Leon County's colorful crosswalks may be gone. But Knight Creative Communities Institute (KCCI) will be looking for other ways to brighten the areas where the crosswalks used to be. KCCI Executive Director Betsy Couch explained the plan at downtown Tallahassee's Haywood House on Thursday, Sept. 18 during a celebration for the organization's 2025 Community Catalyst team.
"It can be murals on the side of a wall. It can be gardens that brighten someone's day and welcomes them. It can be pathways that connect through neighborhoods. It can be signage. There are a lot of different things you can do through creative placemaking and I'm looking forward to seeing what the 2026 team comes up and wants to implement in the different neighborhoods."
KCCI is now taking applications for that 2026 team. Couch said the group would work with residents in each of the neighborhoods that were once graced with the "Crosswalks to Classrooms" features. The Florida Department of Transportation forced their removal last month.
"I think it's going to be an amazing opportunity for a diverse group of people to come together, be creative, look at all the public and private possibilities, and ways to really transform those neighborhoods outside of those nine school areas," Couch said. Around one dozen volunteers are chosen for each KCCI Community Catalyst team from among the applicants.
https://kccitallahassee.com/get-involved/become-a-catalyst/application/
