Safety Sign Project - Be Careful! ¡Ten Cuidado!

  • Youth artists depict an idyllic scene of safe street crossing in their PS 116 community.

Project Description

Groundswell and the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) designed the Traffic Safety Sign Residency Program to engage public school students in exploring traffic safety information through the creation of original street signs. Signs designed collaboratively by students at each of our partner schools are digitally rendered by Groundswell artists, fabricated by NYC DOT’s Sign Shop, and temporarily installed in local locations students identify as in need of traffic signage. Through this program, students learn how signs and symbols can work to communicate ideas and explore visual art techniques to develop graphic images. These signs then help increase safety awareness and prevent accidents in locations around each school community. The students from PS 116 envisioned an ideal traffic scene to encourage their peers to travel to and from school safely. The image of the bridge in the background as well as the bilingual message on the sign celebrate the neighborhood around PS 116 and the people who live there. 

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Project Info

Location: 515 Knickerbocker Ave Brooklyn, NY 11237
Neighborhood: 
Bushwick


Program: 
Safety Sign Initiative


Theme: 
Livable Streets


Year: 
2013


Partner(s): 
New York City Department of Transportation
PS 116


Lead Artist(s):
Nicole Schulman


Participants: 

 

4th grade students at PS 116
Medium: 
Printed Metal Sign


Dimensions: 30" Diameter

Fun Facts

Fun Fact
Even when pedestrians have the right of way, it is important that they look for oncoming traffic. In 2011, half of all pedestrians killed by a moving vehicle in a crosswalk had a green light to cross.
Suggested Activity
Think about areas in your neighborhood that may be in need of a traffic sign. Do people drive too fast near your school? Do people roll through stop signs by your house? Design a traffic safety sign that reflects traffic issues in your neighborhood.
Legend Symbol
Rainbow. Here, the rainbow honors Maria Hernandez, a local woman who fought against drug dealing in the neighborhood and was shot and killed. The neighborhood park is named after her.