Overpass Art

Rendering of the SR501/Pioneer St Overpass over with pedestrian screens and decorative birds attached to the screens.

A series of colorful steel sandhill cranes in different stages of flight will be installed on screening along the overpasses located in downtown Ridgefield and at the Ridgefield exit on I-5. This artwork will serve to visually connect downtown Ridgefield with the growing Ridgefield junction area along the interstate and serve as a unique landmark for those traveling past Ridgefield by car on I-5, or by train under the rail overpass.

Project Background

In 2019, WSDOT provided $20,000 for the overpass safety screen design. In 2021, the Pioneer Street Rail Overpass was completed and opened. The overpass created a safe crossing between the downtown and waterfront or vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. Safety screens were included in the construction of the overpass. Also in 2021, the Cowlitz Tribal Foundation donated $50,000 to help fund the addition of artwork to the screens on the Pioneer Street Rail Overpass and the I-5 overpass.

The rail overpass in downtown Ridgefield with black semi-circular screens stretching across both sides. The current safety screens on the Pioneer St Rail Overpass

Google street view of the Pioneer St Overpass crossing I-5 with no screens or unique identifiers. The current overpass on Pioneer St crossing Interstate 5

In 2022, the City Council approved the project and the budget for the project and the City sought out qualified public artists interested in being considered for the project, and able develop a future proposal for the artwork. After review, qualified artists were invited to submit a proposal for art to be attached to screens at both overpasses.

The submitted proposals were reviewed by Council at the regular Council Meeting on Thursday, October 13, 2022. Council selected a proposal with some adjustments. The selected design features sandhill cranes connected to the screens as if they are flying across the length of the overpass. The cranes will extend along the full length of the overpass on both sides, for both overpasses. You can view artist renderings of the design in the Project Photos.

Next Steps

The cranes are under fabrication and a contractor has been selected to install protective screens on the I-5 Overpass. The artist will work with the screen contractor to attach the cranes to the protective screening.

Installation of the screens and cranes on the interstate overpass is planned to be completed by the end of 2024. There is currently no timeline for installation of the cranes on the rail overpass in downtown.

A series of colorful steel sandhill cranes in different stages of flight will be installed on screening along the overpasses located in downtown Ridgefield and at the Ridgefield exit on I-5. This artwork will serve to visually connect downtown Ridgefield with the growing Ridgefield junction area along the interstate and serve as a unique landmark for those traveling past Ridgefield by car on I-5, or by train under the rail overpass.

Project Background

The rail overpass in downtown Ridgefield with black semi-circular screens stretching across both sides. The current safety screens on the Pioneer St Rail Overpass

Google street view of the Pioneer St Overpass crossing I-5 with no screens or unique identifiers. The current overpass on Pioneer St crossing Interstate 5

Next Steps