Negotiating Ballard's Missing Link of the Burke-Gilman Trail: How Bicycle Infrastructure Can Integrate A Sustainable Design Solution

Abstract

As cities expand and evolve, urban infrastructure systems must become multifunctional, complementing one another in efficient ways that create synergies and contribute to the resilience and livability of our built environment. Existing and future land uses complicate how and where new infrastructure is designed. This Master of Landscape Architecture research and design thesis proposes a negotiation between proponents and designers of active transportation facilities and existing industrial landowners along the "Missing Link" of the Burke-Gilman Trail. Several research methods were used in the development of a design approach that integrates stakeholder feedback from ten interviews with documentation and analysis of existing conditions. Through a proposed design that addresses both landowner and trail user needs, a vital regional bicycle corridor can be realized that also combines bicycle infrastructure with green stormwater infrastructure, integrating advances in multiple arenas to create a hybrid sustainable design solution.