The rusting railway bridge over Hammonds Plains Road has blighted the entrance to Upper Tantalon for decades, but it's about to get a paint job for the ages.

Today, the bridge is part of Nova Scotia's rails-to-trails hiking system. Some 33 years ago, local Denis Pearson suggested they give the "gateway to the South Shore" a makeover.

More recently, Pearson had coffee with Coun. Matt Whitman and Denis Dineen of the St. Margaret's Bay Chamber of Commerce.

Seascapes set the mood for Peggys Cove visit

Dineen and Whitman picked up the plan and ran with it. Artist Mary Lynne MacKay specializes in creating whimsical paintings capturing the rustic charm of Nova Scotia, and she donated her time and talents to create two 12-metre murals that will adorn the bridge.

This mural will welcome people heading inbound on Hammonds Plain Road. (CBC)

This mural will tell travellers they're bound for Peggys Cove. (CBC)

The Peggys Cove-inspired images will tell travellers they're moments away from the scenic road along the bay leading to Peggys Cove. Both have been printed on the same metal used for highway signs. The project cost $17,000, funded by the St. Margaret's Bay Chamber of Commerce and locals.

Honouring Anne Martell

"It's in the centre of what we believe should be the village of Tantallon/St. Margarets Bay," Dineen told CBC Radio's Information Morning. "This is a very artisty area, so it kind of highlights the phenomenal artists we have in the St. Margarets Bay area."

Dineen said when Pearson first had the idea, the bridge area was a quiet spot seldom travelled. Today it leads into a retail hub, an animal hospital and local businesses.

They hope to have the project complete by the end of November. The art will be dedicated to Anne Martell, a beloved local woman who died a few months ago. Dineen said she made her community a kinder, better place, so they wanted to remember her.