In addressing the City of Camas immediate needs while providing new piping for future demands, a new pedestrian bridge over the Washougal River was designed to connect a regional trail system and carry a new water main. Otak was chosen to manage a full-service design team addressing water and utility design. That team included civil engineering, trail and landscape architecture, environmental analysis and permitting, structural and geotechnical engineering and archaeological investigation.
A Structure to Connect a Trail System and Carry Utility Infrastructure
Working in an area with archaeologically sensitive sites and important fish habitat would pose a challenge to any single project, yet the City of Camas sought three concurrent projects in just such a space: nearly two miles of a regional trail system, a new 24-inch water transmission main and a new bridge to carry water and sewer over the Washougal River. The full-service design process assessed the site to determine the ideal bridge type while limiting impact to the environment and avoiding disruptions to any culturally-sensitive resources. This effort included river hydraulic analysis and scour design as well as the geotechnical engineering and archaeological investigation. In meeting the active transportation goals of the trail system, landscape architects focused on reviewing trail alignment options, in-field direction of vegetation clearing along the preferred trail route, and construction drawings and specifications.
Gray’s Landing is the first affordable housing project in Portland’s South Waterfront District. Otak provided civil engineering and landscape architectural design for a 44,682-square-foot mixed-use development that includes residences, underground parking, and retail/office space with a courtyard. Portlanders understand how important it is to remain cheerful during the long wet season, so our design team found playful ways to engage the rain.
Sustainable Design Meets Affordable Housing Goals
Designed with sustainability in mind, both the courtyard and pedestrian areas consist of surfaces that are largely pervious—sand-set pavers, decking, metal grates, flow-through planters, and landscaping. Stormwater runoff from the rooftop is conveyed through a series of playful in-wall and overhead weirs that distribute the rainwater into the courtyard flow-through planters, eventually dropping the treated water into an artistic stormwater feature at grade level. Portland’s significant investment in the project, valued at $28 million, is solid proof of the community’s commitment to providing affordable homes for our lowest-income neighbors. Forty-two of the 209 apartments are targeted to veterans, especially those who have experienced chronic homelessness. The project earned LEED Platinum certification.
For years, the superblock area of Vancouver stood silent as civic leaders waited for the right time and project to reinvigorate the city’s core. Vancouvercenter was tasked with being that project, the transition both between a transit mall and urban park and between traditional commerce and 21st-Century activity. Coordinating the needs of the City and developers, Otak designed a four-building, mixed-use community that one reporter has called a catalyst for economic development in a city that long has awaited revival.
Otak was retained for the early design phases of work for this residential development in Hillsboro. The project will create a 215- to 265-unit residential building, the first of four planned for the site. The design encourages compatible uses with the area’s light rail transit, providing retail uses and townhome unit entries at the ground floor. Arranged as five levels of above-grade structured parking wrapped with five levels of wood framed construction, the building offers a variety of one- and two-bedroom units. The project is in development review as of December 2019.
15 West Apartments is a five-story, 120-unit residential building with a ground floor parking structure and live/work units on an irregularly shaped site. In an effort to expand housing in the area, the building is surrounded by a heavily trafficked vehicular couplet and limited pedestrian activity.
Adding Residential Availability to a Popular Urban Environment
With limited pedestrian activity, special attention was paid to building massing along the couplet streets, while pedestrian-oriented details were incorporate along the single pedestrian friendly street forming the triangle. At the main intersection, the ground floor contains live/work units, which provide desirable interaction with the urban environment.
A decade of stream flow and water quality data collected by the County was used to develop and calibrate hydrologic and water quality models of the 12-square mile Whipple Creek basin. Using future build-out assumptions and BMP effectiveness data, stormwater management options were modeled and developed to meet existing and designated uses.
Hydrologic and Water Quality Models for a Complete Stormwater Plan
A large-scale traffic redesign of the downtown core of Tillamook also adds a new connection for the community to enjoy pedestrian access to natural areas. Including the complete replacement of the Hoquarten Slough bridge and realignment of the couplet where the area’s main highways meet, the roadway design increases capacity and efficiency while reducing the threat of flooding.
