Transportation Archives - Page 8 of 11

Otak Completes ODOT Project to Repair and Upgrade Bad Banks Culvert

Lying beneath fifty-feet of fill and one of Oregon’s major recreational highways, was an ailing 75-year old concrete culvert with a history of operation and maintenance problems. The culvert in question funnels the Bad Banks Creek underneath Oregon State Route 22 about four miles east of Gates, Oregon. Working with the Oregon Department of Transportation, Otak’s hydraulics engineering team led a design and construction project to repair damage to the 300 foot-long culvert, improve stream flow and provide safer access for ODOT inspection and maintenance crews and equipment.

The Bad Banks Creek culvert at HWY 22 was subject to abrasion from sediment flowing in the stream channel, which over time, had worn down the concrete culvert and exposed the rebar reinforcement. The culvert also presented various safety issues for ODOT inspection and maintenance crews as it was difficult to access either end of the culvert due to steep slopes and lack of space to operate. While extending the life of the culvert was a priority, the other significant part of the project was to improve access for long-term maintenance.

Otak was hired by ODOT in May of 2019 to provide design services for repairs to the culvert to extend its service life and to modify the culvert entrance to improve access for long-term operation and maintenance of the culvert. Otak was then hired to provide construction administration, engineering, and inspection services during construction, which began in June 2020.

Extending the life of the culvert made sense—the typical life-span of concrete reinforced culverts is 75-100 years and it would have been very expensive to replace. As Otak Project Manager and Principal Kevin Timmins, states, “if the culvert ever does get replaced it will likely be with a bridge.” Rather than a costly bridge project with major disruptions to traffic along HWY 22, ODOT was able to get money and permits to make repairs and modifications and chose to work with Otak on a design to prolong the life of the culvert while also addressing the safety and access issues.

To mitigate the effects of streamflow and sediment abrasion, the culvert was lined with six inches of new concrete. The upstream end of the culvert was also extended, a more gradual transition into the culvert was added for better streamflow, and debris fins were installed at the upstream end to catch large debris so it doesn’t enter the culvert. The modifications had the added benefit of allowing the maintenance access road to come further down. As Kevin explains, “previously the access road just stopped at a steep vertical drop off into the culvert. By extending the culvert we were able to bring the road down and across the top of the culvert to the other side where we were able to create a level area where ODOT will be able to park an excavator and reach upstream of the debris fins in the event they need to be able to clear debris in front of the culvert.”

Ten days before substantial completion in September of 2020, the Beechie Creek fire burned through the construction site, scorching the forest vegetation, melting the stream bypass system, and causing damage to a portion of the freshly poured concrete. Otak has been working with the ODOT to manage the response at this site, including project closeout and plans for additional site stabilization and concrete repairs to be constructed in 2021.

“One of the reasons we were excited to work on this project was the fact that we were already familiar with the site,” Kevin stated, “and that our water resource team has a lot of experience in working in streams. They understand the hydraulic conditions, how to manage streamflow during construction, how to accommodate construction access.” This project was an opportunity for Otak’s hydraulics team, who possess deep knowledge and capacity for hydraulic engineering, to work in tandem with Otak’s structural team. Additionally, Otak has experience working on projects in environmentally sensitive areas, and mitigating the environmental impact during construction was a priority and requirement of the state.

In the end, the culvert repairs have staved off a costly bridge replacement by extending the life of the culvert and ODOT inspection and maintenance staff now have better and safer access to the culvert.

Planning for Sustainable Communities in Georgia, Eurasia

Transforming communities to position them for prosperous futures is not a simple undertaking and is work that requires extensive public interaction and masterful planning. Doing such work on a regional level, in a foreign country, brings a completely different level of challenges and complexity. But when a plan comes together and an area has a new direction and hope, the personal and professional satisfaction is immeasurable.

