By AJ Willingham, CNN

(CNN) -- Today, all over Arizona, teachers are walking out to protest for better pay and learning conditions for their students. But the afternoon before the demonstrations began, they spread their message by lining miles and miles of Arizona roads with red.

Bearing #GoRedForEd shirts and posters, teachers and allies in cities like Phoenix, Tucson and Parker used their roadside visibility to drum up attention for Thursday's walkouts.

Video from Tucson shows large clumps of protesters on virtually every corner of a busy stretch of road Wednesday. According to Indivisible Southern Arizona, the participation there stretched for 15 miles.

In another part of the state, teachers lined up on one side of Baseline Road, a thoroughfare that runs about 45 miles through Mesa and Phoenix. The demonstration, which was organized by the activist group AZ Resist, aimed to cover all 45 miles on Wednesday evening.

Here's a look at a portion of Baseline Road between Tempe and Gilbert:

Brenda Lopez, who teaches fourth grade, told CNN the Baseline Road demonstrations and the walkouts aren't about holding children's education hostage for change. It's actually the exact opposite, she said.

"I am not walking out on your children, the state did that a decade ago," Lopez said. I am walking for your child in a fight to save their schools and to increase funding for their needs. I am a third-generation teacher. I got into this profession to make a difference. Let's make a change and give the education our children deserve."

Second-grade teacher Hannah Henry said kids "deserve so much more."

"Tomorrow is a big day for Arizona Education. Tomorrow teachers walk for our students because they deserve so much more," she said. "It is an incredible experience to stand on the street with hundreds of educators and supporters of education amongst honking and cheering from passing cars. Everything we have done and will do is for our students. United we stand "