Village Conducting "Emotionally Intelligent" Signage Contest

The Village is embarking in a non-traditional way of enhancing pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle safety.  This program is one component of a multi-faceted approach to slow vehicular traffic on Village streets, enhance driver attentiveness, and ultimately create a safer place for pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular traffic.  With the "emotionally intelligent" signage contest, children and the public would create their own emotionally intelligent signage.  Signs bearing slogans such as "We know your car is fast, slow down," and "You will stop for a duck, but you won't stop for a child?' are just some of the unique ways communities have raised awareness and educated residents on pedestrian and vehicular safety.

Entry forms are available on the Village web site at www.bayside-wi.gov and are due May 27 at 4:30 pm.  The program includes a competition, with children filling out the entry form and returning it to the Bayside Village Hall.  After judges determine the winning entries, the signs will be created and installed.  TAPCO, Inc., headquarters in Brown Deer, has agreed not only to transform the winning entries into traffic signage, but will also be donating the first three (3) signs.

In general, the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control provides the specifics on what signage should be present to ensure the safety of all.  However, as we have probably all witnessed, those signs are often ignored or overlooked by vehicular traffic.  Village Manager Andy Pederson stated, "This type of program is part of a growing trend that plays on people's emotionally intelligent or empathetic component of thinking to help garner attention to traffic and pedestrian safety.  The goal is that this program will increase pedestrian safety not only in Bayside but throughout the area."  A similar program was implemented in Needham, Massachusetts, with positive results.