Announcing the Transit-Oriented Development Toolkit
Transit-oriented-development creates vibrant, walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods surrounding transit stations, and is fundamental to the regional policy that sustains thriving transit communities. In support of this vision, Sound Transit and the Model Code Partnership, together with the cities of Everett and Lynnwood, Snohomish County, Puget Sound Regional Council, and other partners, are proud to announce the recent completion and publishing of the Transit-Oriented Development Toolkit.
Otak planners and designers were an instrumental part of the consultant team that developed this comprehensive, state-of‑the‑practice guidance, working alongside Kimley‑Horn (project manager), Mithun, and EnviroIssues.
Best Practices Visualized
The Toolkit includes chapters on urban design and placekeeping, land use and built form, multimodal streets, as well as resilient infrastructure and green buildings. It goes on to cover implementing regulations in these areas that can be integrated into local codes. Heavily illustrated, the guide presents best practices, policy considerations, design concepts, and regulatory language to support local adoption.
In addition to content development, Otak facilitated multiple workshops with the Model Code Partnership throughout the process. The work was funded primarily by a grant from the Federal Transit Administration’s TOD Pilot Program under the direction of Miranda Redinger, AICP, with Sound Transit. Otak’s team was led by Mandi Roberts, AICP, PLA, with key contributions from a multidisciplinary team of planners, designers, and technical specialists. That team included Ben Schneider, PLA; Mark Shelby, PLA; Cristina Haworth, AICP; Emily Larson; Samantha Cornejo; Brendan Wedderspoon; Marissa Chargualaf; Christopher Green; Casey McKenna; and Matt Neish supporting the work.
The Upper Kellogg Creek project team [left] and 1st and Strand project team [right] at the 2026 ACEC OR awards.Multidisciplinary, multi-phase expertise was recognized at this year’s ACEC Oregon awards, with two Otak projects earning honors from the American Council of Engineering Companies Oregon Chapter. Work to reduce flooding by adding green stormwater infrastructure in a unique neighborhood setting was highlighted with a Small Project Award for the Upper Kellogg Creek Capital Improvements, while an Honor Award for the design and planning around 1st and Strand showcased upgrades aimed at growing the downtown waterfront of St. Helens, Washington.
As an organization committed to advancing the industry, ACEC holds the annual awards to recognize engineering firms for projects that demonstrate an exceptional degree of innovation, complexity, achievement, and value. A closer look at these two projects, adding to a list of award-winning work, and their impact on surrounding communities can be found below.
Upper Kellogg Stormwater Management & Capital Improvements – Small Project Award
With a unique application of green stormwater infrastructure in a residential neighborhood setting, work on Upper Kellogg Creek addressed chronic flooding for the surrounding community while also enhancing its natural habitat. Initial capital improvement planning led to a design that connects a restored stream with an updated roadway stormwater system to eliminate the frequency of flooding issues during storm events.
1st and Strand: St. Helens Waterfront – Honor Award
Transforming an old mill site into a walkable, multimodal public space that sets up the downtown St. Helens waterfront for future growth was the basis of a planning effort and subsequent transportation design for the area. A new multiuse path and roundabout along with the added ability to close off a portion of the street for festivals reduces congestion in the area, supporting public use and continued economic growth.
As urban environments and their infrastructure expand, so do the amount of impervious surface they create. Where rainwater would otherwise naturally find its way into the soil, those surfaces make it so that it is now prevented and diverted by hardened and water-resistant surfaces such as roadways, parking lots, and rooftops. Stormwater planning addresses this issue.
Traditionally, “gray infrastructure” like sewer systems is designed with a single purpose: move water from one place to another as quickly as possible. Over time this approach has led to increasing issues with flooding, erosion, and pollution to local waterways. In response, green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) has risen in popularity to better manage stormwater by utilizing the natural functions of soil and plants.
In this blog we’ll discuss how, by blending nature-based solutions into infrastructure, communities find multiple benefits. Green stormwater infrastructure not only improves the immediate management of runoff but also the long-term resilience of their design.
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What is Green Stormwater Infrastructure?
Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) refers to systems that utilize the inherent qualities of nature-based solutions to improve the management and treatment runoff. Unlike gray infrastructure that consists of only man-made materials such as concrete or steel and is engineered solely to move water, GSI incorporates features that better slow, retain, and filter stormwater through natural processes.
Often involving planting vegetation, reconnecting natural water systems, or using permeable materials, green stormwater infrastructure is designed to replicate the natural hydrological processes by enabling infiltration below ground and evapotranspiration above. This approach treats rainwater as the resource it is rather than as waste while improving flooding, water quality, and a variety of other community benefits that come with a greener environment.
Benefits of Green Infrastructure and Nature-Based Solutions
The advantages of green stormwater infrastructure extend across environmental, social, and economic factors. Aside from obvious benefits to community flooding and natural habitat, this approach is also often more cost effective.
