Crossing the road in Dunedin's tertiary precinct will be much more fun from this week, with the installation of two 3-D pedestrian crossings in Clyde St.
Designed by Melbourne artist Jenny McCracken, who has been in Dunedin for the past week to work on the installation, the crossings will create an eye-catching optical illusion.
The crossing at the intersection of Clyde St and Union St East will show feet walking under zebra stripes. The second crossing is just north of the Leith River and its design has a river theme.
The designs will appear three-dimensional to approaching traffic, but will look like flat crossings to people crossing the road.
Local artist Guy Howard-Smith has been working alongside McCracken on the installation of the crossings, with workers from the Downer Group and Resin Surfaces.
Planning and environment committee chairman Cr David Benson-Pope said the project was "a great way of addressing the safety concerns that have been expressed about the intersection, and at the same time adding some Dunedin style and fun''.
DCC urban design team leader Crystal Filep said the designs were one of many initiatives to celebrate Dunedin's rising profile as one of the world's great small cities.
"Our street art on walls has been a great success and we are starting to look at other surfaces for creative projects. Like the poems on steps project, 3-D crossings make the city more interesting to walk around,'' Ms Filep said.
In addition to the crossings, other traffic-calming measures such as speed humps and warning signs will be implemented to improve pedestrian safety in the area.
BRENDA.HARWOOD @thestar.co.nz
