementation activities,
including planning for a series of
quick-build demonstration projects
in 2026 and targeted crash countermeasures.
These early actions are designed
to show tangible safety improvements
while informing longer-range
capital investments. Vision Zero is
as much about transparency and accountability
as it is about results: by
providing open data and tools for residents
to follow along, Jacksonville is
ensuring that safety becomes a measurable,
shared priority for all neighborhoods
and all modes of travel. □
Light Up the Night with Vision Zero
An image of a small zip case on a desk. The zip case features Jacksonville's Vision Zero logo.
Various images of Jacksonville citizens standing with their bikes, now installed with the City's Vision Zero lights.
Two images of citizens standing and facing the camera while holding their bikes, featuring the Vision Zero lights given out by the city at Porchfest.
Improving nighttime visibility for safety
is a key focus of Jacksonville’s Vision
Zero Action Plan, driven by the reality
that a disproportionate number of serious
and fatal crashes involving people
walking and biking occur aft er dark.
Limited lighting, higher vehicle speeds,
and reduced visibility make nighttime
travel especially dangerous, particularly
along high-injury corridors that
lack adequate street or pedestrian-scale
lighting. The Vision Zero Action Plan
specifically calls for enhanced roadway
lighting, crosswalk illumination, and
other visibility improvements as essential
tools for reducing nighttime crashes.
As part of this effort, the City of Jacksonville
has been distributing free rechargeable
bicycle lights, packaged in
a branded Vision Zero carrying case, at
community events and safety outreach
activities. While long-term infrastructure
improvements are critical, individual
actions also play an important
role in safety. Using front and rear bicycle
lights, wearing bright or refl ective
clothing, and increasing personal visibility
can significantly reduce crash risk
when riding a bike or walking at night.
Nighttime bicycle lighting is also a legal
requirement in Florida. Florida Statute §
316.2065(7) requires that every bicycle
operated between sunset and sunrise be
equipped with a white front lamp visible
from at least 500 feet and a rear red lamp
and reflector visible from at least 600
feet. By pairing education with free safety
equipment, the City is helping residents
ride more safely, comply with state law,
and support Vision Zero’s broader goal
of eliminating traffic deaths and serious
injuries. Look for the Vision Zero team
at upcoming events to learn more and
pick up safety gear while supplies last!
City of Jacksonville
Hosts World Day of
Remembrance to
Honor Traffic Victims
In November, the City of Jacksonville hosted
a World Day of Remembrance for Road
Traffic Victims event in observance of the
internationally recognized day honoring
lives lost to traffi c crashes. Th e gathering
brought together City leaders, advocates,
and community members to pause, re-
flect, and remember those who have been
killed or seriously injured on Jacksonville’s
roadways, as well as the families and
loved ones who continue to carry that loss.
The event was hosted by the City in partnership
with Bike Walk Jax, whose ongoing
advocacy and community leadership
support bicycle and pedestrian
safety across Jacksonville. Family members
shared deeply personal stories about
loved ones lost to traffic crashes, putting
faces and voices to statistics that can too
easily feel abstract. City Councilmember
Jimmy Peluso addressed attendees and
spoke to the City’s responsibility to prioritize
safety in transportation decisions,
particularly for people walking and biking.
The Bike Walk Jax logo. It features a stylized pedestrian icon whose head and torso make the "i" in Bike, and whose striding legs form the "A" in Walk. The bottom half of the logo shows the bottom semicircle of a bike wheel, with the word "JAX" written amongst the spokes.
An image of elected councilperson Jimmy Peluso speaking at a podium during the World Day of Remembrance. Bike Walk Jax chair Lauren Rushing and a relative of a traffic violence victim stand behind him.
An image of the stage area for the World Day of Remembrance. 500 white flags, a podium, and a ghost bike are visible in the background. In the foreground, a yard sign reads: "EACH OF THESE WHITE FLAGS REPRESENTS A PERSON WHO WAS KILLED ON JACKSONVILLE'S ROADWAYS FROM JANUARY 1, 2022 TO DECEMBER 31, 2024.
World Day of Remembrance closely
aligns with Jacksonville’s Vision Zero
work, which is grounded in the belief
that traffic deaths are preventable and
unacceptable. The City’s event was also
recognized by the Vision Zero Network,
a national organization that supports
communities committed to eliminating
traffic fatalities, helping highlight
Jacksonville’s efforts on a national level.
By hosting this annual event, the City
continues to honor victims not only
through remembrance, but through action.
Guided by Vision Zero and the Safe
System Approach, Jacksonville is working
to create safer and more connected
transportation networks for everyone,
whether walking, biking, rolling, or driving.
The City is advancing data driven
strategies, targeted safety improvements,
and strong community partnerships to
reduce serious injuries and prevent future
tragedies. Events like this serve as an important
reminder that behind every crash
is a person, a family, and a community. □