In 1989, Metro started a unique program to involve youth and other members of the community in designing and painting bus shelter murals. Metro contributes panels and paint, and members of the community donate their artistic talent to create murals for Metro bus shelters.
Since that time, over 900 murals have been installed in Metro bus shelters. Murals have been created by volunteers of all ages: students, scout troops, senior citizens, community groups and individual artists. Their paintings have become a source of community pride, all the while helping to deter graffiti and improving the appearance of the bus shelters. Today the Metro Bus Shelter Mural Program is one of the largest, ongoing community-based public art programs of its kind. It is truly a unique folk art collection with a wide variety of styles and themes.
While volunteers create the majority of the murals, Metro occasionally funds an artist commission for bus shelter artworks. Announcements about these opportunities are published by the King County Public Art Program.
This bus shelter has painted mural panels at the bottom and etched glass designs above.