Public transportation is often thought of in terms of routes, schedules, and infrastructure. We measure its success by how quickly people can get from point A to point B. But for many riders, especially those in historically underserved neighborhoods, public transit is about much more than efficiency. It’s about access. It’s about safety. It’s about dignity. And increasingly, it’s about design. At Chalk Riot, we believe that public art has an essential role to play in creating a more equitable transit experience—one that is welcoming, inclusive, and built for the people who use it most.
Art isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when we talk about buses or metro stops. But maybe it should be. Because art can shape how people feel in transit spaces. It can highlight overlooked stories, address safety concerns, and bring beauty and meaning to parts of the city that are too often ignored.
Where Public Art Meets Public Transit
Transit equity means ensuring that all people—regardless of income, race, gender, age, or ability—have reliable, affordable, and safe ways to get where they need to go. It also means acknowledging that not all transit experiences are created equal. A cracked sidewalk, a dark bus stop, or a dull and crumbling station can make a huge difference in whether someone chooses (or even feels able) to ride.
This is where public art can make a real impact. Well-designed, community-based art can transform everyday transit environments into places of pride and power. A mural at a bus shelter can reflect neighborhood history. A colorful crosswalk can improve visibility and safety. A series of chalk designs leading to a metro entrance can create a sense of joy and guidance.
These aren’t superficial changes. They’re critical pieces of the larger puzzle of making transit more accessible and more human.
What Art Says About Who Belongs
One of the most important things public art can do is send a message: you belong here.
Too often, public infrastructure—especially in low-income or Black and brown communities—feels neglected. Transit stops are bare and uninviting. Waiting areas are exposed or unsafe. The message, whether intentional or not, is clear: this place is not a priority.
But when a community paints a mural at a bus stop or installs a piece of interactive art near a train station, that message changes. Suddenly, that space is cared for. It reflects the people who use it. It becomes a place of gathering, not just passing through.
At Chalk Riot, we’ve worked on several projects where the act of installing art at or near a transit location completely changed how the space was experienced. Parents said they felt safer letting their kids walk to the stop. Riders lingered longer and talked to one another. Even drivers treated the area with more caution and respect.
This is the subtle but powerful effect of public art: it shifts perception. And perception, in turn, can shift behavior.
Building Trust in Transit Through Design
Trust is a big part of why people choose to ride (or avoid) public transit. If a system feels confusing, unpleasant, or dangerous, people won’t use it. That hurts communities who rely most on these services and undercuts broader goals around climate and mobility.
Thoughtful public art can be a bridge. It can guide riders, create safer walking routes to and from stations, and help make connections between different parts of the city feel more intuitive. This kind of art isn’t just expressive—it’s functional.
For example, wayfinding murals can lead people from dense residential blocks to the nearest transit hub. Creative crosswalks can slow traffic near busier stops, making them safer for pedestrians and cyclists. Pop-up seating and painted shade elements can improve the waiting experience.
Each of these small interventions helps build trust in the system. It shows that the city values transit riders and that their daily experience matters. And when trust grows, so does ridership.
Collaboration is Key
One of the things we’re most proud of at Chalk Riot is our collaborative process. We don’t create art in a vacuum. We listen to the people who live and move through these spaces. We co-design. We co-paint. We ask questions.
What’s working at this bus stop? What’s not? What would make it feel safer? What colors remind you of your neighborhood? What do you want visitors to know about this place?
These are the kinds of conversations that shape our work—and they lead to projects that are not only more beautiful, but more meaningful.
Art created with the community, by the community, becomes part of the social fabric of the space. It belongs to everyone. And that sense of ownership makes it more likely that the art will be respected and that the transit system, too, will be treated with care.
Making Temporary Art for Lasting Change
Many of our projects are temporary by nature. We work with chalk, low-durability paint, and materials meant to evolve or disappear over time. But that doesn’t make the work any less impactful. In fact, ephemeral art can serve as a test bed for permanent change.
If a pop-up transit plaza painted with bold murals sees increased use and safety, it can become the case study for more durable improvements. If a temporary art installation draws attention to a dangerous intersection or an underused stop, it can trigger investment and policy shifts.
Ephemeral art invites flexibility and experimentation—especially important in cities where funding is limited or change is slow. It allows planners, designers, and residents to try something, see what works, and build from there.
Moving Toward a More Equitable Future
At the end of the day, transit equity is about more than moving people around. It’s about connecting communities, opening opportunities, and creating cities where everyone can thrive. And public art—especially when it’s created with care, intention, and love—has a powerful role to play in that work.
Chalk Riot will continue to advocate for this intersection of art and access. We’ll keep painting bus stops, designing joyful walkways, and co-creating with communities who are ready to reimagine their public space.
Because we believe in a future where public transportation is not just functional, but inspiring. Where the journey itself is part of the destination. And where every step toward a train, a bus, or a bike lane is paved with color, creativity, and care.