Columbus streets are relatively safe compared to other large cities, but still have room for improvement, a new study finds.

Why it matters: Dozens are killed in local traffic crashes annually, and Columbus' Vision Zero plan seeks to eliminate those deaths completely.

Driving the news: StreetLight Data's new "U.S. Safe Streets Index" ranks the country's 100 biggest metros based on five key factors.

• Those include vehicle miles traveled, different speeds between vehicles, speed-based pedestrian risk, speeding in residential zones, and truck activity.

Zoom in: Columbus sits at No. 27 on the overall list, comparable to Midwest neighbors Detroit (24) and Cleveland (30).

• We score high marks in speed near pedestrians and truck-related safety risks.
• But our scores are tempered by low marks in differences in vehicle speeds and percentage of drivers speeding in residential areas.

Between the lines: Reducing speed is always a challenge, Vision Zero coordinator Katherine Swidarski tells Axios.

• She says the city is working with Franklin County, the Ohio Department of Transportation and other groups to lower posted speed limits and the speeds that roads are engineered for.
• "When all those things get lower and lower, that's when we're getting closer to what's a safe speed," she says.

What they're doing: Vision Zero is midway through its 2023-2028 action plan, which is working to reduce speed in key corridors.

• Swidarski says the city is already seeing reduced crashes and crash severity in those areas.
• The 2026 focus will be on "persistently dangerous" areas that have seen multiple deaths.

The big picture: "Larger metros tend to perform better overall for roadway safety, despite popular misconceptions that big cities are more dangerous," said the transportation analytics firm.

The bottom line: There's always room for improvement.

• "Our commitment is to zero fatal and serious injury crashes," Swidarski says.

Before the drama went down on last night's "Love is Blind" reunion, Axios got a few minutes to talk to Season 10's dream couple.

⚠️ Spoiler warning: If you haven't seen the reunion or finale, close your eyes and keep scrolling.

Catch up quick: Ohio State professor Victor St. John and speech pathologist Christine Hamilton got married during the season finale, filmed last year.

• If you've been watching, you won't be surprised to hear the two are still married and still "nauseatingly perfect," as host Nick Lachey puts it.
• Hamilton is from Northeast Ohio, but the pair now lives in Columbus.

An edited version of our conversation:

Axios: Vic, How have your students and colleagues reacted to you being on the show?

Vic: The students have been super supportive, almost like it's a football game, in terms of how the Buckeyes roll.

• The colleagues, I think they're just seeing a more vulnerable side. A lot of academics have been like, "I like that you're showing that we have other sides to us and you represented us well."

Axios: Has anybody given you a hard time?

Vic, laughing: One person raised their hand in the middle of class and was like, "Uhh … I saw you on my For You page." I was like, "We're not doing that here."

Axios: What are your favorite Columbus date spots?

Christine: Forno is the first thing that comes to mind, I feel like it's kind of our go-to spot.

Axios: Are you still connected with the rest of the cast?

Vic: Jordan and Haramol check in on me and I check in on them.

Christine: We have a group chat, me, Jess, Emma, Brittany and Amber. We've been lucky to create some really good friendships.

More Q&A ... read Axios Cleveland Troy Smith's reunion recap.

🎤 U.S. Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) is facing backlash for saying on a podcast that "people living in poverty are not very experienced at navigating the real world." (Dispatch)

💰 JobsOhio paid $15,000 to sponsor the podcast appearance possibly connected to former OSU president Ted Carter's resignation. (WOSU)

• The university's trustees are holding a special meeting this morning and are expected to announce a new leader. (OSU)

🍀 Skyline Chili is offering "shamrock green spaghetti" on St. Patrick's Day. (614 Magazine)

Columbus is pushing to attract more women's sports teams and events — what better excuse to support a pioneering local team?

🛼 Our pick: An Ohio Roller Derby doubleheader.

Hip-checking the news: Davenport, Iowa's Quad City Rollers come to Columbus on Saturday.

• Schmidt's provides concessions.

Plus: New to the sport? Here's a primer.

🎟️ Stop by: Doors open at 4pm at the Ohio Expo Center's Rhodes Center.

• Tickets are $11-18, plus $7 for parking.

What else is happening:

🎸 Indie rockers Houndmouth play Kemba Live tomorrow night.

🕺 Michael Jackson tribute group Who's Bad covers the hits tomorrow at the Bluestone.

🧌 The Newport hosts a Shrek Rave tomorrow night — "it's dumb just come have fun!"

🏒 Ohio's high school hockey semi-finals and finals are at Nationwide Arena Saturday and Sunday.

• The Schottenstein Center hosts the state high school wrestling tournament all weekend.

⚽️ The Crew seeks their first win of the season when they host Nashville Saturday night.

🎤 Pop starlet Natalie Jane plays the Newport Sunday night.

Local rock band Big Fat Head is trading Columbus dive bars for the Austin spotlight this week as members head to Texas for a South By Southwest (SXSW) adventure.

Why it matters: From music and comedy to film and tech, SXSW is one of the country's biggest festivals, and appearances can help boost careers.

• As singer and guitar player Nate Wilder puts it: "Ohio doesn't have anything comparable to this."

Zoom in: Big Fat Head plays an official SXSW Showcase show at Austin's Low Down Lounge tomorrow, with four shows around town in the days before and after.

What they're saying: It's a huge networking and audience-building opportunity for a very DIY band.

• "To have the opportunity to play at an event coveted for connecting independent artists to the machine that is the music industry is a place I was never confident we'd ever arrive at, or even existed anymore," Wilder tells Axios.

🎫 Stop by: When the band is back in town, catch Big Fat Head open for Twen Wednesday at Rumba Cafe.

Worthy of your time: Learn more about the band in an excellent profile from Matter News.