The Rivers Street Tunnels are currently under renovation. Phase 1 was completed in April 2024. Updates about the project can be found here at Appalachian's Future website.
The Tunnels Upgrade project is an initiative by App State to revitalize critical passageways on campus that provide safe crossings underneath a busy four-lane street. The tunnels, which for many years have been dark and covered in graffiti, are on their way to becoming bright, secure pathways.
Alongside practical improvements, the project also embraces aesthetic considerations: The tunnel across from Newland Residence Hall will showcase commissioned art, to be selected through a curated process, and the tunnel located at the foot of New River Residence Hall has been redesignated as a free expression space.
On May 9, 2024, App State Interim Chancellor Heather Norris invited members of the App State Community to begin painting works of free expression and creativity in the New River Hall tunnel, with paint contained to the inside walls of the tunnel, to prevent slipping hazards.