Rock Hall Waterfront Master Plan, Talbot County, MD Rock Hall’s waterfront is a treasured place in the hearts and minds of many residents and visitors to the area. Many have spent most of their lives there, working the water to make a living. Others know it for the famous Fourth of July fireworks, its Pirates and Wenches Weekend and New Year’s Eve celebrations. The purpose of the Town of Rock Hall Waterfront Master Plan is to help guide future changes to enhance waterfront areas while maintaining the strong sense of place that makes Rock Hall’s waterfront unique and special. The plan focuses on the currently zoned Maritime Water Dependent (MWD) and Maritime Commercial (MC) districts located roughly between Walnut Street and Chesapeake Avenue. The plan also addresses the linkages to and from Rock Hall’s Main Street and other nearby attractions and services. The overall goals of this grant-funded project were: To develop strategies (Action Plan) for the retention and expansion of water-dependent businesses; To identify options for expanding waterfront access to working watermen, visitors and Town residents alike; and To evaluate the compatibility and suitability of existing and proposed land uses, infrastructure, facilities and services. Click here to read the Rock Hall Waterfront Master Plan (February 2017)

Infrastructure and Resiliency A site's ecosystem is our foundation for decision-making. Natural infrastructure provides the framework and structure for L/KLA's design and planning decisions. Resilient landscapes require consideration, understanding and incorporation of the natural infrastructure of a site —its soil, wetlands and forests—including restoration. Built infrastructure must respond to and enhance the underlying natural systems, recognizing the carrying capacity of a site. In our urbanizing world, pressure continues to grow on making more with less. Looking at ways to leverage assets and provide for multi-use on a site, understanding the tensions between the need to protect cultural and natural resources and provide for needed community built infrastructure such as active recreation facilities, transportation systems, trails and greenway networks are challenges in which L/KLA is well familiar. Changes to an existing landscape must be made with respect and a keen knowledge of the site and its history and existing conditions. Whether through public interest design or private design and planning efforts, investment in infrastructure must combine social, economic and green issues in a holistic manner. L/KLA has deep experience in built infrastructure having authored articles on Context Sensitive Design, served as a team member for the Route 50 Rural Traffic Calming Demonstration Project and developed construction documents for many trails, greenways, parks, and site plans. Port Deposit Working Waterfront Master Plan - Port Deposit, MD Tilghman Island Working Waterfront Master Plan Route 50 Traffic Calming Rock Hall Waterfront OTHER PROJECTS Context Sensitive Design, Transportation and Traffic Calming Neabsco Creek Boardwalk Nachusa Grasslands Visitor Use Plan Route 50 Traffic Calming, Town of Middleburg Route 50 Traffic Calming Measures Fauquier and Loudoun Counties, VA Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridge Project Appomattox Courthouse, VA , Route 24 Traffic Calming Plan Saint Mary's College Pedestrian Safety Plan Route 1 Lorton (VDOT) Reston Wiehle Avenue (VDOT) Transportation Guidelines and Manuals The King's Highway Historic Roadway Guidelines Maryland Historic National Road Model Development and Design Guidelines Maryland Historic National Road Historic Roadway Guidelines Brandywine Valley Landscape Guidelines Ecological Planning and Resource Management Plans Elklick Woodlands Natural Resource Management Plan Anacostia Riverwalk Trail, Kenilworth section, Washington, D.C. Shenandoah National Park Related Lands Study Martic Township Environmental Inventory and Assessment Greater Lewes Resource Inventory Old Colchester Park and Preserve NRMP, Fairfax County Park Authority, Fairfax, VA Resource Management Guidelines and Manuals New River Gorge National River Landscape Maintenance Plan New River Gorge National River Vista Management Plan You and Your Land - A Homeowner's Guide for the Potomac River Watershed Treeless Area Technical Manual, Fairfax County Park Authority, VA Context Sensitive Solutions for Maryland's Scenic Byways, MD SHA

Ideas + Perspectives FHWA Releases 2021 National Scenic Byway and All-American Road Designation Booklet May 27, 2021 The Federal Highway Administration released its 2021 illustrative National Scenic Byway and All-American Road designation booklet just in time for the summer travel season. The booklet includes the newest designations, announced in February. (https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/scenic_byways/designations/fhwadesignationsbooklet.pdf ) . L/KLA’s corridor management planning efforts supported five of these byway designations in six states including two All-American Roads, the highest designation where a byway is considered as a destination unto itself: California’s Historic Route 66 Scenic Byway from Needles to Barstow (NSB ) Maryland’s Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway (AAR ) New Jersey’s Bayshore Heritage Byway (NSB ) New York’s Palisades Scenic Byway (NSB ) Tennessee and North Carolina’s Newfound Gap Road Byway (AAR ) View of East Point Lighthouse from New Jersey's Bayshore Heritage Byway. View of