The Lady Day Way Committee of Upper Fells Point Improvement Association partnered with Graham Projects to create a traffic calming art project celebrating Baltimore legend Billie Holiday while making the street safer and more welcoming for pedestrians. Building on plans and themes developed by the Neighborhood Design Center, Graham Projects worked closely with the committee to build on that vision with a more unique and visually impactful design. We also consulted on a range of traffic calming strategies, including exploring chicanes, before the committee ultimately settled on speed humps, high-visibility signage, thermoplastic piano key crossing murals, and a continuous pavement mural designed to change the perception of Lady Day Way as a more pedestrian-oriented street.
Rhythm of Billie is a vibrant pavement art installation that celebrates Billie Holiday’s life and legacy through music and her iconic gardenia flower. A flowing musical staff winds down the street, carrying the melody of her well-known song “God Bless the Child.” Stylized gardenias bloom along the street, each with sweeping white petals accented by purple and yellow centers. Her childhood home is honored with a cluster of three gardenias, symbolizing the roots of her story. At each end of the block, bold piano key crossings dance across the road, beckoning pedestrians to step into the rhythm and safely join the journey. Framing the installation, text gateways reading “Lady Day Way” honor the street’s namesake. Near the theater, a playful hopscotch area invites children to engage with the space, adding joy and movement. A palette of purple, olive green, deep blue, and yellow echo nearby murals, reflecting both Holiday’s expressive spirit and the neighborhood’s vibrancy.
The completed installation uses high-durability MMA for the long-form pavement mural and thermoplastic for the piano key crossings, bringing together public art and traffic calming in a durable streetscape intervention. Together with the speed humps and high-visibility signage, the project creates a stronger visual identity for Lady Day Way while encouraging slower, more pedestrian-oriented movement through the “shared street” corridor. The project also creates a new destination for residents and visitors to experience Billie Holiday’s legacy and the history of Upper Fells Point.
Project Partner: Upper Fells Point Improvement Association
Design Team: Lead Designer: Liam Arbeiter, Art Director: Graham Coreil-Allen
Installation Team: Graham Coreil-Allen, Melvin Jadulang, Liam Arbeiter, Mar Braxton, Rachel DeTone, Kirsten Pamfilis, Jonathan Zoccoli
