Years: 2022
Image credit: Courtney Wahl Photography.
Crosswalks to Classrooms
KCCI and partners brought the well-loved Crosswalks to Classrooms project from Tampa to Tallahassee! In partnership with Foundation for Leon County Schools, Kate Sullivan Elementary, Elizabeth Cobb Middle, The City of Tallahassee, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Donor Advised Fund at the Community Foundation of North Florida, and artist Jay Giroux on September 24, 2022 two crosswalks near schools were painted by students and the community as part of piloting the project in Tallahassee.
The crosswalks painted are:
- Hillcrest Street near Miccosukee
- Mitchell Avenue near Miccosukee
Kate Sullivan Elementary and Cobb Middle School see more than 800 students walking to their schools on a daily basis.
Community Involvement
Prior to the community painting day, students at Kate Sullivan and Cobb were at the center of the planning and design process, exposing them to careers in art, communications, and city planning, click here to see more. Vibrant designs, bright colors and symbols representing the schools were incorporated into the two designs under the leadership of a professional artist Jay Giroux.
Similar projects have been shown to slow down traffic, increase crosswalk usage and decrease negative interactions between cars and pedestrians, improving overall safety. Bloomberg Foundation spent a few year’s studying the impacts of asphalt art. Read the comprehensive report HERE.
Local Artist Training
Local artists were invited to attend Sept. 24 at 9 a.m. to learn from Artist Jay Giroux. He has successfully implemented dozens of asphalt art and crosswalk projects for the City of Tampa’s Crosswalks to Classrooms program and their asphalt art initiative.
How it was done
To see the play-by-play of how the crosswalks were successfully implemented, click HERE.
Looking to recreate this in your area or your town? Download Bloomberg Foundation’s Asphalt Art Guide HERE.
Benefits
The Crosswalks to Classrooms project engaged diverse communities, students, governmental entities, and businesses through participatory planning practices, while enhancing roadway safety and improving travel to school.
Through painting artistic crosswalks and curb extensions, Crosswalks to Classrooms seamlessly marries placemaking and pedestrian safety.
If you have school recommendations for growing the program, please contact Betsy Couch at [email protected].
Want to be part of expanding this program and even more asphalt art? Consider applying to be a 2023 Community Catalyst. More information can be found HERE.
Thank You
Thank you to the partners that made the pilot project possible.
This project was piloted as part of KCCI’s 4th Annual Placemaking Week. Click here for a listing of all Placemaking Week 2022 projects.
