Guerrilla crosswalk
A guerrilla crosswalk is a pedestrian crossing that has been modified or created without jurisdictional approval, and with the intent of improving pedestrian and other non-automobile safety. These interventions are a common strategy within tactical urbanism, a type of low-cost, often temporary change to the built environment intended to improve local livability.[1] Guerilla crosswalks have been noted in news articles since at least 2009 and have become more well known as an urban strategy in recent years.[2] The first known example of guerilla crosswalks can be found in Canada in 1987 when social activists John Valeriote and Erik Veldman created a crosswalk in Guelph, Ontario for students to safely cross a busy road in front of their school.[citation needed]
Background[edit]
Walkability and quality of life indicators are common topics in urban planners' and urban advocates' vocabulary in recent years. With the increasing body of research focused on measuring, and in some cases, marketing the walkability and quality of life in cities, citizens and decision-makers alike are focused on improving intersections, sidewalks, and streetscapes. Tactical urbanism is focused generally on small-scale, quick, and low-cost changes to a place. While some might consider it illegal, it is utilized by both activists and city planners alike when pilot programs and improvements are required immediately and when budget is a significant constraint.
Many guerrilla tactics react to the delays and inefficiencies in attempting to follow proper or legal channels.[3][4] While guerilla crosswalks are usually quickly removed, the speed of the removal is often used to point out that cities do have the money to install and remove crosswalks.[4]
This tactic is often a response to unsafe conditions at the interface of pedestrian and automobile circulation and is not without its opponents. One Public Works official commented in this way, "These changes to City streets are illegal, potentially unsafe and adding to the City's costs of maintenance and repair…. There is potential liability and risk management claims to both the City and the individuals involved."[5] Crosswalks are a signal to drivers that pedestrians may be present. They are intended to group pedestrians for crossing at a safe time. The introduction of new crosswalks can be confusing to drivers and potentially give pedestrians a false sense of security.
Case studies and examples[edit]
In the Baltimore neighborhood known as Hampden, a 2011 repaving project endured longer than planned. After paving was complete, new crosswalks should have been painted, but the task was left undone with the contractor's justification that the cold weather prevented any street striping. This busy intersection was determined unsafe by many of the locals. Eventually one resident took it upon himself to paint the crosswalk lines late at the night. The man was thanked by the local city council.[6]
References[edit]
- ^ Pfeifer, Laura (October 23, 2014). "The Planner's Guide to Tactical Urbanism" (PDF). Regina Urban Ecology.[self-published source?]
- ^ Maus, Jonathan (December 28, 2009). "Guerilla Crosswalk painted on East Burnside". BikePortland.org. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
- ^ Pagano, Celeste (2013). "DIY Urbanism: Property and Process in grassroots city building". Marquette Law Review. 97 (2). Retrieved September 2, 2016.
- ^ a b Zipper, David (1 December 2022). "The Case for Guerrilla Crosswalks". Bloomberg.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Goodyear, Sarah (June 5, 2013). "Painting your own crosswalk: crime or civic opportunity?". Bloomberg.com. Atlantic: Citylab. Retrieved 2016-10-18.
- ^ Bednar, Adam (September 10, 2013). "Hampden's DIY Crosswalks". North Baltimore Patch. Retrieved 2020-08-23.
Further reading[edit]
- Zipper, David (December 2, 2022). "The Case for Guerrilla Crosswalks". Bloomberg. Retrieved December 14, 2022.