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Streets to Streams
Stormwater is not a mechanical system. It is an envi-
ronmental process, joining the atmosphere, the soil,
vegetation, land use, and streams, and sustaining land-
scapes. In every landscape the falling of the rain, the
shining of the sun and the blowing of the wind are
the beginning of all life.

Bruce K. Ferguson
1"2$-2$*
Part I
Introduction
The Opportunities
Impact Categories
Environment
Community
Transportation
Kenton Neighborhood Research
History
Maps
Community Involvement
Street Typologies

Part II
Implementation Guide
Case Studies
Plans
Connectivity
Area of Focus
Impact Categories
Phase One
Phase Two
Phase Three
Sources


Introduction
Part I
Streets to Streams aim is to achieve a better vision of N Willis
Blvd. in the neighborhood of Kenton. The environmental, the com-
munity and the circulation are the three categories that will improve
the experience of living or circulating through the boulevard. The
vision starts with the beginning of the Willamette Valley land forma-
tion, millions of years ago; to restore nature and ecosystems inherent
to Earth in a contemporary neighborhood.
Site
North of Kenton lays the Columbia Slough; a protected natural
wetland stretches 19 miles. It is what Kenton would be, had Kenton
never been developed. Stormwater in North Portland ows to the
Columbia Slough Conuence, where the Willamette River and the
Columbia River meet, and the water is deposited into the Columbia
River. With respect to site, it is the intention of Streams in the Streets
to reconnect Kenton to the land it has since disconnected itself from
through a creative and symbolic intervention.
Environmental
Portland is known for its green and sustainable solutions to envi-
ronmental issues. The next step is to incorporate these strategies on
a more connected level with a specic location and a specic com-
munity in mind. Using green interventions to prevent stormwater
from being detrimental to the environment it can instead be used to
beautify a street whose original purpose was to be the main, beautiful
boulevard of the neighborhood. By implementing green strategies the
environmental footprint of the neighborhood will decrease.
Community
Green space and a common interest in activities, including local
community gardens, education and the beautication of the neigh-
borhood are ways to build a stronger community. Through the
collaborative process of making and engagement there will be more
human interaction leading to a strong development of the neighbor-
hood whole as opposed to the existing fragmented condition. Neigh-
bors can garden or bask together while children can play and learn
about nature in close proximity.
Circulation
N Willis Blvd. is known as a collector street except that it is 30
feet wider than a typical collector street. There is a lack of imple-
mentation that makes Willis a safe road; no bumps, extra wide, shared
with cyclists, etc. Extending the currently existing grass islands to
allow for slow points along Willis also provides more space to pro-
vide cyclists with an east/west biking boulevard as well as taking it of
the street and placing it into a more natural and scene environment.
Considering public transportation is also important; allowing for bus-
ses to pull over while not stopping trafc will help to keep congestion
minimal.
N
The Opportunities
Our mission is to support our community by advocating for diver-
sity, sustainability and promoting the propensity and livability of all
neighbors. -Kenton Neighborhood Association
Kentons commitment to sustainable eforts and community develop-
ment make it a perfect location for a community green street inter-
vention. This type of development can further help Kenton establish a
specic neighborhood identity and act as a precedent for other areas
in Portland, Oregon. Kenton has had a rich history with the interface
between natural ecosystems and development, this project will tie
back to this history and restore what has been lost through previous
developments.
North Willis Boulevard was once meant to be the main street
of Kenton, a grounding point, the identity of the neighborhood.
Taking away the expansive street paving and replacing these impervi-
ous surfaces with material pallet that has more environmental benet
is crucial in order to restore natural landscapes into the area. Fruit
trees and natural vegetation will be planted which will allow communi-
ty members to harvest what is produced by these trees establishing a
deeper connection with the landscape and will create a stronger sense
of community. Educating the children of the neighborhood about the
history and restored natural plantings will ensure the development
and commitment to preserving and furthering the restoration of the
Kenton neighborhood.
With the expansion of green space on North Willis Boulevard
comes opportunity for more pedestrian interaction. This new com-
munal space will also be able to move the cars further away from the
houses and bring slower trafc to the attention of the street. There
is no consistent bike path or sidewalk between each property, imple-
menting these will encourage a slower pace along the street lessening
noise and creating a safer place for children to play and learn about the
restored ecosystem that once existed.
