Pedestrian safety remains a major concern throughout the city of Los Angeles, prompting a city council committee to approve a volunteer sidewalk painting motion on Tuesday.
The Public Works Committee voted to advance the pilot program, which will now be considered by the full city council. Councilmembers Katy Yaroslavsky and Eunisses Hernandez presented the original motion last month, asking that residents and neighborhood organizations be allowed to assist the city with crosswalk upkeep.
According to the Oct. 28 motion, recent community-led crosswalk-painting efforts highlighted both the public desire for safer streets and the need to improve crosswalk maintenance practices.
“Recent community-led crosswalk-painting efforts have highlighted both the public's desire for safer streets and the need to improve crosswalk maintenance practices,” the Oct. 28 motion stated.
The official motion asks that members of the public be allowed to participate by repainting existing city-approved crosswalks. It also asks for a citywide crosswalk inventory along with a review of current inspection and repainting practices. The motion states that officials should report back in 90 days on options for establishing a pilot program, including whether it could operate under an existing city program such as Adopt-A-Median.
Did You Know? Last year, a Los Angeles man was arrested for what he called volunteer vigilantism by painting his own crosswalks at busy intersections after being inspired by the Los Angeles nonprofit Crosswalk Collective, though criminal charges against him were ultimately dropped.
Informal community painting efforts have previously drawn direct legal attention across the city. The Los Angeles nonprofit Crosswalk Collective has similarly painted crosswalks in high-traffic areas, inspiring local residents to take street safety into their own hands. City officials are now working to determine whether structured community involvement can legally and safely supplement municipal maintenance.
Establishing a formal framework through existing channels like Adopt-A-Median could allow the city to harness volunteer labor while maintaining strict engineering oversight on heavily traveled corridors.
The motion asks the city to report back in 90 days on options for a pilot program allowing residents and neighborhood organizations to repaint existing, city-approved crosswalks.
Councilmembers Katy Yaroslavsky and Eunisses Hernandez presented the original motion last month.
Last year, a Los Angeles man was arrested for painting his own crosswalks at busy intersections, but criminal charges against him were subsequently dropped.
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