If you’ve noticed a splash of color popping up on your neighborhood walks lately—you’re not imagining things. 18 traffic signal boxes—those big silver ones near traffic lights—along Greenwood Ave, Phinney Ave, and 85th Street are being transformed into bold, vibrant pieces of public art. Once purely functional, these boxes are now part of our visual landscape, turning everyday corners into points of inspiration.
Inspired by the theme “Wander PhinneyWood,” each box reflects the experience of moving through our neighborhood—from playful woodland scenes to thoughtful takes on community, nature, and identity. The project invites all of us to slow down, look closer, and reconnect with the place we call home.
“This project was built entirely through community collaboration—from the original concept and theme selection to artist recruitment and final installation,” says Terri Price, who coordinated the effort at the PNA. “We wanted the process to reflect the same values we hope the artwork does: inclusion, creativity, and a deep love of place.”
See the Originals Up Close & Bid to Own a Piece of PhinneyWood History
Want to experience the artwork beyond the sidewalk? Stop by the Phinney Center this weekend to see the original pieces that inspired each signal box design. The artwork will be on display and available for purchase through a silent auction, with all proceeds supporting the artists and future public art projects in PhinneyWood.
Phinney Center | June 6–8
phinneycenter.org/reimagining-phinneywood-signal-boxes
This project is made possible in part by a Neighborhood Matching Fund award from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods.
