The City of Milwaukie, Oregon has submitted an application for APWA’s Oregon Chapter Project of the Year for the Kronberg Park Multiuse Walkway that was designed by a team from Otak’s Vancouver office. The walkway was completed in May of this year.
The project was a combination pathway and elevated structure designed as a connection for pedestrians and bicycles between downtown Milwaukie and McLoughlin Boulevard. The new path eliminates the need for people and cyclists to cross a busy highway. It also provides a viewpoint and rest stop midway along the corridor. Overall it encompasses a 340-foot long bridge, a 60-foot shorter bridge, and an at-grade pathway.
Scott Nettleton was the bridge design lead for Otak, working alongside project manager Chuck Green, Sam Lozano, who did civil design, and Josh Pope who worked on the shorter bridge.
The steel girder bridges with concrete decks and steel handrails were designed to curve around the trees, minimizing the need for tree removal. “It’s made to feel that you’re up in the canopy of the trees,” Nettleton said. Bridges were needed because the path runs next to Kellogg Creek Lake which can flow up over its banks.
The project was not without challenges. The site itself sits over an old construction landfill and deep underground there is a 40-year old masonry sewer line. Both of these factors complicated pile arrangements and driving for the bridge as the obstacles had to be avoided. Predrilling had to occur for some of the piles.
Another challenge was to comply with the migratory bird season work stoppages while still remaining on time and budget. With the City and Otak’s experience from previous projects, they identified a solution to set up construction fencing to prevent migratory bird nesting in the disturbance area.
In other environmental protection measures, the path width was held to 10 feet, permeable materials were used, a balance between cut and fill was maintained, and there was maximum tree preservation.
Through Otak’s experience and skill with bridge design and engineering, the City of Milwaukie was able to complete this community connection that was first identified as a community need in the Kronberg Park Master Plan of 2014.
Otak recently completed a pedestrian underpass project for the City of Louisville, Colorado, connecting the city’s extensive trail system to neighborhoods and housing developments. The new underpass, which broke ground in September 2019, will encourage more walking, running, and cycling by strengthening the city’s approximately 32-mile trail network with better connectivity.
Otak was heavily involved in the process that designated the Lake to Lake Trail as part of the city’s 2014 Open Space and Trails Wayfinding project. The Lake to Lake Trail connects Harper Lake, Lake Park, Hecla Lake, and Waneka Lake in Lafayette and may one day extend to Marshall Lake. Additionally, the Lake to Lake Trail contains another underpass previously designed by Otak at McCaslin Boulevard, and may eventually include additional underpasses at the BNSF Railroad and South Boulder Road, as included in the City of Louisville’s Transportation Master Plan.
Led by Colorado’s Active Transportation Manager, Scott Belonger, PE, Otak provided the design for the CO 42 Pedestrian Underpass project, as well as project management services during construction, in coordination with the City of Louisville. The new underpass involved the design and construction of a concrete box culvert (CBC) running underneath CO 42 and Courtesy Road, creating a pedestrian thoroughfare that carries the Lake to Lake Trail. The project also included sidewalks and trail connections at each side of CO 42, and the careful relocation of several utilities and the Goodhue Ditch. The new underpass closes a gap in this important regional trail and also provides improved connectivity to the adjacent neighborhoods.
The CO 42 Pedestrian Underpass project is just one of the recent investments by the City of Louisville in transportation, and supports the city’s goal of safe traveling conditions for pedestrians and motorists. A ribbon-cutting celebrating the opening of the new underpass was held on August 21, 2020.
We are excited to announce another Otak project—the Pacific Highway Emergency Culvert Replacement in Clark County—has been awarded Project of the Year by the American Public Works Association (APWA) Washington Chapter. The Clark County Public Works project was recognized for excellence in the Disaster or Emergency Construction/Repair Category for projects under $5 million.
Following a heavy snow and rain event in February 2019, the existing culvert under Pacific Highway (northwest of La Center, Washington) was obstructed by debris and impounded water on the upstream end. The roadway base was also severely undermined, resulting in a deep scour hole beneath the road, and failure of the reinforced concrete panels of the old highway. The Clark County Council passed a Declaration of Emergency to expedite environmental approvals and contracting for the roadway repairs, and to reopen the highway as soon as possible. As the engineering consultant on-call, Otak was hired to quickly design a new crossing for the unnamed tributary.
In addition to re-opening the roadway, the County had specific goals beyond the typical temporary emergency culvert replacement:
Design a permanent solution to avoid future disruptions, costs, and road closures.
Ensure safe fish passage to the area’s Chinook, chum, coho, and steelhead.
