Okanogan Valley: Small Towns and Main Streets

Photo: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

West of the Columbia and Selkirk mountains and east of the Cascade mountain range lies Okanogan Valley Washington. The ecoregion is brimming with various biophysical features created by glaciation during the Pleistocene: hummocky moraines, drumlinoid features, terraces, esker complexes, and glacial lake deposits. The region is filled with cultural heritage as the valley is home to the Syilx, or the Okanagan people. 

The Okanogan Council of Governments/Regional Transportation Planning Organization (OCOG/ORTPO) has retained Otak, an interdisciplinary planning and design firm, to develop an action plan for main street-highways and nearby downtown settings in Okanogan County. The highways that transect 13 cities and towns include State Route (SR) 20, US 97, SR 215, SR 153 and SR 155 in North Central Washington. Several of these towns are well developed with several blocks and unique character-defining elements. The action plan will serve as a catalyst for developing main street-highway projects including pedestrian and bicycle enhancements to create complete streets, safety enhancements to improve school walk routes, other types of improvements. 

Within this studio, students will have the opportunity to contribute to a service learning project which activates previous student knowledge to contribute to the multimodal network within the Okanogan Valley.

The Okanogan Council of Governments/Regional Transportation Planning Organization (OCOG/ORTPO) has retained Otak, an interdisciplinary planning and design firm, to develop an action plan for main street-highways and nearby downtown settings in Okanogan County. The highways that transect cities and towns include State Route (SR) 20, US 97, SR 215, SR 153 and SR 155 in North Central Washington. The thirteen towns that are the focus of the project include:

• Winthrop
• Twisp
• Methow
• Pateros
• Brewster
• Okanogan
• Omak
• Riverside
• Tonasket
• Oroville
• Nespelem and Tribal Headquarters of the Colville Confederated Tribes
• Coulee Dam
• Elmer City

Many of these towns have historical, cultural, and socio-economic traits that have contributed to the function and aesthetics of the downtown core or setting. Several of these towns are well developed with several blocks and unique character-defining elements. A few are simply crossroads, where the highway passes through. The overall study and design assignment for Otak will assess the transportation and land use needs and opportunities of these towns and cities and generate potential concepts for improving safety, multi-modal access, walkability, functionality and the aesthetics of the corridor. The action plan will serve as a catalyst for developing main street-highway projects including pedestrian and bicycle enhancements to create complete streets, safety enhancements to improve school walk routes, other types of improvements, including but not limited to:

1.         Placemaking and creating vibrant, walkable, economically viable downtowns
2.         Historical and cultural interpretation and commemoration
3.         Uncovering, preserving, and enhancing aspects of history and culture in the contexts of these corridors
4.         Public spaces/pocket parks/parklets
5.         Trail connections and development (including possible trailheads)
6.         Festival streets/shared streets/event spaces
7.         Street trees, landscaping and streetscapes with furnishings and identity building features
8.         Appropriate plants and landscape materials for the region
9.         Appropriate materials (hardscape/paving), furnishings, street lights, etc. for the setting
10.         Settings, ideas, and concepts for public art
11.         Stormwater management features
12.         Wayfinding and gateway treatment

Also as part of the work, it is anticipated that the students may develop a framework of typologies for urban design and small town design treatments. Further discussion with the Department will flush out the approach here, but typologies could relate to the type and classification of streets, public spaces, streetscapes, etc.

Select Locations—Students may be assigned to a specific town/community or self-select areas of focus. A review of the creative process/design process and plan for the work assignments, including:

•   Goals/Guiding Principles (Refining those Developed Earlier)
•   Context (Site) Analysis
•   Opportunities and Challenges Analysis (or SWOT Analysis)
•   Design Concepts and Options
•  Schematic Design and Refinement (Depending on Studio Level this Could Advance into Design Development)
• Culminating Presentation

Context Analysis—for the selected locations, students will prepare a context analysis sheet that will include a map of the area, photographs keyed to specific locations, notes and observations from information collected in the field, aspects related to sun/shade, wind, and other influencing conditions, community demographics and socio-economic information, and natural and cultural resources within and near the location. If appropriate, Otak can present our GIS/GPS data collection results and the students can use these resources in their work.

Opportunities and Challenges Analysis—for the selected locations, students will prepare an opportunities and challenges sheet that will include a map with illustrations and graphics, tabular analyses that address opportunities and challenges of the study area (also could be framed as an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT).

Design Concepts and Typologies Development—Students will develop specific design concepts and explore a framework of typologies for small town downtown improvements and enhancements. Each will work within their assigned setting with support/guidance from the professor and Mandi Roberts, covering the design elements listed above (at the top of page 2) and development of a typologies framework.

Schematic Design and Refinement—Students will continue to advance, develop and refine their design concepts for their assigned setting. A specific list of desired content, graphics, and illustrations will be distributed. Suggested products: Plan View at 1’ = 20’ or 30’ scale, cross sections (2), perspective illustration (could be bird’s eye/axonometric or pedestrian scale view), and other supporting graphics and photos. The level of detail could advance into Design Development/Preliminary Design, depending on the studio level involved.

Evaluation Metrics—Students will develop evaluation metrics for classmates' projects based on peer-reviewed research OR from an accredited organization (i.e. USGBC)

Culminating Presentation—Students will develop either a presentation board or digital (PowerPoint) presentation that encompasses and presents the work elements above.

1.       Review existing conditions and conduct site analyses for each of the towns, which would include a field trip through the study area and the opportunity to document conditions through field notes, photography, and other methods (such as access to GIS layers and GPS collected data by Otak).
2.         Prepare a detailed context analysis and elements to be addressed, including solar/sun/shade orientation, climate and growing conditions, historical, cultural, and natural resources, and other elements.
3.       Gather and review data and information to inform design concepts and recommendations.
4.        Research best practices, case studies, and examples related to corridor and town historic, cultural, and aesthetic enhancements.
5.        Formulate goals and guiding principles based on community input on needs, interests, safety considerations and other factors; these goals would be achieved with implementation of project design concepts and recommendations.
6.      Identify elements of consistency and commonality to be addressed by the project, as well as elements of distinctiveness and differentiation within each town context.
7.       Complete an assessment of opportunities and challenges or strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for the project as a whole, as well as for each town.
8.        Identify placemaking and character enhancing opportunities for each town.
9.        Learn about and apply suitable selections of trees and streetscape planting and hardscape materials and furnishings (appropriate to climate and setting).
10.       Develop design concepts and ideas for the corridors in line with project goals, as well as those that address common elements and distinctive elements in each town.
11.        Refine designs and prepare illustrative plan view, cross sections, perspective renderings, and other illustrations and photographic examples to represent the refined design concepts and recommendations.
12. Presentation and communication skills related to how to present professional project work