Jonathan Hale and his group People’s Vision Zero painted an unauthorized crosswalk at a Hollywood intersection Saturday morning after what they say was city inaction on pedestrian safety.
Hale, a Los Angeles traffic safety vigilante, has made a name for himself installing rogue crosswalks at spots he believes pedestrians need them most. The latest installation went up at Sycamore and Lexington avenues without any police interference, a contrast to his previous run-in with the law.
He was arrested on suspicion of vandalism last December after painting a crosswalk at Kelton and Wilkins avenues in Sawtelle. But Hale said Los Angeles that LAPD officers never showed up during Saturday’s painting.
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.”
Mayor Karen Bass’ office defended the city’s approach after NBC asked about Hale’s 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 highlighted 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 added.
Hale’s rogue crosswalk at Kelton and Wilkins last December led to his arrest on vandalism suspicion, marking the first time his DIY street safety work drew criminal charges. That incident established the legal risk he faces even as he continues to argue that his group merely marks crossings that already exist under law rather than creating new ones.
The December arrest and Saturday’s unimpeded painting show the unpredictable reception Hale encounters from authorities. While police stayed away from the Hollywood intersection this time, the prior arrest demonstrates the city has taken action against his methods before.
Bass’ office pointed to the Alameda and Spring Street investment as evidence of proactive government work on pedestrian safety, even as Hale’s group continues to bypass official channels. The tension between citizen action and municipal process remains unresolved at intersections across the city.