Rethinking Utility Markings in Urban Public Spaces

Cities and similar places provide numerous benefits, but these are also balanced with several drawbacks. One such issue is the debris, dislocation, and noise caused by periodic construction, repair, and maintenance of buildings, structures, and utilities.  

Less acknowledged amongst these externalities is the spray painting done to identify underground utilities.

These assorted blue, orange, green, and red lines, squiggles, and symbols spray-painted on sidewalks, curbs, and streets are essential for safe construction practices and infrastructure maintenance. However, they are done long before construction and sometimes remain long after their purpose has been fulfilled, creating visual clutter in urban spaces.

Utility marking workers, easily identified by their orange safety vests, often apply the paint carelessly. They might reason that it’s not their neighborhood and municipalities have given them free rein to paint wherever they please.

Meanwhile, since their emergence half a century ago, unsanctioned graffiti and street art (mainly in urban areas) have often been vilified, while utility markings—go largely unnoticed. 

By contrast, graffiti (and street art) is frequently abated (painted over or removed) and condemned as vandalism, even when it showcases artistic talent, offers cultural or social commentary, and is generally tolerated by residents.

This double standard reveals a bias: utility markings, sanctioned by authorities, are tolerated, while graffiti and street art, perceived as unsanctioned, are dismissed.

What if utility companies adopt less invasive methods, such as biodegradable chalk, or commit to removing markings promptly after construction ends? And couldn’t we, as a society, reconsider graffiti—not as a blemish but as a potential enhancement to the urban landscape?

By reconsidering these double standards, we might find ways to balance utility and artistry, fostering a more equitable and vibrant visual landscape.

Photo Credit: Utility Markings in Wahington, DC/

Photographer: Jeffrey Ian Ross