Featured Projects

Research & Studies

Project Websites

Featured Projects

Puerto Suello Path

The six-block corridor through Downtown San Rafael, California connects two major pathways, and required a solution that worked in a dense built environment with numerous traffic, roadway, and other constraints.

Vancouver (WA) Bicycle and Pedestrian Elements, Transportation System Plan

Alta developed the bicycle and pedestrian elements in one of the most rapidly expanding communities in the Northwest.

Wilsonville (OR) Bicycle, Pedestrian and Trail Plan

Based on suggestions and responses from a recent Wilsonville survey in which over 90% of residents indicated a desire for more walkways and bikeways, Alta is looking at options for crossing and more actively enjoying the Willamette River.

Dubai Pedestrian Safety and Mobility Plan

Alta is leading an international team to develop a Pedestrian Safety and Mobility Action Plan. Dubai's rapid growth in recent years has resulted in significant traffic increases and rising pedestrian road deaths.

Dubai (UAE) Bicycle Master Plan

Dubai and the United States. Dubai is a rapidly growing tourist and commercial center, expected to grow from 1.5 million to 5 million residents by 2020. Alta was tasked with developing bicycle facilities to serve workers and visitors, along with a support network for the Metro transit system.

Santa Barbara (CA) Pedestrian Master Plan

The Pedestrian Master Plan seeks to bring the rest of the city up to the standards set in downtown, via intersection improvements, sidewalk completion, ADA compliance, landscaping and connectivity.

Florence (OR) U.S. 101 Pedestrian Safety Study

Alta, working with CH2M Hill, ODOT and the City of Florence, completed a three-stage pedestrian safety analysis of U.S. 101 and prepared a study that examined specific areas for safety improvements.

City of Berkeley (CA) Pedestrian Master Plan

The challenge of this project was producing recommendations that accurately target areas of need.

Coastal Towns (OR) Downtown Transportation Plans

Alta focused on improving the bicycling and walking conditions in Bay City, Manzanita, Rockaway Beach and Nehalem while fellow consulting firm CH2M Hill addressed concerns about vehicular mobility and safety.

TriMet Pedestrian Safety Project, Portland (OR)

The primary goal of the Pedestrian Connection Analysis Project (PCAP) was to develop comparative ranking criteria to determine the most needed intersection improvements adjacent to bus stops.

Dundee (OR) Refinement Plan

The local businesses and residents of Dundee asked Alta to lead development of a Downtown Core Area Land-Use and Main Street Enhancement Plan, in conjunction with an ongoing transportation system plan process.

Grand Junction Corridor RWT Feasibility Study, Cambridge (MA)

This proposed trail would be approximately two miles long and would connect to existing bike paths along the Charles River in Boston and Cambridge and to another proposed rail-with-trail in Somerville.

Truckee (CA) Trails Master Plan and Program EIR

Alta completed trail development guidelines and a program EIR for a trail system that encompasses in excess of 100 miles of trails in the Truckee, California, area.

Clarion/Little Toby Rail-with-Trail Feasibility Study, Elk County (PA)

This project involved an interagency working group and non-profit trails organizations to resolve challenging issues related to maintaining both trail use and the railroad within a constrained corridor.

Rails-With-Trails: "Lessons Learned" Federal RWT study

After a two-year development process the study was submitted to the US Department of Transportation in 2002 and has since been cleared and finalized.

Technical Assistance and Research: San Francisco (CA) Shared Lane Marking Study

This report reflected several years of effort to address the need for a marking on streets without bicycle lanes.

Springwater Corridor, OR

The Springwater Corridor Willamette River extension is a 3-mile rail-with-trail that now provides a critical link from a dense neighborhood to downtown Portland, Oregon.

Tonquin Trail Feasibility Study (OR)

This study area spans a distance of approximately 16 miles, capitalizing and weaving together a network of existing open space, trails, planned developments, and neighborhood and community parks.

Cerrito Creek Bay Trail Connector Feasibility Study, Albany (CA)

The proposed pathway will connect two important shared-use trails in the East Bay - the popular Ohlone Greenway, paralleling the BART right-of-way, and the San Francisco Bay Trail.

