Join Us for the Next Crosswalks to Classrooms
On Saturday, Feb. 25 join KCCI, students from DeSoto Trail Elementary School, professional muralists Cosby Hayes and Sarah Painter, and community partners to bring Crosswalks to Classrooms to life on Tredington Park Drive.
Crosswalks to Classrooms is a project where high-use crosswalks near schools are painted an array of bright colors and eye-catching designs while engaging students, enhancing safety, and improving the livability of streets.
“The Crosswalks to Classrooms is giving these students a hands-on learning opportunity. As they’ve been at the center of the planning and designing process, students have been exposed to different career paths such as design, communications, and planning,” said Eric Clark, Executive Director for The Foundation of Leon County Schools. “The future is within our youth, and we are excited to have been able to provide this educational opportunity that not only beautifies the commute but makes it safer.”
Creative intersections and crosswalks, also known as asphalt art, transform ordinary crosswalks and intersections into functional works of art. Asphalt art helps make drivers aware of crosswalks where pedestrians may be present, decorating the city and encouraging safer driving. Communities all over the world are using creative crosswalks for placemaking and to boost aesthetics and pedestrian safety. Research by the Bloomberg Foundation shows that roadway murals reduce vehicle speeds and attract pedestrians, complementing traditional traffic calming measures.
“When we help shape and design a public space we feel more ownership and connection to that place,” said Betsy Couch, Executive Director for KCCI. “Crosswalks to Classrooms is engaging the students as design collaborators, providing them with a learning experience, while also enhancing safety and aesthetics with a design that is reflective of their school.”
In September 2022, two crosswalks were painted outside of Kate Sullivan Elementary and Elizabeth Cobb Middle School with colors and icons representative of their schools. For example, the heart icon represented health and the school athletic programs, the light bulb represented engineering and science programs, and the musical notes represented the music programs.
The crosswalk’s colors and designs help warn drivers of an approaching school zone and to watch out for students crossing. In fact, Bloomberg Philanthropies found that through asphalt art the rate of car crashes involving pedestrians or cyclists decreased by 50%. In addition, when near crosswalk art there was an increase of 37% of drivers yielding to pedestrians. Projects like Crosswalks to Classrooms beautify, support the arts, and enhance safety.
For more information on past Crosswalk to Classroom projects, click HERE.