Sausalito Beautiful and partner organizations sponsored a project to create a mural on the wall of the highway 101 underpass between Sausalito and Marin City. A five-member steering committee, representing each of the organizations, formed “All Our Children United” and raised funds, enlisted acclaimed local artist Raylene Gorum to develop a design concept, and navigated bureaucratic hurdles to get official approval for the project. The design—a band of sunrise-to sunset-colored panels lining the tunnel walls, with rows of blue, child-size handprints dancing across the surface—is intended to link our two communities. Raylene and a painting crew completed the mural in time for a grand opening in November, 2022.

The dark, dirty, and dangerous tunnel had been a concern for over ten years. The unresolved question of which public agency (Caltrans or Marin County) was responsible delayed improving the tunnel lighting, finally achieved in 2017. The idea of a children’s art project arose as a way to heal divisions created in a contentious school board election in 2016. The original proposal was to have all the school children make handprints in tiles, which would then be affixed to the tunnel wall.

When the Steering Committee began work in 2020, they learned that Caltrans would not authorize using tile in the tunnel. As artist Gorum developed her concept, she integrated the idea of handprints into her design. In May 2022, school children copied their hands to create stencils and enjoyed painting them on to colorful banners at a kickoff event in June. The handprints on the wall are replicas, ranging in size from larger to kindergarten-size hands—delighting the children as they walk through the tunnel. The whole community celebrated the mural’s completion as we marched through the tunnel in November 2022—led by a New Orleans style marching band. In fall 2024, the artist refurbished the tunnel. With a new graffiti coating, it shines better than ever, transforming a dreary space into a thing of beauty and a celebration of community.

This project is a collaborative effort led by a steering committee of community leaders from Marin City and Sausalito: Felecia Gaston (Performing Stars), Dr. Shirley Thornton (Arts+ Bayside MLK), Sonja Hanson (Sausalito Foundation), Susan Shea (author and fundraiser) and Sausalito Beautiful’s Carolyn Revelle.

Endorsements include the Sausalito City Council, the Marin City Community Services District, Sausalito-Marin City School Board, Marin Open Studios, the Sausalito Foundation, Performing Stars of Marin, local churches, and Sausalito Beautiful. The Marin Community Foundation has also provided a generous grant. Community fundraising is underway to complete the budget and ensure community engagement.

Proposals to enliven and ensure the safety of the tunnel go back over a decade. As Sausalito and Marin City celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Marinship and the unification of our public schools, we are delighted to be part of this public art project linking our two communities.