Provide a cost-effective solution.
Avoid utility shutdowns.
The project design team consisted of Otak as the prime consultant, Zucker Engineering for additional engineering capacity, and Hart Crowser for geotechnical evaluations. Together with contractor Thompson Bros. Excavating, the team worked to design and construct a 13-foot span culvert, embedded with a natural stream bottom to repair the road and provide new fish passage. The road was reopened on March 29, 2019, just 45 days after the failure.
Congratulations to Nathan Dasler, PE, CFM, CWRE, and the rest of the team for successfully guiding this critical emergency project and quickly delivering an effective long-term solution to ensure public safety and restore critical fish passage.
Colorado-based Scott Belonger P.E. is a trail design manager in the Louisville office who has a long history of conducting trail work in Colorado and other states across the west. While he started his career as a bridge engineer, early on he had an assignment to design a pedestrian underpass in Aspen, Colorado which led to other trail projects for that client. “One of the stand out projects for me was Cemetery Lane Trail in Aspen that included traffic calming features and an extensive 600’ long elevated section built into a hillside. The project made me want to transition from bridges to focus more on trails,” he said.
His skills fit in well with Otak’s work constructing a wide range of projects from backcountry single-track trails to multi-use paved areas in urban cores. “Through his trail work, Scott is making a real difference in the quality of life in Colorado communities. Using Otak’s trademark strength—integrated design—he is producing innovative and creative solutions that his clients and trail users really appreciate,” David Knowles, Otak’s director of transportation business said.
Scott’s trail work is extensive. He currently has ten projects in the design phase and another eight under construction. He says that’s a typical workload. One project that is nearing completion is the Animas River Trail North Extension. Scott began the planning for this trail, a one-mile extension just north of the City of Durango, in 2009. Much of the work is within the narrow Durango and Silverton railroad right of way requiring extensive structures and has involved broad public outreach.
According to Scott, Otak’s largest share of trail work is for designing shared paths for municipalities that are often in constrained right-of-ways and require elements such as bridges, underpasses, and retaining walls. “I personally like to be able to get around without a car so this work is valuable to me because it provides an alternative mode of transportation and recreation” Scott said.
As public awareness of reducing carbon footprints and leading healthier lifestyles grows, having expertise in trail development will serve Otak well for years to come.
Times are challenging as we all face the impacts of COVID-19. But as our day to day lives have been disrupted, mother nature continues on unabated. Flowers have come up, migrating birds have returned, and temperatures are rising.
In recognition of all that nature provides, Earth Day is celebrated throughout April. While this year there won’t be group events as we practice social distancing, Otak is still taking this time to celebrate the great outdoors.
Otak has again signed on as a business partner for Earth Day Oregon to recognize, support and celebrate our planet and those organizations that work hard every day for our natural world. Through Earth Day Oregon, Otak donated to Depave, a nonprofit that works to turn paved spaces into greenspaces to create more livable cities. We understand the environmental and social benefits greenspace can have and gladly stand behind and have volunteered for the many projects Depave has undertaken to green the landscape of Portland. We look forward to working together with Depave on its next project.
On the homefront, Otak’s GO Committee and Operations Team remind us that Earth Day is really every day and there are things we can do in our daily lives to get back to nature.
Start a small garden. You can build raised beds in your yard, or simply pot some herbs and veggies to grow on your porch.
Bike and walk more. Do you live near your local grocery store? Consider if it is possible to walk or bike for your next trip to the store (while following proper PPE and social distancing guidelines). A win-win for getting outside and getting your essential errands done.
Start a home compost. Many of us are already doing this. Check-in with your local trash service to see if they offer compost pick up. If not and if space allows, you can start composting in your backyard by purchasing something like a “Bio Monster” or “Worm Factory” bin and use the compost for your garden.
Shop locally, eat seasonally. With stay-at-home orders in place during the opening weeks for farmers’ markets, your local market or farm might be offering pick-up or delivery!
Play Earth Day Bingo! Get the family involved in this great activity from the City of Kirkland.
Getting outside is one of the recommendations for keeping COVID-19 at bay, as well as a way to maintain your mental health. We want our employees to stay healthy so we encourage you to get out and show your love for the planet, on earth day and every day!