Adding green features, sometimes through the comprehensive planning process, to urban environments also can have wide-ranging positive effects on both quality of life as well as property values for a community where present. In fact, research has shown that properties near green stormwater features can increase in value by around 11%, reflecting the demand for communities that integrate green spaces into daily life.
Below is a quick overview of some of the primary benefits of green stormwater infrastructure for a community.
Flood Control and Water Quality
One of the most pressing challenges in stormwater management is flooding. Gray infrastructure often only shifts the problem from one place to another, channeling water away until systems overflow. By contrast, green infrastructure captures rainfall close to where it falls or diverts it to an area designed to naturally hold and absorb. The natural process of infiltration helps remove pollutants while slowly releasing runoff into groundwater. This reduces the burden on sewers, minimizes the risk of downstream flooding, and prevents the high percentage of pollution caused by untreated runoff entering rivers and lakes.
Air Quality and Heat Mitigation
Urban areas with large amounts of pavement experience the “urban heat island effect,” where temperatures rise due to absorbed and reflected heat. Higher temperatures also worsen air quality by increasing smog levels, posing risks to human health. It’s no secret that vegetation naturally converts CO2 into oxygen, which has a direct impact on improving air quality and reducing greenhouse gases. Drawing on these inherent characteristics, green infrastructure features help counter the urban heat island effect by reducing the amount of reflected heat by shading surfaces, filtering pollutants, and cooling the air through evapotranspiration.
Improved Natural Habitat
Even small green features can have a large impact on natural habitat. Projects that restore streams, reconnect wetlands, or replace outdated culverts not only manage stormwater more effectively but also improve fish passage (along with that of other aquatic organisms) and natural habitat for a variety of species. At the same time small additions of vegetation and tree cover provide homes for birds, insects, and small mammals. Together, these systems contribute to biodiversity and improve the resilience of communities.
Resource and Energy Savings
Green infrastructure also saves resources and lowers energy costs. For instance, green roofs insulate buildings, reducing heating and cooling expenses by up to 12%, while also lasting twice as long (20 versus 40 years on average) as conventional roofs. Permeable pavements help water reach soil and infiltrate. Altogether, these systems reduce embodied carbon footprints, extend infrastructure lifespans, and minimize long-term maintenance burdens.
Green Infrastructure Examples
Green infrastructure takes many forms that are tailored to the site and community needs. Below are some common examples of nature-based solutions in action:
Rain gardens are shallow depressions planted with vegetation designed to capture runoff from nearby impervious surfaces. They filter pollutants, recharge groundwater, and provide habitat for wildlife such as birds and pollinators.
In an urban environment, rooftops are one of the most prevalent impervious surfaces. A green roof transforms that surface of a building into a living landscape. By covering rooftops with soil and vegetation, green roofs capture rainfall, reduce heat, and extend roof lifespans. They also insulate buildings, lowering energy demands.
Unlike traditional asphalt or concrete, porous pavement allows stormwater to seep through the surface into the soil below. This reduces runoff volumes, lessens strain on stormwater systems, and reduces quantities of pollutants that reach the stormwater system.
Many historical wetlands and floodplains have been cut off by development over time. Restoring these natural features allows them to serve their natural purpose during heavy rains, pooling and filtering water while slowly releasing it back into the water table.
Bioswales (or biofiltration swales) are shallow, vegetated channels that collect runoff along roadways or developments. When planted with native plants, swales not only filter stormwater but also enhance the character of streetscapes and support biodiversity.
A Complete Approach to Green Infrastructure
As communities continue to grow and climate conditions become more unpredictable, stormwater management is an increasingly critical challenge. Green stormwater infrastructure offers a proven, cost-effective way to address flooding, improve water quality, and create healthier, more resilient communities. Implementation of this approach is a multidisciplinary process that draws on the expertise of planning, landscape architecture, water resources engineering, and environmental sciences to maximize its value.
By harnessing natural processes, these systems move beyond the limitations of gray infrastructure, blending engineering with ecology to deliver wide-ranging benefits. From improved air quality and habitat creation to reduced energy costs and enhanced property values, GSI demonstrates how infrastructure can serve people, nature, and the economy at once.
A gathering of community members and leaders celebrated the opening of a fully inclusive public space with the grand opening of Elizabeth Austin Playground. In addition to giving kids a first opportunity to experience the playground, the free event featured a ribbon cutting with the City of Vancouver Mayor, followed by a variety of games and giveaways before concluding with an outdoor movie screening.
“When communities, foundations, and local governments unite with a shared vision, we can create more than playgrounds, we can build spaces where every child, regardless of age or ability, can experience the joy of play together.”