Roy's Motel and Cafe from California's Historic Route 66 Scenic Byway from Needles to Barstow. SNEP Southern New England Program Network Climate Leadership Exchange December 10, 2020 Jim Klein was an invited participant for the Southern New England Program Network (SNEP) Climate Leadership Exchange webinar on “Revitalizing waterfront communities through comprehensive redevelopment” representing a waterfront case study for Tilghman Island with Talbot County planner Miguel Salinas. Jim and Miguel provided insights regarding Tilghman’s community revitalization efforts through balancing the preservation of working waterfront assets while seeking ways to diversify the small-town economy. Jim also provided additional insights on how to increase public understanding on the need to address climate resiliency, gleaned from his experience leading four additional master plans for working waterfronts in Maryland, including Rock Hall, Port Deposit, Oxford and Bellevue. The webinar was in support of the efforts between the Town of Wareham, Massachusetts and the SNEP Network centered on the Town’s goals for revitalization of the downtown waterfront area in Wareham Village. Invited guests help guide future redevelopment plans for Wareham Village by focusing on incorporating elements of climate resilience, stormwater management, and green infrastructure into design plans that are closely connected to economic development opportunities. Through the exchange, Wareham will also be able to explore innovative and sustainable environmental finance opportunities associated with their redevelopment plans. Link to the Podcast: S1 | E7: Waterfront Redevelopment - Part 3 (ft. Tilghman Island, MD and Working Waterfronts) NeabscoCreekBoardwalkAward Neabsco Creek Boardwalk Receives State Environmental Award August 28, 2020 Delighted that all the hard and rewarding work that went into designing the Neabsco Creek Boardwalk has been recognized with a Gold Medal from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality's (DEQ) 2020 Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards. L/KLA served as the prime contractor leading a multidisciplined team that included many of our long-time colleagues including: ESA, Inc. (environmental); Wiley | Wilson (civil and structural engineering); The Robert B. Balter Company (Geotechnical and construction phase services); CHG, Inc. (cultural resources performed by the former John Milner Associates); and Dominion Surveyors. In addition to leading the design team, L/KLA was responsible for the design and detailing for the boardwalk, coordinating the permitting requirements, public outreach and construction phase services. The Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards recognize successful and innovative efforts that improve Virginia's environment. The awards program is run annually by the DEQ in partnership with the Department of Conservation and Recreation. You can learn more at: https://www.deq.virginia.gov/get-involved/pollution-prevention/governor-s-environmental-excellence-awards Link Inside Nova web article: https://www.insidenova.com/news/prince_william/neabsco-creek-boardwalk-receives-state-environmental-award/article_3609e3f4-e7e6-11ea-8939-7b156a12a584.html AnacostiaTrail Trail of the Month: Anacostia River Trail August 17, 2020 Check out the Anacostia River Trail recognized by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy as the Trail of the Month: August 2020 . L/KLA served as the project Landscape Architect for the Kenilworth section from Benning Road in the District of Columbia to just south of Bladensburg Park in Maryland. The article speaks to how the alignment of the trail provided access to the natural areas east of the River and north of RFK Stadium along the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, under AMTRAK and US Route 50 and into Maryland. L/KLA led the work on the field alignment to minimize impact to the mature tree canopy while providing visual and physical access to the Anacostia River and Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens for pedestrians and bicyclists as part of the missing link to the 20-mile trail. Link to Rails-to-Trails Conservancy web article: https://www.railstotrails.org/trailblog/2020/august/13/washington-dc-and-maryland-s-anacostia-river-trail/?utm_source=newsletter Making the Grade Anchor Making the Grade: Increasing Access to Parks for All Ages and Abilities May 6, 2020 As we all adjust to the new reality of the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of our parks and trails for health and wellbeing is abundantly clear. While many park amenities are shuttered, trails and open spaces allow for access to outdoor recreation while social distancing. However, not all trails and open spaces are readily accessible to all. Parking lots in many parks are blocked off, making it challenging for people with disabilities to access trails. For those who can access trails, it is likely that some will face challenges, as many trails do not meet current ADA regulations. It has been 30 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law. While this 30th anniversary celebrates countless life-changing improvements toward equity and inclusion, the challenge to keep parks, trails, and open spaces in compliance is ongoing. Issues of cost, maintenance, or site constraints often hinder a good faith effort to furnish inclusive recreational facilities. As every design professional knows, site design must address trade-offs