The City of Reno has started a new pilot project that uses public art to improve pedestrian safety. The initiative features an asphalt mural and pedestrian bulb-outs at the intersection of Yori Avenue and Roberts Street, next to Libby Booth Elementary School. This is the first time in Reno that a mural has been painted directly on asphalt with the goal of making streets safer for pedestrians.
An unveiling event for the mural is scheduled for Friday, August 8, at 12:30 p.m. Attendees will include Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve, Ward 3 Councilmember Miguel Martinez, local artist Nathaniel Benjamin, and Mary Culpepper, principal of Libby Booth Elementary School.
“I am so proud of our incredible Public Works and Arts & Culture teams for coming together to create something truly special for Reno,” said Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve. “This project is a creative solution that helps keep our residents, especially our kids, safe as they travel on our roads and sidewalks.”
Students from Libby Booth Elementary participated in designing the mural by submitting ideas about different ways to get to school. Their entries included transportation methods such as spaceships, teleportation devices, school buses, and dolphins.
Local artist Nathaniel Benjamin painted the mural. He is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno and works throughout the Great Basin Desert region. Benjamin also helped found Laika Press, a community printmaking space in Reno. Previously, he contributed to a sidewalk painting project at Anderson Elementary aimed at promoting awareness about safe crossings near schools.
Funding for this project came from the City’s Street Fund budget and totaled $11,600. This amount covered materials like paint and supplies as well as compensation for the artist.
