How art is improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists

PARIS: Several major European cities are joining the Asphalt Art Initiative, which involves painting streets and certain infrastructure to improve street safety while revitalising public spaces.

This project, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, is already proving successful in the United States.

The initiative aims to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists through eye-catching paintings on roadways, crosswalks and along sidewalks.

At least 19 European cities have joined the programme, each receiving a US$25,000 (RM117,000) grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies for these projects, which are expected to be completed by 2023.

Among the cities selected are Athens, Brussels, Florence, Helsinki, Istanbul, Madrid, Reykjavik, Rome and Zagreb.

These floor murals are generally applied to the road, sidewalks and pedestrian areas. As well as brightening up the area, they also contribute to improving traffic flow and the safety of road users.

About 40 projects in the United States have already proven their worth.

In Kansas City, the redesign of an intersection where speeding cars had long been an issue has reduced the average speed by 45%.

In Baltimore, coloured curbs increased the proportion of drivers giving way to pedestrians by 41%. These initiatives, which do not require much in the way of resources, therefore appear to be particularly effective.

Note that local residents are also involved in the process, in order to make the project their own. For example, in downtown Saginaw, Michigan, nearly 500 residents gathered with artists for a one-day "Paint-A-Thon."

The Asphalt Art Initiative was inspired in part by the work carried out to improve pedestrian safety and revitalise the streets of New York City during the terms of mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, from 2002 to 2013.