John and I were talking this morning about how fast some cars blast down our street. Maybe this has increased since Lincoln is closed for road constuction, diverting more traffic down the neighborhood streets. John mentioned putting a large planter in the middle of the 25th and Monroe intersection. This is next to Wilson Elementary, and there's a lot of pedestrian congestion from the kids and parents walking to and from school. This congestions is not enough to slow some drivers though. Often we sit having coffee in the mornings at the Scoop, stunned by the speeding drivers we see.
One way to slow down traffic that I'd love to see are murals painted directly on the intersection's asphalt. Communities are experimenting with this idea in other areas. The large and vibrant ladybug mural is from the Phinney/Greenwood neighborhoods in Seattle. Neighbors got tired of speeding traffic, pooled their resources and energy, and created some traffic calming art. I love it. With the momentum around Complete Streets and Summer Parkways, maybe we'll see more of this kind of local art and neighborhood action.
