Hawthorne Tunnel Mural Dedication

press release: People often talk about the importance of the journey, and up until recently, the Hawthorne Tunnel wasn’t much to brag about. It was long, dark, and a little bit scary. It was also an important passageway for students to safely get to school without having to cross the six lanes of traffic on Madison’s busiest road, East Washington Avenue. So neighborhood, school, and city organizers put their heads together to find a good solution.  

Over the course of several months, DAMA worked with the Hawthorne Neighborhood Association and Hawthorne Elementary School to gain a better understanding of the role of the Hawthorne Tunnel in students’ daily commutes, and how to improve it. How could we bring light and color into the tunnel to make it a safer route for kids—and more fun? How could we involve kids in the solution, to design their own passageway between home and school, between different activities?  

We are excited to unveil the new and improved Hawthorne Pedestrian Tunnel this Tuesday, October 15, from 9:15 am to 10:15 am! The dedication will start at Hawthorne Elementary School (3344 Concord Ave) with remarks from DAMA’s Executive Director Emida Roller. The students and staff will then walk to the mural tunnel at 9:35 am. Join us Tuesday morning on our walk to celebrate safer, brighter, and more beautiful pedestrian pathways in our community!