It’s not often that feats of engineering design can tell a Shakespearean story—two neighborhoods divided into east and west for over fifty years by the construction of I-5, residential areas and North Seattle College separated from shopping districts, business parks, and major transit stations. It wasn’t until the Northgate Pedestrian Bridge, now known as the John Lewis Memorial Bridge, was designed and constructed that these estranged regions were finally reunited. The bridge’s name is meant to honor John Lewis, a fitting namesake, as he is an African American civil rights leader who represents unity and societal progression. Acting as a connection for pedestrians and cyclists, this bridge is a single part of an overarching plan to create a community hub that provides North Seattle neighborhoods with inclusive mobility and easier access to transit.
In order to ensure the mitigation of stormwater runoff, improve water quality in the local basin, and prevent negative impact flows to surrounding wetlands, Osborn Consulting aided prime consultant David Evans and Associates by leading the development of the stormwater management and temporary erosion and sediment control design for this community-centered project for the Seattle Department of Transportation. Not only was the site constricted within the right-of-way with limited feasible options for stormwater management, but the stakeholder coordination was fairly complex as well; therefore, an all-encompassing solution was of the utmost importance. From providing drainage calculations and modeling to coordinating design of BMPs and conveyance systems and gaining design approval from WSDOT, our team members used their expertise to successfully maneuver around the site constraints posed for this project.
Having contributed to the drainage and stormwater design for the John Lewis Memorial Bridge, Osborn Consulting is incredibly honored to have received the APWA 2023 Project of the Year Award in the Transportation category thanks to the APWA Washington State Chapter! We are ecstatic to be among other incredible firms in receiving this prestigious award, and we are even more humbled to have been a part of such a profound and powerful development in the North Seattle community.
