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The Path Most Traveled
refers to the artwork found on the freeway walls, neighborhood walls and
underpasses of the Pima Freeway (Loop 101) between Via Linda and the Raintree exit.
The Path Most Traveled is
a carefully choreographed narrative of abstract and representational desert
inspired motifs along six miles of the Pima Freeway/ Loop 101. Artwork
saturates both the freeway sides and the neighborhood sides of the retention
and noise abatement walls. The artistic elements along the Pima Freeway
reduce the visual impact of walls that reach up to 50 feet in height at
various points along the corridor. The art features on both the neighborhood
and freeway sides of the walls also speak to the character of Scottsdale
as a unique arts community.
 In
early 1996, the state of Arizona elected to eliminate funds which supported
aesthetic enhancements in freeway projects in order to speed construction
of Arizona Department of Transportation project underway. During the same
year, the City of Scottsdale elected to fund aesthetic components which
included artist designed elements, railings, paving, and enhanced landscaping.
Including an artist's designed motif, landscaping, and enhanced artistic/
design components is in keeping with the City's desire to afford its citizens
and visitors with the highest quality of life possible.
Denver artist Carolyn Braaksma was chosen through a public art competition
as the project's design team artist. In 1996, Braaksma and the project
design team began conducting community workshops to gather input in order
to develop an appropriate design concept for the community.
A desert theme was created which includes cacti, desert flora and fauna,
lizards and an abstracted Native American inspired motif. At certain places
along the freeway, the walls reach nearly 50 feet high, as the road goes
below grade. Rather than a barren concrete canyon, Scottsdale's Pima Freeway
is adorned with a beautiful and complex pattern featuring some 90 distinct
images including prickly pear cacti that reach 40 feet in height and giant
lizards 67 feet in length.
Early 1996
The state had deleted landscaping and other aesthetics from freeway projects
in order to concentrate on a plan to speed construction of the entire
Regional Freeway System. City of  Scottsdale
and Scottsdale Public Art Program staff begin an effort to soften the
impact of the noise and retention walls along the Pima Freeway corridor.
June 96
A call to artists by open invitation is sent out and more than forty responses
are received.
July 96
A panel comprised of community members selects artist Carolyn Braaksma.
July 96
A design team is selected, comprised of Carolyn Braaksma, Jeff Engelmann,
Landscape Architect and Andrea Forman, Architect.
Aug. 96
The Public Art and Collections Committee (PACC, comprised of 15 community
residents including artists, architects, educators, collectors) and Scottsdale
Cultural Council Board (SCC, comprised of Scottsdale residents) approve
the artist and a $40,000 artist design fee.
Sept. 96
The PACC approves preliminary project designs.
Sept. 96
The design team conducts several community outreach events with a traveling
Display at Mustang Library, Central Library, and McCormick Ranch homeowners'
association. Community citizens voice strong support for the project designs.
Jan. 98
Freeway construction begins.
July 99
In the final phase of construction, crews begin painting the art walls.
Dec. 99
The Pima Freeway, from Via Linda to Shea, opens to public.
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The overall design mission is to create, define, and reference paths of
travel in the Southwest through images and representations of the unique
qualities that shape the desert environment and our way of life as we
journey along our chosen paths.
Our journey is a constant choice. There are a variety of paths at our
disposal when traversing the Valley by automobile. No path is identical
to another, yet many may lead to the same destination. These choices define
our journey, allow us to create a sense of adventure, and provide opportunities
to experience the unique environments that compose and create our cities.
The monotony of mundane surroundings need not belong on such a journey.
Regardless of length, each journey should be positive experience, with
the constant possibilities of adventure and discovery. 
Scottsdale is an active participant and a city without tolerance for mediocrity.
