Made You Look Year 3 Equipping Communities with Human-Centered Design Tools for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety
About Made You Look
Project Background
Made You Look is a collaboration between MICA’s Center for Social Design and the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration’s Highway Safety Office to make Baltimore a safer place for pedestrians and bicyclists by increasing visibility on two levels: (1) raising the visibility of individuals walking or biking in the city and (2) making local safety concerns visible to policymakers. Learn more at madeyoulookbaltimore.org.
Since 2018, MICA’s Center for Social Design has been working with local nonprofits, community organizations, city agencies, and residents to create a safer Baltimore for pedestrians and bicyclists through Made You Look. In July 2020, we kicked off our third year of the initiative with a focus on sharing what we learned during the first two years with a wider audience and enabling residents across the city to take action to address pedestrian and bicyclist safety concerns in their own neighborhoods. We had two primary goals for Year 3: 1. To collaborate with Community Partners and the Baltimore City Department of Transportation (BDOT) to design, test and promote a user-friendly, public-facing Made You Look Art in the Right of Way Toolkit. The goal of the Toolkit is to equip community organizations and residents with the information and tools they need to implement their own pedestrian and bicyclist safety interventions; 2. To document and share the lessons and information we’ve assembled through our Made You Look research, community engagement and collaborations, and intervention prototypes with Baltimore City and Maryland statewide audiences. Throughout the year, we were invited to share our work at several City- and Statewide conferences and meetings: • PBEAT (Pedestrian Bicycle Emphasis Area Team) - December 3, 2020 • AIA (American Institute of Architects) Baltimore Spring Lecture Series - March 20, 2021 • BIAC (Bicycle and Pedestrian Infrastructure Advisory Committee) Southern Maryland - June 10, 2021 We also officially launched madeyoulookbaltimore.org, a home for all of our pedestrian and bicyclist safety initiatives. This document summarizes the work done during Year 3, lessons learned, and next steps.
Year Three At A Glance
13 community meetings to sharing the 187 reflective t-shirts 2 shareback ses 4 project advisors 1 graphic designer 2 3 newsletters 1 freshly painted art cros 205 instagram followers (and counting Report 1 Art in the Right of Way Toolkit 60 workshop participants from 44 di
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75 toolkits sent to 31 zip codes 5 natio 1 website 4 funding partners and over
invested in pedestrian & bike safety to d
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25 community collaborators sswalk 93 gallons of paint g!) 1 Observation Tool Evaluation t 6 community workshops
ifferent community organizations,
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onal and state-wide presentations
$590,000 in funding
date
Bright Lanes The goal of Bright Lanes is to make pedestrian areas more visible and prompt drivers to slow down and be more respectful to other road users. The Bright Lanes project uses infrastructure cues and engaging crosswalk designs to encourage law-abiding behavior for both drivers and pedestrians.
Year Three Outcomes • Supported installation and evaluation of Whitelock Seasonal Turn Art Crosswalk in Reservoir Hill, located on the corner of Brookfield Avenue and Whitelock Street, in collaboration with Graham Projects. The artwork is the culmination of the Reservoir Hill Improvement Council (RHIC) “Whitelock Art Crosswalk” project, which was supported by Healthy Neighborhoods Inc. and the Baltimore Community Foundation. • Spring 2020 - Community design workshops were held virtually with the Reservoir Hill Improvement Council. ColorRow at MakePlaceHappen.com was developed and used to receive design ideas from community members. • Community Members voted for their favorite design • The Whitelock Seasonal Turn was installed Spring 2021 together with community members • Mayor Brandon Scott and Councilman Torrence opened the artwork at the Community Celebration Event. • Secured funding from AARP Livable Communities Grant to implement Bright Lanes in Johnston Square • Finished evaluation of Greenmount West Bright Lanes
Evaluating Impact: Whitelock Seasonal Turn Art Crosswalk To evaluate the impact of the traffic calming art intervention, observations using the Made You Look Observation Tool were conducted at the intersection in Fall 2020 before the bumpouts and artwork was installed, and in Spring 2021 after completion of the traffic calming and public art. The Made You Look observation tool records the number of pedestrians, bicyclists, scooters, wheelchair users and cars present at the intersection in the course of 1 hour and how they interact at the intersection. Overall we see an increase in pedestrians and other road users using the crosswalk to cross the road. • Before the Art in the Right of Way installation, only 14 out of 38 pedestrians and other road users used the crosswalk. • After the Art in the Right of Way installation 33 out of 44 pedestrians and other road users used the crosswalk to cross. We also see a significant increase in cars yielding to other road users. • Before install, only 6 out 21 cars yielded. • After install, 23 out of 31 cars yielded.
