Hanging above some of our busier crossroads, the green, amber and red of the City’s traffic signals direct traffic with rhythm and flow. While the stop and go may seem simple enough, the actual controls for these traffic lights are much more complex and are hidden within a typically boring box at the side of each intersection.
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* Traffic control cabinet at the corner of Bowen Road and Buttertubs Drive.
The City of Nanaimo maintains and operates 53 (and growing) of these above-ground traffic signal control cabinets. In the past, these have been rather inconspicuous; hidden in plain sight with little more than a coat of earthy green paint. Unfortunately, these made easy targets for graffiti artists and other vandalism.
In the 2000’s, the City took a different approach, and rather than leaving them to blend into their surroundings, artist Jeff King was brought onboard to turn them into eye-catching public art. No longer an inviting blank canvas for tagging, this artistic approach to the traffic signal control boxes reduced the attraction to vandals.
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* Traffic control cabinet at the corner of Oliver Road and Uplands Drive
Over the last five years, Engineering and Public Works have been engaged in replacing these aging cabinets, updating them to serve our growing community. Modern upgrades include additional communications technology, improved controllers and the installation of uninterrupted power supplies (UPS). Power outages? No longer an issue at any of our upgraded intersections. These improvements all add up to better coordination between the City’s traffic signals and ultimately a smoother commute!
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* Traffic control cabinet at the corner of Dufferin Crescent and Bowen Road.
The City of Nanaimo’s Public Works and Culture teams have now come together to bring art to the newest traffic signal control cabinets. The new approach is to use printed vinyl wraps, creating attractive cabinets featuring the artwork of local artists from the City’s Urban Design Roster. The roster is a diverse list of artists managed by the Culture and Events team. The artists participate for a two-year term and can be called on to work with the City on a variety of civic urban design projects.
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* Traffic control cabinet along the Front Street corridor.
Most of these cabinets will feature creative artwork, but for some locations, historical images are also considered. For each location, staff choose themes that fit the neighbourhood. These can include neighbourhood celebration, local history or a corridor theme. A similar process is used by other Public Works utilities for their kiosks (water supply, sanitary sewers, etc.). Once a theme is chosen, the Culture team matches suitable artists from the Urban Design Roster to each project. Each artist then provides original artwork for those traffic cabinets.
* Traffic control cabinet installation at the corner of Oliver Road and Uplands Drive.
This creative approach to public art helps to provide a sense of place and to boost community pride, all while helping to prevent vandalism to these important cabinets. Whether you’re out for a stroll or a passenger along for a ride, see how many of these traffic control cabinets you can spot around Nanaimo!
And… that’s a wrap!