Awards are continuing to roll in for the Totem Lake Connector Bridge, a marquee pedestrian and bicycle bridge that was the final piece in Kirkland, Washington’s long-awaited Cross Kirkland Corridor (CKC) Trail.
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) recently recognized Totem Lake Connector as its Large Project of the Year for Region 8, and Engineering News-Record (ENR) Northwest gave it a Regional Best Project Award (Highway/Bridge Category). Earlier this year, the bridge also received a LOCEA Award from ASCE Seattle and a Gold Best-in-State Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Washington. GeoEngineers provided geotechnical and environmental services for this complex and very award-winning project!
The Totem Lake Connector Bridge provides a safe crossing across ten lanes of traffic at one of Kirkland’s busiest intersections, and when it opened in 2023 it was the final piece in the city’s 5-mile-long pedestrian corridor. The bridge also complements the dynamic redevelopment of The Village at Totem Lake, a 400,000 square foot “lifestyle center” with a mix of residential and commercial spaces. The ADA-compliant bridge also features show-stopping views of the mountains during the day and a digital lighting system for dynamic nighttime displays.
GeoEngineers began work on the project way back in 2016, providing geotechnical and environmental services. The bridge crossed sensitive wetlands in addition to two busy arterial roads, bringing additional environmental permitting requirements into play. GeoEngineers led the city through wetland delineation, NEPA compliance, wetland mitigation planning, and environmental permitting through the design phase. Geotechnical work included subsurface investigation, a geologic hazards report, geotechnical engineering and seismic designs, stormwater infiltration testing, and construction monitoring.
The GeoEngineers team continued to support the City of Kirkland through construction and until the bridge opened to the public in 2023, ensuring the protection of sensitive areas and compliance with environmental permits.
