Norman, OK

2009

The 431-foot-long expanse of the Rock Creek Road Bridge provided Steven Weitzman with a unique opportunity to enhance the most visible elements of the structure: the parapets, pier sets, and large embankments. Aesthetic treatments representing the City of Norman’s active industries in both quarter horse breeding and saddle-making fill the expansive concrete surfaces. The deep relief of stampeding horses creates strong, dramatic shadows across the bridge walls.

Large woven patterns appear on the vertical pier faces and wingwalls, inspired by hand-tooled designs commonly found on cowboy saddles. These surfaces are stained to resemble the rich tones of handcrafted leather, celebrating the region’s saddlery traditions. Adorning the bullnose of the central pier bent and the ends of the parapet are oversized conchos—ornamental medallions used on horse tack—which reference cowboy culture and equestrian iconography.

Commuters passing beneath the bridge encounter a striking pattern stamped into the slope wall: a central diamond, composed of alternating square panels with cross-hatched textures, flanked by two half-diamonds. This motif references American Indian rug design while evoking the woven quilts or blankets used to pad saddles. It visually echoes the simpler weave pattern found on the piers and wingwalls, further reinforcing the overarching theme of saddlery and equine craftsmanship.