Hit-run driver destroys signal box, and mural, at 35th/Roxbury

| Transportation | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Six and a half years after West Seattle muralist Desmond Hansen painted karate master Chojun Miyagi on the signal box at the northwest corner of 35th/Roxbury, a driver has taken it out. The hit-run happened overnight and we have few details except that the driver took out the signal box, and that left the intersection signal in flashing mode for many hours. Our photo is from late morning; we went by again a little while ago and a replacement signal box was in place. Archived radio from overnight suggests the hit-run car might have been found nearby but we won’t be able to follow up until Monday.

John June 28, 2025 (8:00 pm)

What is wrong with people?! That’s also one of my favorite signal box murals

West Seattle-ite June 28, 2025 (9:50 pm)

Again, let’s just make full time recording cameras at 35th and Barton and 35th and Roxbury. There’s no constitutional right to privacy in public, so there’s no right being infringed on. You get these jokers, toss them in jail. Probably either a drunk driver, uninsured motorist, stolen car, or all of the above. None of which are acceptable.

Driving is a privilege, not a right. It’s high time it started being enforced as such.

Nick June 29, 2025 (4:50 am)

There may not be an expectation of privacy but there are still limits on what the government can capture in a public space and most traffic / red light cameras can’t be used for criminal purposes
- West Seattle-ite June 29, 2025 (7:07 pm)
  
  Those limits are based on what is a reasonable expectation of privacy. There’s no valid reason traffic cameras can’t record. And if it’s an issue with traffic/red light cameras specifically, get cameras specifically for law enforcement purposes. No different than having a uniform posted there 24/7.

Yma June 28, 2025 (10:53 pm)

Can the old signal box panels with the art on it be saved? Perhaps to auction off?

Amanda June 30, 2025 (8:22 pm)

This is so sad that box meant so much to the kids that used to go to the dojo that was there for many years. Hopefully Desmond would consider re doing it. He does such amazing work if anyone else would like to see it back maybe they could donate to him as he does all his artworks based on donations. I will be reaching out to him. But would love to know if the artwork survived. Loved someone else’s suggestion of auctioning it if it did.

Marcus June 29, 2025 (7:26 am)

Time for more and live feed cameras. We really did not need them years ago because everyone was more responsible with a few exceptions. Now we need the tools and I am not concerned about government over-sight with recordings on a public street when the government has access to incredible amounts of digital data on everyone. This is just a crime fighting and traffic law tactic to make our streets and homes safer. Privacy here is not a concern versus the ability to encourage responsibility and to be law abiding. Need to stop being concerned about the privacy of criminals and the irresponsible.

Admiral-2009 June 29, 2025 (10:45 am)

The State, County and City need to aggressively ticket vehicles with expired tabs. I highly suspect that many of these drivers are also also not insured as required by law. This government failure costs the rest of us money via higher insurance costs and to pay for the damages done by hit and run driver’s!

SoLongDelridge June 30, 2025 (9:42 am)

The government has indeed failed, not because of tickets but because they’ve built all of this disgusting car-centric infrastructure.
Nolan June 30, 2025 (10:38 am)

What evidence do you have that expired tabs or continuity of car insurance has anything whatsoever to do with this post?

Sorry, comment time is over.