Underpass becomes art

Growing up on Salt Lake's west side, Elijah Johnson had a certain way of walking through the I-15 underpass at 300 North on his way to the Boys and Girls Club.

"I used to walk through here extra fast," he said.

But the thoroughfare, a dark stretch of cold concrete largely considered an eyesore by people in the Guadalupe and Jackson neighborhoods, showed off a new look Wednesday afternoon — one that many residents hoped would improve safety and build community.

Where graffiti once marred the underpass, its 16 concrete columns are now adorned with intricate tile patterns depicting people of the two neighborhoods.

A soccer player and skateboarder, a teacher and a team of Navajo Code Talkers help complete the "Pillars of the Community" art project, a $60,000 endeavor completed under the direction of nearly 20 local artists.

"We went to the community and asked what they wanted," said Maria Garciaz, executive director of NeighborWorks, the group that oversaw the project. "The underpass kept coming up."

Community members said they are pleased with the outcome.

"I'm absolutely ecstatic," said Finley Shupe, who lives east of the overpass. "This is long, long overdue. There was graffiti everywhere. It was horrific, horrendous."

The mosaics are treated to help clean potential graffiti problems, but artists and city officials said they hoped the project would help deter vandalism.

"When they know that the art came from people in the community, there tends to be a little more respect," said City Council Chairman Carlton Christensen. "This really was a community project."

Christensen said the art should also help slow drivers along a route many students use to get to Jackson Elementary School and West High School.

And maybe in the future, people won't have to hurry as they walk, Shupe said.

"Maybe people will stop and admire it," he said.

e-mail: afalk@desnews.com