The California Department of Transportation – known as Caltrans – recently revitalized several pedestrian underpasses in the city of Commerce, CA; breathing new life into the city’s infrastructure.
[Above photo by Caltrans]
Caltrans said its $5.6 million “Pathways for Hope” beautification project transformed pedestrian pathways under I-710 from “dark and dreary” to “friendly and functional” – lining underpasses with over 13,000 square feet of colorful murals, decorative paving, signage, and pedestrian lighting.
Nearly $5 million for this project came from a local grant via the Clean California initiative – a multi-year clean-up effort led by Caltrans to remove litter, create jobs, and beautify the state’s highway system and public space.
The project’s infrastructure improvements also included recreational access improvements at the Rosewood, Bristow, and Bandini Parks – improvements that incorporated Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant walking paths featuring improved pedestrian lighting, additional trash and recycling containers, drought-tolerant landscaping to reduce urban heat island effects, decorative paving and fencing, new benches, and more.
For community members, this project provided significant improvements to pedestrian infrastructure for the city.
For example, the Bandini Tunnel on Leonis Street now offers a well-lit pathway decorated with a mural of poppy flowers – making the passageway safer and more inviting for daily use, especially by local elementary students.
In terms of art decorating those pedestrian tunnels, “Belonging” – one of three new murals in the Triggs Street Underpass – highlights the community’s rich cultural heritage through depictions of traditional celebrations such as Dia de Los Muertos or “Day of the Dead.”
In that same underpass, the “Pathways of Hope” mural portrays vital transportation routes through the heart of the city of Commerce, such as the I-710 and I-5 freeways and the Commerce train station, with the third mural highlighting the city’s four Olympic athletes, who competed in four different Olympic games.
“This project is a shining example of how Clean California can transform communities through litter abatement, art installation, and infrastructure improvements,” noted Gloria Roberts, director of Caltrans District 7. Such infrastructure improvements “beautify and uplift local culture to build community pride and provide recreational opportunities that enhance public health and improve quality of life for Commerce residents,” she said.
