Public Art for the Cass Avenue Bridge, Detroit, Michigan

Public Art for the Cass Avenue Bridge is a project of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) administered by Regina M Flanagan, Art • Landscape • Design LLC and advisor Seitu Kenneth Jones through HNTB Corporation. The project draws upon MDOT's previous experience commissioning public art by Detroit artist Hubert Massey to grace the Bagley Avenue Pedestrian Bridge in Southwest Detroit. This call was originally issued in early 2020 but was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic and is now re-opened for applications.

This is a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) rather than a Request for Proposals (RFP), requiring a statement, resume, and slides of 6-10 past works. The statement is your opportunity to make a connection between your past work and this project. Applications with a general artistic statement not addressing this project will be disqualified.

The Cass Avenue Bridge is part of the I-94 Modernization Project in Midtown Detroit, connecting downtown and the Midtown cultural and educational district to the north with the New Center research and technology district. The bridge is designated a "Community Connector" bridge and may feature public art that highlights the community. Two opportunities exist for artwork: a 20-foot by 90-foot placemaking area on land approaching the bridge (southwest corner), and inset panels along the 9-foot wide pedestrian sidewalk featuring approximately 398-linear-feet total or 696 square feet for artwork.

$200,000 in funding from the State of Michigan has been committed for artwork. This budget must cover all artist fees, costs, and expenses, including engineering fees, associated with designing, fabricating and installing the artwork. The project must meet both Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and state design guidelines. Public artist(s) will be selected in mid-May 2022 and begin their design phase in mid-June, culminating in a design proposal presented to decision-makers in August. Artist(s) will have approximately one year to fabricate the artwork and will coordinate with HNTB Detroit during the design and construction phases through installation.

Evaluation criteria include quality and ideas shown in past work, evidence of completing projects of similar scope and complexity, past work constructed of durable outdoor materials, demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with government agencies and community groups, and familiarity with Detroit, its people and culture. Secondary criteria include proximity to Detroit, potential to involve students and youth, and experience creating public art for transportation projects.