Otak is working in Vientiane, Laos, as a subconsultant to Oriental Consulting Global (Japan) to support the development and launch of the country’s first Bus Rapid Transit project. Otak is providing advice based on our expertise in public transport management and Bus Rapid Transit operations, having worked closely with C-TRAN (Clark County, Washington’s transport agency) to plan and launch the Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA metro region’s first Bus Rapid Transit project in 2017. The project also includes providing legal/institutional recommendations for establishing an entity for managing traffic, parking, and public transportation in Vientiane as well as developing a capacity building and training program for staffing the new entity. Otak is also providing a gender specialist who is advising on gender equality and social equity for the program. The project is technical assistance, funded by Asia Development Bank under the Vientiane Sustainable Urban Transport Project.
The Swift Bus Rapid TransitGreen Line isRecognized for Engineering Excellence; Receives 2019 PSRC Vision 2040 Award and 2019 WTS Innovative Transportation Solutions Award!
Snohomish County in Washington state is a fast-growing region with rapidly expanding economic hubs and urban centers. It is also rich in rural areas, farmlands, and forests. With another million+ residents anticipated over the next two decades, managing growth while preserving natural resources and building for a sustainable future is a key concern for the region. Nearly fifteen years ago Community Transit (CT) embarked on the Swift Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) program as a vital part of the solution to the rapid growth in the region and providing for a sustainable future. From the start, Otak has been a trusted partner supporting the teams at CT and helping them deliver on their ambitious promise to the region.
While BRT in general is a well-established system for providing mass transit solutions, CT has been on the leading edge in rapid transit development and the Swift BRT system has proven to be an innovative solution successfully integrating transit networks across communities and effectively connecting the broader region. Yes, the Swift BRT transit program has a primary goal of providing transportation alternatives to help alleviate traffic congestion, but the solution is multifaceted. It’s about the pedestrians, bicyclists, and commercial vehicles that our roadway system serves and the property owners, businesses, and jurisdictions that are affected by the new transit system.
Holistic Approach to Design and Development
CT recognized these complexities and the need for a holistic interdisciplinary approach to designing a solution. From the very start, CT partnered with multiple agencies, utility providers, commissioners and community leaders, as well as civil engineers, planners, landscape architects, urban designers and more. Otak was brought in early on the design and development of the Swift Blue Line and then the Green Line. The Otak team, led by project manager Windi Shapley, has been an integral part of the program leading station and roadway improvement design, permitting, and providing construction engineering support for the project which included installation of station platforms and shelters, amenities, ticket vending machines, shelter railings, passenger information signing, and iconic station markers. The team also provided surveying, civil engineering, landscape architecture, planning, and utility coordination. Shapley asserts that, “to be successful and deliver the best possible solutions, you have to take a holistic approach. You need the expertise and insights from multiple disciplines because the smallest things can have a big impact, and everything is interconnected – especially on a multi-jurisdictional transit project like the Swift BRT.”
Project Recognized for Innovative Design and Positive Impact on Regional Sustainability
The Swift BRT Blue Line opened in 2009 as the first phase of the program. It was also the first of its kind in the state of Washington and set the standard for phase two (the Green Line) that began operating in March 2019. The Swift BRT Green Line is a 12-mile route running between the Seaway Transit Center and the Canyon Park-and-Ride, serving the communities of South Everett, Mill Creek, and Bothell in Snohomish County. It is notable for connecting the new commercial flight terminal at Paine Field and Boeing’s Everett Factory to Bothell, as well as the Swift Blue Line and the larger Community Transit network. In short, the addition of the Swift Green Line is an integral component to the long-term plan of creating a network of fast, frequent connections across the region and providing critical infrastructure for sustainable growth into the future.
This holistic approach has paid off as the Swift BRT lines are effectively providing much needed transportation solutions while adhering to the vision and policies around regional growth, transportation, and economic development within King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties. The results are undeniable, and as such, the Swift Green Line project has been recognized by the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) with a 2019 Vision 2040 Award for innovative design and positive impact on regional sustainability.
The Green line won the 2019 WTS Innovative Transportation Solutions – Large Projects Award, not only for the innovative solutions, but also in recognition of the accomplishments of this women-led team. The project team was led by Joy Munkers, Director of Planning and Development and June DeVoll, Manager of Strategic Planning and Grants for Community Transit. From planning through implementation, Joy and June were supported by a project team that included over 50 women. Women in lead roles included Grants/Funding Lead Melissa Cauley, Community Transit Grant Program Manager; Project Management Lead of Design, Permitting, and Construction Support Windi Shapley of Otak; Traffic Engineering Lead Katherine Casseday of Casseday Consulting; Right-of-Way Lead Faith Roland of Contract Land Staff; Environmental Permitting Lead Sharese Graham of Environmental Science Associates; 128th Street Improvements Design Lead Yee-Fan Riu of WSP; and Geotechnical Lead Debra Overbay of GeoEngineers.
