The Department of Transportation is taking a poetic approach to safety with a Curbside Haiku campaign. The department’s Urban Arts Program will install 216 signs featuring colorful artwork and haiku by John Morse. The signs will be placed in high-crash locations and next to schools and public institutions citywide.
One of the haiku paired with a colorful sign reads: “A sudden car door / Cyclist’s story rewritten. / Fractured narrative” to remind pedestrians to be mindful of traffic rules.
“Curbside Haiku seeks to merge public art with public awareness to infuse a bit of beauty and joy into the public sphere with the images while underscoring the realities of the message with poetry,” said Morse.
The project is funded by the state’s DWI funds.