Impact Categories
Environment Community Transportation
Environment
Green storm water management
Rain Gardens
Orchards
Trees
Permeable pavers
Permeable asphalt
Community supported gardens (CSA)
Interactive water features
Information boards
Neighborhood connectivity newtork
Education platform
Pedestrian
Biker
Trafc commuter
Bus system
trafc speed
Community
Transportation
3(*$"#4
The Kenton neighborhood land was acquired by the Asso-
ciated Banking & Trust company in 1892 and was later sold to J. C.
Ainsworth for $15,000 in 1897 to settle debts. Not much of the land
was developed until factories began to operate along the Oregon
Slough. Kenton owes much of its existence to the meat packing indus-
try that started in the 1893 with independent butchers forming the
Union Meat Company, eventually being bought out by Swift & Com-
pany in 1906. By 1911, Swift & Company employed 1500 workers. In
1907 Swift & Companys president C. C. Colt formed the Kenwood
Land Company in order to purchase more land along the Columbia
Slough for a new meat packing plant, but also for land to form a com-
pany town. The original name for Kenton was going to be Kenwood,
but the name was already in use in Oregon. Other factories along the
Oregon Slough included Portland Union Stockyards, Portland Cattle
Load Company, Columbia Wool Basin Warehouse, Kenton Traction
Company, and many more.
Kenton became a very successful company town because
the town was able to grow and accommodate not just the factory
workers but also visitors while developing a culture and leisure
society. Kentons main street Denver Avenue (originally Derby Street)
used to have cattle drives up until 1928. The Kenton Hotel was
opened in 1909 as well as the Kenton car line to accommodate visiting
cattlemen. A theater was built in 1911 but moved in 1925 where the
Chaldean Theater was established that rivaled any other theater in
Portland with a capacity to seat 600 people.
The downfall of Kenton is largely blamed on the Vanport area
that had strict liquor laws. This presented a business opportunity for
Kenton resulting in far too many liquor stores for a small area of land.
Another negative impact for Kenton was the Interstate Avenue and
Highway 99 that used to split Kenton in half.
The Paul Bunyan statue, now standing at the corner of North
Interstate and North Denver, was built for the 1959 Oregon Centen-
nial as a celebration of those festivities. The statue is now part of the
National Register of Historic Places as of January 28, 2009.
N
10%
s
2/3
United States Population
With NO Green Space
Access
12% 10%
INCREASE INTREES AND GREEN SPACE CAN LEADTO A DEACREASE IN CRIME
Willingness To Pay More For
Homes Close To Parks
5/#0-2* /20 5#--2*6/7-
Green spaces may not be a signicant problem for many neighbor-
hoods, but in communities such as the Kenton neighborhood green
space poses solutions for many problems. The implementation of
parks, community gardens, and other green spaces has been
proven to reduce crime rates as well as increasing value of homes.
Kenton has the benet of having several green spaces and community
gradens close in or around its general vacinity, this makes the neigh-
borhood ideal when considering communities that will continue to
support and enhance green development.
s
87%"")* /20 1%,#7%-*
less likely to participate
in criminal activities
U.S church community
service involvement
Youth programs
of all public schools participate in community service
N
30%
26.8%
64%
Mapping these areas helps to focus in on a specic location to imple-
ment educational interventions and decide the proximity to similar
green spaces. Churches and schools are great opportunities for
children and families to get involved and learn about community
green spaces. Churches will often be the host of local community
gardens and the proximity of schools to green spaces can provide
children with convenient and safe access to an educational and fun
experience to nature.
+(9- :",$-*
N
Average Cost Per Mile
75.2 c
Average Cost Per Mile of Construction
$788,290
$130,000
32%
Dissaproval Rates
Related to Safety
10.0
270 kg
7 kg c
U
S
D
750%
U
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C
0
2
C
O
2
3500%
The majority of bike routes in the Kenton neighborhood run North
to South including N Chautauqua Blvd, N Wabash Ave, N Peninsular
Ave, and N Delaware Ave. These streets are bike boulevards with
pavement markings and directional signs for bikers. N. Willis Blvd
runs East to West and is a connector street between two maor
bike streets. It is considered a shared roadway with a wider outside
lane on a moderate and higher trafc street.
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N
House Runof
Sewer
Street Runof Combined Sewer Waste Facility Pipe
Waste Facility
River
Local topography reveals that Kenton water runof ows north,
towards the Columbia Slough conuence where the Willamette
River and the Columbia River meet. The Columbia Slough conu-
ence falls within a habitat restoration zone which makes it important
to ensure the quality of water that reaches that area is not detri-
mental to the eforts in place. Additionally, the water that does not
shed to the conuence ends up in the rapidly deteriorating terracotta
pipe system that is over 80s years old. We are now able to design
to better control the amount of combined sewer overow (CSO)
occurrences.
