Mayor Indya Kincannon has officially appointed Cody Gentry, a seasoned Transportation Engineering Specialist, as Knoxville’s new Vision Zero Coordinator. Gentry, who brings 17 years of experience within the City’s Engineering department, recently played a pivotal role in the Neighborhood Transportation Safety Program. This initiative combines efforts from the City’s Office of Neighborhood Empowerment, Transportation Engineering, and Knoxville Police Department to address issues of vehicle speed and traffic safety in residential areas.
In her announcement, Mayor Kincannon expressed her enthusiasm for Gentry’s upcoming contributions to Knoxville’s Vision Zero initiative, which aims to eliminate deadly traffic crashes by 2040. “Cody’s extensive experience positions him perfectly to integrate multi-modal safety solutions across the city,” Kincannon said. She highlighted the importance of collaboration among city departments and community groups in achieving Vision Zero’s objectives.
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As the first person to hold the title of Vision Zero Coordinator in Knoxville, Gentry will lead the city’s efforts to improve road safety, coordinating with departments such as Neighborhoods, Engineering, the Knoxville Police Department (KPD), and the Office of Sustainability. He will also work closely with community organizations like Bike Walk Knoxville. The role was created in response to the city council’s unanimous endorsement of the Vision Zero goal in 2021.
In the past two years, Gentry, along with a Steering Committee and key city departments, has been instrumental in developing the Vision Zero Action Plan. This strategic roadmap leverages crash data to identify the causes and locations of life-altering accidents in Knoxville and seeks input from residents on prioritizing solutions. The ultimate aim is to devise targeted strategies that will save lives.
Gentry is keen on applying traffic-calming principles to not just residential streets but also to higher-speed areas requiring more significant interventions. “The essence of Vision Zero is to slow vehicles down, reducing the risk of serious injuries and fatalities,” Gentry explained. He emphasized the importance of designing streets that forgive errors, preventing mistakes from turning deadly.
The city’s Vision Zero strategies, aimed at reducing fatalities among drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians, will be supported by an $8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program, supplemented by an additional $2 million in local funding. These funds will be allocated to safety improvements at five of Knoxville’s most hazardous locations, including North Broadway, East Woodland Avenue, and three intersections on East Magnolia Avenue.
For more information about Vision Zero, its objectives, and related projects, visit www.KnoxvilleTN.gov/VisionZero and www.Facebook.com/VisionZeroKnoxville.
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