Some activists took to the streets in an effort to promote public safety in their neighborhood, though their gains were erased by officials in Los Angeles.
The group, Crosswalk Collective LA, began painting its own crosswalks throughout the city in March, arguing the city council doesn’t act quickly enough to approve crosswalk requests. The group has since painted crosswalks at three intersections, according to its website — with one location being removed to make way for a planned traffic circle that is set to be placed at the intersection.
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“The city of Los Angeles is removing all of the crosswalks we’ve installed in the past few months. Let it be clear: We will not be deterred or discouraged. We will continue painting crosswalks to save lives,” the group said in a tweet. “If the city doesn’t keep us safe, we keep us safe.”
The city of Los Angeles is removing all of the crosswalks we’ve installed in the past few months. Let it be clear: We will not be deterred or discouraged. We will continue painting crosswalks to save lives.
If the city doesn’t keep us safe, we keep us safe. #CrosswalkCollective pic.twitter.com/oU90vGAdlq
— Crosswalk Collective LA (@CrosswalksLA) May 21, 2022
The Los Angeles Department of Transportation removed the crosswalks at the intersection of Romaine Street and North Serrano Avenue due to laws that prohibit unauthorized installations without city permission, officials told NPR in a report published Friday. The department and the City Council have not received any requests to implement crosswalks at that intersection, officials added.
However, the intersection will soon be transformed into a safer intersection, it said.
“It should be noted that LADOT has been designing and planning this traffic circle since last year,” said LADOT spokesman Colin Sweeney.
However, the group was not dismayed. While the city was working to remove the makeshift safety measures, the coalition met at another intersection to paint more crosswalks.
“While the city was removing our crosswalks at Romaine & Serrano, we painted one that was requested April 11 by a resident through our request form,” the group said.
While the city was removing our crosswalks at Romaine & Serrano, we painted one that was requested April 11 by a resident through our request form. The city doesn’t keep us safe, so we keep us safe.
New crosswalk installed at Rosemont & Marathon, Silverlake #CrosswalkCollective pic.twitter.com/b8VWBUgUBu
— Crosswalk Collective LA (@CrosswalksLA) May 20, 2022
The group has painted crosswalks at several busy intersections, particularly near schools and parks, citing the need to protect young children. The Los Angeles Police Department responded to calls from LADOT reporting one of the group’s recent projects, fining each person $250.
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Crosswalk Collective has since created an online fundraiser to help pay legal fees, raising more than $4,440 since it was launched on May 2.
LADOT officials and members of the Crosswalk Collective did not respond to requests for comment by the Washington Examiner.
