As part of the recent reconstruction of the Arlington Boulevard / Route 50 interchanges at 10th Street N. and N. Courthouse Road, Arlington County and VDOT worked with artist Vicki Scuri to beautify the overpass bridges and retaining walls. The relief patterns on the concrete walls are inspired by the the heart-shaped leaves and seed pods of native redbud trees that can be found in the area. Laser-cut metal grills clad the bridge spans and are backlit with LEDs set on 15-minute loops that fade and gradually transition between sets of colors. According to Scuri, the light show contains intentional sequences and transitions with a “range of non-highway colors” that suggest stained glass.
This cache will take you to a location where you can admire the artistry of both bridges. For maximum effect, the LED light show is best viewed at twilight or when the sun is not shining brightly.