In recent weeks, you may have noticed many different monuments and sculptures as you pass through the Truckee Meadows. It's all part of the beautification of Interstate 80.
You can see the construction as soon as you drive into Sparks, where crews are installing a large monument, just like another one, as you drive east, into Reno.
"When we have people drive through I-80, from out of town, we want them to see how beautiful Reno-Sparks is," Rick Bosch said.
Bosch is a Resident Engineer for the Nevada Department of Transportation. He says $5-million is going towards beautification. The entire project costs $72-million. The money goes towards things like metal sculptures along the sound walls where you can see quail, egrets, and trout, along with other statues.
"They'll have aesthetic features, horses, that kind of stuff that you find in northern Nevada," Bosch said.
The overpasses are also getting a new look. Over time, you've probably noticed each one getting a little more colorful.
"We're only allowed to paint the structures when we hit certain temps," Bosch said. "So, obviously, we've been working on it the last two summers but it aesthetically improves the I-80 corridor."
Old signs will also be replaced with brand new tubular signs that stretch all the way across the highway, in some places. The signs won't have to be lit and officials say it will also help to eliminate graffiti.
"It doesn't have the cat tracks on top where people will be able to walk," Bosch said. "So, it will be impossible to get up there to paint our signs."
Crews are also landscaping the empty areas around the Spaghetti Bowl, with contractors pulling out dead vegetation and planting new trees.
"It's going to be beautiful," Bosch said. "People are going to have plenty of room to drive. They're not going to see the cones through the downtown corridor, like they have the last two years. So, everybody should be pretty excited about that."
The repaving project is also nearing its completion, with additions like ramp meters, at Wells Avenue. This weekend, both the Wells Avenue and Fourth Street ramps will re-open, in time for Hot August Nights. The entire project is expected to be completed, in early October.
Written by Paul Nelson
