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DESIGN FOR TRANSPORTATION NATIONAL AWARDS 2000 \A fllBI^H ysKiKaj*™! \ ^/^^^1 (A %^.^ _.^i U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Digitized by the Internet Archive 2013 in http://archive.org/details/designfortranspoOOunit OnbehalfoftheUnitedStatesDepartmentofTransportation,andpoisedatthebeginningof anewcenturyandnewmillennium,I amproudtoannouncethewinnersoftheTransportation DesignNationalAwardsProgram2000.Thisawardsprogramencouragesdesignexcellenceby recognizingoutstandingdesignsandhonoringthosewhocreatedthem. Webehevethatdesignexcellenceisoneofthemosteffectivemeansofachievinganefficient andeffectivetransportationnetwork.Byrecognizingexceptionaltransportationdesignwehope toencourageawarenessofthebenefitsofqualitydesign,highhghtnotableexamplesandstimulate developmentthatenhancesthequalityoflifeinournation. Theaward-winningprojectsillustratedheredemonstratetheenormousvaluethatexcellent designbringstotheexperienceoftravel. Allareinnovativeinbothdesignandexecution.And innovationiskeytothesuccessofAmerica'stransportationsystemsofthe21stCentury.Trans- portationisaboutmorethanconcrete,asphalt,andsteel,itisaboutpeople.Innovationintrans- portationcanhelp assurethatourpeopleleadsafer,moreprosperous,andmorefialfillinglives. Soitiswithgreatpleasurethatweacknowledgethisyear'swinningprojectsandwecommend theirdesignersandsponsors. Weurgeeveryoneinthetransportationcommunitytofollowthe exampleofinnovationtheyhavegivenusbyemployingdesignexcellenceineveryproject. RodneyE.Slater SecretaryofTransportation — JURY REPORT Frommorethan260submissionsfromacrosstheUnitedStates,theDesignforTransportationNationalAwards2000 juryispleasedtopresentthefollowing 11 projectsasHonorAwardwinnersand27projectsasMeritAwardwinners. Theseprojectsrepresentoutstandingdesignthinkingandexecution.Theydeservewiderecognitionandstudyas exemplarstoguidefutureprojectsofsimilarpurposes.Thejurysalutestheengineers,architects,landscapearchitects andplanners;thesponsoringandcoordinatingagencies;thebuilders;andallthosewhocontributedtosuchmeritorious achievementsinthefieldoftransportationplanninganddesign. Initially,thejurywasdividedintothreesub-juries,separatelyexaminingsubmissionsinthreebroadcategories: 1) architecture,historicpreservationandadaptiveuse;2) engineering,energyconservation,technologyandsystems; and3) urbandesignandplanning,landscapearchitecture,artandgraphicdesignandspecialemphasis.Thentheentire juryreconvenedtoreviewandagreeuponthefinalselectionofawards.Throughaprocessofnomination,debate,and Fewthingsaremoreessentialto consensusbuildingacrossdesigndisciplines,thejurystrovetoarticulatesomegeneralperspectivesontransportation citiesandneighborhoods—indeed, facilitiesdesign,inadditiontorecognizingexemplarywork. tovirtuallyanyformofcontemporary — settlement-thanwell-functioning Fewthingsaremoreessentialtocitiesandneighborhoods indeed,tovirtuallyanyformofcontemporarysettlement — transportationsystems. thanwell-functioningtransportationsystems.Thecontemporaryworldisanincreasinglymobileone,requiring Thecontemporaryworldisan evermore-responsivewaysoftransportingpeopleandgoods.Yet,theoptimizationofmobilitypursuedasanindepen- increasinglymobileone,requiring dentvariable,separatefromthecomplexandoverlappingwebofotherurbansystems,ultimatelyworksagainsthealthy evermore-responsivewaysof communities.Oneofthegreatplanninglessonsofthelastdecadeormore,exhibitedinmany,butnotall,ofthesubmit- transportingpeopleandgoods. — tedentriesisthisinsight engineeringcriteriaalonearenotsufficientcity-makingtools.Transportationinfrastructure shouldfacilitateandassistincitybuilding,butnotdictate(orlimit) thewayweliveandenjoylifeinourcommunities. Whilerecognizingexceptionaltechnicalachievement,thejurysoughttoidentifythoseprojectsthatcontributedmore