Next Steps • Continue sharing the Art in the Right of Way Toolkit with communities who want to create Bright Lanes in their neighborhoods • Support implementation of “Bee Safe” Artistic Crosswalks in Johnston Square • Test the usability of Raspberry Pi DIY Speed Camera technology as an additional evaluation tool of the effectiveness of Bright Lanes in making Pedestrian and Bicyclist zones more visible and prompt drivers to slow down and be more respectful of other road users.
Made You Look Art in the Right of Way Toolkit The goal of the Made You Look Art in the Right of Way Toolkit is to make the process to install Art in the Right of Way in Baltimore City easier to understand and more accessible for all Baltimore City Residents. In May and June 2021 we hosted four Art in the Right of Way Workshops. The goal of the Art in the Right of Way Workshop is to explain the process and give insights into how to use the Toolkit.
Year 3 Outcomes •
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Collaboration with Baltimore City Department of Transportation Community Programs to design, test and promote a user-friendly, public-facing Made You Look Art in the Right of Way Toolkit. Feedback collection - Fall 2020: 13 community meetings promoting and receiving feedback on the Made You Look Toolkit. Test users - Five community organizations at different stages in the Toolkit Process actively using the Toolkit for traffic calming art and providing feedback on the process. Six Art in the Right of Way Workshops held with 60 workshop participants from 44 different community organizations, educational institutions, public offices and advocacy groups. 75 Toolkit Packages sent to 31 Zip codes . Toolkit featured in Bikemore blog article, MDOT’s “Walk This Way” newsletter, and Baltimore Office of Sustainability’s “Sustain B’More” newsletter.
Lessons Learned • Creating toolkits and making simple, user friendly designs takes a lot more effort and time than what it seems - direct feedback from Community Partners was essential in making sure it is easy to understand and clear - thank you to everyone who took time to read through and provide feedback in the process! • After having edited and redesigned the toolkit for almost a year, it felt like a huge victory to be able to share the toolkit with Baltimore.
Next Steps • Work with Neighborhood Design Center to create a permanent home for the Art in the Right of Way Toolkit • Collaboration with Station North Tool Library to make the tools needed for the install process more accessible • Spanish translation • Expand initiative to other counties in Maryland • Collaboration with Neighborhood Design Center to expand to Prince George’s county • Collect feedback from communities on lessons learned while going through the Art in the Right of Way process • Collaborate with Community Partners to create a resource that connects neighborhoods with artists and artists with neighborhoods.
“Last week, we attended the Art in the Right of Way Workshop in the company of neighborhood leaders, public artists, and elected officials all looking to learn more about traffic calming art. During this session, the presenters and attendees emphasized the importance of community engagement from project conception to end, using a design thinking process. This means involving neighbors from the very beginning: learning from them what intersections and roads are dangerous for pedestrians, involving them in the design of the new art, and inviting them to participate in a paint day. Many attendees left the call excited to embark on a process of making their own neighborhood art”. “I’ll be recommending this workshop/guide to all neighbors we work with who are interested in traffic calming. The guide is an excellent explanation of how to approach these types of projects - and gives them a realistic understanding of the complexity”. Workshop Participant Bikemore newsletter June 1, 2021
The Underline The Underline explores the power of lighting in transforming a car-dominated area into a pedestrian and bicyclist friendly space. The underpass on North Avenue under I-83 (JFX) will be illuminated with UV lighting that will display the restored social justice mural to enhance the experience for pedestrians and bikers. A community art wall will be installed on the north wall with the help of commissioned artists and local artists. The installation will be an addition to the North Avenue Rising streetscaping that is almost finished under the bridge. The project will hopefully change the perception of the area for everyone it serves and be perceived as a gateway connecting Station North Arts District to the neighboring communities.
Year 3 Outcomes • Received full funding through the Station North Investment Fund and Central Baltimore Partnership to implement a permanent installation of The Underline. • Collaborated with Baltimore Department of Transportation + Maryland Transit • Authority and MICA Facilities Services. • Alignment with North Avenue Rising - we have permission from BDOT to use the existing steel beams to install lights for the project to enhance the work already executed by MTA. • MICA gave permission to use electricity from their parking lot and is supportive of the project. • Pivoted from digital rendering to mockups with a concrete vision for the community engagement process and installation.
Next Steps • Continued collaboration with Central Baltimore Partnership to install the Underline through a community engagement process and restoration of the South wall “Social Justice” mural. • Host virtual or in person demonstration events. • Collaborate with Jerry Butler & Formstone Castle to host community visioning sessions for the North Wall and create a process where the community is involved in every step. • Continue to use the rendering of The Underline design to generate public interest, momentum and input. • Continue to gather support from local advocacy groups and non-profit organizations that focus on bicyclist & pedestrian safety. • Evaluate effectiveness of lights in enhancing the feeling of safety through community feedback & testing. • Host a dedicated ribbon cutting event with the community to celebrate the restoration and efforts put in by everyone involved in the project.
