The trade off San Jose made when they approved AT&T's fiber upgrades was to give up on requiring that they bury their boxes. To counter the sidewalk blocking, graffiti prone, utility box the city was able to get AT&T to pay for local artists to paint them.
So far the taggers have been respecting them. I hope it lasts after the paint begins to fade.
If you are walking by one of them, be sure to look for the art tag and take a moment to appreciate the hard work That went into beautifying our neighborhood.
Got an idea for a fun art piece you'd like to paint on one? There is no shortage of blank ones in the interior streets. Just be sure to check with the neighbors.