A month after the roadway at a Red Bank intersection was painted over with a giant, vivid sun on a field of turquoise, officials gathered there this week to explain and defend it.
The bold image is meant to catch the attention of motorists, reminding them to be aware of pedestrians and cyclists, as well as other vehicles traversing the intersection, where an offset alignment of Bridge Avenue and South Bridge Avenue makes for some dicey maneuvers.
The eye-popping markings are “what we refer to as ‘positive distraction,’” said Charles Brown, senior research specialist at the Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University. “They force the driver to pay close attention to the intersection.
The image, recommended by graduate students at Voorhees, reflects a “tactical urbanist” philosophy that cities should try bold measures when it comes to safety, environmentalism, economic development and more, officials said.