Using illusion in art is not really a new venture. However, it saw a new implementation in a new way in a small city in Iceland back in 2017. There, authorities devised and installed a 3D crosswalk using optical illusion to help with traffic issues and public safety. This took place in the fishing village of Isafjordur, where a 3D pedestrian crossing had been painted a few months into the year in an effort to slow down traffic on the narrow street.
This eye-popping illusion also gave one the effect of walking on air as pedestrians moved from one side of the road to the other. This brilliant idea was the brainchild of environmental commissioner Ralf Trylla, who came up with it after seeing a similar project in New Delhi, India. As it turns out, Trylla was simply trying to bring out creative ideas on how to slow down the traffic to limit the number of accidents.
This 3D crosswalk did come at the right time in the country because since 2008, the deaths among pedestrians have increased by 41%, with close to 6,000 fatalities every year. However, there were a few other reasons for this, unlit and unsafe road crossings, along with reckless drivers, did make quite a large part of it. Now, while several countries have their own way of dealing with this problem, Iceland’s way is definitely the most unique.
Iceland Is Not The Only One With 3D Crosswalks
Something quite similar and yet unique was also a part of the Boardwalk shopping plaza in Waterloo, where one would definitely notice 3D crosswalks painted all around the medical center of the plaza. The two 3D crosswalks were created over the Victoria Day long weekend in 2019 on the southern side of the medical attention- all in the hopes of catching the attention of the drivers. The crews involved in this project utilized four different colors of paint in order to give the optical illusion that the crosswalk was simply floating in mid-air- while the drivers approached. The project coordinator of the medical center stated, “Typically, these crosswalks are template pavement stripes, but we wanted to implement something unique with the patient in mind.”
For those wondering, the plaza sees close to 2000 visitors daily and is also located in quite close proximity to a nearby bus terminal. A few other cities have implemented 3D crosswalks on their roads, like Montreal in Canada and other cities in France and Germany. The city of Beaumont in Canada has also been trying its hand at 3D crosswalks- but in 2020, they decided to use new technology. The crosswalks in the city were intended to stand out cleanly to drivers and also make them more careful when they are around school zones.
Beaumont’s Vision Is Clear
A Beaumont resident, Wendy Wegner, definitely had positive things to say about this endeavor. In 2019, she stated, “I think the idea is great but it doesn’t really come across as intended I feel.” The crosswalks made over the course of 2019 and 2020 have been made with materials that are similar to flat Lego pieces that are fitted together and then melted cleanly onto the asphalt. The previous crosswalks were painted directly onto the street.
ATS Traffic’s Wade Robichaud stated, “The art is in the science. If you don’t pay attention to the anamorphic reliability, you won’t really get that 3D popping effect when you’re looking down towards it. The idea is you want that effect to pop and look like the crosswalk is floating across the road surface to help drive awareness.” In 2020, the city council of Beaumont stated that this would be the first installation of its kind in Canada. The crosswalk had been installed and subsequently funded by ATS Traffic, which was behind the previous ones.
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Sources
- “Town in Iceland Paints 3D Zebra Crosswalk To Slow Down Speeding Cars.” Bored Panda. Stella. October 25, 2017.
- “3D Zebra Stripe Crosswalk in Iceland Slows Traffic with Stunning Optical Illusion.” My Modern Met. Jessica Stewart. October 24, 2017.
- “3D crosswalks in Waterloo use optical illusions to make drivers slow down.” CBC. May 21, 2019.
- “Beaumont installs ‘first-of-its-kind’ 3D crosswalk.” CTV News. Steven Dyer. September 21, 2020.