New York City’s Department of Transportation has begun selling a limited run of soccer-themed street signs that carry the agency’s long-running 'Don't Block the Box' message. The signs are being offered online as part of a special release that ties the city's traffic safety campaign to the current soccer fever sweeping New York and New Jersey.
A Collector’s Item for Fans
The signs are part of the department’s monthly sign drops, a program that releases authentic, hand-crafted signs made in the DOT Sign Shop. Each year the shop produces more than 70,000 signs, and the latest drop features a design that nods to the global soccer buzz that has spread from New York to New Jersey.
Only 100 of the soccer-styled signs will be offered online, each priced at $100. Purchases are processed through CityStore, the city’s official retail outlet, and the revenue will be funneled into the municipal general fund.
The phrase 'Don't Block the Box' was coined by Traffic Commissioner Sam Schwartz in the early 1980s to remind drivers not to obstruct intersections. The campaign has since become a staple of the city’s traffic-safety outreach, encouraging motorists to keep intersections clear.
CityStore, which has served New Yorkers for nearly three decades, will handle the sale. The offering coincides with a surge of soccer enthusiasm, a trend that has been amplified by the sport’s rising popularity across the region, including the excitement surrounding global stars.
Proceeds from the sale not only support city services but also give fans a tangible way to commemorate the intersection of traffic safety and the beautiful game, while reinforcing a message that resonates across New York, New Jersey, and beyond.