This was the case when Otak took on the role of lead consultant for technical assistance in preparing integrated urban action plans (IAUP) for four separate areas of Georgia in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. With the plans in place, Otak is now working as a sub-consultant to the Danish firm COWI and is undertaking the preparation work for a $160 million Livable Cities Investment Project loan for work based on the IUAPs.

Funded by the Asian Development Bank, the original goal of the work was to develop ten-year investment plans for three urban region clusters, and a fourth for an area surrounding a busy metro station in the Georgia capital of Tbilisi. Otak’s Niels van Dijk, led a team of international development specialists, along with other urban design professionals from Otak, to create Integrated urban and regional plans that considered urban-rural linkages, economic activities, and competitive advantages of Zugdidi, Mestia, Northern Kakheti, and Akhmeteli. Work began in August 2017 and early planning was completed in May 2019.

Plans call for upgrading the busy transit center in Tibilisi.

Community leaders in Georgia identified the need to balance regional development in areas outside the urban core of Tbilisi—areas that are predominantly rural with economies based on agriculture and, to some extent, tourism. Populations in these towns have been shrinking as younger residents seek work elsewhere, so Georgia wanted a plan to create jobs and improve the quality of life–and ultimately attract its young people back.

Otak and its team developed strategies with supporting initiatives and actions over a 5-year scope. Looking across what each municipality had in place that could be transformed to reach its higher potential, the team looked at existing agriculture, heritage sites, public parks, trails, roads, and general infrastructure for water and energy. Public input was also a large part of this effort with findings that the communities in all areas expressed a keen interest in more kindergartens and sports facilities. Each area plan included elements to address multiple aspects of community quality.

First, the town centers will be spruced-up with elements to include paving, landscaping, sidewalks, street lights (solar), parking, visitor information-comfort stations, and bicycle lanes linked to recreational trails. As Tbilisi will be the jumping-off point for many visitors, the plan supports the rehabilitation of a large public park and the main river flowing through the city, along with an upgrade of the area surrounding Tbilisi’s busiest metro station to create better and safer accessibility. To further connectivity, plans identify a full network of hike/bike/pedestrian trails to be developed to link communities with points of interest stretching from the mountains to the sea.

Otak’s team looked to improve the connectivity and pedestrian accessibility within the communities.

Cultural heritage sites are to be rehabilitated to better accommodate and attract tourists. Ideas for new ventures such as agritourism are also being explored to benefit existing farmers and attract visitors. To accommodate a growing tourism base, grant programs would also be implemented for residents to use to renovate properties into bed and breakfasts and create camping or glamping facilities.

Residents’ desire for more active recreational opportunities led to plans for six new sports complexes, constructed in coordination with existing community buildings to create centers for organized sports as well as dance, weight lifting, judo, and similar recreational pastimes. And finally, plans also include the construction of 25 new kindergarten schools over the five-year horizon to accommodate the expected return of young families to each region.

Planning projects of this size and scope require the expertise and dedication of personnel across a wide swath of specialties. Fortunately, Otak has a large and growing talent base with the specialized skills needed to accomplish challenging projects.

Otak’s project team included Don Hanson, Planner, and Nate Erwin, Project Architect with support from Gabe Kruse, Landscape Architect/Urban Designer, who provided urban design concepts for the Akhmeteli Theatre Metro Station in Tbilisi. Nathan Jones, Planner, developed Story Maps presenting the four IUAPs. The LCIP project preparation work is being supported by Ann Nguyen, Landscape Architect (public parks and other public realms) while Ron Dean, Architect, reviewed architectural designs for sample kindergartens and sports facilities. Niels van Dijk is acting as an institutional and governance specialist.

Animas River Trail Extension Connects Durango Residents to New Park and River

A newly completed section of the Animas River Trail (ART), a project more than ten years in the making, has recently opened, extending the ART to Oxbow Park and Preserve in Durango, Colorado. The trail provides connectivity between downtown, parks, and the library, to miles of other trail systems, and now to Oxbow Park and the Animas River itself.

