Colorful, engaging crosswalks aren’t the norm, but they’re popping up around the country. And while they aren’t in line with federal guidelines, they have transformed streets and intersections.

Brett Dahlberg reports on the creative crosswalks of Rochester, New York, including one near a music school that looks like piano keys. "Just off Main Street, in Rochester's Beechwood neighborhood, there's another colorful intersection. The sidewalks here are green, the crosswalks are blue, and there's a big, red and yellow sun that covers the whole street. The art has been here a little over a year."
Advocates say these interesting crosswalks bring benefits far beyond just adding an artistic element to public spaces. They also slow down traffic, make spaces safer and more inviting, and get people out of their cars. "[Rochester resident Joseph] Hutchings says the intersection art makes a big difference for families. He says there are more children outside playing and more adults walking places or riding bikes," notes Dahlberg.
But, he says, federal guidelines for crosswalks are specific about features like the transverse white lines, line spacing, and the type of reflective paint that needs to be used. Some cities have abandoned their colorful crosswalks after the Federal Highway Administration deemed them distracting to drivers.
FULL STORY: Walking On Painted Keys: Creative Crosswalks Meet Government Resistance

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

How Trump's HUD Budget Proposal Would Harm Homelessness Response
Experts say the change to the HUD budget would make it more difficult to identify people who are homeless and connect them with services, and to prevent homelessness.

The Vast Potential of the Right-of-Way
One writer argues that the space between two building faces is the most important element of the built environment.

Florida Seniors Face Rising Homelessness Risk
High housing costs are pushing more seniors, many of them on a fixed income, into homelessness.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont