DUBLIN City Council is being asked by a Northside councillor to look into developing 3D zebra crossings.
Three-dimensional crossings create an optical illusion that makes it appear as though obstacles are hovering above ground and obstructing the road.
They’ve been introduced in a number of towns and cities across the world including Ísafjörður in Iceland and New Delhi, India.
Looked at from above, the design makes it appear as if the crossing's white lines are columns, while at ground level, they seem to be hovering.
Ballymun/Finglas councillor, Paul McAuliffe (FF), believes they have the potential to encourage motorists to think twice and slow down, so he’s put forward a motion to the council to discuss his novel proposal.
“On any given day in Dublin city there are hundreds of thousands of pedestrians,” he said.
“As our city rapidly expands and the population grows, any project designed to improve road safety or help pedestrians feel safer when crossing the road, is worth examining.
“Pedestrian safety should be recognised as equally as important as the flow of traffic around our city.”
Cllr McAuliffe argues that drivers have become used to speed-bumps so they aren’t as effective as when they were first introduced.
“Virtual speed breakers deviate from the traditional design and are a modern and creative alternative to impel drivers to slow down and pay more attention to pedestrians,” he added.
“The driver sees the three-dimensional crossing in the roadway, and they think that it's an obstacle protruding up out of the roadway.
“As it does not appear as a flat surface, motorists are more inclined to slow down before driving over it.
“The crossings are now a feature in several countries, including Britain, America, South Africa and China, while towns in Iceland and France are currently trialing the road markings.”
