Otak is proud to announce some recent accolades from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Oregon. The ACEC Oregon Engineering Excellence Awards celebrate the best of the best in the engineering world, acknowledging firms that demonstrate innovation, technical expertise, and a commitment to delivering exceptional projects.
View the project page for each award winner below and be sure to watch the videos that accompany them for direct insight into what makes each project special.
Check out how Otak’s approach to stream restoration design returned a critical juncture of Johnson Creek at Cedar Crossing to it’s natural features, ensuring that one of the last creeks where salmon actively spawn in Portland, OR is viable for generations to come.
See how Otak involved the community of Independence, OR to replace an ailing bridge on Ash Creek, providing critical infrastructure through quality survey, geotechnical, roadway, bridge, hydraulic analysis, and environmental permitting work.
More award wins at Otak! We’re happy to share that this fall the Wade Creek Restoration project was the recipient of two awards!
Otak would like to thank the City of Estacada, Greenworks, and Pacific Habitat services for their partnerships on delivering this project to the benefit of the community of Clackamas County.
Read more about the project and the awards below!
What Were the Awards?
State Land Board Award – Stream Category
Led by Greenworks, the restoration of Wade Creek was at the heart of the city’s multi-year effort to address problems with the pond while also creating better connection with the surrounding community. Work included restoring the historic course of the creek to provide improved passage for salmon species throughout their life cycle, adding native plants along the bank to shade and cool the creek, and eliminating steep slopes to create a working floodplain.
The restoration project also added accessible walking trails and a boardwalk to the adjacent park and public library, an amphitheater and community gathering space, stormwater rain gardens, and a pollinator garden. Along with benefiting the environment surrounding the creek, these crucial additions and improvements to accessibility increased the area’s overall sense of community.
John Van Staveren of Pacific Habitat Services was integral to both the completion of the project and the submittal of the Land Board Award, so we would like to extend special thanks to him and the greater firm for all his work advocating for the project.
You can read the press release on the Land Board award win from the Oregon Department of State Lands here.
Oregon ASLA – Honor Award
Also submitted and led by our partners at Greenworks, architects tapped Wade Creek as a Project of Honor at the annual Oregon American Society of Landscape Architects awards banquet for the collaborative and environmentally conscious What method in which it was delivered..
Read more about Wade Creek on our project page, and we’re pleased to have worked on such a transformative and community-driven project.
In Fall of 2022, Otak opened its doors to our brand-new Denver office. We reinforced our presence in downtown Denver for several strategic purposes – including a motivation to deepen our commitments to and strengthen our relationships within the greater Denver metropolitan area.
And what better way to build relationships than to host an Open House! On October 5th Otak welcomed our valued clients, teaming partners, and local community members to Otak’s downtown space in the historic Elephant Corral building.
A Variety of Practices Forging New Relationships
At the event, we had the chance for meaningful discussion with local peers in architecture, landscape architecture, planning, water resources, and transportation. With a variety of clients in attendance, it was a fantastic opportunity to get better acquainted with partners and local organizations – some of whom we’ve already partnered with on projects, and others we hopefully will in the future.
Beyond Networking
The energy in the office was uplifting as the Denver community came together to explore the space, enjoy food and drinks, engage in meaningful conversation, and foster connections. The event’s success wasn’t just measured in terms of professional connections, but in the opportunity to engage and recharge together outside of a video call. We were honored to host this event and start dialogue with the potential clients, partners, and friends in attendance.
As we continue to thrive and grow our work in the Rocky Mountain region, Otak remains dedicated to contributing to the communities we serve. We look forward to even more vibrant and interactive events in the future, recognizing that it’s not just about planning and building infrastructure, but also about building bridges between people in our communities for years to come.
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.
Enhanced treatment of highly-polluted highway stormwater runoff is accomplished across 19 acres with the unique design of this water treatment facility. In developing the city of Redmond’s Basin Surface Water Master Plan, the facility addresses water quality for what flows into its stormwater trunk extension using a custom pump and distribution system.
A Unique Water Treatment Facility Utilizing Bioretention for Highly-Polluted Stormwater Runoff
Located alongside the busy highway, SR 520, a unique pump system diverts stormwater runoff through a custom soil mix and vegetated facility designed for biofiltration before eventually reaching the outfall at Lake Sammamish. The resulting bioretention maintains treatment function over time as a custom steel distribution system spreads flow evenly to optimize the footprint across the facility and prevent scouring. Data collected to inform the Basin Surface Water Master Plan was used to identify the optimal location for capturing polluted runoff while continued monitoring refines the runoff model and better defines pollutants. An integrated approach including landscape architecture focused on urban design led to a facility that resembles a leaf. Otak also supported the city in obtaining an ecology grant for the stormwater retrofit by building a report that demonstrates how the facility would function and how the water quality benefits would benefit the community.