– David Sacamano, Business Unit Leader of Planning & Landscape Architecture
The occasion also allowed those in attendance to recognize the contributions of the playground’s namesake, Elizabeth Austin, who was a revered leader, mother, and advocate for inclusive spaces in the community. With the opening of the playground, the city’s diverse set of public play areas now boasts three inclusive playgrounds.
About Elizabeth Austin Playground
Following master planning for improvement for the broader Fruit Valley Park, Elizabeth Austin Playground drew on extensive public outreach to establish a final design with fully accessible features. These plans were made possible by a $1 Million donation by the Kuni Foundation. Altogether, the playground features follow a design theme of “Play Like a Bird.” Accessibility accommodations in the design go beyond what’s typically found at public playgrounds. Among the features are fully accessible rubber surfacing, inclusive play equipment, a water play area, and bird sculptures. In support of children with specific developmental and neurodiverse needs, it is also the city’s first fully-fenced playground to maximize user safety. New bike racks, benches, and picnic tables further enhance the park for the entire community while placing an emphasis on the area’s natural setting.
The ribbon cutting ceremony at Elizabeth Austin Playground.
Elizabeth Austin Playground during its grand opening.
Graphic showing the playground concept and features that make up the design theme for Elizabeth Austin Playground.
Positioning a community for long-term success is a planning effort that requires vision into the past, present, and future. Development around community goals often takes shape in the comprehensive planning process, but today this ever-evolving discipline faces increasingly complex challenges.
From the air to water and soil, the impacts of climate change are putting environmental factors at the forefront of long-range planning with the overarching need to create community resilience. As science and extreme weather events continue to paint a clearer picture of the specific hazards facing communities across different geographies, accounting for these variables becomes an increasingly essential element of the comprehensive planning process. In fact, for many planners today it’s not only essential, but mandatory. A growing number of states now have legislation in place – as well as significant sources of funding – that requires the inclusion of measures to address climate change in long-range plans.
In this piece, we’ll discuss how the comprehensive planning process is evolving to emphasize interconnected systems of resilience. From climate co-benefits centered on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, to improving socio-economic standing of residents, these emerging efforts are becoming a vital component to the future well-being of our communities.
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What is Comprehensive Planning?
Comprehensive planning is the process of creating documentation that guides decision-making around a variety of topics (i.e. land use, transportation, parks, housing, environment, employment etc.) for the direction of communities years into the future.
Communities often sharpen the focus of their overall vision through subarea plans aimed at covering specific parts of a city. These mini-comprehensive plans focus on the unique goals of a particular district, neighborhood, corridor, or other more targeted area of the broader community.
The Comprehensive Planning Co-Benefits Landscape
While impacts vary from one region to another, the fact of the matter is, no community is unaffected by climate. From flooding in coastal areas to extreme weather events on the mainland, growing trends with the environment have confirmed the importance of limiting human contribution to those changes while also making communities more resilient against their effects. It’s through this lens of resilience planning that co-benefits between different interconnected systems are found to maximize social, economic, and environmental factors collectively.
Resilience Planning Terminology
Types of Community Assets
Reference: Washington Department of Commerce
At the heart of resilience planning is the recognition of community assets – both tangible and intangible – and how they relate to potential hazards. The co-benefits of this process often are found in goals such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions or restoring watersheds, all to benefit the common needs of humans and habitats alike.
Environmental Systems of Resilience
At this point, any approach toward sustainability and resilience in development relies on an understanding of the connection between systems in the built environment and natural environment. Efforts to mitigate impact or restore natural systems are planned to include co-benefits to communities, including through green stormwater infrastructure.
Implementation projects that result from the comprehensive planning process can go a long way toward ensuring better preserved natural systems lead to more resilient communities.
Mitigating Impacts to Water, Air, and Soil
Many of the most vital elements found in nature are equally vital to our communities. From direct impacts like mitigating floods and wildfires to passive ones such as water and air quality, the co-benefits of resilience connect our communities to their broader ecosystems to reduce risk and enhance public health.
In many areas of the United States, one of the most pressing hazards is wildfire. Considering physical loss to impacts on insurability and other economic effects, their toll on a community can be swift, widespread, and long lasting. What’s more is these events can cause a domino effect of natural disasters.
The scorched land and destroyed vegetation left behind by a wildfire will often lead to erosion of soil and increased runoff from stormwater. Excess water and sediment can have extreme impacts on water quality, transportation infrastructure (culverts, bridges etc.), and other community assets for years after a fire has been put out.
While strides have been made in fighting wildfires, the best approach remains in resilience planning designed to limit their impact before they start in the first place. Methods like identifying watersheds that are at risk and encouraging their preservation and restoration puts communities in a better position to avoid the variety of ways wildfire leads to loss.
Flooding and Sedimentation
Similar to the relationship between wildfires and watersheds, the role of healthy vegetation can play a large role in a community’s water quality and flooding. As a stormwater measure, native planting can have the added utility of accounting for added impervious surfaces, providing natural bioretention.