due to differing priorities. However, accessibility challenges can often be solved with creative, low-budget solutions. Here are three projects that identify accessibility issues and provide cost-effective solutions for all ages and abilities. Emiquon Preserve Visitor Use Site, IL As a first step, parks and public spaces need to find out whether a facility is accessible to all ages and abilities. In 2018, The Nature Conservancy in Illinois retained L/KLA to provide an accessibility assessment for existing and proposed infrastructure at the Emiquon Visitor Use Site on the shore of Thompson Lake. The Nature Conservancy’s primary mission is conservation and stewardship, but in recent years they have made efforts to increase public access to their natural areas in a way that is sensitive to their primary mission. After reviewing guidance from Illinois and Federal standards, as well as on-site assessments, L/KLA evaluated the Nature Conservancy’s ongoing maintenance practices and opportunities for small-scale new construction or renovation that could increase access for all ages and abilities. The final 2019 report is being used by TNC’s to guide their ongoig efforts and investments needed to meet their goal of increasing public access and outreach for visitors of all ages and abilities at Emiquon, helping to tell the story of their work and multi-faceted benefits of Emiquon’s restored wetlands. Abrupt transitions from adjoining surface conditions are common compliance challenges. An example provided in the Emiquon accessibility report: While a standard handrail is provided, the ramp at Neabsco Creek Boardwalk requires an additional handrail for ADA compliance. L/KLA designed this 3,000+ ft ADA accessible boardwalk in Prince William County, VA. Fort Ward Park, Alexandria, VA Like many jurisdictions, The City of Alexandria is striving to upgrade existing facilities to increase access and mobility for all. An historic city, Alexandria is also faced with infrastructure improvements and limitations arising from existing land use patterns and historic and archaeological resources. L/KLA was selected as the lead consultant for improvements to Fort Ward Park—the location of an historic Civil War Fort and contemporaneous African American neighborhood. Once the City’s arboretum, it is also home to treasured, mature trees, with wooded paths and trails throughout. Improvements include accessible parking and paths to the existing picnic shelter, and relocation/design of a more inclusive playground. Balancing the pros and cons between providing access and preserving mature trees and historic resources, L/KLA is working with the City to design and construct these improvements with minimal impact on resources and high impact on the City’s ability to provide access to residents of all ages and abilities. An accessible route will link new ADA parking spaces to the picnic shelter and sidewalk, as shown above. In addition to providing access, protection of existing archaeological resources and existing trees is paramount in this effort. View toward the picnic shelter from the parking lot, looking in the general location of the future accessible route. Prince William County, Woodbridge, VA After an accessibility compliance report was conducted, evaluating over 70 parks in Prince William County’s Parks and Recreation system, the department retained L/KLA through an open-end services contract to design accessibility improvements for several of their aging parks. John D. Jenkins Park, serving a neighborhood park in Woodbridge, includes wooded open space, a basketball court, and a playground. Immediately adjacent to the park are the offices of The ARC of Prince William County and a care center for children with developmental disabilities. Prince William County took the opportunity to replace a timber retaining wall to create an accessible pathway from the parking area to the basketball courts below. Before and after photos of ramp designed with pickets, connecting parking with the basketball courts below. A maximum of 20 percent of handrail length may be obstructed on the bottom (505.6 Gripping Surface. ADAAG.). The railings in this design meet this requirement. With site constraints such as steep slopes and shallow underground utilities, coupled with budget constraints, the final design needed to be low-impact and cost effective. L/KLA designed a series of concrete ramps with railing and a lower (<3’ tall) segmental retaining wall to provide a simple, direct route that provides ADA accessibility, aesthetic improvements, and limited site disturbance. The ramp has a standard rail with pickets and incorporates a retaining wall and surface drainage as part of the ramp system, addressing all site requirements in a cost effective, but attractive manner. As landscape architects, we approach ADA as a minimum standard, while striving to do more than “check off the boxes” to meet requirements. We seek a comprehensive solution to inclusivity, encompassing ease of access, aesthetics, and ecological stewardship. With ingenuity and rigorous site analysis, accessibility improvements for aging park facilities can be implemented as part of a holistic approach, often with minimal modifications, constructed as part of ongoing maintenance projects, using small-scale design interventions. At some point, the backlog of accessibility needs will disappear as all new park projects incorporate universal design as an integral design and budget component right from the start.

