Keep Indianapolis Beautiful Named Recipient of 2010 Roadside Excellence Award

INDIANAPOLIS – (September 27, 2010) The National Roadside Vegetation Management Association has named Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. (KIB) among the recipients of the Roadside Excellence Award for 2010. Among the five categories awarded, KIB received the City/Municipality award for their 2009 partnership with the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) and Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) for the Day of Service Project at the I-70/Holt Road interchange.

The I-70/Holt Road interchange project used the talents of nearly 1,500 Lilly employee volunteers to implement a landscape design created by Indianapolis architecture firm, RATIO Architects. In an effort to give motorists access to art, nature and beauty year-round, the 1-70/Holt Rd. interchange landscape design used more than 16,000 plants – with a large amount native to Indiana – and 150 trees to create a visual impact even at high speeds. The selected plant material provides not only movement and beauty, but its “no mow” strategy throughout sections of the project reduces fuel needs and costs.

A public art display was also included in the interchange’s transformation. Thirty-four multicolored art forms created by Kathryn Armstrong, a graduate student at the Herron School of Art and Design, through the Basile Center for Art, Design and Public Life, were installed in mid December to complete the project.

“The I-70 corridor is the entry point for many visitors to Indianapolis,” said Mark Adler, director of special projects with KIB. “This project is truly a representation of the talent and commitment from many people from many different organizations.”
The I-70/Holt Road interchange served as a pilot project for Lilly, KIB and INDOT in 2009. Five more interchange improvements along the I-70 corridor will take place during Lilly’s Global Day of Service on Oct. 7, 2010. Lilly’s Global Day of Service is one of the world’s largest single day corporate volunteerism events.

About Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc.
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. (KIB) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit engaging neighborhoods in environmental and community improvement projects throughout the city. Last year, KIB engaged over 40,000 volunteers on projects around the city. The mission of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. is to unite people to build community and transform public spaces through aesthetic and environmental improvement. To learn more, visit www.kibi.org.

About National Roadside Vegetation Management Association
The National Roadside Vegetation Management Association is an educational, non-profit organization dedicated to providing expertise, solutions and networking opportunities to personnel involved in integrated roadside vegetation management. We are a network of federal, state, county, city, university and industry personnel, all working towards safe, beautiful roadsides.

###