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.
He approaches every project with a holistic view of sustainability that encompasses social wellbeing, environmental preservation and restoration, economic development, and a project’s lifetime resilience to future long-term environmental and economic conditions.
What is Envision?
According to the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure, Envision is a framework that helps communities cut greenhouse gas emissions, create good-paying green jobs, address environmental justice, and meet climate-change targets that works much like LEED when it comes to construction of buildings. The key difference between Envision and LEED is Envision applies the framework to a multitude of project types spanning the public infrastructure spectrum, and is becoming increasingly popular when it comes to sustainable and resilient project delivery.
The framework provides a flexible system of criteria and performance objectives to aid decision makers and help project teams identify sustainable, resilient, and equitable approaches. It works at all levels of a project’s lifecycle – during the planning, design, and construction phases.
What is an Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP)?
An ENV SP is essentially an expert in the Envision framework — a professional that has demonstrated their knowledge in making projects sustainable and just from the planning to final delivery stages. Through the credential, Envision recognizes and brings attention to individuals trained and dedicated to developing more sustainable infrastructure.
When asked about his achievement, Charles humbly expressed his happiness and pride. He sees these credentials as a reflection of his passion for creating a greener and more sustainable future. An enthusiasm for continuous learning and personal growth makes him a true asset to Otak and an inspiration to his colleagues.
Real World Applications: Monroe Ave Stormwater Infiltration Facility for the City of Renton
Charles’ passion for sustainable development and his accreditation complement each other, fostering innovation and environmentally responsible practices. This can be seen firsthand on the Monroe Ave Stormwater Infiltration Facility Project for the City of Renton – a remarkable $15-20 million endeavor set for construction in late 2023.
Through an improved stormwater conveyance system utilizing multiple stage stormwater treatment prior to full infiltration of stormwater runoff from the contributing 250-acre basin, the project showcases his dedication to creating sustainable solutions that positively impact the community, and it’s a testament to Charles’s ingenuity and his ability to implement environmentally friendly strategies without compromising on quality.
Take a closer look at the project here, courtesy of the City of Renton, to learn more!
As we look to the future, Charles Dewey’s expertise and dedication will undoubtedly continue to drive positive change within Otak and beyond. His work stands as a testament to the power of sustainability and innovation in shaping a better world for all. We’re proud to have Charles as part of our team and can’t wait to see what incredible projects he’ll contribute to next!
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.
To improve traffic safety and stream functionality, a replacement bridge on NW Stringtown Road was added at the crossing of Prickett Creek in Washington County, Oregon. In leading the design and delivery of the new structure, a multidisciplinary Otak approach paid special attention to the impacts on adjacent properties, where transportation elements required more space than the existing, outdated treatments.
A Replacement Structure to Improve Transportation Elements and Stream Design
An existing timber bridge on NW Stringtown Road was found to be structurally deficient, prompting Washington County to make plans for its replacement. The new structure includes a wider box culvert with a natural bottom, improving the stream channel of Pricket Creek. With a superelevated roadway, design elements for the bridge also include road widening, guardrail design, and the reconstruction of existing driveways. Close coordination with property owners made space for these updated roadway features while a joint permit application process led to approval for the widened culvert.
In developing a comprehensive solution to the water quality impacts of the Tualatin Moving Forward bond program, the Sandalwood Swale – along with two smaller sites – provides water quality mitigation for all 36 projects associated with the program. Stormwater facility analysis and design for this regional water quality facility was provided by Otak, including conceptual stormwater facility layout and construction cost estimates.
A Bond Program’s Regional Approach to Water Quality Mitigation
As part of the city’s stormwater master plan, the Sandalwood Swale takes a regional approach to water quality mitigation for a number of transportation and pedestrian-focused improvements involving impervious surfaces. With 11.6 acres required by Clean Water Services design to be covered, the swale exceeds that requirement, providing water quality treatment for 19.49 acres of impervious area. The facility itself is a vegetated swale with native plants selected specifically for the area’s environmental conditions that cover its 12-foot-wide bottom and 189-foot length. With multiple parcels coming into the facility, the regional approach is more cost-effective and requires less maintenance than several smaller facilities would offer, while a water quality manhole added upstream is designed to further reduce maintenance. In a location where the community often reported the impacts of flooding, the improved grated inlet is also designed to better collect debris from storm runoff and eliminate flooding issues in the area.
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What Were the Awards?
