KUT 90.5 ATXplained – Traffic is one constant of life in Austin. But every so often, there’s something that breaks the monotony of brake lights: a sign reminding you that “You’re not a candle, so don’t drive lit” or “Designate a driver BE-VO the game.”
On the big highways, it’s someone from the Texas Department of Transportation. If you’re driving the toll roads, it could be someone from the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority. On city streets like Lamar Boulevard or Cesar Chavez Street, it’s a team from the City of Austin.
Once the team comes up with an idea, the message goes into a central communication system and then onto the more than a dozen signs the city controls. The messages can even be customized for certain parts of Austin.
“We can agree, objectively, that people who block the box are the worst kind of people,” he said. “So maybe by seeing the sign, they will rethink what they’re doing, so that’s actually sort of impactful in the real-world situation.”
Evan Hearn, an Austin resident and UT student
READ MORE ABOUT THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE AUSTIN TRAFFIC SIGNS HERE
All photos via Melindasotoperez
