North Carolina Arts

Sayre's piece for the NC Museum of Art is made of concrete and steel bars. Photo courtesy of The North Carolina Museum of Art.

Last year, Chapel Hill officials proposed the idea of creating a “gateway sculpture” for the median of U.S. 15-501, but the state Department of Transportation quickly nixed the idea.

But Raleigh artist Thomas Sayre, who is known from creating a 24-foot sculpture for the NC Museum of Art, explained the value of public road art of the possibility of creating art that would not compromise drivers’ safety. After working for the past few month with Sayre, the Department of Transportation has developed a nine-age policy to allow the plans to move forward.

The state Board of Transportation is expected to approve the new guidelines next month.