Underpasses don't always have to be grim, forgotten interstitial spaces

Freeway underpasses, spaces, and abutments tend to be grim and dingy interstitial spaces.

Some places have parking.  Others homeless encampments.

A homeless encampment on West Crowther Avenue and the 57 freeway in Placentia, CA will be cleaned out tomorrow. Workers cleaned out an area near there on Wednesday, April 1, 2020. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register)

Toronto has the Bentway under the Gardiner Expressway ("How Toronto transformed a highway underpass into a vibrant public space," Fast Company). (Still air quality issues.)  

I think the Bentway was first conceptualized as a winter feature.  But maybe the intent all along was year round use.  Photo: Bernard Weil, Toronto Star.

Miami's Underline predates The Bentway.  It was first a service road and then bike and walking path underneath the Miami Metrorail.  Metrorail is elevated because of the water table, and the line follows old railroad right of way.  It will be 10 miles long when finished.

There are a bunch of murals in places, on abutments, etc.

This is in Salt Lake.

This roadway underpass in the Central Ninth neighborhood abutting Mead Avenue has painted abutments, a ground treatment and a futsal court.

Public art adorns a freeway overpass and abutments on I-15 in Las Vegas Nevada.  Las Vegas Review Journal photo.

Freeway underpass abutments in Utah constructed of red rock and red tinted concrete, referencing geological history and regionally significant building materials.

Sometimes rocks, to discourage homeless camping.  Also Salt Lake: the underpass over the railroad tracks on 400 South.

Public art incorporated into an overpass, Loop 202 Freeway, Phoenix.  

Photo: Sky Schaudt, KJZZ:  "Q&AZ: Who Designs The Artwork Along Arizona Freeways?)"

Rendering, "Perked-up underpasses to link Detroit neighborhoods," Detroit News.

And Tampa, "Overpass art may be coming to St. Petersburg," Tampa Bay Times.

Sacramento, before and after.  The CalTrans Transportation Art webpage is a great resource.

Painted abutments complemented by plantings. 

 'Second Summer Reflections' is a public artwork created by local artist Andrew Frazer on the underside of the Mega-Bridge in Picton as part of the Wilman Wadandi Highway. The design was painted on the columns supporting the 382-metre-long bridge over a two-month period in late 2024.  

Mural painted freeway abutments, Great Rivers Greenway, St. Louis.  Report: Economic and social impacts of developing the Brickline Greenway

This is what I was looking for originally, painted abutments.  But Flickr's photo search function has stopped working, at least for me, on photos uploaded a long time ago.  I know I have painted abutment examples from Detroit, Toronto, and Salt Lake, but they aren't coming up in searches.  Very very frustrating because I pay for the account.