broadlytolivability,sustainability,economicandculturalgrowth,andtheenhancementofthesharedenvironment bothhumanandnatural.Evidenceofintegratedthinkingandthegoaltosolvemorethanoneproblemwerehighly valued.Lastly,thejurysoughtoutprojectsthatappealedtotheheartandtheeye,movingusbyvirtueoftheirbeauty, ingenuity,orhumanitarianpurpose. Whileonethinksoftransportationprojectsaslargeandcomplexundertakings,andmanyare,severalquitemodest projectsstoodoutforcreativelyaddressingmultipleobjectives.TheneedforaculvertalongasectionofUSFiighway83 SouthinWebbCounty,Texas,ledtothecreation (atacostof$25,000) ofabathabitatfor250,000bats,thefirst ofitskindintheUnitedStates.Astatewidecodefor"Uve" snowfencedesignsinMinnesotaachievesaunique combinationofmaintenancereductionofsnowremoval,anattractivelandscape,andawinterformofenvironmen- talart.Theoccasionofanewcommuterstationbuiltneartheremainsofanoldrailroadroundhousealloweda Theengineeringworldfindsitself smallarcheologicalparktobebuiltofreassembledfragmentsoftheoldroundhouseinWhitman,Massachusetts. inatransitionalperiodinwhich — — Preservingevidenceofournation'sheritage includinghistorictransportationinfrastructure seems emphasisisshiftingfromhardware tosystemsdesign,fromadding increasinglyimportantamidsttheconstantpressuretomodernize,enlarge,andbuildanew.Howmarvelous lanes,forexample,totraffic tobeabletorecognizetwopreservationachievements,bothinNewYork,atfundamentallydifferentscales:the managementtechnology. restorationoftheGrandCentralTerminalinManhattan,theepitomeofthemonumentalciviclandmark,and therestorationofthealmostdomestically-scaledForestHillStationinQueens,thepre-carport-of-entrytoone oftheseminalturn-of-the-centurysuburbs.ForestHillGardens.Amidstmanyimpressivelyrestoredandrenovated bridges,stations,structures,andtrails,theColumbiaRiverGorgeHighwayStateTrailinOregonstandsoutasa uniqueadaptationofanabandonedandlargelydestroyed 1920'sscenichighwayintoover 10milesofrehabilitated roadwayfornon-motorizedrecreationaluse. Theengineeringworldfindsitselfinatransitionalperiodinwhichemphasisisshiftingfromhardwareto systemsdesign,fromaddinglanes,forexample,totrafficmanagementtechnology.Animpressiveexampleofthis, andtheprojectthatmostdirectlyaddressedtheDepartmentofTransportationgoalofenhancinginternational tradeandcompetitiveness,istheUSCoastGuardVesselTrafficServicesSystem.Itenablesshipstosafelynegotiate theLowerMississippiRiverincloserproximitytooneother.Inhonoringthisproject,thejuryencouragesinnova- tionin"intelligenttransportation." Anotherencouragingtrendwasthenumberofintermodalstationsandlight-railsystemssubmitted.Stillloving theircarstobesure,Americanshave,nonetheless,built 12transitsystemssincethe 1970's;andcurrently,thereare fiveunderconstruction,six-or-soindesign,andnearlytwo-dozenmoreinpreliminaryconceptstages.Adecade-or- twoagofewwouldhavepredictedtheextentorsuccessoftheDallasAreaRapidTransitsystem,whoseimaginatively designedlightrailstationsdeservehonors,andhopefullywillinspireothersaroundthecountry. Asweendeavortore-calibrateournationaltransportationprioritiestoaccommodatealternativestothecar, perhapseventuallyachievingactualreductioninauto-vehiclemilestraveled,wealsoundertakethehealingof transportation-inducedurbanwounds.The1-91 FoundersBridgeandRiverfrontinHartford,Connecticut,is anexcellentexampleofcoveringaportionofaninterstatehighwaytocreateapublicspacethatreconnectsthe downtownanditsriverfront.FewcitieshavehealedlargerwoundsthanProvidence,RhodeIsland,whoseRiver RelocationProjectcouldmoreaccuratelybecalleda"riveruncoveringproject,"exposingaportionoftheProvidence