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There is astonishing natural bcantv on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, giving rise to the conviction that the tonttges reconnecting the coastal cities must compliment the already resplendent views and be a reflection Of ihe towns and cities they connect. To take this commitment to Gulf Coast communities a step further, Mssissippi Department of Transportation Commissioner, Wayne Brown, proposed symbolically tying the Ofcl bridge to the new by utilizing the salvaged bearing plates from the old bridge in a way that would Showcase local artists.
A contest for designs, sponsored by the Mississippi Department of Transportation and the Mississippi Arts Commission was held between March 23 and April 16, 2007. The contest was open to all artists from Hancock and Harrison Counties. Artists submitted over 80 pen or pencil drawings depicting life on the Mssissippi Gulf Coast. Sixteen artists and twenty-two works were chosen by the Mississippi Arts Commission and announced by MDOT in May 2007.
The drawings were then turned over to Greg Moran, a local sculptor and ironworker, who transformed each ansi's drawing into a three-dimensional image. Greg created 22 plaques and corresponding mile markers ■> be installed every 1/10 mile along the pedestrian lane in time to mark the one year anniversary of the opening of the Btiy of St. Louis Bridge.
So from the destruction of 1 lurricane Katrina, new art and beauty emerged linking the past and the present, •ip old bridge and the new. The plaques, along with the monolith pylons created by Marty Wilson, will taever welcome travelers into the towns once again connected by the Bay of St. Louis Bridge.
Tins is a celebration of vision, art and endurance. The design of the Bay of St. Louis Bridge and the powerful •nages created by the artists of the Mississippi Gulf Coast will lift our hearts and help us to endure. Travelers crossing the bridge will have no doubt that they are in a very special place.