Enhancing the connectivity and functionality of its waterfront, the design along 1st and Strand Streets establishes a more defined downtown core for the City of St. Helens, Oregon. A multidisciplinary Otak team led planning and subsequent engineering aimed at further developing this area of the city and accentuating its value as a public asset.
Strengthening Connectivity by Developing a Downtown Waterfront
Following a planning effort to outline further development of the downtown waterfront, including the site of a former mill, roadway improvements in the area enhance access for both vehicles and pedestrians while also setting the stage for expanded public use. A new multiuse path and more clearly defined parking areas increase accessibility to the waterfront and its amenities. Its design allows for a portion of Strand Street to host festivals with minimal disruption to traffic by incorporating a new circle turnaround and converting part of Strand to a one-way street that had previously caused congestion between the courthouse and City Hall. The extension of water and sewer utilities, along with a new pump station and stormwater facilities, has the site shovel-ready for future development.
Replacing an original seven-span structure, the three-span Klaskanine River Bridge provides efficient crossing as part of a complex bridge geometry. Coordinating expertise across disciplines, Otak led a collaborative and centralized approach, delivering a design that enhances roadway engineering while mitigating floodplain impacts.
A Collaborative Approach to Bridge Design for a Complex Site
The final design used a multi-span, cast-in-place concrete bridge that balanced roadway alignment with hydraulic clearance. Design challenges included considerations for a tsunami inundation hazard that was identified for the site, along with the presence of a deep deposit of soft, estuarine soils which required that the structure be supported by pile foundations driven into bedrock. A SFLP (State Funded Local Project), regular monthly discussions and reporting on progress throughout the process streamlined decision making. Expanding direct involvement to survey, geotechnical, environmental permitting, and hydraulic analysis as part of a centralized approach to construction led to a more efficient delivery.
To manage stormwater runoff from 260-acres of a highly-urbanized area of Renton, Washington, the Monroe Avenue Infiltration Facility delivers a comprehensive approach that reduces flooding and enhances water quality for the surrounding community. As one of the largest water treatment facilities in Washington, the project allowed the city to avoid extensive trunkline options that would directly discharge and impact the local river system. In designing this regional stormwater facility, Otak utilized detailed surveying as well as hydrologic and hydraulic modeling of the subbasin to estimate peak flows during up to 100-year storm events, optimizing its capacity and improvements.
Green Stormwater Infrastructure to Reduce Flooding and Enhance Water Quality
Persistent flooding along Monroe Avenue in the City of Renton was addressed through a comprehensive green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) solution centered around an infiltration facility. An alternatives analysis led to the selection of a treatment train approach that begins with a hydrodynamic separator and a flow splitter, which diverts water quality treatment flows to a Filterra Bioscape treatment system. From there, treated runoff is conveyed to three isolator rows, allowing for additional settling and fine sediment removal before infiltration into the ground. High stormwater flows that bypass the bioscape unit are also directed to the isolator rows, ensuring full use of the facility’s infiltration capacity. This system not only eliminates localized flooding but also recharges cool, clean groundwater that feeds into the Cedar River. The improved stormwater conveyance system manages flows from a 25-year storm through existing infrastructure. Hydrologic and hydraulic modeling also account for a 100-year event, minimizing the risk of roadway overtopping during extreme flood events. Overall, the facility delivers both flow control and enhanced water quality treatment tailored to the Renton Highlands subbasin.
To increase safety in the area around Tualatin Elementary School, improvements were designed to reduce barriers for students walking and biking to school. In developing the final design, Otak incorporated feedback from an extensive public involvement process that identified infrastructure needs in the area.
