Chairman of Harstad pride, Jørn Johansen, thinks it’s great that pedestrian crossings in rainbow colors adorn the city centre. – Pride is very satisfied and proud of the politicians in Harstad, he says. The purpose is to show that Harstad is an inclusive city and municipality, says Harstad Venstre’s Even Aronsen. – That everyone should have a sense of belonging and feel welcome, says Aronsen. In less trafficked parts of Harstad city center you can see happy colours. Photo: Aurora Berg / news Violation of the Road Traffic Act Crosswalks are decorated in rainbow colors all over the country. But in Vestland, the county politicians did not want any color party between the transverse stripes on a county road in the center of Bergen, for reasons of traffic safety and traffic regulation. Unlike Harstad, Bergen chose not to paint over the white stripes. Photo: Simon Skjelvik Brandseth / news But in Harstad, they have gone even further. Here, transverse white stripes have been replaced with longitudinal colored stripes. Thus, the walkway itself is completely gone. – This is yet another breach of the Road Traffic Act, says senior engineer Odd Anders Magnussen in the Directorate of Roads. – A little bit of Møller’s cranberry In addition to being the architect behind the proposal for rainbow colours, Venstres Even Aronsen sits on the chairmanship of Harstad municipality. He says that in his proposal the plan was to paint between the white stripes, but that the administration in the municipality has taken it a step further. – It is a shame if Harstad breaks the Road Traffic Act, and I hope the administration will address it, says Aronsen. Even Aronsen (V) was behind the proposal for rainbow colours. Photo: Ida Louise Rostad / news This is exactly what Harstad municipality communications manager Øivind Arvola warns will happen: – We probably took a bit too much Møller’s cod liver oil when we found out we were going to paint rainbow colours, he says. Øivind Arvola, communications manager Harstad municipality. Photo: Frank R Roksøy – It’s much nicer when the colors are as they are now in Harstad. But then we have been made aware that it may not be entirely as the laws and regulations dictate. – Now we are going to fix it up so that pedestrian lanes are painted white, says the communications manager in Harstad. This means that Harstad will follow Bergen’s example with colors between the white stripes. Will look at the regulations It was before the summer that the municipal council in Harstad decided to color, among other things, the city’s footpaths in a less trafficked area of the city centre. This is part of the City Dressing project, which aims to create a sense of well-being and well-being. But according to the Directorate of Roads, it is not certain that such colors are traffic safe. And that also applies to the vast majority of municipalities that have chosen to preserve the white stripes in the footpath, and paint rainbow colors between them. As Bergen did. – We will look at the regulations. The regulation is part of the overall regulations, says senior engineer Odd Anders Magnussen in the Road Directorate. In Veier24.no, Magnussen points out that the regulations today only say something about the footpath itself – but not what should be around it. Magnussen explains why the Road Directorate is considering changing the current rules. – Functional road markings must meet the needs of road users, he says to news. – It must, for example, be visible in daylight and darkness. Both dry and wet. It must have the correct color reproduction of yellow and if to get enough contrast against the substrate. Magnussen believes it should be easily recognizable by road users. – And for footpaths in general, it is very important not to take the focus away from crossing soft road users, says Magnussen. People gathered to celebrate pride in Harstad. Photo: Nils Mehren – Should show discretion Chairman of Harstad pride, Jørn Johansen, says he himself does not know the legislation. He hopes that the colors do not disappear completely. – Based on my own personal point of view, I think that discretion can be shown in such matters. You can solve it by putting up signs in addition, then there is no doubt that this is a pedestrian crossing, says Johansen. – We live in a part of the country where there is snow and ice on the roads for half the year. In any case, it will not be shown on the street.
ttn-69
Harstad municipality broke the road traffic law when they painted footpaths with rainbow colors – news Troms and Finnmark
