Art installation spotlights Salt Lake City's east–west divide

State of play: The artwork, inspired by community feedback, displays rows of papel picado, a traditional form of Mexican folk art that translates to "pecked paper." It will remain up until the end of the month.

• Latinos make up nearly half of west side residents, per a University of Utah analysis.

What they're saying: "We need this barrier to come down," Puy said, noting that train delays impact thousands of people each day who can be forced to wait up to 45 minutes for freight cars to clear the tracks.

• Luis Novoa, the artist behind the installation and the head of the nonprofit Artes de México en Utah, said he often gets stuck waiting for trains to pass when traveling through the area.
• Novoa, who lives in Rose Park, even experienced delays on his way to the project's unveiling on Thursday.

Catch up quick: Puy has aggressively pushed since 2023 for changes to address stalled freight trains, arguing that prolonged blockages disproportionately disrupt daily life for west-siders.