Menlo Park Bicycle Development Plan and Negative Declaration

Plan recommendations include new Class II bike lanes to complete gaps in the network of major streets, as well as a network of new neighborhood Class III routes on low-traffic residential streets connecting schools, parks, downtown, and major recreational areas such as the Bay Trail.

Environmental Impact Report for the Truckee Trails & Bikeways Master Plan

Alta completed trail development guidelines and a program EIR for a trail system that encompasses in excess of 100 miles of trails in the Truckee (CA) area.

North Clackamas Community Park, Clackamas (OR)

Alta worked with the community stakeholders through public meetings, mailings, and use of a website to develop a conceptual plan for the north side of the park including a playground, picnic areas and an ash-oak woodland.

Kaiser Woods Park Phase II, Washington County (OR)

Alta Planning + Design provided full landscape architectural services for this project, which included site reconnaissance work, design development drawings, construction documents, specifications, cost estimates, bidding assistance, and construction observation for six tracts of land surrounding the Arborwood neighborhood.

Amargosa Creek Trail and Trailhead, Lancaster (CA)

Plants and construction materials were selected to harmonize with the surrounding Mojave Desert environment. Improvements included site furnishings, a restroom building, signage, drip irrigation system, paving, grading and drainage plans, and a parallel decomposed granite trail.

Clark County Wetlands Park, Las Vegas (NV)

This project includes approximately 64 total miles of trails ranging from multi-use bike trails, mountain bike trails, equestrian trails, viewpoints, interpretive program development and restoration landscaping.

Stafford Basin Multi-Use Pathway, Lake Oswego (OR)

The trail passes through a rapidly developing region of the Portland metropolitan region, however, the dominate character of the trail setting is rural agricultural due in large part to the Three Rivers Land Conservancy's efforts to acquire and preserve large farm sites where the trail is located.

Sunset Park, Corvallis (OR)

Sunset Park plans and construction documents include a series of park improvements and wetland and riparian enhancements that serve the residents of this growing southwest Corvallis neighborhood.

Coastal Rail Trail Design Project, San Diego County (CA)

Alta provided design review, safety, liability, easement, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) permitting, intersection design, trailhead design, and other services on this pathway project located next to the high-speed Coaster Rail Line.

Trolley Trail, Clackamas County, OR

Alta was responsible for assessing the existing conditions, analyzing the opportunities and constraints, managing public involvement, and developing trail alignments and designs for the Trolley Trail.

Coastal Rail Trail, CA

The trail will serve both commuters and recreational traffic with destinations such as new commuter train stations, local employers and schools, and the beaches and parks.

Solano Bikeway, Solano, CA

The Solano Bikeway is a primary connector in the countywide bikeway system, as well as a regionally significant connector in the Bay Trail system, the Bay Area Ridge Trail, and the State Recreational Trails Plan.

Metro Non-SOV Mode Share Targets, Portland (OR)

The RTP includes policies and projects to expand travel choices throughout the region, and encourage transit, walking, bicycling, and carpooling.

TCRP Bicycle-Transit Integration

his involved a survey of transit providers and an analysis of information provided, along with case studies of specific transit-bicycle improvements.

Trails & Golf Courses: Best Practices on Design and Management

The purpose of this document is to highlight innovative techniques used to successfully integrate trails with golf courses throughout North America using a combination of case studies and a checklist of best practices for design and security concerns in implementation.

Neighbors on the Go! (Forum/Chapel Hill) Columbia, MO

The Neighbors on the Go program has delivered customized bicycling and walking materials to over 600 households in Columbia, MO and provided engaging events.

Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program

In 2005, Congress approved the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program to provide $25 million each to four selected communities in order to determine how investments in walking and biking can increase the number of people who walk and bike.

Way to Go Sausalito

The Way to Go program is part of the Marin County Walk Bike Marin (Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program) effort, a $25 million demonstration program funded by Congress.

Columbus Ohio Bicycle Master Plan

Alta Planning + Design led a major bicycle master plan effort for the City of Columbus, in coordination with MORPC and Burgenss & Niple.

Ada County Bicycle Master Plan

Imbler (OR) Downtown Plan

In 2007, with the assistance of ODOT, Imbler began to seek economic expansion through an aesthetically enhanced downtown and pedestrian friendly design. Alta collaborated with CH2M Hill, Angelo Planning and members of the community to develop a vision and alternative options for Imbler’s future.