Reflective Streetwear The design of the unique clothing and accessories use reflective materials to make the user more visible during the day and at night. The reflective wear looks to offer stylish wearables for pedestrians and cyclists commuting, living and recreating in Baltimore City. The project aims to encourage travelers to voluntarily adopt the newly created items and make those users more visible to automobile drivers. The additional cues aim to increase a driver’s awareness of vulnerable road users.
Year 3 Outcomes • Collaborated with BMore Brand to design “Made You Look” reflective streetwear. • Available for purchase at thebmorebrand.com • 187 T-shirts sold to date • Collaborated with the Neighborhood Design Center to make T-shirts for their “Bike the Sites” community event. • Collaborated with BYKE to make Reflective T-shirts for two different events. • Continue working with the MICA Store to continue exploring with reflective designs and clothing in the MICA store. • Hosted a raffle with MICA’s Office of Research for a free T-shirt giveaway.
Next Steps •
Get feedback from supporters to see what they would like to see improve or suggestions for another design.
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Develop a “winter line” with sweatshirts and long sleeve shirts.
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Continue hosting reflective t-shirt workshops for youth
Final Shareback To celebrate the end of Year 3 of the project, we hosted our Final Shareback at the Reservoir Hill Community Garden. This gave partners a chance to see the Seasonal Turn art crosswalks created in collaboration Graham Projects in action. During the shareback we collected feeback on plans for The Underline, distributed copies of the Art in The Right of Way Toolkit, handed out free snowballs, hosted a bike repair station with BIKE, and sold reflective wear.
“The last three years of the Made You Look project can be best described as ‘poetry in motion!’ Who says art can’t change the world! When our office first approached MICA in December 2017, our intentions were to develop some programs to help keep MICA students safer on campus as pedestrians and bicyclists. But when we learned about MICA’s Center for Social Design, an entire world of applied creativity was hatched in their classroom of graduate students studying human-centered design. The four key elements of a new safety program for Baltimore’s pedestrians and bicyclists —Bright Lanes, City Hacks, DIY Tool Kit, and Reflective Streetwear—were successfully deployed in adjoining neighborhoods in Year 2, and broadened to go citywide in Year 3. By employing community engagement through workshops and sharebacks with community partners, MICA is now working with the City of Baltimore’s DOT and other stakeholders to make Baltimore a safer place for all its residents to live, work, and play.” eff Dunckel, Maryland Highway J Safety Office, Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program Manager
Core Project Team Quinton Batts Vilde Ulset Lee Davis Becky Slogeris
Project Advisors Jasper Barnes, BYKE Collective Michael Bowman, Formstone Castle Graham Coreil Allen, Graham Projects Akia Jones, The BMORE Brand
Graphic Designer Kristi Liu
Project Partners Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration’s Highway Safety Office Jeff Dunkel, Pedestrian and Bicycle Program Manager Doug Mowbray, Traffic Records Program Manager
Funding Partners Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Highway Safety Office Baltimore Gas & Electric Company (BGE) Emergency Response and Safety Grant Central Baltimore Partnership AARP Livable Communities
Community Partners Chris Bohaska, Director of Campus Services, MICA Damond Crutchfield, Manager of Transportation & Operations Services, MICA Jack Danna, Director of Commercial Revitalization, Central Baltimore Partnership Maura Dwyer, Central Baltimore Partnership Brent Hooper, Interim Division Chief, Maintenance Division, Baltimore City Department of Transportation Rusty Gardner, Book & Merchandise Buyer, MICA Store Aaron Kaufman, Community Projects Manager, Central Baltimore Partnership Theodore Krolik, Chief of Engagement, Maryland Transit Administration Nikita Lemon, Associate Director of Corporate, Foundation, and Government Relations, Office of Advancement, MICA Robbyn Lewis, Delegate, District 46 – Baltimore City, Maryland House of Delegates; and Founder, Livable Streets Coalition Sean Lynn, Washington College GIS Program, GIS Applications Developer Patrick McMahon, Senior Planner, Maryland Transit Administration Kate Jennings, Program Director, Reservoir Hill Improvement Council David Nyweide, President, Bolton Hill Community Association Shayna Rose, Right-of-Way Community Art Coordinator, Baltimore Department of Transportation Brian Seal, Board Member, Young Planners in Transportation Baltimore Chapter Glen Sine, Washington College GIS Program, Senior GIS Project Manager Mikah Zaslow, City Planner II, Baltimore Department of Transportation Graham Young, Complete Streets Manager, Baltimore Department of Transportation
About the Center for Social Design MICA’s Center for Social Design is dedicated to demonstrating and promoting the value of design in advancing equity and social justice, and to inspiring and preparing the next generation of creative changemakers. www.micasocialdesign.com