It’s not often a highway construction project can be categorized as an artistic experience.
But that’s the case with PennDOT’s Highland Park Interchange Project for which locally based, award-winning artist Brian Peters designed unique sound barrier walls.
The wavy design is inspired by the waters of the Allegheny River, situated near Route 28, as well as historical architectural details found around the city, said Peters, who called his part of the Route 28 project a “very unique opportunity.”
What could be a “completely mundane experience driving down the highway” transforms into a “unique experience seeing something a little more uplifting,” Peters said.
Nick Krobot, engineer and assistant environmental manager with PennDOT District 11, said the PennDOT team knew it was going to have sound barriers and wanted road users to have “a good experience on the highway.”
“We care about what the highway looks like, and we want road users to have a good experience on the highway,” said Krobot, in a video posted about the project on PennDOT’s website.
The Highland Park Interchange Project, which began in 2020 and is expected to finish this year, is adding two travel lanes on the busy highway to address existing bottlenecks and congested traffic flow. It includes reconstruction of the Route 28 ramps with the Highland Park Bridge and Freeport Road; bridge and wall preservation work; roadway widening and miscellaneous operational and safety improvements, according PennDOT.
The nonprofit Office for Public Art, after winning a bid to work with the PennDOT, shortlisted Peters and two other artists out of applications from 30 artists nationwide, said Sallyann Kluz, executive director for the Office for Public Art.
After artists’ interviews and reviews of their work, a selection panel that included PennDOT team members, visual arts professionals and community representatives settled on Peters.
“Throughout the application review and interview process, the selection panel was extremely impressed by Brian’s portfolio of past work and the way in which his art practice merges technological innovation with details, patterns, and textures drawn from both the natural and built environments. Further, the panel could see that a commission of this scale would help to propel Brian’s growing practice while also supporting a Pittsburgh artist to design a landmark piece for Pittsburgh,” Kluz said.
Peters uses 3D printed artwork and site-specific installations using machines built at his East Carnegie studio. The Mt. Lebanon resident has worked nationally and internationally, including in Barcelona and Amsterdam. He describes himself as a spatial artist, designer, and educator.
PennDOT was very easy to work with and was open to new ideas, Peters said.
“I applaud PennDOT to offer opportunities for artists to be involved in these projects,” Peters said.
The sound barriers will lower highway noise for both the Aspinwall Borough and O’Hara Township sides of the roadway in neighborhoods within the scope of the Route 28 project, according to Mark Young, PennDOT District environmental planning manager.
These permanent sound barriers also block the view of traffic from the homes and businesses, Young said. Some inspiration for the walls was derived from other states’ artwork on sound barriers, and Route 28 already has some artwork included on the retaining walls closer to the city
“So it seemed natural to continue the effort,” Young said.
The approximate cost for the sound barriers is $6.4 million. The additional costs associated with designing a unique sound barrier wall and the additional costs for fabrication are estimated at $150,000. The overall estimated cost for the whole highway interchange project is approximately $50 million, Young said. The contractor for the project is Golden Triange Inc.
The nonprofit Office for Public Art provides public art assistance to government, nonprofit, and design colleagues throughout Pittsburgh and supports and advances the role of public art in the Pittsburgh region.
Natalie Beneviat is a Trib Total Media contributing writer.
"sound" - Google News
March 10, 2023 at 01:13AM
https://ift.tt/uoQIyqd
Artist creates Route 28 sound barriers that are pleasing to eyes, ears - TribLIVE
"sound" - Google News
https://ift.tt/JGkcK8V
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
No comments:
Post a Comment