Adding Safe School Routes with Multimodal Transportation
With a focus on safety, this portion of the Tualatin Moving Forward bond program adds multimodal options for students and other members of the community. The final design includes various project elements from road widening and a new sidewalk to a rectangular rapid flashing beacon (RRFB) pedestrian crossing, ADA ramp improvements, and traffic calming devices. Traffic congestion during pick-up and drop-off times was improved by adding a dedicated left turn lane by modifying an existing traffic signal and re-striping of existing lanes. The road adjacent to Tualatin Elementary was re-striped to narrower lanes, helping to slow traffic speeds and allowing the project to add a bike lane as well as on-street parking. A new stormwater planter treats runoff created by new impervious surfaces.
Along state and interstate highways across the state of Washington, work is being done to remove fish barriers and restore streams to their natural ecological processes. Site analysis is informing designs to reestablish aquatic habitats and honor the right to take fish guaranteed to the Northwest Washington Tribes.
Puget Sound Site Analysis to Restore Streams and Deliver Fish Passage Design
With sites throughout the Puget Sound region, a uniquely assembled team continues work in developing Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Preliminary Hydraulic Design (PHD) on the way to the Final Hydraulic Design (FHD) in restoring fish passage at roadway crossings. Topographic data and survey are being used to build hydraulic modeling – using SRH-2D (H&H analysis) to characterize existing and future conditions in the field. From scour analysis to stream channel slope and alignment, an assessment of prevailing geomorphic processes is central to the structure design and established construction methods. In restoring aquatic habitat for ESA-listed Salmonids, fish presence and habitat evaluation guides plan for improved wildlife connectivity. As part of a general engineering contract (GEC) team, Otak collaborates closely with all project stakeholders and co-managers, including the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and Northwest tribes to develop designs in accordance with Water Crossing Design Guidelines and WSDOT’s Hydraulics Manual.
With the primary focus of enhancing the roadway while making it more pedestrian and bicycle friendly, improvements along Boones Ferry Corridor were also designed to account for identified ADA deficiencies. As part of the Tualatin Moving Forward bond program, Otak served as the lead design engineer for improvements to this 2-mile corridor in Western Oregon.
A Practical ADA-Focused Design for Pedestrian and Bicycle-Friendly Corridor Improvements
While avoiding a full construction of Boones Ferry Road, the project provides practical, cost effective solutions to address bike and pedestrian deficiencies found scattered throughout the corridor. Initial analysis found gaps in bike lanes, deteriorated asphalt paths, and non-compliant curb ramps along the corridor that stretches south from Tualatin Sherwood Road to Norwood Road. Along with road widening to provide continuous bike lanes and sidewalk improvements, the multi-phase project also makes improvements to greenway paths, pavement, stormwater conveyance, traffic signals, signing, striping, and landscape. The final design of the project also retrofits curb ramp to bring existing facilities up to current ADA standards. In total, ramps are replaced at 33 corners, including four signalized intersections with pedestrian push button improvements. To further enhance pedestrian safety, the design adds two pedestrian activated rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFBs) as well as pedestrian lighting along a greenway path adjacent to Boones Ferry Road. The design of the project overcame challenges including steep slopes for ramps, right-of-way constraints, and numerous utility conflicts.
To enhance visitor experiences at Olympic National Park in northwest Washington, this 210-foot pedestrian bridge design is an integral component of the trail system near Staircase Rapids. With a design-build delivery method, Otak led the survey, engineering analysis, and ensuing design for the project through construction using unique approaches with partners to accommodate the site’s isolated location.
A Design-Build Structure for a Scenic Trail Site
Spanning the Skokomish River, the Staircase Rapids Trail Bridge is a steel-framed suspension bridge in an old growth area of the Pacific Northwest. Its design included a detailed analysis of vibration with the bridge span due to pedestrian footfall. A computer model of the bridge was compiled and subjected to a battery of dynamic pedestrian loads. A physical model of the bridge was also constructed to model the oscillations and allow the bridge designers to gauge their impact. These findings led to the inclusion of a passive tuned mass damper device – consisting of steel plates suspended on a spring – to reduce vibrations on the bridge, enhancing the experience of crossing for all. The dampers were adjusted through field tests and measurements of the bridge dynamics near the end of construction. Because the project’s location in a wilderness area, all equipment and materials were flown in via helicopter. During construction, two temporary bridges were installed to allow the contractor access from one side of the river to the other. When construction finished, the temporary bridges were flown out along with equipment and unused materials.
