ROUTE 70 ELECTRIC TROLLEY
1998
Seattle, WA. 

Fiberglass, ceramic, steel cable, paint, driftwood, aluminum, steel

Metro, King County, WA.

This design team project was the first time an artist had worked with the electric trolley system in Seattle. Law’s role was to suggest ways to change the aesthetics of the standard issue hardware during the engineering phase of the project. Secondarily, was the design of specific artworks incorporated along the length of the route that referenced three primary neighborhoods the trolley passes through from downtown to the University of Washington. 

For the system-wide treatment, the approach was to create a jewelry- like effect with the overhead and pole components. Subtle changes were achieved at the factory to a variety of components, to delicately change the overall street presence of the system. Color was added to the Fiberglas stick and porcelain insulators and the poles were painted rather than being galvanized.

For the one fast changing neighborhood along the route, sculptural driftwood pieces were attached to utility poles. A single word was inscribed on each. Collectively they framed the nature of change - past to future. The next neighborhood adjacent to a lake, had abstracted 18’ high kinetic masts attached to the top of the poles. They brought the movement of the many boats out to the street. The third neighborhood had four hand painted poles framing a central intersection. Finally, three suspended artworks, located at the transition intersections between neighborhoods, were constructed of surplus trolley hardware and located 28' above the trolley wires and roadway.