Town of Mead Gateway at CR 34 & I-25 Interchange

The Town of Mead, Colorado is seeking submissions to select an artist or artist team to develop art concepts for two roundabouts at the proposed Town gateway located at County Road 34 (Welker Avenue) and Interstate 25 interchange. This interchange is being reconstructed as part of CDOT's North I-25 Segments 5 & 6 project. The intent is to create artistic gateway features that reflect Mead's small town agrarian charm and welcome people to the Town. Each of the two art installations should be similar in style or theme but uniquely different, as they can be seen simultaneously from multiple vantage points. The art features should be large enough to be visible from I-25 and have a strong presence both day and night. Town signage may be incorporated into or integrated with the art.

The proposed gateway art will be placed in the unpaved center islands of both roundabouts, each 84 feet in diameter. Both roundabouts are within CDOT right-of-way, and installations must comply with CDOT requirements. The selected artist team will work collaboratively with the landscape architect contracted for the project. Final art plans will be included in a CDOT Special Use Permit. The artist team will be responsible for providing art plans, structural plans, and other required documentation. Structural plans must be prepared, stamped, and signed by a structural engineer licensed in Colorado, with engineering fees included in the art budget. All media appropriate to the project will be considered. Design and installation must account for long-term conservation, maintenance, the unsecured public location, exposure to elements, and potential vandalism.

The art budget is estimated at $350,000 and includes artist design time, project management, materials and site research, meetings and community outreach, travel expenses, renderings and project narrative, itemized budget, maintenance plan, engineering and stamped drawings, insurance and permitting, materials, fabrication, shipping, installation costs, and specialty lighting. The selection process occurs in two phases. Phase One: artists submit qualifications by March 10, 2026, and up to four finalists are selected by the week of March 16, 2026. Phase Two: finalists attend a mandatory pre-proposal meeting and submit detailed proposals, each receiving a $1,700 honorarium. One artist/team will be selected for the commission. Selection criteria include technical competence, artistic excellence, experience with similar public art installations, quality of presentation, ability to express community aspects, creativity, material durability and maintainability, understanding of CDOT requirements, and clear budget identification.