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New signal box artwork installed in the Central District

Seen anything out of the ordinary in the Central District lately? Three eye-catching decals were installed on signal boxes around the neighborhood last week. Designed by Seattle graphic artist Troy R. Miles, the three decal designs– “Straight Out the CD,” “Jackson Street Jazz,” and “Inside” – pay tribute to three different aspects of the Central District’s heritage: the neighborhood’s African-American population; the history of jazz nightclubs along Jackson Street (and the local jazz luminaries who played in them, including Ray Charles, Quincy Jones and Jimi Hendrix); and the Jewish immigrant populations that arrived in the neighborhood in waves from the 1850s to the 1940s.

Adding artwork to traffic signal control boxes, or signal boxes, showcases a neighborhood or business district’s identity, engages pedestrians, and can discourage graffiti. This project was funded by Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) 1% for Art funds and launched collaboratively by SDOT and the Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs.