When Chris Visions began painting a ground painting in Richmond, he had no idea his street art might help save lives.
Since the painted crosswalk was finished in September, the crossroads has become safer for walkers and motorists. The overall changes were fairly small but still significant in the community, and part of a larger study in various cities that showed far fewer crashes at the art crossroads compared with the prior year.
While the initial purpose of the painting was to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Jackson Ward, it came with an unexpected benefit: The painting has encouraged walkers and motorists to “slow down and take safety into consideration,” said Visions, 37, a local comic book artist.
The painting, which was created with a group of art students from a local arts nonprofit, is one of three new crosswalk art projects in Richmond. The nonprofit base funded 42 street paintings in 41 cities across the country since 2019, with funds of up to $25,000.
As part of the project, Bloomberg Philanthropies collaborated with Sam Schwartz Engineering, a consulting firm, to explore what effect the street art was having on safety. The results of the study showed a drop in the number of traffic accidents in areas with art.
The study examined the crash history at 17 art sites across the country that have a minimum of two years of crash data. It found 83 fewer crashes at the analyzed crossroads — more than a 50 percent decrease compared with data from before the crosswalks were painted.
“Crosswalk art can improve behavior behind the wheel and it can protect the weakest people on the road,” said Janette Sadik-Khan, a principal for Bloomberg Associates and the former officer of the New York City Department of Transportation.
8. What was the unexpected advantage of Visions’ street art?
A.It made streets safer than before. | B.It reflected his original purpose. |
C.It promoted the sale of comic books. | D.It brought big changes to communities. |
9. What does “collaborated with” underlined in paragraph 5 refer to?
A.Dealt with. | B.Agreed with. | C.Cooperated with. | D.Competed with. |
10. What does Janette Sadik-Khan think of crosswalk art?
A.It protects behaviour art. | B.It goes beyond description. |
C.It costs more than expected. | D.It benefits drivers and walkers. |
11. What’s the text?
A.A book review. | B.A scientific survey. | C.A news report. | D.A diary entry. |