Jaciel Paez, a 16-year-old sophomore at West High School, has walked through the 300 North underpass between 600 and 700 West on his way to and from school and work for years. Walking past its 16 gray pillars four times per day was routine.

When 16 local artists began covering each pillar with colored tiles depicting dancers, a story-teller, a farmer and a Navajo "code-talker" from WWII, Paez stopped for a closer look. He's spent more time looking ever since.

"I'd just think 'How did they do it?'," Paez said Tuesday, as two artists put finishing touches on two pillars in time for NeighborWorks Salt Lake's Wednesday ribbon cutting for "Pillars of the Community."

"I remember the day when nothing was here."

If NeighborWorks can raises the money, there may yet be more. The tile-covered pillars comprise phase two of three for NeighborWorks' "Bridges Over Barriers" project, the completion of which will cover the underpass' two ramps and buttresses.

For now, the west-side community organization is happy to celebrate the finished pillars. Artists kicked off the project by decorating the cornerstone pillars first, completed last year. Then came the economic crisis, plus a change in oversight when Terry Hurst, its first manager, embarked on bicycle tour to raise funds for a West-side community art center.

"I thought, 'It's kind of crazy, but I'm going to go for it,'" said Jessi Carrier, a 23-year-old University of Utah graduate in human ecology who took over as part of an internship with the Mestizo Institute of Culture and Art. "We're right down to the wire."

Drawn to the idea of beautifying a structure most people avoid, she helped kick-start funding and met with community members in churches, schools and social clubs to maintain the project's momentum. Carrier also drew on the spirit Lily Yeh, founder of Philadelphia's Village of Arts and Humanities and expert in public art projects, who will be in Salt Lake City for Wednesday's ribbon cutting.

Maria Garciaz, NeighborWorks Salt Lake executive director, said CIT Bank donated $35,000 toward completion this spring, with JP Morgan Chase bank giving $10,000. Utah Arts Council, Utah Department of Transportation and NeighborWorks America, umbrella group for all NeighborWorks branches nationwide, also contributed. The group now hopes to raise $130,000 to adorn the ramparts and buttresses in similar fashion.

"The ripple effect has been amazing," Garciaz said. "I've seen people slow down as they drive by. Some people even stop and park to get a better look."

As he finished up the last pillar Tuesday with a slather of mortar, painter Lee Madrid said the project helped connect him to Salt Lake City after he moved here from Texas.

"Some people have said this underpass divided the neighborhoods of Guadalupe [to the east] and Jackson [to the west], so it's nice to use art to make this a bridge, instead," Madrid said. "As an artist, you look for those layers of meaning."