Lower Barracks Street closes Wednesday morning for Sitka crosswalk painting

Drivers on lower Barracks Street in downtown Sitka will lose access for four hours Wednesday morning while volunteers paint crosswalk art.

The City and Borough of Sitka will close the street from 8am to noon on Wednesday, Aug. 12. Traffic will be rerouted via Race Street to American Street. The city asks motorists to follow posted signage and use the designated detour.

The painting is part of a temporary pedestrian safety demonstration developed through Sitka's participation in the Walkability Action Institute. The city said the art is intended to draw attention to existing crosswalks, increase their visibility and encourage awareness of pedestrians downtown.

Wednesday's work continues a project that began earlier this summer. Alaska News previously covered the city's call for earth-tone geometric crosswalk designs, with resident submissions due June 24, and the first painting sessions on Lincoln Street on July 23 and 24, when Outer Coast volunteers worked from 9 a.m. to noon each day. An earlier Alaska News article also noted the city sought a consultant to pursue federal Safe Streets and Roads for All funding.