Central Valley

Downtown Modesto Ups its Crosswalk Game

Modesto unveiled a new art installation last Friday, and to enjoy it, all people have to do is look down at their feet. If these new crosswalks help make it safer to cross the street, so much the better.

By Melanie Curry

3:02 PM PDT on May 16, 2017

New crosswalk art on 10th and I streets in Modesto includes this piano key design by local resident John Griswold. Photo by Minerva Perez

Modesto unveiled a new art installation last Friday, and to enjoy it, all people have to do is look down at their feet.

Several crosswalks in downtown Modesto were transformed to look like piano keys and musical notation scales in an homage to the city’s artist community. The new crosswalks can be found on I Street between 10th and 11th streets in front of the Gallo Center for the Arts.

The “Intersection of Art” project was made possible by Modesto Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Modesto, a program for potential community leaders. The program’s participants create a community service project, and the 2017 class wanted to raise awareness of the importance of arts in the community and help with the revitalization of downtown. To that end, they raised approximately $37,000 to pay for the installation of the eye-catching new crosswalks.

If the new crosswalks help make it safer to cross those streets by catching the eyes of car drivers, so much the better.