Sacramento Isn’t Giving up on Rainbow Crosswalks

The city of Sacramento is calling on local artists to submit applications for new crosswalk art by two elementary schools, despite the federal government’s insistence that colorful crosswalks are a ‘distraction,’ reports Ariane Lange in The Sacramento Bee. In fact, “Research sponsored by the charitable foundation Bloomberg Philanthropies found they reduce pedestrian crashes after they’re installed.”

Sacramento has pledged to end traffic deaths by 2027, but it has a way to go: since 2017, when the pledge was made, over 300 people have died in traffic collisions.

The Art in Public Places program will fund the two crosswalks in Northgate Boulevard, as well as a “teaching artist” that will work with the students on a thematically linked art project. “The pieces that the students create will be displayed in an art show open to the public. The development of the project will also involve public meetings with people in the neighborhood.”