"Despite the dire state of pedestrian safety in South Africa, across many parts of the country walkability remains extremely poor, and pedestrians are consistently treated as an afterthought in urban design and transport planning"

In 2023, a colourful public artwork was installed at a pedestrian crossing on Sea Point Main Road. Sea Point is a high-density urban neighbourhood and one of Cape Town’s most walkable precincts. However, even in this relatively walkable area, pedestrian safety is an issue. The artistic enhancement of the pedestrian crossing on Sea Point Main Road was aimed at drawing attention to the issue of pedestrian safety in Cape Town, and more broadly, South Africa. The issue is of particular importance as nearly half of all road traffic fatalities in the City of Cape Town involve pedestrians; this is more than double that of the global average. Despite the dire state of pedestrian safety in South Africa, across many parts of the country walkability remains extremely poor, and pedestrians are consistently treated as an afterthought in urban design and transport planning. The unconventional road safety intervention, installed by artist Luke Al, was well suited to Sea Point, as the suburb is one of Cape Town’s most densely populated areas. Despite high levels of pedestrian activity, the road design and regulations in Sea Point continue to prioritise vehicle flow over human safety and comfort. Stakeholders and everyday users of space include: - Children who travel long distances via public transport to attend schools in the area. - Elderly residents who run errands and access essential services. - Tourists and visitors, some of whom might be unfamiliar with local traffic dynamics. - Retail and office workers, who often rely on public transport and complete their journeys on foot. - Local businesses and property owners, who have an interest in making public space more inviting and accessible. This mix of permanent and transient users creates a dynamic urban space with a pressing need for safe, legible, and inclusive pedestrian infrastructure. However, stringent and outdated traffic laws, such as the National Road Traffic Act, often obstruct any attempt at creative, people-centred interventions in road space.

The Road Traffic Act in particular restricts markings, signs, and installations on roads that might distract drivers, be confusing, or compromise safety. Well-meaning traffic engineers and public servants are also incredibly risk averse and tend to shy away from unconventional interventions. Without drastic action and with very limited room for innovation pedestrian deaths and injuries remain high while efforts at fostering safer urban environments are hindered. The Sea Point pedestrian crossing embodies the tension between car-centric “First World” regulations and the realities of a Global South urban context, where infrastructure often lags behind social needs. Cape Town, like many rapidly urbanizing cities, faces the challenge of adapting formal rules and design principles to better serve its people. In this context, the Sea Point pedestrian crossing not only responded to an urgent need for improved pedestrian safety but also challenged the prevailing mindset in which various levels of government, business, and civil society respond to the challenges facing South Africa. Additionally, by showing that roads can be spaces for creative expression, safe places for pedestrians, and form part of the key social infrastructure in a neighbourhood, the Sea Point pedestrian crossing implicitly argues for flexible, humane, and responsive urban environments.

"What made the Sea Point Pedestrian Crossing project unique was not only its creative response to the problem of pedestrian marginalisation, but also the strategic way it was implemented"

The successful implementation of this project involved the commitment of an unusual coalition of public, private, and civic actors willing to challenge the norms of urban infrastructure in Cape Town, and South Africa. For at least the decade before 2023 (when the Sea Point crossing was installed) introducing art or colour near crossings was deemed both impossible and illegal by various city officials. However, with a new Mayor in 2021, came new possibilities. An ambitious local property developer, together with Our Future Cities, leveraged the change in leadership to collaborate with the Transport Department, the Roads and Stormwater Department, and the local Ward Councillor. Additional assistance was provided by the Mayor’s office to help navigate the bureaucratic resistance historically associated with any non-standard street interventions. The fact that the funding was provided by a private property developer with a vested interest in the area’s vibrancy and safety, and that the intervention came at no cost to the City, also helped make the project a reality. Despite initial resistance from the City’s Public Art and Safety divisions, the project’s proponents successfully made the case that creativity and safety are not mutually exclusive, but complementary. Crucially, the process wasn’t just top-down. Community members were surveyed both before and after the project’s installation, and a participatory approach ensured that the design was informed by local users’ needs and observations. The strategy focused on visibility and behaviour change, using vibrant street murals to draw attention to a high-risk crossing, and reframing pedestrian zones as spaces deserving of care and creative thought.

