#Crosswalks are often marked with drivers

This indicated, nearly 50 years ago, that drivers were failing to yield to pedestrians even when crosswalks were present.

What studies - and federal and state data - do back up is that crosswalks alone, no matter what pattern they are painted, arenвЂ™t adequate to protect pedestrians.ДЄ 1972 study, for example, found that pedestrians were more likely to be hit at the end or middle of a crosswalk, not at the beginning. Rainbow sidewalks have been painted in Bangor, Orono and South Portland. The Maine Department of Transportation does allow crosswalks to be painted with rainbow colors, though it has some design restrictions and only allows such custom designs where the posted speed limit is 25 mph or less. вЂњAnd I donвЂ™t know of any study that has been able to show that they are actually causing any problems.вЂќ вЂњThere are hundreds around the country, if not thousands around the world,вЂќ he said of artistic crosswalks. Lydon is a founder of the urban design firm Street Plans, which works with community groups to develop street art projects. вЂњThe thing that gets under my skin, personally is that this response from FHWA is not really grounded in any data,вЂќ Michael Lydon told the Times. However, when asked by The New York Times to provide data to back this up, the agency did not produce any.

The Federal Highway Administration has warned cities, including Ames, Iowa and Lexington, Kentucky, that artful crosswalks are not as safe as the standard white ones.

Crosswalks are often marked with