Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on traffic safety projects since Seattle launched Vision Zero in 2015. Yet more people are dying. There are fewer cars on the road, yet somehow congestion is worse. Something clearly isn’t working. Fatal crashes have climbed dramatically since 2015, and pedestrian deaths doubled last year. As the city prepares to audit Vision Zero, the question is whether it will confront the possibility that its own policies may be part of the problem. (“ As Seattle pedestrian deaths rise, traffic safety program to get audit ,” April 17, Traffic Lab) A natural assumption is that Seattle’s worsening congestion is due to more traffic. The Seattle Department of Transportation’s 2025 traffic report shows the opposite: fewer cars, fewer pedestrians and nearly 30% fewer cyclists than in 2019. This paradox — less use but more congestion and deaths — should be the starting point of any serious review. Seattle has reduced roadway capacity by converting lanes to bus and bike use.…