Creative projects that calm traffic and beautify our cities.

CREATE YOUR OWN PROJECT

This FREE, online guide includes step-by-step instructions, handy resources, and much more!

This version is specifically for Baltimore City.

 

SPANISH TOOLKIT

En español: Descargar kit de herramientas aquí.

WHAT’S INSIDE THE TOOLKIT

  • Made You Look MICA Team, ReBUILD Johnston Square Neighborhood Organization, and other partners standing in front of their Bee Safe designs, plans, and feedback notes.

    Resources

    Application forms, grant lists, fundraising templates, and material lists

  • Vilde Ulset, one of the Made You Look project leads from MICA, working with local students. She points to a map of Baltimore's Reservoir Hill area to decide which corners pedestrians and bicyclists are most at risk.

    Planning

    How to decide on a location as a community, get input, and form a budget

  • A hand draws an eye-catching design for the Greenmount West AROW project.

    Co-Design

    How to choose the right type of intervention for the scale and problem

  • Aerial crosswalk intersection plan drawing with measurements. It shows width of street lanes and where the artwork should in in the flex post bump outs.

    Approval

    How to submit a request to DOT and sign a Memorandum of Understanding

  • Artist Graham Coreil-Allen holds a laser-cut plastic stencil of pedestrian icon to be spray painted as part of a Made You Look street safety project.

    Preparation

    How to coordinate logistics, get permitting, and source supplies

  • Becky Slogeris, part of the MICA Social Design program, helps install an Art in the Right of Way project.

    Installation

    How to clean the street, mask, paint, and document

 FAQs

  • The Baltimore City Department of Transportation (DOT) allows community organizations to implement creative projects in Baltimore City’s roadways, sidewalks, alleys, and other areas maintained by DOT. Creative projects in DOT’s Right-of-Way (ROW) help to beautify Baltimore’s neighborhoods, calm traffic, increase public space for pedestrians, and create “place”.

  • Communities can do placemaking projects on non-arterial roads in Baltimore City. See them here.

    Consult DOT Community Programs before deciding the location.

  • The Station North Tool Library includes the equipment needed to install art in the right of way projects. Filter their inventory by checking “Made You Look: Art in the Right of Way Toolbox.” With a membership, you can borrow a pressure washer, leaf blower, roller extension poles, roller frames, paint trays and all other equipment needed for paint day.

  • Your Neighborhood association, representative, or BCDOT.

  • Station North Arts District is working on building a database of muralists this summer that we can host on our website, and make accessible when partners are looking for artists to hire. Maryland State Arts Council, Neighborhood Design Center and Baltimore Office for Promotion of the Arts (BOPA) are great assets for getting in touch with artists.

  • Paint must be pre-approved by DOT. Pre-approved paints include:
    Sherman Williams Highway Products – Hotline® Traffic Paint with SharkGrip® H&C™ Slip Resistant Additive
    PreMark® by Flint
    Integrated Paving Concepts (IPC) installed by Alternative Paving Concepts
    StreetBond® SB150
    Color Top: Concrete Stain

  • You will need many volunteers, or plans to pay people to help with installation.

  • If you are working in the roadway to install art you need a special events or block party permit.

  • If new traffic calming elements, such as bump-outs, crosswalks, flex-posts or striping, are part of your project, the traffic calming elements must be installed prior to the implementation of the art. There are two ways to install traffic calming elements: 1. Submit a 311 request to DOT or 2. Hire a contractor to install striping for you.

  • As of January 2022, commercial liability insurance is required for special projects under the Department of Transportation Community-Led Placemaking Programs. In the past, special projects have included plazas, specialized lighting, and art installations. Organizations who wish to implement special projects will likely need commercial liability insurance. For any special project inquiries, please email DOTcommunityprograms@baltimorecity.gov

  • Community improvement grants are our go-to option.

    The majority of ROW Art projects are funded by community organizations. Baltimore City is offering some traffic improvements for priority areas.

    Fee for block party permit

    If insurance is needed, fee.

 

PROJECT

Greenmount West

 

BEFORE

At the corner of Greenmount Ave and Oliver St, cars were driving too fast through the intersection due to missing roadway markings and overly wide lanes.

One resident said: “Southbound traffic would careen around the corner without looking. I remember walking past a major accident right there that nearly damaged City Arts.”

So the community got to work on a solution.

  • Bright Lanes installation in front of Open Works. Colorful, painted hexagons on the sidewalk. Community members said this Art in the Right of Way project decreased speeding and increased a sense of joy.
  • A co-design workshop with Greenmount West community members drawing ideas.
  • Volunteers installing the Bright Lanes Art in the Right of Way. Templates, tape, stencils, rollers, and more to help say "Made You Look"
  • Two community members discussing their traffic calming ideas.
  • Volunteers painting bright, eye-catching, traffic-calming designs.
  • Volunteer painting rainbow design on street to make cars go slower.

AFTER

With the new colorful bump-out, there’s only one lane to drive in, and 28 out of 30 respondents said that cars now drive slower​. Community members said:

“It absolutely helps with signaling the narrowing ahead of the crosswalk.”

“If the atmosphere of traffic calming is in place, foot traffic will increase which is key for businesses.”

 
READ THE FULL CASE STUDY
 

PROJECT

Reservoir Hill

BEFORE

At the intersection of Brookfield Ave and Whitelock St in Reservoir Hill, only two out of four crossings had visible crosswalks or ADA ramps. There was poor visibility of the 4-way stop signs, and line markings were all but gone.

During just one hour of observation, over half of the cars did not yield, requiring residents to stop or run out of the way, and a child was nearly hit.

  • Volunteers painting within masking tape on sidewalk.
  • An aerial drone image of the crosswalk street mural in Reservoir Hill by Whitelock. Volunteers install the Art in the Right of Way tree-like, seasonal design.
  • Baltimore volunteers paint the Made You Look design to signal to drivers to slow down..

AFTER

New artwork was designed and installed by Graham Coreil-Allen with input and help from the Reservoir Hill community, utilizing curb extensions and flexible posts. All the crosswalks now have ADA ramps.

Before installation: 28% of cars yielded and 36% of pedestrians used the crosswalk.

After installation: 74% of cars yielded and 75% of pedestrians used the crosswalk.

 

Project photos by Graham Coreil-Allen / Graham Projects grahamprojects.com

READ THE FULL CASE STUDY
 

PROJECT

Johnston Square

BEFORE

The intersections around the Johnston Square Elementary and its adjacent greenspaces were marked as a 25mph school zone, but over 40% of cars were speeding, some recorded going as fast as 80mph when school let out.

Before installation, only half of cars were yielding to pedestrians. A third of pedestrians did not use crosswalks, crossing in the middle of the street.