Vigilante paints crosswalk across Hollywood intersection after LA city refused to act

A Los Angeles traffic safety vigilante has once again taken matters into his own hands, painting an unauthorized crosswalk across a busy Hollywood intersection.

Jonathan Hale and his group, People’s Vision Zero, painted the crosswalk at Sycamore and Lexington avenues Saturday morning, according to NBC Los Angeles.

Hale has become known for installing rogue crosswalks around the city in places he believes pedestrians need them most.

Hale told the outlet the group selects locations using statewide collision data compiled by researchers at UC Berkeley.

“We focus primarily on residential corners, where there is a four-way stop in the neighborhood,” Hale told the outlet. “There’s curb cuts. It’s a clear place for people to cross. The idea is that we’re not adding anything. We’re not changing the law because a crosswalk already exists.”

Hale’s DIY approach has landed him in trouble with the law before: He was arrested on suspicion of vandalism last December after painting another crosswalk at Kelton and Wilkins avenues in Sawtelle.

But police apparently stayed away from Saturday’s latest installation, with Hale saying Los Angeles Police Department officers never showed up while the group painted the street.

Mayor Karen Bass’ office defended the city’s approach to pedestrian safety after NBC asked about the citizen-led crosswalk campaign.

“Mayor Bass believes that streets and sidewalks should be safe and accessible for all Angelenos, no matter how they travel. The City will continue to install crosswalks that comply with federal, state, and local regulations,” her office said.

The mayor’s office also pointed to a nearly $8 million investment Bass announced this week for pedestrian and street safety improvements along the Alameda and Spring Street corridors.

The project will bring protected bike lanes, new pedestrian crossings, curb ramp improvements and street resurfacing to parts of Downtown Los Angeles and Chinatown.

“Mayor Bass is tackling LA’s aging infrastructure by creating the long-term planning that the city had lacked for decades,” her office said.

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