Color meets purpose in Chalk Riot's exclusive article about how temporary art can create lasting change.
WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESS Newswire / June 25, 2025 / In an exclusive article titled Painting the Path to Safer Cities, the all-women mural team Chalk Riot shares how colorful, community-led art is becoming a powerful tool for traffic safety and street equity in cities across the U.S.
Chalk Riot, known for bold chalk and paint murals that make streets safer for people walking and biking, has created 20 traffic calming murals in and around the nation's capitol. Their art is temporary, but its impact is lasting.
"While hard numbers can take years to collect, our team collects tons of anecdotal transportation data from passersby on every project about the area," said Chelsea Ritter-Soronen, CEO of Chalk Riot, "We will report these learnings back to planning teams for them to consider."
The group's work aligns with recent findings that painted streets slow down drivers and reduce crashes. A 2022 study by the Asphalt Art Initiative showed that street art installations cut road crashes by up to 50%. Color and pattern get attention. And in our distracted society, attention saves lives.
In the article, Chalk Riot explains how they turn crosswalks into illustrated stories, empty roads into a skateboarder and dogwalker heaven, and gray intersections into bright zones that feel welcoming-and safe. Their designs don't just decorate-they inform behavior.
"Plain crosswalks fade into the road. Ours pop out and tell you to slow down," said one artist. "It's not just about being seen. It's about one's humanity being respected."
With pedestrian deaths at a 40-year high-7,522 in 2022 alone-the need for safer street design is urgent. Most roads in the U.S. are still built with cars in mind. Chalk Riot challenges that. Their temporary murals act as a test run for permanent change.
"We're the dress rehearsal," said a team member. "If people like it-and they usually do-the city can build it for good."
But their mission is bigger than art. It's about equity. Their projects give voice to neighborhoods, include local artists, and highlight stories too often ignored. Chalk Riot has created murals about climate justice, LGBTQ+ pride, and racial equity-while calming traffic at the same time.
"Art can protect people. It can make a street feel more human," one team member added.
Now, they're encouraging others to join the movement.
Call to Action:
You don't need to be an artist to make a difference. Start by noticing dangerous intersections. Talk to your neighbors. Advocate for safer crosswalks. Bring local artists into the conversation. Pitch a street mural to your city. Even one bright stripe can shift behavior-and maybe save a life.
About Chalk Riot:
Chalk Riot is a women-led mural business headquartered in Washington, D.C. Since 2013, the group has created hundreds of art installations across the U.S. and five countries. Chalk Riot believes that the pavement is the world's greatest canvas for artwork that unites, protects, and energizes cities.
To read the full article, click here.
Contact: abby@chalkriot.com
SOURCE: Chalk Riot
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
