Federal Guidelines Now Include Asphalt Art in the Roadway Design Toolkit

For the first time, federal guidelines now explicitly include asphalt art projects as part of the roadway design toolkit!

This is a groundbreaking step in reimagining transportation infrastructure to create safer, more welcoming streets for all. Streets aren’t just for moving vehicles—they’re part of the public realm that defines the identity and experience of a city.

Through projects like intersection murals, crosswalk art, and painted plazas, asphalt art is proving to be an effective and affordable way to:

We are proud that the Maryland Department of Transportation has funded the expansion of our Made You Look: Art in the Right of Way Toolkit to Prince George’s County! Since its inception in Baltimore, this program has successfully increased visibility for pedestrians and bicyclists while bringing critical safety issues to the attention of policymakers. Building on this momentum, several municipalities in Prince George’s County, including Colmar Manor and District Heights have reached out to partner with NDC on pilot projects. You can read more in this blog post.

These initiatives will evaluate the influence of asphalt art on driver behavior, particularly its impact on reducing the tendency to run stop signs. Using technology to track and analyze data before and after installations, these projects will provide valuable insights into how street art can enhance roadway safety. With the addition of these new pilot projects, we’re thrilled to broaden the reach of this initiative, ensuring more communities across Maryland benefit from safer, more vibrant streets.

Learn more about the Made You Look initiative here.