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Rental Properties
34%
2,707
Households
Owned Properties
66%
Occupied Properties
94%
7,825
Individuals
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Resident
The area along North Willis Boulevard has a relatively high den-
sity compared to the rest of the Kenton neighborhood. There is
a fairly even mix of residents who own or rent their homes along
our area of intervention. North of Willis Blvd has a concentrated
area of high density due to a lot of family housing with children.
The Kenton area has a strong school system that is supported
by the community. Compared to the rest of Portland, Kenton has
almost less than half the people per square mile. Portland has 4,432
people per square mile where Kenton has 2,281 people per square
mile. This can be noticed by large yards and green space available.
8$"#>?/$-#
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100% 0% 49%
Impervious Surfaces
100% 0% 33%
80 Years or Older
2,500
Miles of Sewer Pipe
Portland, Oregon
0 CO2
1 YOUNG TREE CAN REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS OF1 CAR ANNUALLY
Stormwater management plays a large role in sustainable design
and development in the Kenton neighborhood. With the majority
of the neighborhood having houses plummed to the big pipe, which
is a combined sewer and stormwater runof system. It is extremely
important for a rain garden or bioswale to capture the water instead
of contributing to the aging sewer system. With Portlands land usage
being 49% surfaces bioswales and raingardens are a must in any
street design intervention.
5' - 0" 6' - 0" 28' - 0" 6' - 0" 5' - 0"
50' - 0"
public right of way
Typology: Local Street Problems
Clogged Drains Potholes No bike lanes Standing water No tree canopy Water runof
5' - 0" 6' - 0" 28' - 0" 6' - 0" 5' - 0"
50' - 0"
public right of way
Typology: Local Street Solutions
Brick pavers Painted crosswalks Concrete pavers Gardens Rain barrel Tree planting
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Typology: Collector Street Problems
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public right of way
Typology: Collector Street Solutions
Brick pavers Bottleneck Education board Painted crosswalks Rain garden Painted lanes Concrete pavers
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public right of way
Clogged Drains Potholes No bike lanes Standing water No tree canopy Water runof
Typology: Arterial Street Problems
5' - 0" 8' - 0" 40' - 0" 8' - 0" 5' - 0"
66' - 0"
public right of way
Typology: Arterial Street Solutions
Brick pavers Painted crosswalks Rain garden Painted lanes Concrete pavers
Implementation Guide
Part II
Improving the Street Section
The street section is the foundation for the proceeding improvements.
The Community Watershed Stewardship Program (CWSP) provides
grants for various projects including, but not limited to, neighborhood
safety, community gardens, replacing pavement with native plants and
environmental education. By redesigning the sectional quality of the
street, the implementation of projects will then have the ground to
sink their roots in. Collaboration with Portland Bureau of Transpor-
tation (PBOT) and CWSP is ideal to begin to identify restrictions
and potentials with respect to specic details.
Garden Typologies
Door-to-door surveying helps to guide the type of implementations
for any given block whether its a rain garden, community garden, or
urban forest. Neighborhood interest helps to dene a mosaic of
green spaces that is within a reasonable proximity so that each
household doesnt need to walk far in order to experience the
types that are most interesting to them. These typologies can be
integrated with bus stops/shelters, educational plaques, and bike paths
as a way for them to be multi-purpose and encourage human pres-
ence in the area.
Circulation
Bottlenecking and providing vehicle queuing and street side park-
ing near intersections at points of bus stops and high speed zones
can help to make the ow of trafc safer; it also acts as a way to
increase square footage for the green spaces. All of these will make
the streetscape safer and more attractive to occupy. Expanding the
sidewalks in this way will allow for a unique experience for cyclists as
they could, potentially, ride on an esplanade. Contact with BPS, under
their City GreenWays goal, will help to reinforce and strategize the
ideologies of the project.
Grassy Amenities
In order for these spaces to be used as their designs intend them
to be used amenities will need to also be implemented. Amenities
include areas where neighbors can gather, or sit peacefully. Either
through the commissioning or probono works of local artists, students
and the community benches, composting boxes, signage, educational
installments and other features that make the new space safe, informa-
tive and inviting.