By limiting erosion through healthy root systems, native plantings are an essential element of any shoreline. In other types of environments, preserving soil also reduces the potential for debris flow or rock/mud slides that can cause a high amount of damage to property and loss of life.
Healthy habitats that include native plantings are also commonly used in planning efforts for parks and community spaces. Native plants are healthy food sources for local wildlife and because they’re adapted to the surrounding climate, they often require less water and maintenance, conserving an area’s resources efficiently. They also add to the culture, education, and development of public spaces by encouraging a community to learn about and embrace the natural heritage of their region
Housing, Transportation, and Energy Systems of Resilience
Just as environmental factors impact community infrastructure, the reverse is also true. It’s no secret that transportation contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and that development can negatively impact ecosystems. It’s also important to recognize that disparities in impacted communities exist and planning around environmental justice is an opportunity to increase social justice.
When looking at issues individually, it can be difficult to find satisfying solutions, but when problems are viewed wholistically through the lens of resilience, the ability to influence positive outcomes becomes clearer.
Green House Gas (GHG) Emissions Reduction
A primary factor in resilience planning is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The focus on reducing vehicle miles driven and setting reduction targets is central to much of the regulation in Oregon and Washington state.
Planning that emphasizes transit-oriented development and active transportation not only works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also can lead to more vibrant, healthier communities. A comprehensive plan can also include a look at industrial processes or emissions that come from city operations in order to lower an area’s carbon footprint.
Housing Density and Affordability
Across the country, many urban areas face challenges associated with affordable housing. With obvious economic implications, the ability to increase not only the supply but the density of housing is an effort to improve community resilience as well as upward mobility.
Within the comprehensive planning process, updates that allow for higher density housing or more flexible housing types can be made to the city code. Middle housing, or the in-between housing of detached single family and large multifamily complexes, is one avenue for flexible housing that maintains the character of a neighborhood. Ultimately, the goal for planners is to give people affordable housing options for the different stages of life that exist in any given community for the benefit of all.
Continuity in Operations and Utilities
In many areas of the country, communities are now familiar with “flex events” or “rolling blackouts” aimed at reducing energy consumption when there is high demand being met by strained energy infrastructure. As shifts in climate produce more frequent extreme temperatures–both hot and cold–planning efforts should consider how to make this process more efficient for communities while also considering improvements to energy grids that are more adaptable to these changing conditions.
Creating Stronger Communities through the Comprehensive Planning Process
In the context of comprehensive planning, resilience planning adds an additional layer of foresight focused on the interconnected systems of community, climate, and the natural environment. To truly prepare communities for a wide range of possible outcomes, resilience planning requires planners and stakeholders to not only consider current conditions and future growth, but also to anticipate and plan for a range of possible scenarios exacerbated by climate change and environmental degradation.
To encourage – and in some cases, mandate – this proactive approach, states such as Washington, Colorado, and Oregon have incorporated new planning requirements for local governments to address climate through comprehensive plans. At the same time, it has also opened the door to related grant funding and technical assistance for community leaders to implement impactful initiatives by injecting resilience into each step of the comprehensive planning process.
Understanding Risks and Opportunities Through Meaningful Community Engagement
Community engagement and collaboration is an essential component of any planning process and takes on added importance when preparing for climate change and impacts to vulnerable communities. The process should bring in all voices of a community, particularly underserved ones and those that are most vulnerable to shocks and stressors. By involving a variety of groups, including tribal consultation, a more complete view of relevant factors is brought to the table while building consensus around goals.
An existing conditions analysis, including collecting data, understanding a wide range of community experiences, and identifying resources and assets available to mitigate impacts is a vital part of engaging the community toward a meaningful direction. A variety of engagement opportunities, from a booth at a popular event to interactive virtual open houses can provide a forum for gathering this information and beginning the public engagement process.
As planners work with elected officials and planning commissions to begin applying direction to specific projects and policy, findings from community engagement continue to help confirm and refine goals. Communication of community priorities gathered through public engagement is vital to creating this roadmap for future success.
An outdoor community engagement event in Vancouver, WA.
Plans for Austin Park Playground displayed for the community.
A planning session with community stakeholders in Vancouver, WA.
Meeting with community leadership in developing plans in Vancouver, WA.
Assessing Current Conditions, Hazards, and Community Assets
Mapping existing conditions (zoning, environmental conditions, population, traffic, property market, job market etc.) and community assets can reveal connections between individual factors, as well as larger systems in the area.
Examining these assets includes not only physical infrastructure but also social capital, cultural resources, and natural ecosystems. This includes identifying hazards (also known as shocks and stressors), such as hurricanes or wildfires, as well as chronic stressors like sea-level rise or economic inequality.
Shocks: Generally short-duration, rapid-onset or acute events that cause a disruption to normal life. (i.e. hurricane, wildfire, earthquake, flood etc.)
