Letter
Dear Mr. Dormsjo:
In its meeting of 22 January, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed a proposal for accent lighting on the Francis Case Bridge, which carries I-395 over the Washington Channel and Maine Avenue, SW. The Commission approved the concept design with the following comments.
The Commission members expressed general support for the aesthetic illumination of the city's major bridges, but they emphasized that each project must be evaluated within the broader monumental context. Understanding that the Case Bridge is visually less noteworthy than others, they recommended that lighting for this bridge be as subtle as possible to avoid setting a precedent of over-illumination. Accordingly, they recommended eliminating the uplighting of the bridge's deck to reduce the overall brightness while strengthening the design. In addition, they expressed concern that the line of blue light proposed for the sides of the bridge may be visible from the monumental core, possibly creating an unwanted intrusion especially when seen from the northwest; they requested further documentation of the potential impact of this installation to address this issue.
As always, staff is available to assist you with the next submission.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
Leif Dormsjo, Director
D.C. Department of Transportation
55 M Street, SE, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20003
cc: Steve J. Moore, Southwest Business Improvement District
Herve Orgeas, Citelum
Shawn Seaman, Hoffman-Madison Waterfront
Peter May, National Park Service