Memphis, TN
Calming traffic with patterned sidewalk expansions
The Project
Highland Street runs through the Heights neighborhood in Memphis. At 5 lanes and 60 feet wide, it serves as a barrier between the Heights Line, a linear park along a former trolley line, and residential areas with schools and libraries. The intersection had consistently high rates of speeding and reckless driving, making residents feel unsafe when walking in the neighborhood, with over 63% stating they felt unsafe in a community survey. This asphalt art project primarily targets these pedestrian safety deficiencies by creating artistic curb bump-outs applied on the roadway to reduce vehicle speeds, narrow the roadway for traffic calming, and shorten pedestrian crossing distances. The artwork is accompanied by the installation of traffic delineators and street planters to further enliven the area. Additionally, an extended bump-out in front of the nearby school serves as a safer drop-off and pick-up point for students.
Use the slider to see the transformation
“I have been an administrator here for seven years and have witnessed many close calls with regard to students as they cross streets and intersections that had become raceways for speeders. Thanks to the new installations, drivers must now take extra care and slow down as they make their way past our school.”
Jason Carr, Principal, Treadwell Elementary School
For inspiration and tips for the creation of art on roadways and public places, download the Bloomberg Associates Asphalt Art Guide which features successful plaza and roadway art activations around the world, as well as key steps for developing such projects.