Stressors: Chronic, slow-onset or longer-term conditions that weaken a community over time and can impact community functions and well-being. (i.e. affordable housing, loss of habitat, air quality etc.)
“Futures” as a Plural in Outlining Desired Conditions
The comprehensive planning process often answers, “where do you want to be in 20 years, and how do you get there?” To develop strategies to adapt and thrive in the face of uncertainty involves envisioning future scenarios and understanding potential outcomes in more vivid detail than might be illustrated by a simple trendline or series of “high, medium, and low” projections.
Because future conditions are largely based on assumptions with certain metrics, there are a couple different ways to approach scenario development. Often, planning process participants are asked to choose between a variety of predetermined options for projects. An alternative to this approach involves preparing for several different pathways for development in order to respond to how future conditions evolve in reality, rather than a single expected outcome. This adaptable approach is especially important for resilience planning when considering factors such as how water levels might rise or where certain economic indicators will trend.
Whether it’s through innovative land use planning, investment in green infrastructure, or promoting sustainable transportation options, creating a roadmap for a more resilient future requires consideration of a range of interconnected community systems. Through the planning process, these systems and are aligned with a breadth of possible outcomes to design flexible, adaptive policies that are resilient to changing conditions.
Environmental Systems: Preserving ecosystems and natural resources to benefit community health.
Community and Social Systems: Supporting strong group structures and equitable government and social services.
Infrastructure Systems: Planning the built environment alongside natural systems to improve community functions.
Economic Systems: Improving access to opportunity and financial security.
Housing Systems: Developing access to shelter and strong surrounding community.
Developing Policy and Mapping Outcomes
Eventually, turning a planning vision into reality requires action. Implementing a comprehensive plan and co-benefits involves a mix of policy changes, infrastructure investments, and continued community engagement efforts.
At this stage, plans need to be double checked against state mandates, such as Washington’s Growth Management Act, while also translating overarching regulation to local jurisdictions. Those outcomes can then be adopted in the form of law by city councils or county commissions and funding options that will turn those plans into a reality can be explored.
Example State Legislation
Growth Management Act (Washington)
The resilience sub-element must include goals and polices to improve climate preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. This is mandatory for all counties and cities fully planning under the GMA and encouraged for others. As part of this, the greenhouse gas emissions sub-element requires goals and policies to reduce emissions and vehicle miles traveled.
Climate-Friendly and Equitable Communities (Oregon)
Intended to incentivize the adoption of transformational practices, programs, and policies that support sustainable development patterns and affordable housing into the future. This program will help communities align policies and regulations to focus on resilience around primarily housing and transportation.
Fortunately, there is growing support and funding available for resilience projects, with grants and other resources becoming increasingly accessible to communities committed to building a more resilient future. By aligning with state mandates and leveraging available resources, communities can turn their resilience plans into actionable projects that make a tangible difference in people’s lives.
Putting it All Together: A Multidisciplinary Planning Approach
In an era of unprecedented challenges, resilience planning offers a path forward for communities seeking to build a more sustainable, equitable, and adaptive future. Collaborative by nature, this effort benefits from the expertise of a number of practices focused on building improved communities.
By integrating resilience principles into the comprehensive planning process, communities can better prepare for and respond to the complex threats of the 21st century, ensuring a safer, more prosperous future for generations to come.
In a presentation at the 2025 Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA) Conference, Mandi Roberts, Director of Planning and Landscape Architecture of Otak and an instructor at the University of Idaho presented the “Vandal Healing Garden and Memorial”—a project designed and built by students at the University of Idaho College of Art and Architecture for the campus in Moscow. The submission was co-authored with Dr. Raffaella Sini, Ph.D and Roberto Capecci from the Landscape Architecture Department in the College.
Propelled by the tragic deaths of four UI students in fall of 2022, and with the intent of creating an immersive space on campus that honors all students lost over time, the Vandal Healing Garden and Memorial was completed in spring 2024 thanks to donor support.
In developing design solutions during the spring and fall of 2023, students and faculty conducted listening sessions with family members and friends of victims and facilitated a broader campus-wide/community-wide design charrette to maximize participatory practices with the idea that it would best serve the healing process. Through collaborative studio work, the students evaluated case studies, conducted research and completed site analyses, conceptual design alternatives, and interactive artwork among a variety of other project considerations. The collaboration included vertical landscape architecture studios and the Idaho Design Build Studio, led by Scott Lawrence, Associate Professor of Architecture at the College.
Traditionally, memorials tend to punctuate the landscape and range from statuary to spatially complex sculptural works, installations, or memorial ephemera. The Healing Garden and Memorial for University of Idaho puts forward the idea of creating memorials as immersive, healing spaces, and exploring the design process as a participatory healing process.
