In Summary:
Advocates in Ivins, Utah, wanted to improve pedestrian safety near a school but faced dark-sky regulations, protected sightlines, access requirements, and the high cost of their original crosswalk proposal. Working with the city, they instead painted colorful curb extensions designed to visually narrow the roundabout and encourage motorists to slow down. The city is conducting before-and-after speed studies to determine whether the inexpensive pilot produces measurable improvements.
What Apopka could learn from Ivins
For Apopka, the Ivins project offers a useful model for addressing traffic and pedestrian-safety concerns without assuming that every solution must begin with an expensive permanent construction project. As the city deals with growth, increasingly busy corridors and neighborhood concerns about speeding and pedestrian safety, officials could identify specific problem areas, define the outcome they want — such as lower speeds or safer crossings — and test inexpensive, reversible improvements before committing significant money to permanent infrastructure.
Painted curb extensions, temporary markings, flexible materials, or other demonstration projects could allow Apopka to collect before-and-after speed and traffic data while giving residents, businesses, and drivers a chance to experience a proposed change.
The larger lesson from Ivins is not that Apopka should copy its roundabout design, but that constraints can encourage experimentation: start with the safety problem, test an affordable solution, measure whether it works and use the results to decide what comes next.
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Every community has things that get in the way of change. Those constraints range from typical—for example, pushback from some community members —to extremely specific.
Related: Strong Towns: Small transportation changes can make a big difference in Apopka.
Ivins, Utah, has some extremely specific constraints that make many common street-safety strategies difficult or impossible. Dark-sky rules meant they couldn't add lighting to help drivers see pedestrians. Adding trees or other vertical elements was also out, as they weren't allowed to block sightlines of a local landmark. Medians and center islands wouldn't work because they'd block necessary turn access.
And when local advocates finally found a project they could theoretically complete — painting brightly colored crosswalks in a roundabout near a school — the price was way too high.
How did the Ivins community overcome these challenges? They stayed focused on their goal instead of fixating on a particular way to achieve it.
"We took a step back," Tiffany Wynn explained. Tiffany is the director of the nonprofit Ivins Inspired and a leader of Strong Towns Washco, the area's Local Conversation. She spearheaded the street safety project as part of the Strong Towns Cohort.
The group refocused on their goal. It wasn't to add bright crosswalks; it was to slow cars and increase safety. The best way to do that was to visually narrow the roadways in a way that fit within local constraints.
“The fortunate thing about having to go back [to the drawing board] ... was we came up with what I think is a much better plan,” Tiffany said.
While they reevaluated the project, they also found a cheaper brand of paint that was still rated to last 6-7 years. They worked with the city to paint eye-catching bump-outs (aka curb extensions) that visually narrow the entire roundabout. A local college student designed the bump-outs, and they were installed for less than half the price quoted for the crosswalks.
"This project did more than make this intersection more beautiful," Strong Towns Chief Technical Advisor Edward Erfurt said. "It shifted how the entire community talks about street design and safety."
Residents, including owners of businesses next to the roundabout, have reported an immediate change in driver behavior, saying the paint seems to have made the area safer.
This isn't the end of the project, though. The city conducted a two-week speed study before the installation, and plans to conduct another study now that the paint is down to evaluate the bump-outs' effect on behavior over time. They also have questions about how well the paint will hold up over time.
But that's the beauty of pilot projects like this: If things don't go as planned, the community can adjust and try something else without breaking the bank. Regardless, they'll have valuable data to inform their next project.
What constraints are preventing change in your community? What possibilities might open up if you go back to the drawing board?
And if you’re a local leader or advocate looking for support as you navigate your own community's constraints, apply to join the next Cohort. Applications close September 25.
Key Points:
- Constraints changed the project: Dark-sky requirements, protected sightlines and necessary turning access ruled out lighting, vertical elements and center islands.
- The goal remained the same: When brightly painted crosswalks proved too expensive, advocates refocused on the actual objective — reducing vehicle speeds and improving safety.
- A lower-cost alternative emerged: The community installed painted curb extensions that visually narrow the roadway for less than half the price quoted for the crosswalk project.
- Early reaction is positive: Nearby residents and business owners reported seeing an immediate change in driver behavior after the installation.
- Results will be measured: Ivins conducted a two-week speed study before the project and plans another afterward, allowing the city to determine whether the changes actually affected vehicle speeds.
Photos from Tiffany Wynn.
