Editing Pedestrian crossing (section)

===Artwork crossings===
[[File:Rainbow pedestrian in Chicago.jpg|thumb|A rainbow pedestrian crossing in [[Chicago]], United States]]{{See also|Rainbow crossing}}
Some crosswalks, known as colourful crossings, include unique designs, many of which take the form of artwork. These works of art may serve many different purposes, such as attracting tourism or catching drivers' attention.<ref name="Perry 2016">{{cite web | last=Perry | first=Francesca | title=Creative crosswalks around the world – in pictures | website=the Guardian | date=14 July 2016 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2016/jul/14/creative-crosswalks-pedestrian-zebra-crossings-around-world-in-pictures | access-date=20 April 2017}}</ref>

Cities and towns worldwide have held competitions to paint crosswalks, usually as a form of artwork.<ref name="Perry 2016"/> In [[Santiago]], Chile, a 2013 work by Canadian artist Roadsworth features yellow-and-blue fish overlaid on the existing crosswalk. Other crossings worldwide also feature some of Roadsworth's work,<ref>{{cite web|last=Metcalfe|first=John|date=25 February 2014|title=How to Make Crosswalks Artistically Delightful|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-02-25/how-to-make-crosswalks-artistically-delightful|access-date=10 September 2021|website=CityLab}}</ref> including a crosswalk in [[Montreal]] where the zebra stripes are shaped like bullets, as well as "conveyor belt" crosswalk in [[Winston-Salem, North Carolina]].<ref name="Perry 2016"/> In [[Lompoc, California]], several artists were commissioned to create an artwork as part of its "Creative Crossings" competition. Artist Marlee Bedford painted the first set of four crosswalks as part of the 2015 competition,<ref>{{cite web | last=Jacobson | first=Willis | title='Creative Crossings' organizers unveil crosswalk artwork | website=Lompoc Record | date=21 August 2015 | url=http://lompocrecord.com/news/local/creative-crossings-organizers-unveil-crosswalk-artwork/article_ba3c474f-85d4-53fc-8d26-718d3421f23b.html | access-date=20 April 2017}}</ref> and Linda Powers painted two more crosswalks in 2016 following that year's competition.<ref>{{cite web | last=Jacobson | first=Willis | title=Second set of Lompoc crosswalks undergoes artistic makeover | website=Lompoc Record | date=22 April 2016  | url=http://lompocrecord.com/news/local/second-set-of-lompoc-crosswalks-undergoes-artistic-makeover/article_7357acf2-6c79-54e2-b7d6-da5527f62115.html | access-date=20 April 2017}}</ref>

In [[Tbilisi]], Georgia, some Tbilisi Academy of Arts students and government officials jointly created a crossing that is designed to look like it is in [[three-dimensional space|3D]]. A message on the white bars of the crosswalk reads, "for your safety."<ref name="Perry 2016"/><ref>{{cite web | title=Tbilisi opening up for colorful crosswalks | website=GeorgianJournal | date=31 January 2017 | url=http://www.georgianjournal.ge/society/32349-tbilisi-opening-up-for-colorful-crosswalks.html | access-date=20 April 2017 }}{{Dead link|date=May 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> 3D crosswalk designs have also been installed in China, with a "floating zebra crossing" implemented in a village in [[Luoyuan County]] to boost tourism;<ref name="Perry 2016"/> a multicolored 3-D crossing installed in [[Changsha]], China to catch drivers' attention;<ref>{{cite web | title=Colorful 3D zebra crossing seen in China's Changsha | website=Xinhua | date=29 January 2015 | url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2015-01/29/c_133956249.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016153051/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2015-01/29/c_133956249.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=16 October 2015 | language=en | access-date=20 April 2017}}</ref> and another multicolored crossing in [[Sichuan]] Province that serves the same purpose as the colored Changsha crosswalk.<ref name="WebUrbanist 2012">{{cite web | title=Ten More Creative Crosswalks & Zany Zebra Crossings | website=WebUrbanist | date=27 May 2012 | url=http://weburbanist.com/2012/05/27/10-more-creative-crosswalks-zany-zebra-crossings/ | access-date=20 April 2017}}</ref>

