Tucson's Rattlesnake Bridge

Tucson has interesting art on walls, overpasses and underpasses along its streets. But one of the coolest pieces of street art is a bike and pedestrian bridge in the shape of a diamondback rattlesnake that crosses Tucson's Broadway Boulevard 

At one end is a huge rattlesnake head. At the other is a winding tail complete with large rattle. To get from one end to the other you amble through a long snake belly.

The body is made of a metal mesh that shimmers in the sunlight. Fortunately the snake is more artsy-looking than scary. But it is a little scary.

The snake head at one end of a 280-foot bridge that crosses six lanes of traffic on downtown Tucson's Broadway Boulevard.

Once you cross Broadway via the bridge, you exit by the snakes tail.  The bridge was designed by a Tucson artist, paid for with public art funds, and competed in 2002.

More shots of Tucson's rattlesnake bridge. Clockwise from top left:  A close up of a snake eye; bicyclists riding through the snake body; a view of the snake as it crosses Broadway Boulevard; and Jim standing between snake fangs at the entrance to the bridge .

Just a few photos of other "road art" we've seen along I-10 and on Tucson city streets.  At the top is another pedestrian bridge not far from the rattlesnake. Third from the top is part of one of several large "face collages"along Tucson's Fourth Avenue.