PennDOT is partnering with Allegheny College's Arts & Environment Initiative to create an "Eco-Art" project that merges Earth art with best management practices in the environmental mitigation of stormwater runoff.
The Eco-Art project, "In Praise of Land & Water: Revisioning Stormwater on Federal Highways", is part of the I-79 Meadville Interchange Project. The I-79 Project includes replacement of the bridges on I-79 over SR 6/19/322, reconstruction of the I-79 ramps, widening of SR 6/19/322 and resurfacing of I-79 in the interchange vicinity. The College's contribution to the Interchange project will focus on transforming the areas within the cloverleafs into sculptural systems designed to filter and purify road runoff.
Professor of Art Amara Geffen
The concept for "In Praise of Land & Water" integrates aesthetic solutions with targeted environmental remediation of stormwater issues inherent at the project site. All of the stormwater from I-79 and the surrounding topography passes through the cloverleafs, and empties directly into Van Horne Creek, eventually making its way into the French Creek watershed.
The initial concept for "In Praise of Land & Water" had its germination in Professor Amara Geffen's environmental art courses at Allegheny College in Meadville. Amara and her students have partnered with PennDOT to beautify the SR 6/19/322 area since the late 1990s.
The sign-art projects at the Crawford County Maintenance Office are the result of many years of collaboration.
Last April, an interdisciplinary team was assembled to move preliminary concepts forward into design and engineering development. The team consists of Amara Geffen, Professor of Art and Director, Center for Economic and Environmental Development, Allegheny College; Chris Brown, Landscape Architect with Derck & Edison, Inc., Steve Halmi of Diess & Halmi Engineering, and Angelo Ciotti, environmental artist. Artist Jackie Brookner participated in the early phases of the design development process.
This team provided the designs for the stormwater mitigation project that is being constructed as part of the I-79 Meadville Interchange project.
The designs include a series of sculptural check dams, infiltration pools and earth mounds that will serve as a model for merging best environmental and art practices in addressing water quality issues along federal highways. The check dams will be constructed of crushed concrete from the demolished bridges. These dams will reduce the concentrated stormwater flows in the channels and protect the vegetation. This natural stormwater retention and infiltration scheme will also demonstrate creative reuse of the concrete from the demolished bridges and will feature native plantings. Motorists traveling on the newly reconstructed I-79 bridges will get a view of an environmental stewardship project that not only mitigates and protects, but also provides a pleasing vista.
