Columbia Tusculum Unity Tunnel Project

Thanks to all community volunteers and donors who supported our Unity Mural project!! Led by artist L.D. Nehls, this collaborative project welcomed participants of all ages to contribute to a vibrant mural in the pedestrian tunnel beneath the railroad, connecting Eastern Avenue and Congress Avenue/Stacon Street. By blending art with community engagement, we aimed to transform this dull passage along the Columbia Tusculum bike path into a colorful, unifying landmark that brings our neighborhood together! 

Plans for a second mural are projected to be finished Summer 2026.

We need your help to make this vision a reality! Sign up below!

People painting a colorful mural on a tunnel wall outdoors, with some onlookers and tools nearby.

Community volunteers in action

A woman smiling and wearing glasses and a cap, stands at an outdoor community art event under a tunnel, with a colorful mural on the wall behind her. She is by a table with paint supplies, while several people paint on the mural in the background.

Artist LD Nehls mixing paint!

A concrete underpass with moss and graffiti on the walls, overgrown with ivy on the sides, leading to a parking lot in the distance.

Unity tunnel “before”

Logo of East Business with a stylized building and the text 'EAST BUSINESS' below

Thank you to our sponsors!

Ohio Arts Council logo with text and colorful circular design.
Bookery logo with rainbow design above the text
A sign that says 'Columbia Tusculum Est. 1788' with a background of patterned fabric or wallpaper with zigzag stripes in yellow, black, and teal.
Logo of Manitou Candle Co. with a stylized candle icon.
Woman in green shirt and paint-splattered apron painting a colorful mural on a wall, wearing sunglasses and a cap.

Meet the Artist

LD Nehls is a muralist and illustrator based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Blending imagery from the natural world with abstract "macro-landscapes," Nehls creates vibrant, playful paintings and murals that spark curiosity and invite viewers to explore the world within each piece. 

Nehls’ murals, which can be found across Ohio, Kentucky, and New Mexico, celebrate the local flora and fauna near each site, drawing on research and conversations with botanists, biologists, farmers, and neighbors who are passionate about preserving and protecting wildlife. Her work celebrates public spaces and our deep connection to the natural world by highlighting the often-overlooked mosses, lichens, insects, and other tiny neighbors that surround us every day.  For more information about collaborations or commissions, please email L.d.nehls@gmail.com.