Efficient Roadway Design and Construction
In partnership with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Quincy Engineering, this $25 million roadway design in downtown Tillamook makes significant improvements to both US101 and OR6. Along with the intersection between the two highways, reconstruction of the US101 bridge over Hoquarten Slough. Road redevelopment that daylighted storm drains and decreased run off, reduces potential flooding. The project also adds a new parklet and an extension of a pedestrian pathway across a reused rail bridge, connecting two natural areas on either side of Highway 6. Otak designed these improvements while managing construction through completion as part of the broader revitalization of downtown Tillamook.
After 100 years away, Salmon returned to the Hunter Point Road culvert following its rehabilitation along with the stream it facilitates. Thanks to the investment by Thurston County, Washington, including state grants, a deep ravine and large drop downstream of the Hunter Point Road Culvert to remove a barrier to fish passage.
A Complicated Stream Restoration Design for a Top-Priority Culvert Replacement Project
Thurston County received state grants for culvert replacements, and Hunter Point Road was their highest-priority fish passage project. The project involved a new bridge and complete stream reconstruction. Complications included high road embankments, a single access road (dead end), a stream confluence immediately upstream of the crossing, and the need to provide habitat function to the stream beneath the bridge structure. After consulting with the tribes and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the team elected to include large woody debris in a variety of configurations along with specific stream bed geometries and materials. During construction, the County fish salvage team relocated approximately 500 fish from the downstream reach, indicating the high potential of future use upstream of the project. Otak structural engineers designed an 80-foot-span bridge to replace the existing four-foot-diameter culvert. Shortly after construction was complete, spawning salmon returned, after almost a century-long absence. The project represents a historic moment, and a tribute to the funding agencies and Thurston County for funding this project and hiring Otak to bring it to fruition.
On a prime piece of 90-acre property overlooking the Columbia River, The Washington State Department of Transportation planned for an exclusive lifestyle community. The resulting Columbia Palisades Subdivision contains luxury residences, offices, parks and open space, a hotel, commercial buildings, and an open-air amphitheater.
A Public-Private Master Plan for Underused Lands While Maintaining Natural Resource Mitigation
Located on a historic rock quarry, the site has a 180-foot elevation change. At least 180,000 cubic yards of rocks and boulders were excavated to clear the way for 8,500 linear feet of roads, including a roundabout for efficient traffic flow. The complex stormwater design includes right-of-way catch basins, conveyance piping, and mechanical stormwater treatment and regional detention/discharge facilities. Close coordination with the City of Vancouver to create a subarea plan led to the Columbia Palisades Master Plan. Working with The Washington State Department of Natural Resources, planning included preparation of a quarry reclamation plan and natural resources mitigation plan. A successful public-private partnership, this important project is a prime example of redeveloping underused lands. Otak led various facets of master planning as well as land use permitting and infrastructure design in making this community a reality.
Passing through Duvall’s rural countryside and the forested communities along unincorporated King County, Woodinville-Duvall Road is an important arterial through the Puget Sound region’s eastside. However, it was not built for a packed morning commute. To meet the needs of the eastside’s growing communities, the City of Woodinville sought to add capacity for its increased traffic and growing population of pedestrians and bicyclists.
Adding Multimodal Capacity to a Growing Community
With an emphasis on safety and sustainability this traffic corridor was redesigned while with the City and nearby landowners to make the best use of the surrounding open space. New bicycle lanes and additional car lanes were added to the one-mile roadway, along with new signals and street lighting. Retaining walls and landscaping were designed to add to the walkability of the new pedestrian paths. A new storm drainage system was also installed to protect the area’s water quality, with stream crossings and environmental mitigation coordinated and approved by local, state, and federal regulatory agencies. In leading the transportation design, Otak specialists worked with the Woodinville community to reduce construction impacts, including folding the replacement of an existing water main into the project schedule and crafting temporary traffic control and hour requirements for local schools.
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