You know, I think the work I get to do is really a blast. We've got great clients and colleagues and everything we do contributes in a positive way to communities. It's really rewarding. I know how fortunate I am to have found one of those careers that make you happy to get up in the morning.
Steve Durrant, ASLA, is a principal and the senior landscape architect at Alta Planning + Design and Alta Bicycle Sharing in Seattle, Washington, USA, the national authority specializing in non-motorized transportation solutions. He is a registered landscape architect and planner with over 30 years experience helping communities become better places to live. His career has focused on urban non-motorized transportation, urban trails, waterfront redevelopment, open space planning, community revitalization, greenways and long range planning for National Parks. His recent work in Portland, Minneapolis, St Louis, Kansas City, Seattle, Dallas, Louisville and other cities includes planning and design for regional open space systems, non-motorized transportation corridors, light rail and streetcar transit, urban waterfront redevelopment and bicycle transportation programs and facilities. Mr. Durrant has contributed to projects internationally, including a repatriation plan for a portion of the Demilitarized Zone in Korea and scenic area planning in Taiwan. He brings a sensitivity to community values, the local environment, and vernacular design sensibilities. He is a certified League of American Bicyclists Cycling Instructor, and a member of the League’s Board of Directors. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of The Waterfront Center, an international non-profit that advocates public access and good design at the urban waterfront, and a board member of the Mississippi River Trail, a non-profit advocating the establishment of a 10 state, 3000+ mile bikeway from the headwaters to the gulf. He has been recognized by national and international organizations for his contributions to high quality design solutions for transit, waterfront regeneration, national parks, scenic and natural areas, greenways and trails. He speaks regularly at conferences, workshops and training sessions and lectures in the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation at Portland State University.
Recent Projects
- Seattle Streetcar, WA
Steve is leading the Alta team on the proposed First Hill streetcar alignments in Seattle. Alta reviewed existing conditions and analyzed the benefits and constraints of streetcar tracks along various routes. As streetcar alignments are refined, Alta is developing conceptual bicycle treatments and mitigation strategies for each corridor. - Great Rivers Greenway District Master Plan and Update, St. Louis, MO
This new park and open space district covers over 1200 square miles in three urban counties in the Saint Louis region, serving 2.5 million residents. The district master plan guides the activities of the $26 million per year program for acquisition and development. The plan’s guiding principles are to develop an interconnected open space infrastructure that stimulates economic revitalization of the region, builds social capital and improves stewardship of natural resources. - Lake Oswego to Portland Streetcar Alignment Alternatives and EIS
When the Willamette Shoreline Railroad was abandoned in 1988, the right-of-way was preserved by local governments for future transit use. Bicycle and pedestrian accommodations in this congested corridor and limited right-of-way became a key concern in the development and evaluation of alternatives. Alta prepared trail alignment alternatives that included tunneling, bridges, and elevated share-use pathway, as well as innovative improvements to roadways and trails. EIS tasks include authorship of the safety & security chapter and consultation with the team on pedestrian and bicycle accommodations. - Des Moines Bicycle Master Plan, IA
Iowa’s capital city is well served by an interconnected multi-use trail system reaching many sectors of the city and far into the countryside. This citywide plan will provide guidance for new policies, infrastructure improvements, funding mechanisms and encouragement programming to increase bicycling mode share. - Lake Oswego Streetcar Alignment Alternatives, Oregon
This alignment alternatives study identifies how non-motorized accommodations can be incorporated into a legally and physically constrained corridor. Role: Senior Landscape Architect, 2006-present. - Sunset Park, Corvallis, Oregon
This 20-acre park project re-examines the relationships between existing sports fields, a community garden, a regional trail segment, Dunawi Creek and associated wetlands on an extremely poorly drained floodplain site. Role: Project Manager, 2005. - Willamette River Plan – Lower Reach, Portland, Oregon
This 10-mile long study addresses public access to the waterfront, design guidelines and resource conservation in the city’s industrial port. Role: Principal in Charge, 2006-present. - Hiawatha LRT Trail, Minneapolis, Minnesota
The 17-mile Hiawatha LRT Trail in Minneapolis was built as part of the region’s first light rail line through the downtown business district and several urban neighborhoods. Trail improvements include safety barriers, planting, track and road crossings, signing and bridges. Role: Principal in Charge (URS). - Great Rivers Greenway District Master Plan, St. Louis, Missouri
This new park and open space district covers over 1200 square miles in three urban counties in the Saint Louis region, serving 2.5 million residents. The district master plan guides the activities of the $26 million-per-year program for acquisition and development. The plan’s guiding principals are to develop an interconnected open space infrastructure that stimulates economic revitalization of the region, builds social capital and improves stewardship of natural resources. Role: Co-author (URS), laureate landscape architect, 2003; Best Practices/peer review 2010 Update. - Cedar Lake Park and Trail, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Threading its way through a nature preserve, active rail line, and the congested heart of Minneapolis’ warehouse district. Project manager (FHWA, ASLA, CUE awards) landscape architect 1993 - present. - Above the Falls: Plan for the Mississippi River in Minneapolis
This master plan addresses the future of a major quadrant of the city of Minneapolis, including many miles of failing industrial riverfront. The plan will result in over 90 acres of new parks, 8 miles of parkway, 14 miles of trail, 2,000 new jobs, 2,400 households and more than $10 million per year in tax revenue. Waterfront Center Honor Award, Minnesota ASLA Honor Award, Minnesota APA Distinguished Planning Award, EDRA/Places Journal Place Planning Award. Role: Principal in Charge: Landscape architect, public engagement process, 1999.
