Underpass overhaul: Murals project in works to enliven Rail Trail tunnel

Two artists who met while painting pianos in Acton are back with a new collaboration designed to transform a graffiti-prone tunnel along the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail.

Jane Holland and Laura Buscemi were selected from 54 applicants to create a pair of murals inside the underpass at Powder Mill Road. 

“When we met each other working on the pianos, it was really special,” Holland said, referring to the artists’ work on Pianos on the Town, an art project from the Acton Conservatory of Music. “We wanted to continue that collaboration, because we learned so much from each other and we both have different skill sets to offer.”

The Select Board unanimously approved the final design July 20, but the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, which owns the bridge, must approve as well. Acton Economic Vitality Manager Mimi Graney said the town hopes work on the murals can begin in September and wrap up before the end of the outdoor painting season.

Graney said an advisory committee sought a design that reflected the trail’s natural setting and selected Holland and Buscemi’s proposal from dozens of submissions from across Greater Boston and beyond.

The artists said their personal styles helped shape the final design. Buscemi’s storytelling approach to painting wildlife blends with Holland’s background in graphic design to create two coordinated murals that transition through spring, summer, fall, and winter.

“We want to keep this animated aspect going in the design so that users that are traveling through the tunnel kind of keep their sense of motion,” Buscemi said.

A nature walk

The murals will feature wildlife found along the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, including a blue-spotted salamander, painted turtle, woodpecker, owl, and fox. The artists said they also drew inspiration from the colors and patterns of the surrounding landscape.

“We basically want it to be an invitation for people to explore the environment around them,” Buscemi said. “We want people to kind of find a sense of exploration along their journey.”

While the artwork is intended to brighten the underpass, it also serves a practical purpose.

Holland said the tunnel’s existing graffiti was part of the inspiration behind the design, with the two intentionally incorporating textures and patterns throughout the murals to minimize large blank areas that often attract tagging.

The finished murals will also be protected with an anti-graffiti coating so any future vandalism can be removed without damaging the artwork beneath.

“I think people tag just because it’s kind of a blank wall,” Holland said. “I think it’s going to deter them.”

Beyond discouraging graffiti, the artists hope the murals encourage some trail users to slow down. Hidden details scattered throughout the artwork are meant to create an “I spy” experience that rewards visitors who take a closer look.

For Holland, public art is about more than the finished mural.

“It’s a really great opportunity as an artist for people to see artists working in the community,” she said. “It’s a really great way to get people involved in art and get them to ask questions and to look at the world around them maybe a little differently.”

August 7, 2026: This story has been updated.