“Creating design solutions for this project included study of the evolving cultural and social practices of mourning, memory, and public feeling, and served as a testimony to how grief is mediated in contemporary commemorative cultures.”
– Dr. Raffaella Sini, Ph.D, Department Head for the Landscape Architecture Program, College of Art and Architecture, University of Idaho
“The design process itself became a healing process—collective healing facilitated through inclusive, community-driven methods. We were able to learn about what healing and memorializing means, find ways to honor and remember those we have lost, and collaborate to create a beautiful and graceful place for reflection and healing on campus.”
– Mandi Roberts, Director of Planning & Landscape Architecture at Otak, Inc. and Landscape Architecture Instructor at the University of Idaho
What is the CELA Annual Conference?
With representation from more than 100 institutions, CELA consists of individuals who have an interest in the preparation of landscape architects for global practice. Their stated purpose is “to further education in landscape architecture specifically related to teaching.”
This year’s conference, titled ‘Processes + Impacts’, focused specifically on critically examining the positive and negative impacts of landscape architecture work on people and environments.
A cornerstone of any growing community is its connectivity. Roadway engineering provides more than just conduits for cars; it forms the framework for mobility in a community that leverages a variety of modes of transportation.
A well-designed transportation network featuring different types of roadways can have widespread impact on economic development and individual wellness. This includes improvements that ensure all areas—especially underserved populations—have access to jobs, essential services, and amenities as well as healthier lifestyles through reductions in emissions and the promotion of active transportation. In this blog we discuss how roadway designs exist at the intersection of planning and transportation engineering to support the growth of healthier, more sustainable communities.
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What is Roadway Engineering and Its Importance?
Roadway engineering is the planning, design, and construction of transportation infrastructure that enhances existing roadways or establishes new connections within a community. The practice integrates technical expertise, urban planning, and environmental considerations to develop safe, efficient, and accessible transportation systems that serve both current and future needs.
The design process starts with an assessment of existing conditions, including topographic mapping, survey and GIS, to understand site constraints. From there, engineers develop roadway layouts that meet design and safety standards. The final design incorporates permitting requirements, cost considerations, and agency coordination to ensure a smooth transition from planning through construction. The end result is a completed roadway that enhances connection across a community.
Stormwater Infrastructure and Low Impact Development
An extremely common aspect of roadway engineering involves the inclusion of stormwater infrastructure considerations. While accounting for increased impervious surfaces and polluted runoff, stormwater features reduce flooding and improve water quality for a community.
With new development comes the potential for negative environmental impact, but proper analysis of natural resources can mitigate adverse effects. Existing culverts are notoriously inefficient and are also among the most common barriers to fish passage. Today, culverts are being replaced to protect aquatic habitat, reduce flooding, and preserve water rights for property owners.
An important piece of roadway engineering is consideration of how it facilitates more than just cars. Multimodal design gives communities options for how they get from point A to point B, all while reducing carbon emissions and promoting physical health through active transportation. Emphasizing pedestrian mobility features like pedestrian bridges, protected bike lanes, cross walks, and traffic stripping reduces traffic conflicts for all.
Safety is the top priority of any roadway project. With updated traffic signals and signage, drivers are more aware, creating a safer environment for themselves and pedestrians. As the design of a roadway considers number of lanes and width, control of speed can also be effectively managed.
A healthy transportation network is a diverse transportation network. As roadway projects increase in size, so do opportunities to incorporate multimodal features. This can include accommodating mass transit with new stations, specialized lanes, or connection to adjacent trail systems. All ultimately contribute to traffic calming, creating a more connected community.
From small neighborhood streets to large arterials, each roadway type must be designed with the specific needs of the community in mind. A critical aspect of any design is engaging with the public to ensure buy-in and minimize disruption. The larger the initiative, the more essential public outreach becomes, and each project presents its own unique impacts to the connectivity of the communities it serves.
Types of Roadways and Their Impact on Communities
Different types of roadways serve unique, though connected, purposes in a transportation network. Their design often begins with comprehensive planning efforts which help identify the transportation needs of a community. Potential projects can then be developed with the focus of serving both community and client goals.
Neighborhood Streets
Neighborhood streets are designed with a primary focus on safety and accessibility, often placing an emphasis on pedestrians, cyclists, and access to public transit. The more limited scope of neighborhood street projects makes cost-effective construction strategies vital to fit within local budgets.
With this localized focus on enhancing connectivity and accessibility, neighborhood streets also typically include ADA-compliant sidewalks and crosswalks while speed bumps or curb extensions are among traffic calming measures. This roadway type requires extra attention to minimizing impact on adjacent properties while maximizing the benefits to those who call the neighborhood home, including the public assets that often exist in the area.
Tualatin, OR Adds Safe Routes to School
Among some of the most important improvements that can be made to neighborhood streets are those that create a safer environment for children that play and travel in the area. For many parents at Tualatin Elementary, it was clear that updates to the neighborhood streets could make a real difference for the kids walking and biking to and from school.
