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Keizer committee says street painting is public art, not an official traffic-calming measure
Summary
Residents and committee members agreed the city's street painting program is intended as public art and neighborhood development; the Arts Commission will manage approvals and Public Works will handle safety reviews. Committee removed the agenda'item label that implied it was a traffic-calming measure.
The Keizer Traffic Safety Bikeways Pedestrian Committee on Sept. 18 clarified that the city's street painting program is a public-arts initiative, not an engineering traffic-calming treatment, and said the Arts Commission will own approvals while Public Works will review siting for safety.
Tammy Saldivar, a Keizer resident who spoke to the committee, said the program "was designed not as a street or a traffic calming measure. So I'm asking that we stop promoting it as such." Saldivar told the committee the program is administered through the Arts Commission and that applicants must work with Public Works on location and safety issues.
Committee members and staff discussed two different paint programs that have appeared on meeting materials: the street-painting (community art) program and separate green lane/bike-paint projects intended to indicate bicycle space. Councilor Star urged staff to make the distinction clear on future agendas so the public does not conflate the programs.
Mike Griffin, the Public Works staff liaison present during the discussion, described the implementation path: community groups or individuals would present art proposals to the Arts Commission for design and artist waivers; Public Works would then review the proposed pavement location to avoid unsafe placements, such as near stop bars or other markings that could cause confusion. Saldivar emphasized the program's cost and approval requirements, saying it is "not cheap" and requires Arts Commission and Public Works approvals.
Committee members agreed to remove item 6(c) from the active projects list so the agenda would not give the outward appearance that the painting program is being promoted as an engineering traffic-calming treatment. The committee noted it would still help direct community members to the Arts Commission and Public Works if residents wished to propose a street-painting project.
Saldivar said she plans to raise the program at the Arts Commission meeting next month to help finalize the process and promotional materials for prospective applicants.
The discussion took place during the committee's public-comment and active-projects segments, and members asked staff to clarify future agenda language so that "street painting" (art) and "green paint" (bicycle/traffic markings) are not conflated.
