Bullhead City paints utility boxes after aquisition of Highway 95

Bullhead City Turns SR 95 Utility Boxes Into Colorful Welcome Signs

BULLHEAD CITY – Following the Arizona Department of Transportation’s (ADOT) transfer of State Route 95 through Bullhead City to local control in late 2024, city officials have quickly begun transforming the highway corridor into a more visually engaging community gateway. Accompanying this transfer, the city secured approximately $38 million in state funding aimed at pavement upgrades, safety enhancements, and beautification projects previously not permissible under ADOT management.

A central part of Bullhead City’s new beautification efforts involves the artistic enhancement of utility boxes along Highway 95. To achieve this, the city has partnered officially with the River Valley Artists Guild, a local nonprofit organization that fosters community arts initiatives. According to an official city press release issued on May 16, 2025, the Artists Guild will paint utility boxes at 11 strategic intersections along the highway within city limits, with the project’s completion scheduled for spring 2026.

Work on this project is already underway at key locations such as Mohave Drive and Hancock Road, where city Public Works crews have begun prepping utility boxes with base coats. Following this, local artists from the Guild will apply murals, turning ordinary metal boxes into vibrant, eye-catching artworks.

Artists Sheila Barger and Dorothy Campbell were selected based on their distinctive designs that reflect Bullhead City’s local identity and environmental beauty. Sheila Barger’s murals at Laughlin Ranch Road will illustrate vibrant scenes of Colorado River sunrises combined with playful beach-ball elements, emphasizing the area’s rich recreational culture. At Marina Boulevard, Barger’s patriotic mural will prominently feature a bull’s head design intertwined with stylized American flags, celebrating the community’s heritage and pride.

The Hancock Road intersection will showcase Barger’s distinctive black-and-white geometric lizard motifs, drawing inspiration from Mojave Desert wildlife and traditional tribal patterns. Dorothy Campbell, known locally for her landscapes, will contribute a welcoming mural at Corwin Road, featuring serene desert vistas and iconic cactus imagery designed to warmly greet visitors arriving from the southern entrance to the city.

While detailed timelines for each specific site have not been publicly shared beyond the overall spring 2026 target, the city’s preparation and the subsequent artistic work are ongoing. The Bullhead City Public Works department will oversee and support the practical logistics, ensuring artists have proper access and safety measures during painting.

City officials anticipate multiple benefits from this initiative. In addition to enhancing visual aesthetics along one of Bullhead City’s busiest corridors, the artistic transformation of utility boxes is expected to discourage graffiti and vandalism, following successful examples from similar programs in nearby communities such as Casa Grande, Arizona, and Clark County, Nevada. Such community-driven art projects have repeatedly demonstrated positive effects on public spaces, often significantly reducing vandalism costs and strengthening local pride and engagement.

Bullhead City’s initiative is part of broader improvements made possible by local governance of Highway 95, allowing more responsive and community-tailored projects. Future plans suggest the potential for additional phases and locations, contingent upon community response and ongoing collaboration with local artists and sponsors.

Residents interested in the project are encouraged to stay informed through city updates and the River Valley Artists Guild’s communications, as ongoing work promises to transform everyday infrastructure into vibrant showcases of community character and pride.

—Stephen Lightman

Correction: An earlier version of this article included information and quotations that were not independently verified. These quotations have been removed to ensure accuracy and uphold our commitment to journalistic integrity.