COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Drivers along I-25 may pass the noise wall every day without giving it a second thought, until winter weather reveals a surprising illusion.
After a recent snowfall, one driver noticed that the mountain-shaped design on the southbound I-25 noise wall appeared to have snowcaps, making the wall look like a snowy mountain range.
The photo, shared on social media by Tom Bruszewski, sparked curiosity. Was the design intentional?
The answer is no, but the result is still eye-catching.
The noise wall was built in 2000 as part of the I-25 expansion, with planning that began in the mid-1990s.
It was constructed by Wilson & Company. The company designs and constructs roadways, bridges and noise walls. Senior engineering manager Don Garcia was construction manager of the project.
“A noise study was done, and with that, a noise wall was warranted," said Garcia. "We had a series of public meetings with the city, a lot of the homeowners on the west side, other stake holders to present options for the design and took a lot of input from the public.”
Garcia says residents worried the wall would block their view of Pikes Peak, which inspired the mountain design. While the design may seem deliberate, especially when snow settles on the protruded portions, Garcia tells News5 that the effect was purely coincidental.
“I’d like to say it was [intentional], but it was not,” said Garcia. “It just worked out that way and it looks nice when the snow does sit on it.”
Even Garcia admits the illusion caught his eye years later.
“I happened to be driving by one day after the snow and I noticed that,” he said. “I thought, ‘What a cool-looking thing,’ but it was not designed that way.”
So, while the snow-capped mountains along I-25 were not part of the original plan, they are now a seasonal surprise for drivers, a happy accident worth a second glance.
Email Senior Reporter Meghan Glova at meghan.glova@koaa.com. Follow Meghan Glova KOAA on Facebook.
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