Oxbow Park and Preserve is a 44-acre area along the Animas River in north Durango with about 38 acres dedicated as a natural preserve for wildlife habitat. The newly completed North Extension of the Animas River Trail is part of the City’s multi-million dollar plan to extend the trail to a new river access point at the park. With the completion of the extension, Durango residents and visitors are now able to safely access the river and enjoy the expanded amenities at Oxbow Park and Preserve.

Initially hired by the City of Durango in 2008 to complete the planning and alignment alternative analysis for the North Extension, Otak has been the lead design firm on all aspects of the trail. At that time, the project extended from Memorial Park to the Iron Horse (2 miles north). Under the leadership of project engineer and trail design manager, Scott Belonger, an alignment study and final construction documents were provided for the segment through Animas City Park in 2011. The project was then put on hold until property ownership and right of way issues were resolved. Because much of the trail work has been within the narrow Durango and Silverton railroad right of way, extensive structures were required as was broad public outreach.

In 2017, Otak was hired to also complete the design for the southern half of the original alignment study (from Memorial Park to Oxbow Park). Scott and his team have completed the final design/construction documents, which were divided into three subsegments. While Segments 2 and 3 have already been built, the redesign of Segment 1, which was pending the resolution of property issues, is now underway. The redesign is slated to be completed in early 2021, with the goal to construct Segment 1 later in 2021.

As a major city artery and asset for the City of Durango, the North Extension of the Animas River Trail presented a unique set of challenges. For instance, one mile of the North Extension shares a narrow corridor with the tracks of the historic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, used daily by dozens of trains. Extensive retaining walls were needed to fit the trail between the railroad tracks, adjacent homes, and the Animas River. The design took into consideration a number of issues including safety, privacy concerns, impacts to adjacent properties, and aesthetics.

Otak has been instrumental throughout the project’s more than ten-year span, providing project management, trail-design, and civil and structural engineering. The Otak Team included Scott Belonger, PE, Scott Kallase, EIT, Dan Beltzer, PE, David Graff, PE, Steve Florian, Senior Designer, Peter Loris, PE SE, and engineering designer Michael Cunningham.

A Holistic Approach to Transportation and Community Design

Posted on October 27, 2020August 31, 2023 by OTAK Team

The cool thing about Otak—the reason we love working here—is our complete focus on making the places we live, work, and play even better than they are today. We do that through our work and through our community activities. The services we provide as transportation engineers and planners are one of the ways we help implement a community’s vision.

Few elements shape a community and how it functions more than transportation. From roads to trails to transit systems, how and how far we travel has a direct impact on the economic and environmental sustainability of a region and ultimately its livability.

For the past thirty years, Otak has been working with city planners, municipal leaders, and developers to design new urban centers, plan transit systems, and restore and protect natural spaces. The hallmark of our work is an integrated multi-disciplinary approach to each project and to community development. We think about the community as a whole and all the implications of a project—a process we believe is critical when it comes to transportation planning.

Transportation engineering planning as a whole.

When we look at the transportation needs of a city or region, we look beyond the immediate problem to gain a broader perspective of priorities and possible solutions. We start by listening to the people who live and work in the community, as well as city leaders. We seek to understand the desires and needs of the community as a whole—residents, businesses, and commuters. We bring into focus the long-term goals, looking years into the future, exploring growth challenges, and possible solutions.

Otak’s continuing work with Community Transit (CT), Snohomish County’s transit provider, is a case in point. We have led the final design work on each of CT’s three BRT lines. Each of these lines is intimately connected with the cities and neighborhoods they serve. A value we provide is that we know those communities and have the experience to use our design talent to improve mobility and make them even better places to live—all while avoiding unwelcome impacts.

Leveraging limited resources.

By looking at transportation projects as part of a whole, we not only find practical solutions that will not have to be replaced in a few years, we often learn of other pressing needs and projects, and ways to leverage resources and budgets for greater outcomes. What may seem like competing priorities can often work together.

