PORT OF KALAMA WAYFINDING MASTER PLAN INTRODUCTION
Opportunity Abounds:
Kalama is blessed with an abundance of riches to be enjoyed and treasured by residents and visitors alike. Nestled in a dramatic setting between the mighty Columbia River and the foothills rising from its shores. The downtown is rooted in history yet still relevant, vibrant, filled with activity, and forward looking. The Port of Kalama’s central waterfront has claimed the shores of the Columbia as a treasured public space with public parks, maritime amenities, vibrant commerce such as restaurants, lodging, and the Mountain Timber Market, and as a treasured passive space for the community to escape and gather.
A Need Exists!
Kalama’s downtown and the waterfront are both civic treasures that define the identity and the experience of the city, but they are uniquely isolated by one another, first by the railway that gave birth to the city, and later by highways that grew to become I-5. The opportunity exists to better connect and unify Kalama’s downtown and waterfront while navigating through the corridors of rail and road. Forging this strengthened connection is particularly important as the Port increasingly becomes a destination drawing people from afar by both car, boat, and increasingly as a port of call for cruise ships!
Plan of Action Is Made!
This wayfinding masterplan is developed to understand how people arrive at and experience Kalama, both Port and Downtown, and how develop a series of interventions that can strengthen the connection between both. This plan assesses exiting conditions and planned improvements by the port (notably an iconic new pedestrian crossing of the railroad), and identifies additional interventions, from a signage system to new artworks, which can greatly improve navigation (where is ____? How do I get there?) as well as enhancing the experience of that journey. The strategies in this masterplan outline a range of possibilities, and like all masterplans, can be phased in over time and as investment allows. A masterplan is also intended to be nimble and evolve over time, this plan is a foundation on which real physical improvements can be made over many years!
KALAMA DESTINATIONS
McMenamins Harbor Lodge
American Cruise Lines Pier
Mountain Timber Market
Luis Rasmussen Park
Walking Trail & Beach Access
McMenamins Ahles Point Cabin Marine Park
Interpretive Center
Westin Amphitheater
McMenamins
Kalama Cove 1st St. Elm St.
Waterfront Journey
Downtown Journey I-5
Railroad Tracks
Downtown Kalama
LEGEND
Todd Rd Exit Exit 27 (Northbound)
River Rd Exit
Kalama Exit Exit 30 (Northbound)
The Port of Kalama’s central waterfront, while highly visible to passing motorists on I-5, is challenging and counterintuitive to drive to from the freeway. Improvements could include enhancing existing freeway signage both through typical signage standards as well as potential “one-off” unique signage/icons to give more advanced warning to guide motorists from the freeway. Once off the freeway, existing signage can be clarified and enhanced at decision points. In addition to arrival by car, it is important to acknowledge the increasing arrival by boat, whether from the marina or the recently added cruise ship dock.
Kalama Exit Exit 30 (Southbound)
Port of Kalama Business Park
Kalama
CONNECTING WITH KALAMA
Once in Kalama, forging pedestrian connections between the waterfront and downtown would allow residents and visitors to easily move from one to the other, no matter their original arrival point or where they might have parked their car. A particular opportunity is enhancing the visibility and experience of the “connection zone” over the railroad tracks and under I-5.
1st St
Kalama Waterfront
Downtown Kalama Elm St
N Hendrickson Dr
Connection Zone
EXISTING SIGNAGE
Many existing signs show how to navigate to the Port of Kalama’s central waterfront with varying degrees of success. This wayfinding plan acknowledges and builds on these existing signs.
Vehicular Wayfinding
WSDOT Standard
Quaint Local Character
Rules Jumble!
But which way is the waterfront?
Freestyle interpretive sign?
Port Identity
THE WAYFINDING TOOLBOX
This master plan is built on a “toolbox” of differing elements that respond to a variety of needs and situations. The varying tools range from small, human scale, and superficially applied, to large, seen from afar, and permanent. The master plan proposes a combination of all scales of interventions to best suit the needs and opportunities of all locations. While this plan offers site-specific recommendations for locating various elements of the toolbox, the plan is also nimble enough to evolve and welcome new ideas for implementing different “tools” as opportunities emerge.
Recommendations for specific locations and site-specific opportunities of the wayfinding toolbox elements are included in the forthcoming pages. These recommendations are preliminary and should ultimately be field verified and honed for optimal locations, orientations, and impact as part of further development.
PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION - KALAMA WATERFRONT
AREA CIRCULATION
PRIMARY SECONDARY
MOTHERSHIPS
DIRECTIONAL
Pedestrian Bridge
DowntownKalama
Ahle’s Point Cabin
Mountain Timber Market
Train Exhibit
Beacon, seen from Afar
AREA CIRCULATION
ONE-OFFS: VIEW FROM 1ST & ELM INTERSECTION
Re-Imagined Toteff
Memorial Park
Opportunity for signage / graphic on future bridge structure
Feature at end of View - 3D Letters?
Bold, graphic, and intruiging signage serves not only as a guide to visitors’ wayfinding experience, but also as placemaking for the local community.
WATERFRONT WATERFRONT WATERFRONT
ONE-OFFS: UNDER THE HIGHWAY
Artistic features along the roadway and freeway underpass protect pedestrians from vehicular traffic and enliven the journey to the waterfront. Imagine color, lighting, and cultural infusion along this corridoor!
Lighting
Sculptural features with cultural info
Painted paving
Shift sidewalk path away from road
Community supported artwork reimagines a blank wall where future parking is planned. Artwork is themed to match local context and enhance the pedestrian experience.
Sunset Art Sourced from: https://www.deviantart.com/rmradev
MAKING IT REAL: NEXT STEPS
Recommendations for specific locations and site-specific opportunities of the wayfinding toolbox elements are included in the forthcoming pages. These recommendations are preliminary and should ultimately be field verified and honed for optimal locations, orientations, and impact as part of further development.
Big Picture Next Steps
• Share plans with community / city
• Identifying planned and funded next steps (port-located directions and mothership signage),
• Build support and ideas for future added wayfinding elements.
• Further develop one-offs, mini-mothership interpretive signs, and breadcrumbs
Motherships & Directional Signage Implementation
• Engage with sign fabricator
• Detail plans for sign placement
• Detail sign design and select materials
• Curate and generate sign content (maps, cultural nuggets, identity and graphics, etc)
