Why this matters

Safety and visibility has been a recurring concern for locals using the pedestrian bridge.

Angel Pantoja, age 24, crosses a steep pedestrian bridge spanning Interstate 5 in San Ysidro at least twice daily. Locals have long noted that the bridge curves and corners stayed too dim while accumulating litter and waste.

A distinctive low-cost approach using a glow-in-the-dark ground mural now helps Pantoja feel more secure on his route.

The design covers hundreds of feet along the path from Willow Road across a twisting bridge enclosed by wire fencing above the roar of motorcycles and speeding cars heading north and south on the freeway.

Pantoja reports not only greater safety but also an engaging experience while commuting between his home and job in San Ysidro.

Dark bridge, bright fix. Follow the reporting behind San Ysidro's glow-up. Give $10

He suggested in Spanish that every such crossing deserves artwork.

Caltrans announced this month that the agency worked with neighborhood residents and artists to complete the long-planned project. Crews installed the design in May.

Nicholas Buenviaje, government and community affairs manager for Caltrans San Diego region, described the effort as a test of creative ways to improve transit structures alongside community areas.

Many residents noted the darkness and importance of the bridge despite poor upkeep, so the team viewed the mural as a modest yet meaningful step, he said.

The pavement product cost under 200000 dollars, far below new lighting systems, while also cooling surfaces, protecting the deck and reducing vandalism, Buenviaje added.

Cristian Fuentes, chair of the San Ysidro Community Planning Group, observed that issues remain but have eased considerably.

He led walking tours for officials to highlight conditions and sent a request letter roughly one year ago.

The mural may not fix everything yet it adds lighting and draws more users, especially children heading to Willow Elementary, he said in Spanish.

Neighbors share that view.

Eddie Garcia, 33, escorts his children across the bridge to Willow Elementary each school year, which lies at the southern end.

He resides in a nearby mobile home park a few hundred feet north of the structure.

Before the mural he often saw drug use, people sleeping on the ground and heavy trash, yet the artwork now discourages such activity, he said.

It works, though extra lighting would help visibility at night, Garcia noted in Spanish.

San Ysidro high school student Mizael Melgoza, 15, used the bridge while attending Willow and now travels to a shopping area.

He had never seen a bridge like this before and recalled how dirty it once appeared, calling the change much better.

Miguel Figueroa of the PATH San Diego homeless outreach team in the South Bay said individuals living near the bridge view the spot as safe.

Figueroa recently discovered encampments during rounds and his team's efforts have produced some results.

After conversations, some residents expressed interest in programs, shelter or other resources, he told inewsource during a Thursday morning visit.

Ana Garcia Franco, 56, told inewsource she established a camp several months ago after hardships including her husband's death and substance issues.

She accepts help from PATH and greets passersby even without replies, while sharing nighttime safety concerns.

I like to be here and greet them so they do not feel scared, she said.

Garcia Franco enjoys painting and offered crews assistance with the mural, noting they left her site untouched.

I feel like we are the intruders because the kids go through here for school and everything, and it is not right for us to be here.

Stakeholders traced the project start to canceled bus routes once used by high school students. In 2019 a large deficit prompted Sweetwater High School Union to end service, a point locals marked along the path.

Students are on summer break now but the artwork will greet them when classes resume later this month.

The glowing concept draws from alebrijes, traditional hand-carved wooden animal sculptures with vivid patterns that in Mexican culture represent mythical guides to the afterlife.

Ernesto Gonzalez, a volunteer artist with Blk Box who partnered with Caltrans, proposed the idea. The finished design features colorful triangles beneath black stencils showing cultural scenes: a child hitting a pinata, a youngster with grandparents, two children watering a tree, an indigenous sun, a backpack-carrying child, two children with trumpet and guitar, and a family holding hands.

Gonzalez grew up in San Ysidro's Sunset neighborhood and crossed the bridge to reach Las Americas mall. He said the works honor students, shoppers, trolley users and border crossers.

We have made something, we have had some impact, and hopefully it is just the beginning, he said.

He hopes to gain approval to paint the bridge sides and extend the theme.

Type of Content

News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.