| Describe the location and your goals for your Decorative Crosswalk. |
The MARY Project is a Crosswalk Mural Traffic/Pedestrian Safety Initiative by Los Angeles based artist Sarah Chang, in collaboration with Arts Bridging the Gap, an organization globally committed to art experiences that empower children, connect communities and bridge the achievement gap. The artist was inspired to create The MARY Project after her younger sister, a child at the time, was struck by an intoxicated driver in a horrific accident while crossing the street to her school bus stop. We believe this project fits perfectly with the People Street Initiative specifically because it aims to bring awareness around traffic safety for one of the most vulnerable demographics of traffic fatalities, children.
The overall vision is a series of 15 Public Art - Crosswalk/Intersection Mural – Installations, eventually one in every council district of Los Angeles, as well as a Pedestrian and Transportation Safety workshop by Arts Bridging the Gap created in partnership with LAPD, LADOT and local community centers or schools to teach traffic safety and accident prevention methods through art.
The Crosswalk/Intersection Murals have the opportunity to improve Traffic Pedestrian Safety, unify and celebrate communities, infuse neighborhoods with interactive, site-specific public art experiences that educate and inform, and bring further support to LADOT and the City of Los Angeles Safety Initiatives.
We have chosen the intersection at Reseda Blvd and Rayen which is identified as one of the High Injury Network Intersection within the Vision Zero Plan. Reseda Blvd and Rayen also lies in the heart of a neighborhood that has been revitalized with numerous improvement projects, the annual summer art series, and acts as a place for the community to congregate, celebrate and engage. The crosswalk mural creates a shared space that sparks vibrancy and community pride and adds a practical, safe, fun and engaging atmosphere. Our initiative also aims to encourage individuals and locals to actively teach, partake in and contribute to neighborhood traffic safety.
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