Courtesy GPPA/Friends of the Scenic Drive
By Les Conklin
Utility Boxes Before Painting Near Lone Mountain and Scottsdale Road.
It was very warm that May day back in 2001 when Friends of the Scenic Drive volunteers began the arduous process of making an eyesore “disappear.” The announcement below was published in A Peek At The Peak magazine, the Friends of the Scenic Drive Newsletter and distributed to local newspapers.
May 17, 2002
IT IS DONE.
Our project to paint all the “boxes” in the Scenic Drive’s utility right- of-way has been completed!
That is right. All utility boxes, cabinets, railings and posts on Scottsdale Road from Happy Valley Road to Carefree Highway have been painted to help them blend into the natural environment. This same dark brown/green color, selected by residents, was used by the City of Scottsdale to paint its railings and traffic light poles on the same stretch of road..
Thank you!
Friends of the Scenic Drive would like to thank the following individuals and organizations for their contributions to the project:
- Outback Steakhouse and MacDonald’s Ranch for co-sponsoring Cookout at the Ranch VI, which raised the funds used to pay for the project [Read More]
- Qwest, Southwest Gas, APS, Cox Communications and the City of Scottsdale for their cooperation and permission to paint their property
- Kelly Moore Paint Company for donating the paint
- Friends volunteers, Howard Myers, Carol Myers, Tony Nelssen, Marg Nelssen, Tim Montgomery, Bob Miller, Horst Berkner, Les Conklin for planning the project and preparing the boxes for painting
- Accent Painting and Construction for a quality painting job
Project Facts
- Project organized and funded by: Friends of the Scenic Drive
- Implemented Scottsdale Scenic Corridor Guideline: #25
- Date project completed: May 17, 2002
- Miles of roadside covered: 13 (6 ½ miles on both sides)
- Right-of-way objects painted: railings, boxes, cabinets, posts
- Number of “objects” painted: About 140
- Gallons of paint used: 40 gallons of high-quality, industrial strength paint
- Rolls of tape used to cover labels: 11
- Gallons of vinegar used for cleaning boxes: 9
- Volunteer hours to plan and prepare for painting: 120
- Professional painting hours required to prepare and spray paint: 56
- Color used: Western Reserve
- Total out-of-pocket cost: $4,500
- Savings to City of Scottsdale: $15,000
- Positive impact on tourism: time will
a
Utility Boxes and Poles Near Dynamite & Scottsdale Road After Preparation & Before Painting. .
b
Utility Infrastructure After Wasing and Cleaninb by Volunteers abd Before Painting by Professionals.
c
Workers from Accent Painting & Construction Painting Boxes Near Scottsdale and Jomax Roads.
Painted Utility Boxes Adhacebt to Scenic Drive.
Bull Watches Volunteer at Current Location of Saguaro Estates, (West Side of Scottsdale Between Pinnacle Vista Drive and Dynamite Boulevard.)
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GPPA Membership Make a Donation to GPPA Peak Advertisements & Advertorials [/butto
February 1, 2022
Without a doubt the project to “hide” roadside infrastructure has been a beautiful success and has brought more attention to roadside plants and natural setbacks, an original goals of the Desert Foothills Scenic Drive. Friends 0f the Scenic Drive has been discussing replacing roadside plant exhibits that have been lost to development, accidents, and vandalism and painting faded entry and exhibit monuments. Later this year, the City Scottsdale will begin installing planted medians, bike lanes, etc. from Jomax to Dixileta. This could be a suitable time to enhance roadside plant exhibits. One possibility that should be considered is to have fewer more tastefully placed plant exhibits that are distinctively highlighted using very low-level illumination during months when more visitors and snowbirds are here. Boston, respected worldwide for its historic preservation has effectively employed a similar program.