Iowa Interstate Gateway

Artist: Albert Paley

Location: Interstate 80/24th St. bridge

Information: The upcoming installation of Albert Paley's "Odyssey" will create a dramatic entrance to the State of Iowa and the city of Council Bluffs. 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 70 to 90 feet above the interstate. 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 plate

Dimensions: 35 to 55 feet tall

Completion: August 2010

Status: The four sculptures will be mounted on concrete bases called plinths.  The plinths have been installed on-site and two of the four sculptures have been completed.  The fabrication process requires months of sandblasting and welding.

Each sculpture contains as many as fifteen individual elements.  To insure precision during installation, each sculpture is fully assembled and then disassembled before shipping from the artist's Rochester, New York fabrication plant.

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.