Dayton, OH.

2021

Partnering with Stantec to design the gateway bridge connecting the west side of the city to downtown Dayton, Creative Design Resolutions, Inc. provided architectural and structural input on key bridge elements, including the pier, parapet, and overlooks. Additionally, the team contributed aesthetic enhancements for the abutment walls, switchback ramp and stairs, and bridge deck.

The aesthetic program symbolizes peace and reconciliation. It addresses the geographic racial divide represented by the Great Miami River, which the bridge spans. The design honors Wilbur and Orville Wright and African American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar—namesakes of the surrounding neighborhoods. Their early-1900s friendship embodies the spirit of inclusion and unity in Dayton’s history. Bas-reliefs and engraved quotations from Dunbar and civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. appear on the bridge pier walls and abutment overlooks. Each year, Dayton residents commemorate King’s Selma March by reenacting it across this span—known as the Peace Bridge—and into downtown Dayton.

On the bridge deck, informational signage shares key historical narratives. Topics include the Civil Rights Movement in Dayton, the women who shaped the city, the Tuskegee Airmen, Paul Laurence Dunbar, the Wright Brothers, Dayton’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations, and the city’s legacy in funk music. QR codes placed next to each entablature allow viewers to scan and explore additional content on their smartphones.