AUSTIN (KXAN) – A colorful, 140-foot mural was installed by the Southern Oaks neighborhood of Austin to greet travelers on Buffalo Pass in south Austin.

More than 200 community volunteers worked for over 2,500 hours to complete the mural which consists of two tons of clay and 600 pounds of glass.

“What started out as a community mural project has transformed not only a wall but the neighborhood, too!” said neighbors Elisabeth Healey and Jen Maufrais Kelly, who helped lead the mural project.

Pictures of community members working on the mural on Buffalo Pass in south Austin (City of Austin Public Works)

“We didn’t just create a mural, we built friendships and connections during our sessions which have strengthened our community. When we look at the mural, we don’t just see a mosaic. We see all the captured stories behind each piece, the memorialization of neighbors who are no longer here, and all the conversations we shared.”

The idea for the mural began with the Southern Oaks Neighborhood Association and was completed in partnership with the City of Austin’s Neighborhood Partnering Program. The city’s cost-share program matched the money the neighborhood group raised for the project.