Thursday, February 2, 2012

DIY Crosswalks


Image from NorthBaltimore Patch


As if you need more reasons to love Baltimore... there are two things that are great about this photo. One: I am 100% in support of what this man (Lou Catelli) has just done. Two: This photo was taken YESTERDAY. February 1st. Look what he's wearing. It was absolutely beautiful outside yesterday. Some daffodils in my neighbors' front yard bloomed it's been so warm. In any case - this isn't about the weather - it's about this crosswalk.
The city recently installed some new stop signs in the middle of 36th street in Hampden - a much needed place for pedestrians to cross a busy street. But they didn't paint crosswalks when the repaved the road at the same time, and it's been a much LESS safe place to cross every since. Cars continuously zoom straight through the intersection without braking. Pedestrians (including myself) have regular close calls with being hit. So the Hampden merchants Association has been asking the city to finish the intersection and paint the crosswalks before someone gets hurt - and the city hasn't managed to do it. Finally, a man went out the other night and just painted them himself with white spraypaint and a line maker. He was immediately applauded - by Hampden residents, by council woman Mary Pat Clarke, and even by patrolling policemen. I look forward to DIY things like this happening here. I really do. Sometimes the only way to get things done is to do them yourself.

2 comments:

KMVT said...

sounds like a recent episode of Modern Family I watched :-) . That is awesome. I won't say it looks the same up here in VT, but man, not too far from it!

Julie Bent said...

That's awesome!!