On Tuesday, October 6, the City of Edmond and ODOT held a ceremony opening the three bridges for the Broadway Extension at Memorial Road Interchange. Designs for these bridges borrow elements of Native American basket weaving and the official Oklahoma State emblem incorporated into a central shield found on all three bridges. Details of the stained slopewalls can be seen on the bridge project gallery.
On Thursday, October 22, we presented the Aesthetic Master Plan for the I-35 Corridor Widening Project at an open community meeting. This was the culmination of a year’s collaboration with a committee who served as representatives of the community. Mayor Cindy Rosenthal, the mayor of the City of Norman, calls the project, “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to influence the visual impact of a highway corridor.” To read the complete article, please view "Concrete with Class: Public meeting set today on I-35 aesthetics" written for The Norman Transcript.
The first phase of construction of the I-35 and Rock Creek Road Bridge is underway!
As part of the ongoing Master Plan Design for the I-35 Corridor Widening Project in Norman, Oklahoma, Rock Creek Road Bridge illustrates the City of Norman’s active industries in both breeding quarter horses and crafting saddles. The pier columns seen here are strapped with a weave pattern representing the pressed leather of horse saddles. These areas will be stained to imitate handcrafted leather. To see the complete design, please refer to the bridge project gallery.
For press coverage regarding this project, please view "I-35 corrdior to tell Norman's story" written by Andrew Knittle for The Norman Transcript.
Construction of the I 35 and U.S. 77 Interchange is complete and open to traffic as of July 15!
As part of the ongoing Master Plan Design for the I 35 Corridor Widening Project in Norman, Oklahoma, CDR developed conceptual aesthetics for the U.S. 77 Interchange, which were cast using our sister company’s form liners. (Please visit Creative Form Liners’ website for more information.)
U.S. 77 Interchange illustrates Oklahoma’s Cross Timbers ecoregion, which is comprised mostly of prairies, savanna, and light woodland. Aesthetic treatments for this bridge include stylized mixed grasses affecting the wing walls, wrapping around the piers, and also spanning the parapet. Commuters driving toward this bridge will also be able to spot the official state bird, the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, flying low above the grass blades represented on the piers and wing walls. Overall staining for the bridge uses a cream base to catch sunlight and maximize shadows cast by the two-inch reliefs, while the beams supporting the deck are stained an earthen red color.
Despite being brought on only weeks before the project let, CDR’s designs were able to be completed and implemented so quickly that the project finished ahead of schedule.
For press coverage regarding this project, please view “US 77 overpass opens early” written by M. Scott Carter for The Norman Transcript.
Check out CDR’s ad in the May issue of Better Roads magazine.
Welcome to CDR’s new website. Here you can find information regarding incorporating aesthetics into transportation and urban infrastructure. Let us know what you think by entering feedback into the comment box below.
Our government approved the investment of $27 billion into our nation’s infrastructure projects through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. CDR is currently involved in several shovel-ready projects, such as the Broadway Extension between I-44 and the City of Edmond. These projects are engaging many local businesses and personnel. What is your experience in your community or state? Is there a way to improve upon this idea?
Review what the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has to say about their Proposal to Rebuild America by Investing in Transportation and Environmental Infrastructure for more information regarding the requirements for shovel-ready projects.
CDR enhances infrastructure development through context sensitive solutions that consider the surrounding architecture, aesthetics, history, natural environment, needs, and values of the community. Currently, we are working on designs for the third phase of a master plan of 8 bridges in Norman, Oklahoma. Each of the bridges visually recounts a theme related to the unique history and culture of this city that grew up around the railroad and the prairie lands.
Check out designs for the first construction phase in our project section.
Building three-dimensional computer models is an integral step of CDR’s design and development process. In its Visualization Case Studies report, the FHWA endorses the use of visualizations for transportation projects. What has been your experiences using this method? Do you think they help communicate a project to the public?
Check out our new ad in the March issue of Better Roads magazine.