As part of Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs, which provides grants for these types of improvements, work on 95th and Avery made a variety of upgrades to enhance pedestrian safety, particularly for the kids of Tualatin Elementary.
Multiple intersections were improved with high visibility striping in crosswalks, rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFB), and other features to create safer pedestrian crossings and reduce conflicts with vehicles. Deficient sidewalks and gaps were replaced to further enhance the pedestrian experience.
Mid-Size Collectors and Corridors
Mid-size collectors and corridors serve as vital connections between neighborhoods and larger roadways. This roadway type supports moderate traffic volumes and often incorporates improvements that enhance transportation operations and facilitate flow between developing areas.
Corridors generally aim to improve access to commercial areas, parks, and transit hubs in response to increasing traffic demand. As part of planning efforts, these improvements are sometimes made in anticipation of future development. The larger scope often involves coordination with utility companies and various agencies, as they can have a substantial impact on not only the community but the surrounding environment.
Silverdale, WA Sees Reduced Congestion and an Enhanced Waterfront
The community of Silverdale had long looked to improve on poor waterfront access. Where the Clear Creek Estuary crosses under Bucklin Hill Road and meets Dyes Inlet, high traffic was common which was especially problematic considering its semi-rural setting. Altogether, the area represented a missed opportunity to create an appealing place for recreation, community connections, and growth for local businesses.
Improvements to Bucklin Hill Road and Bridge changed that. Two additional travel lanes eliminated congestion while new bike lanes and facilities were added where there had been none. Widened sidewalks and new trail connections added to new active transportation opportunities for the community. Extensive public outreach, including the “Scout Your Route” campaign to keep the public informed of closures, minimized disruption while reducing construction duration. These improvements had a direct, broad impact on all community members, including residents at senior living facilities in the area that now benefit from greater accessibility to their local businesses.
Large Arterials and Highways
Large arterials and highways are critical for regional mobility, commerce, and overarching economic development. Linking rural and urban areas, these roadways provide communities of all sizes access to important resources like employment and healthcare in metropolitan centers, while supporting the social and cultural networks between different areas. The scale of large highway upgrades can lead to wider improvements to transit-oriented development that diversify modes of transportation and maximize project value.
These roadways often present unique engineering challenges and draw from multiple funding sources, requiring close coordination with agencies to ensure regulatory compliance. As long-term, high-visibility projects, managing timelines and minimizing construction impacts is essential to minimizing disruptions that, at this scale, can be especially costly. This includes effectively communicating project updates with the surrounding community through informational websites, local representatives, and other channels to provide clarity and achieve buy-in.
Salem, OR Supports Rapid Growth and Underserved Areas
In a historically underserved area of Salem, Oregon, where 36% of parcels are underutilized, the McGilchrist Complete Street Project is designed to enhance business development, job creation, and multimodal transportation options for members of the community. It’s part of a 20-year vision for economic growth as well as transportation safety and environmental sustainability.
Considering the large and lasting impact of this work on the community, it was imperative to include them. Extensive stakeholder engagement went above and beyond, working directly with property owners, businesses, and local agencies to ensure the project addressed real community needs. These efforts led to the incorporation of refinements such as the protected cycle track and intersection realignments.
Based on feedback from public outreach, 74% of the corridor features protected bike lanes and new sidewalks. The design aims to significantly improve pedestrian accessibility while minimizing pedestrian-vehicle conflicts, resulting in fewer severe crashes and lives lost. The inclusion of $15 million of stormwater infrastructure upgrades also means this work plays a critical role in not only reducing future flooding for the community but improving habitat for fish.
Making the Complete Connection
Roadways are essential to creating vibrant, connected, and equitable communities. Because of their widespread impact, roadway projects of any size involve a diverse set of considerations to ensure that impact is comprehensive and long lasting. Through thoughtful planning, collaboration, and public engagement, Otak’s multidisciplinary teams take a cohesive approach to designing more connected communities that address current and future needs.
With many disciplines working together on a variety of projects, perhaps the best way to get a feel for a firm’s impact is simply, a coffee with… the people doing the work.
This video series features experts sharing insights gained during their time in the AEC industry, with an emphasis on the importance of collaboration to meeting a common goal of creating better communities.
In this edition of ‘a coffee with…’, we learn from a landscape architect and a senior designer within architecture about the importance of designing and placemaking for people’s lives. Find out in the video and its transcript below:
Improving People’s Lives through Impactful Design
I think we’re changing lives, making them better.
One of the things that I love to see is when I go to one of these places that I’ve designed and there’s a family out there or kids swinging on the swing set. You’re seeing this idea you had in your brain come to fruition and being enjoyed by the community… it’s one of the best things.
My name is Chris Maykut. I’m a senior designer here at Otak working on the architecture team and I’ve been here for five years.