The results from the Sea Point crossing have been significant and measurable. A post installation survey showed: 90% of respondents supported the project and its location, 83% felt the crossing raised awareness about pedestrian safety, 83% reported feeling more secure using the intersection, 89% believed similar crossings should be introduced citywide, 74% had previously observed safety hazards at the site, 64% still felt additional safety measures (like better lighting or signal timing) were needed.

“These installations function more like public art than traditional road markings”

These figures demonstrate not only improved perceptions of safety and usability but also a shift in public expectations about what is possible in the design of city streets. Another powerful outcome has been the project’s role as a catalyst. Its success inspired a wave of similar interventions across Cape Town, including installations in De Waterkant and Claremont, and private sector-led projects in Century City. Similar installations across the City indicated that creative street design is gaining legitimacy both institutionally and culturally. A standout example is the set of artistic pedestrian crossings installed in Century City, a major commercial and mixed-use district. While Century City has long cultivated a strong public art culture, through its murals and curated art trail, the crossings marked a new integration of functional infrastructure and creative expression. Inspired by global trends and projects like the Sea Point mural, the developers opted to place these installations on existing raised pedestrian humps in high-footfall areas, such as the transport interchange, where pedestrian presence was already expected and driving speeds were naturally lower. Unlike Sea Point, where regulatory hurdles were steep, the Century City crossings were developer-led and on private roads, allowing for greater design freedom.

“These installations function more like public art than traditional road markings,” Natalie Du Preez, a representative of Century City explained. Public reception has been overwhelmingly positive. The installations quickly became the most liked and shared content on Century City’s social media platforms, and concerns about safety were minimal, with only one or two people raising mild concerns. Crucially, none of the crossings were placed on arterial roads, and locations were selected specifically because they already promoted cautious driving. This model reflects a different but complementary approach to the intervention in Sea Point. While the latter challenged municipal bureaucracy by embedding pedestrian advocacy in civic space, Century City leveraged private development capacity and a placemaking ethos to integrate art into already walkable zones. Together, these projects reveal a growing openness to creative pedestrian infrastructure, each shaped by its specific governance and spatial context. The Sea Point crossing, the first of its kind in Cape Town, played a pioneering role in shifting this mindset. Skeptics who once argued that colour or art near roads would "distract drivers" or pose safety risks began to reconsider their positions. The project helped reframe such designs from superficial decoration to tools for public communication, safety, and placemaking. Crucially, it then inspired other stakeholders across the city to follow suit. However, while the artwork enhanced visibility and sparked dialogue, physical elements like long signal waits, wide crossings, and lack of pedestrian islands still compromise safety, highlighting once more that interventions such as the Sea Point crossing must be part of a larger urban strategy.

“The Sea Point Pedestrian Crossing project presents a blueprint for reimagining how African cities can approach pedestrian safety, public space, and urban infrastructure”

By transforming a high-risk crossing into a bold visual statement, the project shifted perceptions of pedestrian safety and creative street design processes in the city. The project also bridged the often disconnected worlds of public art and transport planning, revealing that creative interventions can serve serious public purposes. For other urban actors across Africa, the lessons are clear. First, highly visual, public facing projects in prominent locations can generate pride, draw attention to under addressed urban issues, and lay the groundwork for more ambitious reforms. Second, building coalitions between government departments, councillors, artists, funders, and residents is essential in cities where regulatory inertia is strong. Third, small pilot interventions can become powerful tools for data gathering, community engagement, and collective action. The project also raises questions for future urban practice: How can cities embed pedestrian and community needs into formal infrastructure planning? What mechanisms are necessary to protect and expand creative public space? How do we ensure that public assets are designed with human dignity and safety at the centre? As African cities continue to urbanise, the Sea Point crossing challenges outdated planning norms and invites cities to treat streets as spaces for joy, advocacy, and visibility. Its message is clear: roads are public assets, and how we design them reflects who we value in our cities.

Download the full article here