The restoration of 88-acres of wetland on the Columbia River near Scappoose is aimed at reversing the impacts of agricultural activity. Hydrologic and hydraulic analysis would inform the restoration of habitat for endangered salmonids, as well as the creation of a wetland mitigation site. In leading the design, geomorphology, and surveying, the Otak team also provided support on coordination with landowners and other key stakeholders.
A Habitat Restoration Design to Improve Wetlands and Fish Conditions
Despite site accessibility limitations for surface and groundwater monitoring, by using modified schedules during low tide the team kept monitoring on track while informing the restoration design. In accounting for these limitations, drone surveying was utilized to capture water level change over time across the expansive floodplain area. The effort includes a complex hydrologic regime caused by riverine tributaries like Scappoose Creek and Teal Creek, including tidal backwater conditions and flood flows from the Columbia River. With the potential to support juvenile rearing and adult off-channel refugia, the design would also restore habitat for 13 different populations of salmon and steelhead. Many regulatory agencies – including the Oregon Department of State Lands, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, state and federal fish/wildlife agencies – as well as local jurisdictions required approval of the final design.
The ‘Amplifying Voices’ speaker series is a live and virtual event where AEC industry professionals are given a platform for discussion around topics that largely lack the awareness they deserve. In this edition, the event brought together four Asian-American leaders in survey and mapping to discuss their roles in the industry.
In recognition of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Month, Otak hosted a panel discussion at its Portland headquarters. That discussion featured four leaders from the Pacific Northwest in the field of survey who are all of Asian descent, sharing their perspectives on how the industry is advancing.
The discussion included how they got started in their careers, including some generational connections, but the main topic largely focused on one particular challenge being felt across the industry: The survey and mapping industry is facing an increasing labor shortage. As a critical step to getting virtually any project completed, the industry has needed to adapt in a variety of ways.
Take a look at some excerpts from the discussion below that touch on the impacts of technology, awareness, mentorship, among other factors on the future of this essential service:
A visioning and strategy process was initiated to develop an area action plan for lands and communities along Highway 99 impacted by the Almeda Fire. In leading this effort, Otak aimed to create zoning and development code language – informed by GIS analysis of impacted areas – that catalyzes redevelopment with a focus on smart growth principles, multimodal transportation, and multi-use hubs throughout the corridor.
A Cohesive Area Action Plan for Multiple Communities Along a Corridor Impacted by Wildfires
Communities along Highway 99 and Bear Creek Greenway, including the cities of Talent and Phoenix in Jackson County, were engaged in a visioning and planning process to redevelop lands impacted by the 2020 Almeda Fire. This provided the basis for comprehensive planning that ultimately improves destination accessibility, by increasing residential and commercial development, while reducing the need more motor vehicle traffic. Planning heavily utilized GIS for analyzing impacted land and infrastructure, identifying key zones for redevelopment while highlighting opportunities to improve accessibility and functional use of neighborhoods. This effort involved interactive web mapping applications, bilingual online surveys and online partnered collaboration with data editing to streamline planning efforts and connect the community with the planning process. The vision would be implemented by updating local plans and zoning ordinances while supporting multimodal transportation options like walking, biking, and transit. These goals support the Transportation and Growth Management Program’s mission of integrated land use and transportation planning. Phase One of this project included an existing conditions analysis of the study area, community engagement, placemaking workshops, and a development code audit and action plan to guide the code updates needed to implement the vision. Phase Two of the project includes drafting zoning and land use code updates, additional community engagement, and assisting the jurisdictions through the adoption process.
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