Vernonia Bike Skills Park

Located in a proposed municipal park that used to contain the world's largest covered lumber mill, the Vernonia Bike Skills Park emphasizes progression and a family-friendly environment.

North Indian River County Greenways Plan

Important elements include connections to the East Coast Greenway, the Florida Water Trail, Florida Central Rail Trail, the Wabasso Jungle Trail and Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge, the historic first wildlife refuge established in the U.S. system.

San Diego Regional Bicycle Plan

The SANDAG plan aims to assist local jurisdictions in their efforts to improve and encourage bicycling and will advance the development of a unified bicycle system throughout the San Diego region that serves the needs of all bicycle riders.

Altamont (NY) Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan

Maintaining existing linkages between neighborhoods and community amenities such as parks, gardens, and village scale shopping, and expanding on such linkages, has been and continues to be an area of emphasis in the Altamont community.

National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project

One of the greatest challenges facing the bicycle and pedestrian field is the lack of documentation on usage and demand. Without accurate and consistent demand and usage figures, it is difficult to measure the positive benefits of investments in these modes, especially when compared to the other transportation modes such as the private automobile. An answer to this need for data is the National Bicycle & Pedestrian Documentation Program

Oregon Bicycling Economic Study Update

Alta is leading an update to Portland's 2006 Growth in Bicycle-Related Businesses study. "Our exponential growth in ridership over the last two years is creating larger markets for bicycle products and services," says Alta Principal Mia Birk. "I can’t wait to announce the results."

Wissahickon Park Trail Reconstruction

The Wissahickong Valley Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is one of the nation's largest urban singletrack trail systems. In an effort to reduce the massive backlog of trail maintenance and reduce erosion, Friends of the Wissahickon undertook a multi-year trail reconstruction effort and retained Alta to provide construction management services.

Mt Shasta Bike Ped Trail MP

Alta prepared a Bicycle Transportation Account (BTA) – compliant master plan with pedestrian and trail elements for the city of Mount Shasta, CA. Some key issues included the public input process, liability concerns, maintenance costs and accommodation of snow removal in this year-round recreational destination.

caltrans seamless study

The Caltrans funded Seamless Travel Study measures pedestrian and bicycling activity in the San Diego Region.

Pacific Crest Trail

The project objective was to provide an inventory and overview of the parcels that need acquisition to establish the trail and protect the experience of trail users on this legendary 2,650 mile scenic trail from Mexico to Canada..

Santa Clarita SR2S

Alta will bring exciting contests, biking and walking safety classes, and increased enforcement to schools around the City of Santa Clarita for their Safe Routes to School program

One of the focuses of the plan was to analyze whether the City's current bikeway system, planned primarily on arterial streets, should be moved to collector streets in order to attract a broader array of potential users.

Portland BMP Update

In 2006, the City turned to Alta to help update the Bicycle Master Plan. The goal was to reach Platinum designation by the League of American Bicyclists.

Mojave Riverwalk Trail

This proposed 9-mile trail will follow the Mojave River, passing along areas rich in cultural and natural history. It provides an alternative transportation link between downtown Victorville and Victor Valley College.

Naugatuck River Greenway

Alta was selected to lead the planning effort for a 22-mile corridor along the Naugatuck River in Western Connecticut involving community outreach in five towns and cities.

Portsmouth Safe Routes to School

Alta has teamed up with Richardson and Associates landscape architects and TND Engineering to develop an innovative Safe Routes to School plan.

Charles River Basin

This effort will include recommendations for new trails and improved open spaces along the eight-mile stretch of the Charles River Basin in addition to enhanced pedestrian and bike connections to ten bridges.

Easley (SC) Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan

With concern over increased fuel costs, safety walking and biking around town, and a growing retirement population, Easley residents are seeking new options for transportation.

Georgia Safe Routes to School

Advising the infrastructure and engineering implementation element, focussing on developing, assessing, and designing Safe Routes projects at school sites statewide.

Research Triangle Park (NC) Travel Encouragement

The goal of these programs is to reduce drive-alone trips and increase trips by transit, bicycle, walking, and carpooling for 3000 employees and 1000 households.

San Francisco State of Cycling Report

This is an important report detailing current bicycle ridership information in the City and will be a useful and interesting document for visioning and planning purposes.

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