Standard aesthetic enhancement will not be accepted for the norm for the
freeway system and its boundaries. The design team aggressively sought
to establish a high level of priority for freeway aesthetics as a key
component to the original design. These aesthetics have been incorporated
in all elements of the Pima Freeway system, from the noise walls, retaining
walls, bridge abutments, on and off ramps, and fencing, to colors and
landscape ideas. The intent of this effort was to create a certain appeal
and uniqueness to the freeway system that will become a part of the Scottsdale
infrastructure and ultimately the fabric of our city.
Derived from City of Scottsdale
Pima Freeway Aesthetics Design Report by, Carolyn Braaksma, artist; Jeff
Engelmann, landscape architect; Andrea Lee Forman, architect
The Path Most Traveled... Paths reach across space and openness
and draw elements together, creating positions and points along their
routes that help us gather knowledge of ourselves, the space we occupy,
and the time in which we live. To journey along a path allows the mind
to wander and connect ends, create a sequence and a link between aspects
of the journey and elements of the path, thereby defining the experiences
of the journey as important elements of the path.
Animals and humans have created paths of travel through the Sonoran Desert
as a means to a destination, or simply to journey as an end in itself.
Our paths related to, encompass, absorb, and reflect the historical, cultural
and climatic diversity that is Arizona. Human influence and modes of travel
have ultimately affected how both animals and humans journey along paths
to arrive at a place.
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Design Team
Carolyn Braaksma, artist, Denver, Colorado
Jeff Engelmann, landscape architect & design team coordinator, Tempe,
Arizona
Andrea Lee Forman, architect, Scottsdale, Arizona
Design Highlights
- As the freeway is below grade in some areas, its enormous walls left
space to be treated as canvas for an elegant marriage of abstract and
representational art that reflects the diversity and history of Scottsdale.
The freeway retaining and sound walls rise as high as 50 feet just south
of Shea.
- Some of the designs are massive, such as a 67-foot-tall lizard and
40-foot-tall prickly pear cacti.
- More than 90 different motifs were used to produce 1½ miles
of graphics along the freeway's noise and retention walls.
- The artistic motifs found along the freeway were inspired by desert
themes, native flora, fauna, and folk art of Arizona Native Americans.
- The Design Team consulted with museum curators and local botanical
gardens to discuss the desert ecosystem, images, and textures.
- About eighty-five percent of the walls on the freeway side are gray,
with highlights of beige, green, pink, and lavender. The paint colors
are expected to soften considerably in the penetrating Arizona sun within
the first two years.
- Motifs were designed for two environments: fast moving freeway traffic;
and pedestrians/slower neighborhood traffic. Textures and patterns on
freeway are larger for easier viewing and to avoid distraction. On the
neighborhood side of the walls, drivers and pedestrians will have the
opportunity to view, at a slower pace, more intricate designs that are
more intimate and frequent.
- Fabrication of the artwork required state-of-the-art construction
techniques. Rather than imprinting a single image onto concrete, crews
layered several urethane molds to create a single image specifically
designed for each panel. Concrete was then poured into pre-constructed
molds at the site (this process is known as cast-in-place). The resulting
surface has multiple variations and textures.
$2.15 million in City Capital
Improvement Funds were used to fund the project aesthetics which includes
the cost of the public art design for the entire freeway; construction
and painting of the freeway walls between Via Linda and Shea Boulevard.
Other funded elements include: artist services from 1996 through completion
of the freeway (including site visits, and artist related fabrication
and supervision services); ceramic tile elements; railings; chain link
fence; trellis and bench elements; paint; and drainage materials. Some
of these elements are part of the project's infrastructure (e.g. paint,
railings, etc.) and would have been part of the construction cost even
if the artistic enhancements were eliminated from the project. The total
cost for construction of the freeway from McDonald to Shea Boulevard was
$54.8 million dollars.
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The Pima Freeway Public Art
project is a joint venture between the City of Scottsdale and Scottsdale
Public Art Program.
- Public Celebration: December
18, 1999
- McDonald Drive to Shea (Phase One) opened December 20, 1999
- Completion of entire 6 miles: 2001
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