Bridge lighting is part of Pittsburgh Bicentennial celebration
JULY 26, 2016: The Rachel Carson Bridge will be illuminated by a special environmental art installation at this year’s Light Up Night as part of the Pittsburgh Bicentennial celebration.
The Pittsburgh Bicentennial Steering Commission announced today that the innovative project, envisioned as part of the city’s celebrations, is moving forward with financial support from Covestro, LLC and logistical support from Duquesne Light Company and Allegheny County.
Andrea Polli, an environmental artist, and Ron Gdovic of WindStax, a Pittsburgh-based manufacturer of wind turbines and alternative energy solutions, will be responsible for creating Energy Flow. The project will combine light and wind to create a temporary light display on the Rachel Carson Bridge. The installation of a number of vertical wind turbines, and additional electrical infrastructure work by Duquesne Light, will connect the temporary installation to the electric grid, providing an alternate source of power to the display.
The Bridge Lighting Committee was co-chaired by Jay Sukernek, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Riverlife, and Jeremy Waldrup, President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. The committee spent months planning and working through rigorous a Request for Qualification and vetting process with the ultimate goal of lighting one of Pittsburgh’s distinctive bridges for the Bicentennial Celebration.
“It was a privilege to have been part of this selection process,” said Sukernek. “By selecting a team made up of Ms. Polli, known for her environmental art installations featuring air and light, and WindStax, a local manufacturer and leader in alternative energy generation, we are honoring the legacy of environmentalist Rachel Carson for whom the bridge is named.”
