Have you seen the polka dots? Last month, the City of Austin covered the intersection of East 6th and Waller streets with oodles of strategically-placed blue and green polka dots. The idea was to create curb extensions(without the expense of actually laying concrete) to make this busy and dangerous intersection safer for pedestrians. Last year the intersection was the site of dozens of crashes, so in an effort to slow down traffic and make the streets safer for everyone, the city decided to try the polka dot idea.

With the new dots, pedestrians have more space to walk and drivers are encouraged to slow down a bit. And, as CityLab reports, they’re also kind of fun to look at. More info>>