I’m Gabriel Kruse, I’m a landscape architect. I’ve been with Otak for almost nine years.
What is the Importance of Collaboration between Disciplines on Projects?
I really do believe this that there’s, you know, there’s no “I” in team… that collaboration is very key to a successful project.
He’s in landscape, I’m in architecture, I’ve got the built form, he’s got the natural form, but we also kind of come together and there’s this blended area.
So, I think we both have a job of imagining, creating, and developing places for people to inhabit. And I think that’s, you know, really important, and I think collaboration makes that a much stronger end result.
We meet, like, what’s it at 5 feet outside, 5 feet outside the building? Yeah.
But you know I think on the bigger projects we have multiple buildings… we create the space in between the buildings together.
I think for me as a landscape architect and working with Chris and architecture, we’re trying to make really great places for people to live. Going home to a great piece of architecture, going through that landscape experience, also just having all those all those pieces working together in harmony is a real goal of ours.
How Does a Multidisciplinary Environment Create Unique Opportunities to Work Together?
I think of Otak as a family, it’s kind of corny. But I have one project that the landscape consultant is outside of Otak, and another project where the landscape is Gabe or someone else on this team… I can coordinate and communicate with in in both situations quite well. But I feel just the family atmosphere of Otak, I feel like I can be more open and more responsive in communicating back and forth.
We both use a 3D modeling software and we’re both pretty good at using that software. So, we can exchange models together and say what do you think of this?
You know, he’s got this big building model and a lot of things going on in there.
And then I’ll take a piece of it and say, ‘hey, give me that model,’ and I’ll take it and then I’ll put my landscape design in there and I’ll send it back to him… drop that in there see what you think and then Chris [and I] we’ll just kind of work together back and forth that way massage it back and forth, massage it back and forth.
Not everyone designs that way, but I think Chris and I both have that. We’ll use that 3D modelling as a tool, as a design tool, not just a presentation tool. I think that, yeah, that is one way I think we really work together well.
What is Most Exciting about Working in the Design Industry?
Making someone feel like they have a home and it’s just not a place that they’re sleeping at. They’re having birthday parties. They’re, you know, sharing fun times with friends and family.
And, you know… we’re helping them create memories for their lives here at Otak.
We do a lot of multifamily and specifically affordable right now. I really enjoy that as opposed to doing, you know, high end condos in downtown Portland. There’s more meaning to it and… that gets me excited to come into work everyday.
Designing a park, then going to see it afterwards and seeing people use it; enjoy it; and then talking to the neighborhood and [seeing] just how much people appreciate open space… It’s a really important part of neighborhood design and community design.
There are a lot of when that’s where, you know, all the kids spend a lot of their time and that’s what I really look forward to.
Working with a visionary developer, Skip Grodahl, The Fields Apartments is designed as a 264-unit affordable multifamily development with 100,000 square feet of office space in Tigard, Oregon. The ground-breaking project makes housing affordable to those earning 60 percent of median family income. In leading the design, Otak provided survey, civil engineering, architecture, land use planning, and landscape architecture services for this ground-breaking project.
Overcoming Site Challenges for a Ground-Breaking Affordable Housing Design
Working with a visionary developer, Skip Grodahl, Otak designed a 264-unit affordable multifamily development with 100,000 square feet of office space in Tigard, Oregon. The site was challenging to develop because of its substantial slope, access constraints, and the desire to protect a substantial stand of trees on the site. The project team worked closely with City staff and nearby residents to design a project that met the City’s economic development goals, connectivity requirements, and the neighbors’ desires, while providing attractive and well-located housing and office space. The 24-acre site will include five apartment buildings, a clubhouse with a green roof, and up to 100,000 of commercial office space. This type of integrated affordable housing keeps our communities vital and accessible to people at all stages of life.
To enhance the visitor experience and create future stewards of Yellowstone National Park, this much-needed restoration made improvements to the deteriorating north and south rim trails and overlooks, which wrap the Canyon Rim from Inspiration Point to Artist Point.
Restoring Historic National Park Features and Enhancing Visitor Experiences
The multi-phase project included design of a new trail system and overlooks as well as the rehabilitation of historic elements at Inspiration Point. In enhancing the Canyon Rim Trail system, the design also created new trails, overlooks, and parking improvements at the Brink of the Upper Falls and Uncle Tom’s Point. The design materials and features reflect the rustic design style synonymous with Yellowstone National Park. Design solutions include re-routing trails away from dangerous areas and installing stone and boulder barriers; connecting historic overlooks with new walkways; creating safe, accessible viewing areas with new wayfinding and informational signage; constructing new visitor pavilions and kiosks with peeled logs and stone masonry columns; and using natural materials to integrate the infrastructure into the spires and canyon cliffs.
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Graphic showing the playground concept and features that make up the design theme for Elizabeth Austin Playground.
