Vehicle crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists fell by 50% and total crashes by 17% on streets with artistic design features, according to a new report from Bloomberg Philanthropies that looks at 17 sites.
The report details an analysis comparing crash rates and real-time behavior of pedestrians and motorists at the asphalt art sites before and after the projects were installed. The study included at least two years of data. It also looked at video footage of motorists and pedestrians at five art projects installed in 2021 as part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Asphalt Art Initiative.
In addition to the crash reductions, the analysis found there was a:
37% decrease in the rate of crashes leading to injuries.
27% increase in the frequency of drivers immediately yielding to pedestrians with the right of way.
25% decrease in pedestrian crossings involving a conflict with drivers.
38% decrease in pedestrians crossing against the walk signal.