Construction on the massive Route 66 Rising sculpture at the traffic circle at Mingo Road and Admiral Place (aka Route 66) in Tulsa came to completion last week.
The $650,000 sculpture, paid for with Vision 2025 sales-tax money, is about 70 feet long and 30 feet tall. Eric F. Garcia of EFG Creative in Albuquerque designed the sculpture. He also designed the roadrunner-influenced Route 66 directional signs in Albuquerque about three years ago.
Brad Nickson, a member of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, posted this video of him driving towards the sculpture a few days ago. Because of its large size, it comes into view quickly:
https://youtu.be/2S26PpgotRU
Tulsa’s News on 6 shot this helicopter video of the sculpture when it was being built:
NewsOn6.com – Tulsa, OK – News, Weather, Video and Sports – KOTV.com |
The roundabout where the sculpture was erected is part of Avery Traffic Circle, a former site of Cyrus Avery’s motel that also consisted of a gas station and the Old English Inn. Avery long has been known as the “Father of Route 66.”
I like it. The design allows for some ambiguity: Is the Route 66 shield rising from the primordial ooze, or is it sinking as it ages? The title of the sculpture gives an inkling of the artist’s intent. But its appearance lends itself to other interpretations.
And it’s hoped the sculpture will lead to more tourists in the often-overlooked Admiral Place alignment of Route 66, which is rougher around the edges but still leads travelers to some gems, including Hank’s Hamburgers and the Circle Cinema.
UPDATE 12/12/2018: A local television station shot some night footage of the sculpture:
NewsOn6.com – Tulsa, OK – News, Weather, Video and Sports – KOTV.com |
(Image of the Route 66 Rising sculpture in Tulsa by Bret Bradford via Facebook)