Otak Blog

This Saturday, July 31, Portland Professionals Engineers Without Borders (EWB) will host its second annual kickball tournament. A group of mullet and kickball lovin’ Otakians and friends are joining in on the fun by joining forces to create “Team Mullet.” The Team will play at least three games while enjoying a day at Glen Haven Park (NE 82nd and Siskiyou Street) socializing with engineers and other fun loving individuals. In addition to the kickball game, a raffle and compilation of mini games will entertain those interested. The tournament benefits EWB projects in Tanzania, Haiti, and Ecuador. Come cheer, laugh, and hang out with the team, and learn more about EWB and their mission. For more information, please contact Rose at rose.horton@otak.com

On Wednesday, a bus full of 20 students from Reynolds High School drove into Otak’s parking lot ready to learn. Inside they were greeted by friendly faces from numerous Otakians within different disciplines – architecture, landscape architecture, engineering, human resources, marketing, surveying, to name a few. Students were split into two groups, and led around the building by Otak “tour guides” to learn about who we are and what we do. Engineers explained drawings, marketers handed out proposals, and landscape architects revealed renderings. Each student was instructed to write down what they learned from each discipline, specifically responsibilities associated with each. After a couple hours of running around the building, the students sat down to discuss what they learned over pizza and soda. We hope that this rare opportunity was an eye-opening experience for the students. It certainly was for us Otakians.

Cedar Creek Culvert to Bridge Replacement; Sherwood, Oregon
The American Public Works Association awarded the Cedar Creek project with the Project of the Year Award in the “Environment less than $5 million” category. The Cedar Creek project results include the design of a single-span, precast prestressed girder bridge; stream and wetland restoration; a regional multi-use trail; and improved roadway safety and functions.

OHSU Center for Health and Healing; Portland, Oregon
The OHSU Center won The Outstanding Building of the Year Award from the Building Owners and Managers Association International. Otak’s responsibilities for the OHSU Center included onsite and offsite civil engineering for the 2-block building, specifically assisting with the permitting through DEQ for the installation and outfall from the wastewater bioreactor system. The 16-story medical building obtained LEED Platinum status.

Otak recently launched an environmentally-friendly publication, the Otak eNewsletter. Distributed quarterly, the eNewsletter updates clients, partners, and associates on current and completed projects, new hires and promotions, community events, awards, and other news. To view the entire eNewsletter, please click here. If you decide that you like the eNewsletter and want to be added to the mailing list, please click here.

Otak is proud to announce that Dan Dawson, principal in Otak’s Kirkland office, is the recipient of the 2010 Washington Section ITE Award for Outstanding Service to the community and the transportation profession. The award was announced at the 2010 Annual Meeting held June 7 in Bellevue, Washington. Dan is a long-standing member of the Institute with a career focus on transportation design and mobility for all travel modes. Dan’s contributions to the practice of transportation engineering include co-authoring the Washington State Pedestrian Facilities Guidebook for WSDOT, developing the design guidelines for pedestrian safety and accessibility, and contributing to Transportation Research Board publications, as well as the Public Rights-of-Way Access Advisory Committee (PROWAAC) Special Report: Accessible Public Rights-of-Way, Planning and Designing for Alterations. He has authored a number of articles for the ITE Journal and regularly presents technical papers and training sessions at ITE conferences to continue the education of the membership in designing for full accessibility and mobility.

Two Otak employees from our Lake Oswego, Oregon office passed the Professional Engineering exam. Congratulations to our newest PEs: Ae-young Lee and Karla Zenz.

Melissa Moncada, bridge engineer, and Scott Larsen, construction group manager, at Otak recently attended the Oregon Concrete and Aggregate Producers Association (OCAPA) Excellence in Concrete Awards gala in Salem. Upper Perry Arch Bridge, a project that Otak worked on, was nominated as one of only three finalists under the Historic Bridges category. The gala attracted designers and contractors from all over the state for an evening full of cocktails, good food, and the awards ceremony.

This unique bridge rehabilitation was designed by Otak and constructed by Wildish Standard Paving. The bridge was originally designed by the famous bridge engineer, Conde B. McCullough, in the early 1920’s. If you are traveling on I-84, be sure to stop by and see this beautiful bridge. From I-84 eastbound, take exit 256 (about 4 miles west of La Grande), follow Hamilton Creek Frontage Road until you cross over the bridge.

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. The NLCS brought into a single system specially designated areas managed on a landscape level under the BLM’s multiple-use mandate. The Symposium, held in Albuquerque, New Mexico provided an interdisciplinary forum for exploring research related to the NLCS units, such as national monuments and wild and scenic rivers. Treasured landscapes across the nation include 886 federally recognized areas, approximately 27 million acres, and 8,425 miles of rivers and national trails.

Kate Schwarzler, landscape architect in Otak’s Carbondale office, presented a poster paper about using color for visual mitigation as an effective, relatively simple, and cost-effective tool for visual mitigation. The poster demonstrated two techniques for integrating color into visual mitigation practices. The first and most common technique for blending facilities into the surrounding landscape is the application of a single color of paint. The second technique is the use of camouflage, where multiple colors are applied in an organic pattern.

Kate’s poster for the NLCS Symposium

Last month professionals gathered in Portland, Oregon for the 2010 DOI Conference on the Environment. Several Otak staff members were there to meet other professionals and exchange information on a wide variety of environmental and natural resource topics and issues, such as climate change and greenhouse gases; sustainable practices at DOI facilities; and resource conservation and management.

Kate Schwarzler, landscape architect in Otak’s Carbondale office, presented a poster paper targeted at DOI staff involved in energy and land management activities. The poster described the principles and concepts of the BLM Visual Resource Management program; its importance to land use and activity planning and user sensitivity; and current pressures facing scenic values on public lands.

Kate’s poster for the DOI Conference

On Friday, May 7th about 30 Otak Kirkland staff attended a Mariners baseball game. While the actual game was abysmal, the staff enjoyed the game, ballpark food and beer, and helped support a great cause at the same time. Two Otakians, Stephanie Smith and Charline Fox, are participating in Team Challenge, a half-marathon training program that raises funds and awareness for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). May 7th was CCFA night for the Mariners and a portion of the tickets sales were donated to the CCFA. This helps Stephanie and Charline towards their fundraising goal, while enjoying time with coworkers outside of the office.

On July 18th, Stephanie and Charline will run in the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon. This is Charline’s first time participating with Team Challenge and she is running in honor of 12-year-old Hannah who suffers from ulcerative colitis. Stephanie was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease 14 years ago and this will be her fifth Team Challenge half-marathon since summer 2008. She also volunteers as a mentor for the team, teaching new participants the ins and outs of fundraising.

There is still plenty of time to support their cause. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to the CCFA by clicking here.