Bunker Hill Traffic-Calming Mural

The Vision

In 2023, community members in the  City of Mount Rainier and Anacostia Trails Heritage Area identified the stretch of Bunker Hill Road outside of Joe’s Movement Emporium as a prime site for a traffic-calming intervention. Located beside a beloved creative hub and just blocks from Mount Rainier Elementary School, the site experienced significant pedestrian use and safety concerns due to the road’s high traffic volume. 

With support from NDC, the City closed the street for a community-led pop-up chalk day on August 27, 2023. More than 20 kids, parents, and passersby used washable chalk to brainstorm themes for a potential Art in the Right-of-Way mural.

Ideas ranged from butterflies, cats, and native flowers to musical notes, hearts, and other symbols tied to the neighborhood’s cultural identity. The workshop generated community-developed concepts for a permanent intervention while galvanizing support for pedestrian safety advocacy.

The Demonstration

In Spring 2024, NDC and partners shared concepts for a permanent art in the right-of-way mural during the Mount Rainier Open Studios, inviting residents to participate in a dot-voting activity that helped guide stylistic direction for the artwork.

Additional engagement with Joe’s after-school program deepened youth involvement and shaped the evolving mural concept. Students visioned shapes and themes through drawing and chalking activities, discussed safety challenges on Bunker Hill Road, and learned how art can signal pedestrian priority in shared streets.

Just a few days later, local arts group Chalk Riot led attendees of NDC’s inaugural Placemaking & Placekeeping Forum in a temporary demonstration of the concepts from the visioning workshops. Using tempura paint and modge podge, attendees modeled ecological and cultural stewardship in the right-of-way and furthered momentum for a permanent project.

The Solution

In Fall 2024, with support from the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC), Prince George’s Arts & Humanities Council (PGAHC), and Anacostia Trails Heritage Area (ATHA), Chalk Riot installed the permanent Bunker Hill traffic-calming mural. The final artwork draws inspiration from the native plantings outside Joe’s Movement Emporium and reflects the themes developed during community workshops and refined through the demonstration.

In tandem with the installation, students from Mount Rainier Elementary School met with NDC staff to learn why traffic-calming murals are used, how art influences driver behavior, and what role young people played in shaping the design. A public celebration and mural unveiling on October 24, 2024 honored community collaborators and the youth contributors whose drawings and votes informed the finished piece.

The Outcome

The traffic-calming mural was well-received—it felt approachable and created excitement. It also helped build momentum for bigger improvements, like a new and improved sidewalk. More than that, it started to change how people experience the space. Instead of just feeling like a street for cars, it began to feel more like a place for people—almost like a public art zone outside Joe’s.

To measure the effectiveness of the traffic-calming intervention, NDC conducted a traffic survey along Bunker Hill Road. Early observations align with results from similar Art in the Right-of-Way projects—such as the Johnson Square case study—where artistic traffic-calming designs have been shown to reduce vehicle speeds and increase driver awareness of pedestrians.

Updated traffic data and impact metrics will be included when the final analysis is complete.