Riverfrombeneathroadways,trafficrotaries,parkinglots,railyards,andsimilarindignitiesaddedovertheyears. Lastly,thejurytookdelightinrecognizingarchitecturalexcellence.Memorablespaces,powerfulimagery,ingenuity ingivingformtoengineering,andtheinnovativeuseoflight,textures,andmaterialsallleavestrongimpressionson Memorablespaces,powerful one'sexperienceoftheworld.Gooddesigndoesmatter.JustaskthosewhotravelthroughthenewRonaldReagan imagery,ingenuityingivingform TerminalinourNation'scapital;crosstheborderinCalexico,California,emergefromtheLosAngelessubwayatthe toengineering,andtheinnovative RedLineStationatSantaMonicaBoulevardandVermontAvenue,orusetheCenterCityParkandRideFacilityin useoflight,textures, andmaterials DesMoines.Whyshouldn'ttransportationfacHitiesthatservemany,manypeoplealsoaspiretobeworksofcivicart? allleavestrongimpressionson one'sexperienceoftheworld. SeveralorganizationsthatwererecognizedinthelastDOTdesignawardscompetitionwithawardsforoutstanding Gooddesigndoesmatter. designprogramssubmittednewprogramworks.Thejuryfelt,however,thatemphasisshouldbegiventothoseprojects andprogramsthatwerenotpreviouslyrecognized.Atthesametime,thejurywouldliketocommendtheNewYork MetropolitanTransportationAuthority'sArtsforTransitprogram,whichwasgivenanHonorAwardin 1995,forthe consistenthighqualityofitsprojects.ThecommitmentoftheMTAtoincludebothpermanentandtemporaryart projectsinitsfacilitiesstandsoutasanationalmodel. Despiteanoverallsatisfactionwiththeawardsubmissionsandprideinpresentingthe38awardwinners,thejury expressedseveralconcernsandsuggestions.Toofewsubmissionsdealtdirectlywithissuesofsustainability,which enablesdevelopmenttooccurinamoreenvironmentallysensitivemanner.Sustainabilityshouldbeastrongercriterion inftatureawardprograms.Whiletherewereseveralexamplesofwell-integrateddesignandpublicart,morefrequent andbettercollaborationsareneeded.Theurbandesignsubmissionswerelesscompellingoverall,perhapswarrantinga broaderoutreachtopotentialsubmitters,orrevampingsubmissionrequirementstoputmoreemphasisondescribing urbandesigngoalsandstrategies.Giventheincreasingnationalattentiontoissuesoflivability,conservation,andsmart growth,thejuryrecommendedthattheDepartmentofTransportationconsiderinstitutingajointawardsprogram emphasizinglivabilitywiththeDepartmentofHousingandUrbanDevelopment.Thejuryalsowonderedwhetherthe five-yearintervalbetweenawardprogramslimitstheimpactoftheprogram.Overall,however,thejurycommendsthe DepartmentofTransportationforitsleadershipinsponsoringthisawardsprogramasavehicletochampionthe public'scommitmenttowiseandinnovativedesign. JURY MEMBERS AlexKrieger(Chair) JuryPhotograph (FromLeft) Architecture,InteriorDesign, Engineering UrbanDesign,Planning, ProtjtRow: BackRow: andHistoricPreservation JamesPoirot(Chair) ALratndasncdapGreaAprhcihcitDeecstiugrne,, MElairzaybeMtehaMnosule JJoahmnesViPocikreortman AlexKrieger(Chair) JohnM.Kulicki SpecialEmphasis PatriciaGalloway WeimingLu HananA.Kivett M.JohnVickerman KateDiamond HananKivett KateDiamond JonathanEsslinger WEleiizmabientghLMuoule(Chair) LWyennddaySFcehuneerekloth JDoonnaEslsdliSntguelrl DonaldStull PatriciaGalloway LyndaSchneekloth RogerLewis MaryMeans JohnKulicki WendyFeuer AlexKrieger RogerK.Lewis HOWOR AWARDS AdmiralClareyBridge PearlHarbor,Oahu,Hawaii GrandCentralTerminal NewYork,NewYork DallasAreaRapidTransit Dallas,Texas HistoricColumbiaRiverHighwayStateTrail ColumbiaRiverGorge,Oregon TerminalB/C, RonaldReaganWashingtonNationalAirport Washington,D.C. RiverRelocationProject Providence,RhodeIsland WestsideLightRail Portland,Oregon UnitedStatesPortofEntry Calexico,California MemorialTunnelFireVentilationTestProgram Charleston,WestVirginia Thecolorsidebarsaccompanying TheBatDomeCulvert projectdescriptionsareaselection Laredo,Texas ofjurycomments. VesselTrafficServicesProject LowerMississippiRiver