Business View - November 2015 159
opposed to a traditional intersection, which is sunken and
where you have an elevated sidewalk. The intersection, it-
self, was raised to meet the grade of the sidewalk, so you
have a seamless transition from the sidewalk to the cross-
walk. It was done, not just to make it more pedestrian-
friendly, day-to-day, but when we close that intersection,
after big wins, that, in essence, becomes the community,
downtown plaza. We close the intersection down and what
we’re able to do is create this wonderful event space that
no longer has tripping hazards. It’s an open, beautiful in-
tersection. The brick work and the pavers are spectacular.
So that was one of the primary pedestrian enhancements.
There’s lighting enhancements, too, for evenings. It’s a
college town, so it’s alive, pretty much 24/7.”
But, the project also tied in with Ballard’s Watershed
Management Division’s mission because it contained a
number of green elements. “The brick is not traditional
brick pavers. They’re permeable, interlocking concrete
pavers that allow for a more natural site hydrology,” he
says. “Storm water will infiltrate through the ground and
INFRASTRUCTURE