A problem facing many cities today is a backlog of infrastructure repair and maintenance projects, as well as an equally pressing need for infrastructure expansion. The challenge is addressing both with limited funding resources and strict regulatory mandates. Finding workable solutions requires some creativity, but it all comes down to understanding the full range of community needs, current and proposed projects, as well as the regulatory process and the different funding sources available. One of the strengths of our team is we have experienced engineers, designers, and planners who are knowledgeable about both current regulatory guidelines and compliance, and funding and funding streams.

An integrated approach to solving problems.

At Otak, we are very intentional about how we bring various disciplines together—water resources, landscape architecture, civil engineering—enabling our teams to take an integrated approach to planning, design, and construction. It is what sets Otak apart from larger and less experienced firms and has led to exciting opportunities and work we can be proud of.

One such example is the work we are doing in Colorado. On behalf of the City of Manitou Springs, Colorado, an integrated Otak team of structural, civil, and water resource engineers are collaborating with our landscape architects to replace an aging bridge with an aesthetically pleasing, functional, and resilient structure. The new bridge will improve safety for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists alike, while also incorporating public art and low-maintenance contextual landscaping into the solution. Working together, in partnership with the client and the local community, the Otak team is creating a unique multimodal solution and a beautiful gateway to the Garden of the Gods.

Our planning, engineering, and construction services teams work on a full range of transportation projects throughout the Pacific Northwest and Colorado that are making a difference in how communities remain connected. From community transit projects crossing multiple jurisdictions, and first- and last-mile solutions, to culvert design for improved fish passages, and pedestrian and bike trails, we are solving complex transportation challenges and offering multimodal ways of commuting that present a sustainable model for a resilient future.

McCaslin Boulevard Underpass

To provide safe crossing between two open space properties and improve vehicular circulation in the trailhead parking lots, the City of Louisville aimed to add an underpass at McCaslin Boulevard. A redesign of the Davidson Mesa Trailhead would also be included to accommodate more vehicles and increase driver, pedestrian, and vehicular safety with a one-way round-about design.

Multiple Transportation Features for Improved Access and Safety to a Popular Trailhead

In improving vehicular circulation and trailhead access, the design of McCaslin Boulevard Underpass also includes the full reconstruction of two trailhead parking lots at Davidson Mesa and Harper Lake. It’s part of broader improvements to the Lake-to-Lake trail, including the CO 42 Underpass. The location of the underpass and angle of the approach trails were designed to frame and enhance views of the Flatirons (to the West) and Harper Lake (to the East). Natural stone retaining walls and site grading were designed to fit the structure approach between into the natural landscape. The facility was designed for multiple user types, including pedestrians, and bikes. An information Kiosk was designed to keep people informed with events and the Leon A. Wurl Wildlife Sanctuary on the Harper Lake side. Otak provided preliminary design and complete construction documentation in the development of this pubic asset.

Elmer’s Two-Mile Creek Underpass

This federally funded, 83-ft. long, 20-ft. wide underpass crosses Iris Avenue and Elmer’s Two-Mile Creek in west Boulder. As a combined-use facility for path users and creek flow, the structure is sized to accommodate the 100-year flood within the structure, and the 5-year flood is contained behind the floodwall while providing ADA accessibility.

A Structure Designed for Flood Resilience and Accessibility

The Elmer’s Two-Mile Creek underpass provides a safe and inviting pedestrian connection beneath Iris Avenue. Natural stone and boulder retaining walls, plantings and colored concrete were incorporated in the design to provide an inviting and aesthetically pleasing facility. Geometry is very tight on the north side of the project, requiring close coordination with a homeowner’s association for location of retaining walls and trail access points while providing ADA accessibility at several locations. Due to high groundwater conditions and tailwater elevations, a lift station was required to handle both stormwater and the structure underdrain system. In addition, a low-water crossing is designed with collapsible railings to fold down during a major flood event. Otak provided complete engineering services in bringing this structure to completion while allowing traffic on Iris Avenue to be maintained throughout construction.

