SALT LAKE CITY — Volunteers and community members met in the Rose Park community Saturday to give a crosswalk a colorful and much-needed safety upgrade.
The project, led by the nonprofit Bike Utah in partnership with Rose Park Elementary and Salt Lake City, is a direct response to the dangers pedestrians face on Utah roads. According to the Utah Department of Public Safety, more than 1,000 crashes involved pedestrians last year, and 17 percent of all fatal crashes in the state are pedestrian-related.
For residents near the intersection of 900 West and 800 North, the busy streets are often a concern — especially for families with children who commute to school or play outside.
"This street is really wide, and cars drive really fast," said Megan Lopez, a local mother who came out to help with her son, Eames. "I would never let my kids cross this street or 1000 North by themselves, ever."
The "Quick Build" project aims to change that. Using bright paint and installing bollards, the group worked to visually narrow the road, a tactic designed to encourage drivers to reduce their speed.
"We're putting in some bollards, some paint, to kind of narrow the road so that cars are forced to slow down," said Jordan Bartholomew, a community engagement and education specialist for Bike Utah. "There have been places in the state where people have been run over while walking to school and in some cases killed, so we’re trying to get ahead of that, prevent that from happening in the first place."
The project is part of a broader "Safe Routes to School" plan with Rose Park Elementary, focusing on making the daily walk to school safer for children.
Eames Lopez, who was eager to help sweep and paint, said the goal was "so people can cross safely." When asked what makes a crosswalk safe, he said it should have "some brighter colors and a little easier way to cross."
He was able to take his painting skills to the next level and enhance this crosswalk in his own community.
His mother hopes the fresh paint and new posts will grab drivers' attention.
"Hope the quick build and the colorful paint will draw more attention and help people realize that there are pedestrians. It’s up to drivers to follow the law and stop at crosswalks," said Lopez.
DRIVEN TO CHANGE
