From Here to There: High Trestle Trail Bridge Public Art

The "portals" or vertical elements that form a gateway to the Des Moines River Bridge are sculptural symbols that speak to geology, the cutting and slicing of nature that forms this river valley. Seen from a distance, they become a destination icon, bracketing the experience of crossing the river on this expansive trail bridge. Scale is one of the most important elements in the integration of these sculptural features. They must relate in size not only to the length of the span, over 2,300 feet across the river, but also the height above the river valley, represented by massive columns, some nearly 130 feet tall. These icons visually "focus" the trail and evoke the concept of entering a mine. Seams of coal appear in lighted veins in the stacked forms on the bridge landings. One is inside the story, surrounded by the sculptural forms that embody history and geology. The changing geometry of the steel cribbing radiates around you. The viewer moves along the path as though moving through history, through the tunnel of a mine. Blue LED fixtures highlight the inside faces of each crib.