Otak was recently given an Engineering Excellence Gold Award for Successful Fulfillment of Client/Owner Needs for the Green Line project from the American Consulting Engineers Council (ACEC), Washington Chapter.
Windi attributes the project’s success in part to the consistent presence Otak has been able to provide when CT team members and project leads have changed over the years. “Fifteen years is a long time and staff changes are to be expected. We have been able to guide the project through these changes with the accumulated knowledge and expertise gained at all stages, and a steadfast commitment to the long-range vision, mission and purpose.” CT Manager of Strategic Planning and Grants, June DeVoll further asserts, “Otak’s expertise, thoroughness, emphasis on team communication, and focus on quality and constructability has made them a trusted and invaluable member of our Swift Green Line team. They understand our mission, vision and expectations. The Otak team has proven they are invested in our success.”
The Swift BRT system will continue to expand with the development of the Orange line, which will connect the Blue and Green lines with the City of Lynnwood, and the new light rail line set to open in 2024. As with the Blue and Green lines, development of the Orange Line will include further roadway and signal improvements to ensure transit speed and reliability through the corridor. The completion of the network will effectively connect the entire region with an attractive alternative to the automobile for fast, reliable, and efficient commuting in an area that is committed to sustainable growth and protection of its natural resources.
In partnership with the City of Kelso and the Washington Department of Transportation, eight blocks of West Main Street through the business district of West Kelso were realigned to relive traffic congestion.
Roadway Realignment to Relive Traffic Congestion
Construction of this federally funded project addresses growing congestion between the Cities of Kelso and Longview by developing a smooth connection from SR 4 to the Allen Street Bridge, while simultaneously performing significant City water, storm, and sewer upgrades within the project limits. Otak managed the construction phase and provided full-time construction inspection for the duration of this nine month, $4.5 million improvement project.
The Beaver Creek Bridge, located on Hwy 47, is approximately 10 miles south of Vernonia, Oregon. Due to structural deficiency and stream constriction the single span bridge would be replaced.
A Seismic-Resilient Replacement for a Bridge with Structural Deficiency
Due to a deep soft layer of soil discovered during geotechnical explorations, the bridge is design to be supported on piling while the abutments are supported by tied back sheet piling. This is to preclude lateral spreading during a seismic event. Additionally, cellular concrete will be used for a portion of the roadway fill to minimize settlement. Rapid bridge construction techniques were incorporated into the project to limit the overall road closure time to two months.
With the goal of enhancing the economic viability of West Pearl in Boulder, Colorado, the street is redesigned to make it more inviting for visitors of the Pearl Street Mall to continue their adventures past 11th Street. The collaborative effort with local landscape architects focuses on pedestrian mobility while making improvement to facilities throughout the corridor.
Updating a Streetscape to Encourage Economic Growth and Pedestrian Mobility
To create a cohesive identity along the corridor, the West Pearl Streetscape was updated using sandstone benches, pavers, and planting beds. Trees were removed and replanted as required and allowed through the city’s strict tree removal policy. Pedestrian mobility was improved by constructing bulb-outs at all intersections and adding a raised crossing at 10th. Custom eight-feet-tall illuminated sandstone kiosks were installed at intersections to provide wayfinding. Bike racks were installed at various locations and bus stops were also improved. Civil engineering challenges included reducing sidewalk cross-slopes and improving drainage facilities throughout the corridor. The area’s sidewalk cross-slopes greatly exceeded ADA maximums, so they were reconstructed with strict grading details while accounting for existing building access points. Rather than increasing the curb height to accommodate this change, the slope of the parking zone was reversed (to be upward instead of downward), and drainage conveyed in a pan rather than along the curb. Elimination of a free-right turn lane at 9th and Pearl adds to the pedestrian safety improvements. The project required careful construction phasing in order to minimize any disruption to businesses. Portions of the sidewalk were infilled in order to maintain access to doorways, and city blocks were constructed sequentially to minimize the amount of parking lost due to construction at any one time.
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The project design team consisted of Otak as the prime consultant, Zucker Engineering for additional
Colorado-based Scott Belonger P.E. is a trail design manager in the Louisville office who has a long history of conducting trail work in Colorado and other states across the west. While he started his career as a bridge engineer, early on he had an assignment to design a pedestrian underpass in Aspen, Colorado which led to other trail projects for that client. “One of the stand out projects for me was Cemetery Lane Trail in Aspen that included traffic calming features and an extensive 600’ long elevated section built into a hillside. The project made me want to transition from bridges to focus more on trails,” he said. 
Start a home compost.
