Wave Staff Report
COMMERCE — The Bandini Tunnel under the Long Beach (710) Freeway has been transformed from a dark, gray tunnel into a well-lit walkway through a vibrantly painted meadow of poppies after a recently completed Clean California effort. Caltrans and the city of Commerce announced the completion of the Pathways for Hope — Commerce Connectivity Improvements Project.
The $5.6 million project was funded by a nearly $5 million local grant from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $1.2 billion 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 spaces. The project also received local funds.
“This project is a shining example of how Clean California can transform communities through litter abatement, art installation and infrastructure improvements that 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,” said Caltrans District 7 Director Gloria Roberts.
The beautification project improved major city gateways under the freeway at Triggs Street and Leonis Street with more than 13,000 square feet of colorful murals, decorative paving, signage and pedestrian lighting. The project also included recreational access improvements at Rosewood, Bristow and Bandini parks which include walking paths with pedestrian lighting, trash and recycling containers, drought-tolerant landscaping to reduce urban heat island effects, decorative paving and fencing, benches and more.
“The Pathways of Hope Project plays an important role in reflecting who we are as a community,” said Commerce Public Works Director Shahid Abbas. “We are proud to have worked with Caltrans on improving our parkways, parks, and installing murals that create a welcoming environment for residents and visitors alike.”
For the murals, Vivache Designs CEO Seema Mishra and Chief Creative Officer Michael Che Romero noted a deep investment made into researching Commerce’s history and listening to the community’s concerns and needs to properly represent the city’s culture.
The Bandini Tunnel on Leonis Street is a pedestrian undercrossing across the 710 Freeway, a vital access point for Commerce students and residents to Bandini Park and Bandini Elementary School on the east side. In response to feedback from community residents, designers added lighting upgrades and painted a mural of poppy flowers to create a sense of safety for children that regularly cross the dark tunnel.
“Walking in a Flower Wonderland” is painted along the walls of the Bandini Tunnel, depicting a field of poppies in what Romero calls a “reverse panoramic” for an immersive experience, with the flowers gradually growing in size towards the center of the mural before returning to normal dimensions.
A half-mile away, the Triggs Street Underpass now features three striking murals, courtesy of Vivache Designs.
“Pathways of Hope,” painted at the entryway of the tunnel, is a monochromatic mural painted with a tromp l’oeil technique to emulate stone relief sculpture. It depicts the 710 and 5 freeways and the Commerce Train Station and showcases these vital transportation routes that cross over and through the heart of the city. At the center is an athlete holding a torch, a reference to the city’s history as part of the 1984 Olympic games and spawning four Commerce Olympians — water polo players Brenda Villa and Patricia Cardenas and boxers Javier and Oscar Molina.
“Belonging,” a mural installed on the south side of the Triggs Street Underpass, depicts Commerce residents celebrating various events, from Dia de Los Muertos and birthday parties to a youth soccer match. It pays homage to the community’s unity and athletic history, supported by the neighborhood parks.
Bandini Park has basketball and volleyball courts, sports fields, and is a popular site for children’s birthday parties. Rosewood Park is adjacent to the Brenda Villa Aquatic Center, named after the four-time Olympian. Bristow Park, which houses a community center and boxing ring, is known for its handball courts and features the mural “Homeboy Crow, painted in 1979 by community members in honor of Raymond “Crow” Sanchez, a Commerce resident who died at the age of 20.
“These vibrant examples of local art celebrate the best amateur athletes from this diverse community,” Romero said. “They are handball champions, they are boxing champions, they are Olympic water polo champions. In this small area with a population of only 13,000 people, we have an extremely rich culture rooted in sporting endeavors. You see this community is grounded in these parks, which provide the ecosystems to teach kids about ethos, morality, respect and inclusivity.”
“The Model City” mural on the south side of the Triggs Street Underpass is named after the city’s motto. It represents the city’s history, present and past, with references to the Chrysler assembly plant that defined the city’s industrialization from the 1930s to 1970s, and the tire factory that would become the current-day Citadel Outlets, with its iconic Assyrian influenced architecture. A futuristic train is a nod to the city’s continuing dedication to transportation.
