Asphalt Art Installation at Canyon/Magnolia/Sherwood#
Project Overview: Installation of curb-extensions at a five-point intersection in the heart of downtown Fort Collins accomplished the narrowing of vehicular travel lanes, shortened pedestrian crossing distances and improved sightlines. Curb-extensions, totaling approximately 16,000 square feet, were defined by traffic striping, plastic delineator posts, asphalt art and ADA compliant infrastructure. Using these applications together we were able to reclaim a large expanse of asphalt for pedestrian refuge, reduce traffic speeds and ignite neighborhood centers. Dramatically reworking the intersection geometry by converting a five-point intersection into a four-way intersection and a separate T intersection also improved sightlines for road users and addressed long-standing concerns of right-of-way confusion.
Instalation title: Namesake
Artist: Jess Bean
Artist statement: Based on a trip to the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery’s archives to research the streets’ namesakes: Magnolia, Canyon, and Sherwood. Black-tipped feathers like the one worn by Arapaho Chief Friday/Warshinun are being utilized to represent his legacy. Chief Friday worked closely with the “Indian Agent” appointed by Abraham Lincoln, which is Sherwood Street’s namesake. Chief Friday was fluent in English and traveled to Washington, DC to advocate for Native People’s rights and translate for fellow natives. His efforts to secure land for his people in Colorado never came to fruition, and he was forced to move his people on to the Wind River reservation in Wyoming after it became clear that Sherwood was not going to protect the Arapaho people from starvation, the growing violence towards them, or secure any land for them to reside on. The shadows of the black-tipped feathers represent Chief Friday’s ever-lasting legacy. For Magnolia Street's namesake this design uses the non-native magnolias to represent settlers overtaking the indigenous peoples. Finally for Canyon Avenue, the wavy blue lines are representative of the moving waters of the Cache La Poudre River running from the canyon through the city.
Why Asphalt Art?#
Public art can be found throughout Fort Collins. These projects offer moments of beauty, introspection, and curiosity in our everyday lives.
The Asphalt Art program brings public art into unique spaces to enhance the beauty of our community while creating safer streets. Studies have shown the placement of art in roadways helps calm traffic and lower speeds; intersections with asphalt art have fewer crashes and safer pedestrian street crossings.
Completed Asphalt Art#
First painted curb extensions at Roosevelt and Maple
Many thanks to everyone who assisted with the installation of our city's first painted curb extensions! These works of art are both beautiful and an effective traffic calming method.
By using curb extensions with plastic marker posts and asphalt art we expect to see a reduction in vehicle speeds and bicycle and pedestrian-related accidents at this intersection. These results will be tracked and reported once post installation data has been gathered.
Each neighborhood has a story to tell#
Every Asphalt Art project represents the story of that individual community: the past, present and future of the people who call that neighborhood their home.
Listen to members of these communities tell their story in their own words below.
This collection of oral stories was made possible with grant funding from the National Association of City Transportation Officials.
