Digital Mural: Landmark Or Visual Blight?

Along the Massachusetts Turnpike, WGBH's new digital mural is raising concerns over safety and visual blight.

1 minute read

September 19, 2007, 2:00 PM PDT

By Mike Lydon


"Yesterday, it featured succulents - six inoffensive close-ups of cacti and yucca. Today, the lineup calls for colorful paintings by the Mexican muralist José Orozco. Sunday, it will be photos of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

WGBH activated a three-story screen this week that can display shifting images from its headquarters on the south side of the Massachusetts Turnpike in Brighton, giving thousands of drivers their first glimpse of what the station hopes will become a landmark, on par with the Citgo sign and the gas tank painted by Sister Corita Kent."

"But the screen, which WGBH calls a digital mural, is forcing the public radio and television station to walk a fine line between promotion and education with the photos it displays, and to weigh concerns about safety for the 500,000 eastbound drivers who will pass it every week. Images of the station's hosts are out (too promotional). So is anything risqué (poor taste), anything with text (potentially distracting), and anything with a narrative arc - such as a lion chasing a gazelle, which might draw motorists' attention for too long."

Wednesday, September 19, 2007 in The Boston Globe

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up on Canadian flag with Canada Parliament building blurred in background.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?

As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

April 28, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Hot air balloons rise over Downtown Boise with the State Capitol building visible amidst the high rises.

The Five Most-Changed American Cities

A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.

April 23, 2025 - GoodMigrations

People biking along beach path with moored ship in San Diego, California.

San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan

The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.

May 2 - SD News

Sleeping in Public

Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts

Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.

May 2 - KSL

Conductor walks down platform next to Amtrak train at station in San Jose, California.

Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement

An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.

May 2 - Streetsblog USA

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Senior Manager Operations, Urban Planning

New York City School Construction Authority

Building Inspector

Village of Glen Ellyn

Manager of Model Development

Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO