MEDFORD, MASS. (WHDH) - Students at a Medford elementary school are hoping their three-dimensional sidewalk will make the roads around their school safer.
“I absolutely love it. It’s exactly what I wanted and way more,” said 10-year-old Isa, who came up with the idea, adding, “I can’t believe it actually happened.”
Isa’s idea of an eye-popping crosswalk has drivers taking notice and putting on the brakes.
“It looks three-dimensional like it’s a sidewalk that’s standing up,” said parent Chris Davis. “(It’s) like you’re about to go over a speed bump.”
Isa and a fellow classmate thought of this as part of a class project, a creative and cost-effective way to get drivers to slow down.
“It took a while,” she said. “We did a lot of research. We had to go to like a traffic commission meeting. We had to go to the mayor a couple times.”
Medford Mayor Stephanie Burke was impressed.
“For two third graders to come up with the idea speaks volumes to how bright our kids are and how much they are committed to their community,” Burke said.
The plan had been in the works for nearly one year, and the city eventually signed off, hiring a local artist to create the illusion. They unveiled it on Monday.
“I really hope that we can start seeing a difference and make sure that kids are staying safe and adults are all staying safe,” Isa said.
The mayor confirmed the 3D crosswalks will be coming to the other elementary schools in the city.
Isa said, “It’s taught me that you can never give up otherwise nothing is going to happen. So if you want stuff to change, you have to keep going with it.”
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