Road construction and student art in Green: 400-foot mural adorns Massillon Road project

XPO Logistics trailers are pictured through the translucent banner showcasing the artwork of students from the Green Local School District.
XPO Logistics trailers are pictured through the translucent banner showcasing the artwork of students from the Green Local School District.

Like public art? Murals in particular?

Green, the city of roundabouts and the Akron-Canton Airport, does.

So much so, that the city installed a 400-foot mural along a fence near construction on the $7.9 million South Massillon Road project.

40 student works from Green students in 400 feet

More than a football field long, the mural lines a fence located behind the CVS Pharmacy store at 3761 Massillon Road near XPO Logistics. It features the art of 40 Green Local School District students, from kindergarten through high school.

Murals have been around for millennia in some form or another, with some of the most famous examples in the ruins of Pompeii and Stone Age caves. In the modern era, cities use the art to highlight landmarks or create a visual oasis in blighted areas.

Art enthusiasts believe the art can relieve symptoms of anxiety and social isolation and help establish a city's unique character.

The artwork of students from the Green Local School District is showcased on the fence in front of XPO Logistics.
The artwork of students from the Green Local School District is showcased on the fence in front of XPO Logistics.

There's an art to road construction in Green

In Green, the art serves as a visual respite from the dust and noise of ongoing South Massillon Road construction. The project is expected to be completed next year, with a lane switch coming any day now as work on a nearby roundabout continues.

The individual works displayed along the fence can be viewed at https://shorturl.at/eftX6.

The artwork will be on display until next year.

To stroll the fence, park at the nearby Acme. It only takes a couple of minutes to walk the wall, and you might find some some art that puts a smile on your face.

More: You won't believe the inside of a home in Akron's Kenmore neighborhood that hit the market

Leave a message for Alan Ashworth at 330-996-3859 or email him at aashworth@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Green mural displays student art near Massillon Road construction