Recognizing the need is the primary condition for design
Charles Eames
In this series of proposed phases to accomplish a community green
space along North Willis Boulevard, recognizing the needs from the
residents along the streets has to act as a foundation for design. A
survey along North Willis Boulevard was recently distributed in order
to being a design guide for the streets community green space inter-
vention. The largest driver over this study showed approximately 60%
of the residents not using the large green space between the street
and sidewalk. Most residents felt no obligation to the space in terms
of use or maintenance. This part of the public right of way will house
solutions for other conditions addressed in the survey such as, but
not limited to, water collection on the street side, noise control, and
enviornmental education. With a primary bus line running through the
site, noise control was the second most issue of concern to the resi-
dents. The green spaces addressed in the project have the potential of
housing lush greenery to reduce the street noise and bring back the
tree canopy that once existed in the historic neighborhood. Additional
surveys addressing problem awareness and design solutions will be
distributed through the Kenton neighborhood association.
Survey Results
Bioswale
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Urban Forest Case Studies
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Educational Swale Case Studies
Identifying Opportunities
Incomplete Sidewalks Stormwater Runof Scarce Tree Canopy Lack of Parking
N WILLIS BLVD
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Sidewalks along the south side of Willis Blvd are often broken
up by the grass islands. This makes for muddy patches and an
unattractive visual inconsistency along the street. Pedestrians
hoping to use this area for circulation during rainy seasons is
undesirable as it can be messy and pose the safety risk of slipping.
This provides an opportunity to continue the sidewalk in a more
creative way; adding gardens in these areas and implementing
nonlinear permeable sidewalks to complete the path as well as
making maintenence for the green space easier.
Many residents along Willis Blvd. use the green islands and the
extended driveway as a means for parking vehicles. With the
current system, there is no hierarchy between transportation
modes and parking. Repurposing green islands, providing visual
queues for parking, and extending sidewalks will help create a
hierarchy on the road and conceal the parking issue while resolving
it at the same time.
Implementing permeable materials in areas designated for parking
will help reduce wear and tear and also allow for immediate
management for pollution that comes directly from vehicles.
Standing water and poor management of stormwater runof
is bad for the environment, specically the watershed. The
Columbia Slough Watershed (CSW) is home to a protected
diverse ecosystem; it is the obligation of the surrounding
neighborhoods to make sure that responsible strategies are in
place as to not threaten the CSW.
Implementing rain gardens and green spaces will help to lter the
toxins out of the water before it reaches the Columbia river via
CSW.
The streetscape as it currently exists has a major shortage of
tree cover at inconsistent increments. Providing the street with
more trees will help to keep temperatures down, provide rain cover,
drastically contribute to stormwater management and improve the
aesthetic of the neighborhood.
Door to door survey results show that parks are important to the
neighborhood and implementing green spaces and improving the
aesthetic of a park will help to satised those desires.
Incomplete Sidewalks Stormwater Runof
Scarce Tree Canopy Lack of Parking
Phase One: Neighborhood Issues
Scarce Tree Canopy Under Utilized Down Spouts Poor Drain Management
C%/*- B2-D @**,-*
Phase One: Neighborhood Vision
Tree/garden planting De-pave Rain barrel
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Phase One: Your Individual Yard
Tree planting
Rain barrel
Garden planting
De-pave
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Phase One: Taking Control of Your Neighborhood
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Tree planting is a great way to bring
the community together and to teach kids
about the benets of nature. Important
considerations for tree planting are the
types of tree, coniferous or deciduous and
the amount of sunlight they will receive.
Fruit trees can also be a good addition to
a neighborhood. If tree planting is to take
place in an area that will have future growth
or additional phasing, be sure to plant
according to future design plans so as not to
have to relocate or remove the trees.
C)/2$(2< ;#--*
Rain barrels are an important step in
reducing polluted runof water into
streams and rivers. They capture water
that can be used for gardening, watering
lawns, and washing cars. In an average
rainfall period of 24 hours, a single inch can
produce 700 gallons from a typical house.
This can also reduce water bills during the
summer months by using stored water that
has been captured for free! Rain barrels
can be painted or decorated in hopes that
eventually they will be better integrated with
sheds, garages or the structure of a house.
:/(2 +/##-)*
Sidewalk gardens are a great way to
add vegetation and character to a
neighborhood. If a yard isnt available to
where someone resides, a sidewalk garden
can be a great alternative. Keep in mind that
sidewalk green space is public property and
can be subject to removal. Most likely the
city will allow it and in some cases will write
legislation in support of sidewalk gardens. Its
much harder to argue against than something
that provides greenery, food and vegetation,
and spruces up any neighborhood, plus good
for bugs and insects and other ecosystems.
