Phoenix City Council approves pilot program for painted crosswalks
Apr 30, 2018, 2:30 PM
(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
PHOENIX — A pilot program approved by the Phoenix City Council will give groups a chance at leaving their mark on the city.
After a unanimous vote from the Phoenix City Council, two crosswalks will go from the classic white stripes to bright colors, at the request of the Phoenix Pride Community Foundation, one-n-ten and Aunt Rita’s Foundation.
The three groups were covering the cost for the painting and upkeep of the project.
“Members of the LGBTQ community came forth and asked us to take a look at painting a couple crosswalks in the city, one in the Melrose area [Seventh Avenue at Glenrosa Avenue] and one along Portland [Street] and Central [Avenue],” Phoenix Councilwoman Debra Stark said.
“We are doing a pilot program to see how it would work, but what it would be is two pedestrian crosswalks would be painted in the rainbow colors.”
This was the first request the city had ever had in regards to changing a specific traffic sign or marking.
“The biggest thing in the discussion was ensuring that we look out for public safety and that we review materials and how it will be installed and how it will be maintained, but after that discussion, it was a unanimous vote,” Stark said. “Obviously, a lot of the symbols and markings that you see in the street — such as a pedestrian crossing — most of the public know what it looks like.
“So we wanted to do a pilot to make sure there isn’t any interference with the public safety and we also wanted to develop a policy because there might be other interest groups that want to do something similar to this.”
Stark believed it would take around 30 days for the installation to take place.
The two crosswalks would be the latest to undergo makeovers as other cities around the country have also added more color to the streets. Houston, Atlanta and Washington D.C. were just a few cities who had already gone with the rainbow colors, with Atlanta’s being permanent.
Tucson also added rainbow crosswalks on Fourth Avenue.
