Asphalt Art: Street Murals, Playground Games and Painting Blacktop Safely

Asphalt art is painting on streets, intersections, plazas, school blacktops and driveways, from large community murals to hopscotch grids. Cities use it to calm traffic, brighten public spaces and mark pedestrian areas, while schools and homeowners use it for games and decoration. Successful projects use paint made for pavement, add slip resistance, get permission when the surface isn't yours, and plan for repainting as traffic wears the design down.

Can you paint an asphalt driveway? →

Where Asphalt Art Shows Up

• Intersections and crosswalks: colorful designs aimed at slowing drivers and highlighting pedestrians.
• Plazas and closed streets: pedestrian spaces carved out of roadways.
• School playgrounds: hopscotch, four square, maps, number lines, and mazes.
• Parking lots and alleys: murals that make spaces feel safer and more welcoming.
• Driveways: chalk art, painted game courts, or decorative borders.

Does Street Art Improve Safety?

Several cities and organizations have promoted asphalt art as a traffic calming tool. Bloomberg Philanthropies' Asphalt Art Initiative, for example, funded projects in many cities and published a study reporting fewer crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists at sites after art was installed. Results depend on design and location, and street murals on public roads still need approval from traffic engineers. Paint alone isn't a substitute for proper crosswalks and signals.

Paint Choices

Paint type	Pros	Cons
Waterborne acrylic traffic or pavement paint	Widely available, easy cleanup, many colors	Wears faster under heavy traffic
Acrylic court and playground coatings	Durable, textured options, bright colors	Cost, may need primer
Methyl methacrylate (MMA) and epoxy systems	Very durable, good for high traffic	Professional application, higher cost
Exterior latex house or porch paint	Easy, many colors	May be slippery and wear quickly
Sidewalk chalk and chalk paint	Temporary, kid-friendly	Washes away with rain

Our guide to painting an asphalt driveway goes deeper on paint and prep.

Slip Resistance

Large painted areas can get slick when wet. Many pavement paints include texture, or you can mix in an anti-slip paint additive or broadcast fine sand into wet paint. This matters especially in crosswalks, playgrounds, and areas used by bikes.

Prep for a Lasting Design

1. Wait for new asphalt to cure; many paint makers suggest waiting weeks or longer.
2. Clean thoroughly: sweep, wash, degrease oil spots, and let dry completely.
3. Fix cracks and potholes so the design doesn't break apart.
4. Prime if the paint system requires it.
5. Paint in dry weather within the temperature range on the label.

Design Tips

• Use bold shapes and colors that read from a distance.
• Avoid designs that could look like official traffic markings, such as stop bars or arrows, on public roads.
• Plan around manholes, drains and utility covers.
• Use chalk lines, string and playground stencils to lay out games accurately.
• Photograph the design and keep color codes for touch-ups.

Colors and Heat

Dark asphalt absorbs a lot of sunlight, and light-colored paint reflects more of it, so large pale murals can make a surface noticeably cooler to the touch on sunny days. Some cities have tested reflective "cool pavement" coatings for that reason. Bright colors also fade under UV over time, with reds and some blues often fading faster, so choose paints with good UV resistance for designs meant to last.

Permits for Public Streets

Painting a public street without permission can be illegal, even if the neighborhood supports it. Many cities have programs with application forms, design guidelines, approved paint lists, insurance and traffic control requirements. Contact your city's transportation or public works department before planning a street mural.

Playground Games

• Hopscotch, four square and tetherball circles
• Maps of the United States or world
• Number lines, clocks and alphabet paths
• Mazes and obstacle paths
• Basketball courts; see our basketball hoop on an asphalt driveway guide for court layout ideas

Maintenance

Expect wear, especially where tires cross the art. Touch up faded areas yearly or as needed. Sealcoating over the design will cover it, so plan repainting after any sealcoat. If you need to remove paint later, our guide to removing paint from asphalt explains options.

Driveway Chalk Art

For families, jumbo sidewalk chalk is an easy, temporary way to decorate a driveway. It washes away with rain or a hose. Chalk paints (chalk mixed with water) produce brighter colors. Avoid permanent paints if you plan to sealcoat soon.

Planning a Community Project

1. Pick the site with input from neighbors, and check it with the city if it's public.
2. Choose a design that's simple enough for volunteers to paint, with clear outlines.
3. Estimate paint from the square footage and the coverage rate on the paint label, then add extra for a second coat and touch-ups.
4. Arrange traffic control or a street closure as required.
5. Lay out the design with chalk lines, a grid, or a projector at night for complex art.
6. Paint outlines first, then fill colors, working from the center outward so painters don't step in wet paint.
7. Let it cure before reopening to traffic; many pavement paints need hours of dry time.

Volunteer days work best when tasks are split up: prep crew, outline crew, fill crew, and cleanup. Provide gloves, knee pads, rollers with extension poles, and plenty of water on hot days, since asphalt surfaces heat up quickly in sun.

Environmental Considerations

Choose water-based paints when possible, don't wash paint waste into storm drains, and dispose of leftover paint according to local rules. Keep cleaning water contained.

Bottom Line on Asphalt Art

Asphalt art can brighten streets, playgrounds and driveways and may encourage slower driving when properly designed. Use pavement-rated paint with slip resistance, prep carefully, get permits for public streets, and plan touch-ups. For temporary fun, chalk is the easiest choice.