Colored crosswalks might have themes that reflect the immediate area. For instance, [[Chengdu]], China had a red-and-white zebra crossing with hearts painted on it, reflecting its location near a junction of two rivers.<ref>{{cite web | title=Love zebra crossing in Chengdu | website=Xinhua | date=3 February 2009 | url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-02/03/content_10754819.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206085344/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-02/03/content_10754819.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=6 February 2009 | access-date=20 April 2017}}</ref><ref name="Perry 2016"/><ref name="WebUrbanist 2012"/> In [[Curitiba]], Brazil, a crosswalk with its bars irregularly painted like a [[barcode]] served as an advertisement for a nearby shopping center, but was later painted over.<ref name="WebUrbanist 2012"/> A [[pedestrian scramble]] in the [[Chinatown, Oakland|Chinatown]] section of [[Oakland, California]], is painted with red-and-yellow colors to signify the colors of the [[flag of China]].<ref name="WebUrbanist 2012"/><ref>{{cite journal | last1=Bechtel | first1=Allyson K. | last2=MacLeod | first2=Kara E. | last3=Ragland | first3=David R. | title=Oakland Chinatown Pedestrian Scramble: An Evaluation | journal=Safe Transportation Research & Education Center | date=17 December 2003 | url=http://escholarship.org/uc/item/3fh5q4dk | access-date=20 April 2017}}</ref>

[[File:Kunst-am-campus.jpg|alt=Pedestrian crossing sign used in art, University of Bremen campus, Germany.|thumb|Pedestrian crossing sign used in art, [[University of Bremen]] campus, [[Germany]]|upright]]
Sometimes, different cities around the world may have similar art concepts for their crosswalks. [[Rainbow flag (LGBT movement)|Rainbow flag]]-colored crosswalks, which are usually painted to show support for the locality's [[LGBT]] cultures, have been installed in [[San Francisco]];<ref>{{cite web | last=Branson-Potts | first=Hailey | title=San Francisco's Castro District to get gay pride rainbow crosswalks | website=Los Angeles Times | date=14 March 2014 | url=https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-san-francisco-castro-rainbow-crosswalks-20140314-story.html | access-date=20 April 2017}}</ref><ref name="Perry 2016"/> [[West Hollywood, California|West Hollywood]];<ref>{{cite web | title=West Hollywood's rainbow-colored crosswalks to stay | website=Los Angeles Times | date=27 August 2012 | url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/08/west-hollywoods-rainbow-colored-crosswalks-to-stay.html | access-date=20 April 2017}}</ref> [[Philadelphia]];<ref>{{cite web | title=Crews Paint Rainbow Crosswalks in Center City | website=CBS Philly | date=25 June 2015 | url=http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2015/06/25/crews-paint-rainbow-crosswalks-in-center-city/ | access-date=20 April 2017}}</ref> and [[Tel Aviv]].<ref>{{cite web | last=Lior | first=Ilan | title=Tel Aviv's rainbow crosswalk draws cheers, then jeers, online | website=haaretz.com | date=16 May 2012 | url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel/tel-aviv-s-rainbow-crosswalk-draws-cheers-then-jeers-online-1.430884 | access-date=20 April 2017}}</ref><ref name="Perry 2016"/> Crosswalks painted like [[musical keyboard|piano keyboard]]s have been painted in [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]];<ref>{{cite web | title=Long Beach Tunes Up Road Safety With Painted Piano Crosswalks | website=NBC Southern California | date=30 September 2016 | url=http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Long-beach-Piano-Crosswalks-395385121.html | access-date=20 April 2017}}</ref> [[Warsaw]];<ref name="Perry 2016"/><ref name="WebUrbanist 2012"/> and [[Chongqing]].<ref name="Perry 2016"/>

The United States [[Federal Highway Administration]] prohibits crosswalk art due to concerns about safety and visibility, but U.S. cities have chosen to install their own designs. [[Seattle]] had 40 crosswalks with unique designs, including the rainbow flag in [[Capitol Hill, Seattle|Capitol Hill]] and the [[Pan-African flag]] in the [[Central District, Seattle|Central District]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Rueb |first=Emily S. |date=7 October 2019 |title=The Government Says Rainbow Crosswalks Could Be Unsafe. Are They Really? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/07/us/crosswalks-ames-iowa-safety.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=7 October 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Lee |first=Jessica |date=6 August 2015 |title=Crosswalks marked with colors of Pan-African flag |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/central-district-crosswalks-marked-with-colors-of-pan-african-flag/ |work=[[The Seattle Times]] |access-date=7 October 2019}}</ref>

Colourful crossings have been criticised for creating accessibility issues. For blind and visually impaired pedestrians, consistency in design is important to ensure a safe crossing. Visually impaired people with limited sight and [[neurodivergent people]] may experience pain or confusion in interpreting colourful crossings or distress from visual noise. These crossings may therefore discriminate against marginalised groups in accessing public spaces.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.transportforall.org.uk/campaign/colourful-crossings/|title = Colourful Crossings » Transport for All| date=28 September 2021 }}</ref>