Press Releases
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2026
Contact: (212) 839-4850, press@dot.nyc.gov
NYC DOT Releases Soccer-Themed 'Don’t Block the Box' Signs as Soccer Fever Sweeps New York/New Jersey
Monthly Sign Drop Also Amplifies an Important Traffic Safety Message
NEW YORK – New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn today announced a limited number of soccer-themed “Don’t Block the Box” street signs are now available for purchase online, as soccer fever sweeps the New York/New Jersey region. The custom street sign is a play on a notable sign the city previously used to encourage New Yorkers not to block intersections.
While fans hope their teams produce clean sheets and avoid penalties, blocking the box remains a legitimate offense in the city’s traffic rules and the state’s vehicle traffic law. Today’s release is part of the agency’s monthly ‘sign drops,’ where it sells authentic street signs hand-made at the NYC DOT Sign Shop, which produces over 70,000 signs each year.
“We want New Yorkers to have more time to cheer for their favorite team and not have their commute go into extra time because someone ‘blocked the box’ at an intersection,” said NYC DOT Mike Flynn. “Take transit, enjoy the tournament, and grab your sign before they sell out faster than it takes Lionel Messi to add to his scoring record.”
“New York City is in the grip of soccer fever, and this latest sign drop lets you bring home a piece of the excitement while delivering an important message for our streets,” said DCAS Commissioner Yume Kitasei. “We’re proud to team up with NYC DOT to make these one-of-a-kind signs available through CityStore--with only 100 up for grabs, fans should move fast before the final whistle blows!”
The origin of the term “Don’t Block the Box” goes back to the early 1980s when it was created by Traffic Commissioner Sam Schwartz.
A limited release of 100 signs will be sold online for $100 each and are available one per customer. All signs will be sold via the CityStore, the Official Store of the City of New York, and proceeds will benefit the city's general fund. This signage offers a bit of nostalgia and a unique piece of the city's infrastructure.
Monthly sign drops from NYC DOT feature signs for iconic New York City streets, commemorations of famous New Yorkers, celebrations of special occasions, and other custom releases. NYC DOT began its monthly drops in June 2024, with the release of Christopher Street/Stonewall Place street signs to commemorate Pride Month.
Other recent sign drops include:
- Champions Way
- Welcome to the Bronx
- Knickerbocker Avenue
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg Way
- Welcome to Manhattan
- St. Mark’s Place
- 5th Avenue
- Bleecker Street
- Mulberry Street
- Hip Hop Boulevard to celebrate the genre’s musical and cultural legacy
- Welcome to Queens
- Gay Street
- Wall Street
- Leaving Brooklyn: Fuhgeddaboudit
- East 161st Street and Shea Road in honor of baseball's opening day
- Love Lane to recognize Valentine's Day
- Broadway in celebration of Broadway Week
- Cornelia Street to honor the street's prominence among pop music fans
About the NYC DOT Sign Shop
The New York City DOT Sign Shop is in Maspeth, Queens and manufactures over 70,000 signs each year. A team of 32 Sign Shop employees hand-make street signs, highway signs, directional signs, parking signs, and more. There are about one million NYC DOT signs in use across the 6,000 miles of streets in New York City.
The monthly drops are the latest iteration of sales that have historically been available from the Sign Shop.
About CityStore
Located at the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building at 1 Centre Street in lower Manhattan, for nearly three decades CityStore has been the official retail store of the City of New York.
The first New York City CityStore—originally known as CityBooks—opened in December 1981 at 61 Chambers Street and was a small store that primarily sold copies of the Green Book and a few select souvenirs. In 1996, renovations to the building caused the store to relocate to the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building, where the physical store has resided since. Between 1997 and 1998, CityBooks was rebranded to CityStore in an effort to expand beyond book sales and grow the city's goodwill with visitors and New Yorkers.
Visit CityStore in person at 1 Centre Street, shop online, and follow us on Instagram and Facebook.