Iowa Interstate Gateway

Artist: Albert Paley

Location: Interstate 80/24th St. bridge

Information: The magnitude of this new entrance to the State of Iowa and the City of Council Bluffs is monumental. And for sculptor Albert Paley, this IWPA project is the largest of his distinguished career.

Interstate 80 drivers will get their first glimpse of the gateway miles before they actually reach the 24th St. bridge. They will see four distinct mixed-metal sculptures rising some 35 to 50 feet into the air. The setting is an ideal location to create a landmark, silhouetted against the flat Iowa skyline. The new gateway will signal a destination and become an unforgettable reference point

Materials: Cor-Ten steel, stainless steel and bronze

Dimensions: 35 to 50 feet tall

Completion: Summer 2010

Status: Fabrication including the welding and sandblasting takes place through the winter months. There are as many as fifteen individual elements in each of the four sculptures.

Broadway Viaduct Gateway

Artist: Ed Carpenter

Location: 8th St. west to 15th St.

Information: Artist Ed Carpenter is working with a large design team to create a landmark bridge that will serve as an anchor for the north side of downtown Council Bluffs, Iowa, creating a memorable sense of place. From the east or the west, the new Broadway Viaduct gateway design frames dramatic views, suggesting a sunrise or the interweaving of different parts of the community. Once complete, drivers and pedestrians passing over the half-mile-long viaduct will experience an array of ascending, tilted, and brightly painted light poles at 40’ intervals on both sides.  

The transformation of this central passageway into a memorable, welcoming gateway is the result of a three way partnership involving the Iowa Department of Transportation, the City of Council Bluffs and the Iowa West Foundation.  

Materials: Steel, aluminum, laminated dichroic glass, stainless steel cables and hardware, lighting

Dimensions: 76' x 99'

Completion: 2012 

Status: Engineering plans and lighting design are in the final stages of development. A scale model of the new bridge and viaduct is nearing completion.

In The Broadway Viaduct: Creating a Landmark Bridge, artist Ed Carpenter shares his vision for the Broadway Viaduct Bridge. See how the design will transform this central passageway to a memorable gateway that welcomes all to the city of Council Bluffs.

To find out more, visit Ed Carpenter’s web site.