Call for asphalt artists in Louisville seeks to make streets vibrant, safer

Artwork painted on pavement doesn’t only highlight the skill of the local asphalt artists who put it there, it also makes the street where it’s installed safer. A new Community Crosswalks pilot project in Louisville, Ky. will test this assertion locally by bringing color and vibrancy to the asphalt of four major intersections.

“This is an exciting opportunity to incorporate public art into our everyday lives and bolster safety for pedestrians,” said Craig Greenberg, Louisville’s mayor. “The next phase of this program will offer neighborhood associations, community organizations and local businesses a chance to support Louisville’s creative communities and neighborhoods.”

The city’s Office of Advanced Planning and Office of Arts & Creative Industries issued a call for artists last week, seeking designs that will be painted in April. A meeting with those interested was held Thursday. 

The initiative, which is intended to highlight Louisville’s local art scene and make its roadways safer, is inspired by the Asphalt Art Safety Study, which was completed by Bloomberg Philanthropies last year. Researchers found that street art cut the rate of crashes involving pedestrians or cyclists in half, reduced all crashes by 17%, and decreased the rate of accident-related injuries by 37%. Additionally, the rate of drivers yielding to pedestrians increased by 27% when painted art was present, and dangerous situations decreased by a quarter.

The art is effective because it better defines roadways and clearly shows drivers where they should go. 

It creates “a highly visible crossing and suggest(s) a walkable, active, shared use environment. Additionally, art in the crosswalk or at curb extensions makes the pedestrian crossing location more conspicuous to drivers,” reads the report, which was compiled by studying data at 17 intersections before and after art was installed.

The study coincided with a grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies that allowed Baltimore, Md., Billings, Mont., Starkvill, Miss., and Fairbanks, Alaska to fund asphalt art projects. Elsewhere, New York City’s Department of Transportation Art Program is continuing its 2023 Asphalt Art Activation initiative, providing asphalt artists with up to $20,000 per artist depending on the size of the project.

But even though research has shown its effectiveness, there are barriers communities must overcome. For one, asphalt art isn’t necessarily compliant with the Federal Highway Administration’s current street markings standard, which notably pre-date the availability of modern colored pavement paint.

“Recently, such interpretations have been challenged by organizations like the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) and individual public agencies seeking to improve roadway safety by focusing more on the most vulnerable road users, and less on the rapid movement of motor vehicles on city streets,” the report says.

If Louisville’s pilot is successful, the program will expand, opening to community groups and local businesses that “wish to brighten up their neighborhoods and create safe, walkable spaces,” a statement about the initiative says.

For more information, visit Louisville’s website.