8(0-?/)9 5/#0-2*
Depaving is an unsanctioned process
that a community can organize and do it
themselves. Places like parking lots, dead end
streets and any other impermeable service
that is being used can be depaved. The
problem with so much concrete and asphalt
is that no water is recharging groundwater
or aquifers. Much of the water that lands
on concrete picks up oils, pollutants, and
trash, carrying it into our rivers. Impervious
concrete also retains and reects heat adding
to the increased air temperatures known as
the heat island efect.
=-6/.-
Phase Two: Neighborhood Issues
Collective House Painting Damaged Roadway Disconnected Sidewalks No Bicycle Lanes
C%/*- ;?"D @**,-*
Phase Two: Neighborhood Vision
CSA planting Rain garden Paint bike lanes Paint crosswalks
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Paint crosswalks
Paint bike lanes
Rain gardens
Plant CSA
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Phase Two: Taking Control of Your Neighborhood
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Painting crosswalks can be a way for a
community to come together and put
artistic minds to the test to come up with
their own unique representation of how to
redene the standard white lined crosswalk.
This would be an unsanctioned activity that
the community could go to their city for
permission, or just simply do it themselves
if the city doesnt respond. Painting
crosswalks can add air and character to a
neighborhood and can be painted in a way
that reveals the history or most important
aspect of the area.
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Painting bike lanes is similar to painting
crosswalks but over a larger area. This is
something that should approach the city rst.
If the city claims it doesnt have the money
then for certain the community could get
together and paint bike lanes to make a
safer environment. Having bike lanes that
are painted give greater awareness to both
drivers and bikers. They make biking much
safer versus having no lines at all. Dashed
lines can work to indicate a bike lane to save
paint, but haveing it painted green along
intersections helps signicantly.
C/(2$ +(9- J/2-*
Rain gardens are similar to bioswales
and serve the same purpose of retaining
water to ease the demand on a cities
drainage system. They are important to the
environment because rain gardens also lter
pollutants through slow moving water that
deposits sediments in the soil that can be
decomposed through biological processes.
Rain gardens can exist in neighborhoods,
cities, or any other environment that has
large quantities of concrete and rainfall.
Plants in rain gardens should be capable of
standing period of drought and ooding.
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Every community should contain or be
located to a Community Supported
Agriculture program. Empty lots, dead
ends, or unoccupied areas can always be
converted into gardens. They are important
because it gives people a space to plant
gardens when they may not have the space.
CSAs also provide a network of information
and participation where people can spread
knowledge about their gardens and share
produce. CSAs create extremely important
learning centers for kids that can learn the
value of farming while playing in the dirt.
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Phase Three: Neighborhood Issues
Wasted Green Space Lack of Water Runof Disconnected Sidewalks Unorganized Parking
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Phase Three: Neighborhood Vision
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Bike promenade Permeable pavers Education boards Curb extension
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Parking pavers
Water Plaza
Bicycle boardwalk
Education boards
Parking pavers or porous pavement are
great alternatives to having an impermeable
surface to allow rain water to naturally
soak back into the earth. They can help
prevent overooding a drainage system
while naturally ltering the water through
percolating through the soil. Permeable
pavement can be used for parking lots,
parking spots, driveways, sidewalks,
courtyards, and plazas. Using diferent types
of stones or pavers can also be used to signal
crosswalks or residential areas.
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Water parks can be a way to create
neighborhood identity but they can also
create social gathering spots. Temporary
or permanent water parks are great places
for families and especially kids. They can
be learning centers for kids to experience
the phenomenon of water and to test its
properties. Water parks can also serve an
environmental purpose by capturing runof
water and treating it so its safe for kids to
play in. Not to mention, everybody loves
playing in water and feeling like a kid again.
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Bicycle boardwalks, green belts, or
esplanades give people a route to bike,
run, or walk in a safe, designated pathway.
They can be made of wood, or preferably
permeable pavers as opposed to an
impervious surface. If a promenade of
some sort goes through neighborhoods and
crosses streets, there should be markers,
signs, paint, or material changes that indicate
where the path continues. Boardwalks can
serve as networks that connect people,
places, and destinations in a city. They can
also serve as other functions like markets.
+(747)- +"/#0?/)9
Education boards can be placed along
boardwalks, water plazas, or at community
supported gardens to educate the general
public about the amenities being provided.
They are excellent tools to make people
aware of things that might not be visually
known. Education boards can be part of
a larger network so that kids on a certain
route can learn about diferent aspects of
the community. The neighborhood can
benet from education boards in that it
serves as a branding tool for the area.
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