Challenge

The downtown area of Forest Grove, OR, faced challenges from regular flooding, underbuilt roadways, and aging facilities. To support the growth and preserve the health of their downtown, the City took on a series of cost-effective, interconnected infrastructure improvements that balanced environmental considerations with community needs. These projects improved stormwater management, increased travel demand from new housing developments, and created more pedestrian and bicycle connections.

Solution

Kittelson worked with the City of Forest Grove on three key efforts across the downtown area. Each responded to specific local issues; collectively they created a more integrated system.

Hawthorne Street
On Hawthorne Street, our team helped the City convert a nearby vacant railroad depot site into a water quality swale that now treats runoff from about a half-million square feet of impervious surface. The project also added capacity for overflow during large storms.

The work involved close coordination with Portland & Western Railroad to temporarily remove and reinstall an active track, while five large culverts, each designed to handle heavy rail traffic, were installed underneath. The adjacent narrow channel was widened using the railroad’s right-of-way to create more space for water flow. Downstream, Kittelson repurposed an aging culvert under Hawthorne Street as an overflow structure during peak events, connecting two separate drainage channels and creating a more robust system that safely conveys water to Council Creek.

19^th Street
To alleviate traffic impacts from the Gales Creek Village housing development, our team helped extend 19th Street. This area sits at the upper end of the same drainage basin as Hawthorne Street, meaning that any transportation upgrades needed to consider downstream water impacts.

Across four months, Kittelson led a design process that included detailed drawings and final construction documents that allowed the City to begin building in summer 2018. Our team also provided construction support throughout the process to keep the project moving on schedule.

26^th Avenue
Simultaneously, the City prepared for growth on the other side of the downtown core. Kittelson supported roadway widening along 26th Avenue and Willamina Avenue, including the addition of sidewalks, bike lanes, and water and storm system upgrades. The stormwater design met Clean Water Services standards for both quality and quantity, helping protect downstream environments.