There’s a kind of collaborative art that we rarely talk about — the art created between civil engineers, structural engineers, city planners, and the everyday movement of people who get to experience it. One of my favorite examples of this “living artwork” is the 202/115 interchange in Jacksonville, Florida.

One morning, during one of those moments where my mind was somewhere else and the order of things completely escaped me, I found myself cruising down 202 West. I got off at 115 South, but then remembered, Wait… I’m supposed to be going to a store on Beach Boulevard. So I asked my GPS what to do next, and the directions basically told me:

“Get back onto 202 East, then exit onto 115 North.”

Simple enough. But what happened next was unexpectedly beautiful.

I didn’t have to merge into traffic—in fact, if there had been traffic, it would’ve merged onto me. But it was early, the roads were quiet, and what happened is that I got to make this clean, looping curve in my car—a full, safe, perfectly designed swoop that felt like riding a tiny roller coaster.

A roller coaster you control.

I stayed at the posted speed, because I wanted to truly understand whether what I imagined in my head—the motion, the angle, the flow—was what the road would actually do. And it was. It felt engineered for that sensation. A one‑person theme park moment at sunrise.

Whoever designed that interchange…genius. Absolute genius. Whether they knew they were designing something that would feel that good, or whether it’s simply how their mind naturally works—either way, it’s brilliant.

And this is how my brain works:
I immediately want to know who designed it, what they’re like, and what was happening in their minds as they envisioned this pattern of movement. Because civic design—civil engineering—is art. Just like architecture. It’s a visual, life‑size, interactive conversation between an artist and a whole community. Every curve, every ramp, every merger point is a choice.

And every choice tells a story.

Sometimes, the story is told in a loop on a quiet morning, when you realize you’re not just driving through a city… you’re experiencing someone’s creation.

⚠️ Safety Note

Even when the road feels artistic or “roller‑coaster smooth,” always drive safely.
Obey posted speed limits, follow all traffic laws, and stay attentive.
Your safety — and everyone else’s — always comes first.