Best Highway Public Art

July 28th, 2011

Driving on Las Vegas’ freeways, you can’t help but notice the Nevada Department of Transportation’s recent efforts to decorate the public landscape. The public art along the side of the Spaghetti Bowl was the creation of J.W. Zunino & Associates. The design mixes sculptures of native animals amid desert plants and rocks in homage to the severe beauty of Southern Nevada. Five oversize concrete tortoises that are 7 feet tall and weigh 2 tons each are featured among the Joshua Trees, red sandstone boulders and brightly colored pictographs. Makes the afternoon gridlock just a little more tolerable.