St. Vrain Greenway

A 11.5-mile trail corridor, the St. Vrain Greenway extends from North 75th Street to Weld County Road 7 in Longmont, Colorado. The initial design included six pedestrian bridges along with trail segments adjacent to these bridges, beneath the existing vehicular bridge at Main Street (State Highway 119), and other segments where slopes or site grading was critical.

Extending a Trail Corridor While Minimizing Impact to Habitat

The initial 9.5-mile trail was followed by a two-mile segment of path designed through a riparian corridor and included a 140-foot span pedestrian bridge over St. Vrain Creek while designing for erosion control beneath the existing SH 119 bridge. Ramp connections to bike lanes along the highway, modification to an existing field access bridge, and a new pedestrian underpass structure at 119th Street and East County Line Road were also included as part of the complete St. Vrain Greenway design. Spanning from 25 to 140 feet in crossing St. Vrain Creek, Lefthand Creek, Old Dry Creek, and the Bonus Ditch, the pedestrian bridges used break-away bridge designs – from Design Concepts – in order to reduce construction costs and minimize site impacts. Several alternative path alignments were considered in the conceptual design phase to minimizing impacts to wetlands, wildlife habitat, nesting bald eagles, and other sensitive areas. Otak was involved throughout the project’s phases, from subconsultant on landscape architecture for the six pedestrian bridges to prime for the St. Vrain Greenway path design.

Aspen Highlands Trail

With 2,300 feet of multi-use path located within a challenging and constrained corridor between Maroon Creek Road and the cliff-like banks of Maroon Creek, the Aspen Highlands Trail connects the City of Aspen Recreation Center with the Aspen Highlands Ski Area. Steep drop-offs routinely found within feet of the trail offered unique opportunities for both structural solutions and scenic features.

A Low-Impact, Active Transportation Connection Designed Around Challenging Mountain Constraints

In the steepest areas, two bridges (85 foot and 150-foot spans) were used to fit the path between the roadway and Maroon Creek Canyon. Other bridges, retaining walls, guard rails and concrete barriers account for narrow corridors situated throughout the trail. A concrete barrier/retaining wall combination was used to lower the path grade and best fit the existing terrain wall, providing a greater level of separation and protection for path users. A thickened concrete edge is included to fit the existing grade and provide a anchorage location for a side-mounted railing. These constraints also provided great opportunities to design a trail with beautiful views across Maroon Creek Canyon. The path was designed to provide overlook areas to make use of the exceptional views. Boulders uncovered during construction were used in the overlook features and natural stone aesthetic treatments were used to match other City of Aspen parks. While minimizing impact, site materials and the incorporation of existing vegetation provide a natural look and feel throughout. The project also included a raised pedestrian crossing at the entrance to Aspen Highlands ski area.

Cemetery Lane Trail

This multi-use path provides a safe, user friendly, and aesthetically pleasing connection between multiple trails through the Cemetery Lane corridor in the city of Aspen, Colorado. A 550-foot-long pedestrian bridge carries the trail through the most difficult segment while another 150-foot span pedestrian bridge crosses over the Roaring For River in Henry Stein Park.

A Multi-Use Path and Pedestrian Bridges to Connect A Mountain Trail Corridor

Positioned high in the Rocky Mountains, a Design Concept Report for Cemetery Lane Trail evaluated the cost and expected impacts of various path alignments, structure types and locations. The project was holistically designed to incorporate traffic calming features to improve the overall safety of the trail corridor while connecting the Aspen Airport Business Center (AABC) Trail with the Rio Grande Trail. An innovative use of structures, retaining walls, and safety features were required to fit the multi-use path within a narrow right-of-way and difficult terrain. Intensive agency and public involvement was required, including coordination with the City of Aspen, Aspen Consolidated Sanitary District, Pitkin County, CDOT, Aspen Valley Land Trust and the Cemetery Lane Neighborhood Task Force.