You may have noticed new high-contrast crosswalks marked at some intersections in Asheville’s Central Business District. They are the work of the Transportation Department in an effort to make pedestrians safer.

These are called ladder-type crosswalk markers, said City Traffic Engineer Jeff Moore. The white part is a nonslip thermoplastic that sticks to the pavement. The high-contrast markers also serve as aids to visually impaired pedestrians. Remember, not everyone who is visually impaired is completely blind.

The idea is that consistency in design will help everyone pay closer attention to crosswalks.

For further reading, visit the Asheville municipal webpage here.