LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT'S ROLE IN DEVELOPING AND/OR IMPLEMENTING THE PROJECT

Along with improving the safety and capacity of Dallas' downtown freeways, Project Pegasus seeks to enhance the transportation corridor environment for motorists, adjacent property owners, and neighborhoods through a Context Sensitive Urban Design strategy. From the earliest stages of TxDOT's "Preliminary Engineering" (schematic design) phase, the Landscape Architects facilitated the incorporation of design concepts and opportunities for the engineering team, client and public stakeholders. The Landscape Architects illustrated how potential concepts could effect not only the immediate corridor experience, but also how a well-orchestrated Urban Design strategy could bolster economic development of adjacent properties. This early involvement process enables Landscape Architecture to influence the development of the project engineering as opposed to the reverse situation that frequently occurs late in the design of a project of this type.

In particular, the Landscape Architects developed a unifying concept for the entire corridor, based on regional precedents and the natural features associated with the Trinity River Greenbelt and its' tributaries. As accompaniment, a series of precedent photo boards, concept master plans, detail component sketches and illustrative views were produced to serve as tangible inspiration for stakeholder consensus. These graphics were presented during public involvement meetings where the landscape architect led interactive discussions regarding the implementation and future effects of changes within the corridor.

As documentation, the landscape architect compiled an illustrated Urban Design Summary Report that summarizes the Urban Design discussion during the preliminary engineering effort of the project, and serves as an informational briefing for basis of future development and decisions regarding Urban Design. Project Pegasus makes a case for the integral involvement of Landscape Architects in early decision-making phases on major infrastructure projects undertaken by the agency and community.

SUCCESSFUL RESOLUTION OF THE PROJECT'S PROGRAM

Although the project began with a relatively undefined program, upon completion, the program includes conceptual direction for all aspects of the project. In accomplishing this, the Landscape Architects strove for integral outcomes beyond mere surface decoration "enhancements." The design recommendations achieve a project-specific, context-based outcome that capitalizes on natural feature assets in and around the project. The design also advocates strategies that facilitate public-private partnerships that enable the design to integrate beyond the project right of way boundary.

Furthermore, the project sets a pattern for project process. All too often, past projects in this locality have sought solutions for project design elements late in the process of "Final Engineering" (construction document) documentation. Project Pegasus demonstrates a successful process for early involvement of Landscape Architects as well as work tasks and products associated with this involvement. This includes specific tasks and documents not customary for many transportation-engineering projects. The most notable include corridor analysis, public involvement, conceptual design illustrations and a Final Report as necessary aspects for successful Urban Design outcomes.

IMPACT AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT ON THE LOCAL COMMUNITY OR SURROUNDINGS

While enhancement design and similar considerations are not new to transportation projects, the early involvement of Landscape Architects in the planning and design of Project Pegasus has broken new ground for the integration of Urban Design into the transportation engineering process. By making Urban Design involvement proactive rather than reactive, implementing those design ideas will be easier and more effective. It also enables integration of the Urban Design concepts with community-based planning and design initiatives along the corridor. As example, the project abuts the City's Trinity River Initiative, which seeks to enhance and capitalize on the assets of the River corridor as stimulus for urban redevelopment. This process affords the opportunity for meaningful planning and design influence beyond the project's formal boundary at the right of way line.

Although it will be some time before the urban design strategy for Project Pegasus is fully defined, the process has already yielded some intriguing possibilities such as the opportunity to reconnect Old City Park with the Dallas Farmers Market using open space consolidation and a landscaped pedestrian "deck­park' in the IH-30 "Ravine:' The Landscape Architect's design recommendation leaves space for phased implementation of columns at abutments and between the freeway mainlanes barriers to support such a structure, should the community elect to move forward with the idea in concert with their recent downtown parks initiative. At another level, the Urban Design concepts provide a basis for discussions between the Client Agency, the City, and private property owners to forge cost-sharing partnership strategies. Discussing these issues in early project phases enable adequate time for phasing and coordination of long-lead funding such as bond programs, agency operating budgets and federal funding disbursements.

Because of the early involvement of Landscape Architects in Project Pegasus stakeholders have been afforded a solid advantage in having time to plan, build consensus for decisions, and incorporate selected elements into their multi-year funding streams. Once reconstruction of the freeways is finished. it

 may be another 75 years before the next round of replacement design can be considered; and, given the life of physical elements and funding, this new design provides a unified look for Downtown Dallas to last throughout the 21st century.

SPECIAL OR UNIQUE SOLUTIONS TO UNUSUAL PROBLEMS OR BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS

In addition to many unique detail solutions, Project Pegasus Urban Design is most successful in establishing a meaningful process for early planning and integration of Landscape Architects in major infrastructure projects.

Unique aspects of the project design include cost effective solutions far bridge architecture, low maintenance landscaping for difficult urban conditions and community integration concepts such as deck parks, community / neighborhood gateways and streetscapes. The massive area of the project is divided into sub-districts, each with their own unique design. This not only complements context-based solutions but also facilitates phased implementation strategies at a manageable scale. At a smaller grain of the component details, the concepts advocate for site-specific design elements that balance agency construction standards with custom design elements. As a result, Project Pegasus and the City of Dallas stand to succeed with one of the most challenging issues-project budget constraints.

Without advance planning, the most successful designs cannot succeed if funds and agreements for Urban Design improvements are not allocated. Beyond initial construction, even funding for maintenance of Urban Design improvements becomes essential. Project Pegasus therefore makes a case for recognition as much for process as it does for planning and design ingenuity. It lays the groundwork for the possibility of a final design outcome of national merit.