Links Project Pages New Road Corridor Master Plan Cameron County Dark Sky Park Parks, Trails, and Natural Areas New River Gorge Stacked Loop Trail System Laurel Hill Resource Management Plan, Fairfax County, VA Elklick Woodlands Natural Resource Management Plan Rural Villages Study, M-NCPPC Treeless Area Technical Manual, Fairfax County Park Authority, VA You and Your Land - A Homeowner's Guide for the Potomac River Watershed Landscape Architecture Design Riverside Park Phase 1 Renovations Ribbon Cutting, News & Advance, May 19, 2016 Allen Pond Park Master Plan, Bowie, MD Facility Plan for the Capital Crescent and Metropolitan Branch Trails Community Development Initiative Master Plan and Site Development, City of Hindman/Knott County, KY Merrifield Streetscape Design Manual, Fairfax County, VA Infrastructure and Resiliency Anacostia Riverwalk Trail Kenilworth Section Design Unveiled Neabsco Creek Boardwalk Crossing Grand Opening Residents Celebrate Opening of Neabsco Creek Boardwalk Neabsco Creek Boardwalk Brings New View to Woodbridge Route 50 Traffic Calming Measures , Loudoun and Fauquier Counties, VA Ped - Bike Image Library You and Your Land - A Homeowner's Guide for the Potomac River Watershed Treeless Area Technical Manual, Fairfax County Park Authority, VA Context Sensitive Solutions for Maryland's Scenic Byways, MD SHA Urban/Community Design Van Dyck Park Master Plan - 2018 Maple Avenue Commercial Corridor Zoning Code Update Consultant Picked for Maple Ave. Vision Fort Ward Park and Museum Area Management Plan - 2015 Maple Avenue Commercial Corridor Zoning Code Update, Vienna VA - 2014 Rural Villages Study, Prince Georges County, Maryland Community Appearance Manual and Highway Beautification Plan, Cary, NC Cultural Heritage Tourism Oxford Working Waterfront Strategic Plan Commissioners Draft September 2017 Rock Hall Waterfront Master Plan - Adopted February 2017 Bellevue Village Master Plan - June 2017 Tilghman Village Master Plan -June 2017 California Historic Route 66 Corridor Management Plan - May 2015 Bayshore Heritage Byway Bayshore Heritage Byway: Appendix Walton Road Historic Byway Corridor Management Plan Maryland Historic National Road Corridor Partnership Plan Update Flight 93 National Memorial Travel Corridor Study Brandywine Valley Byway Corridor Management Plan Delaware River Valley Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan FHWA Scenic Byways Community Pages Maryland Scenic Byways Journey Through Hallowed Ground Corridor Management Plan Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail CMP, MD Crossroads of the Revolution National Heritage Area Management Plan, NJ Millstone Valley Scenic Byway , Somerset County, NJ Blue Crab Byway, Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland Charles Street National Scenic Byway, Baltimore, MD US 15 Catoctin Mountain Scenic Byway, Frederick County, MD

Lardner/Klein Landscape Architects, P.C. (L/KLA) is an award-winning design and planning firm with the ability to clearly convey ideas to clients, citizens, and team members. Working closely with our clients, L/KLA develops effective, creative, and cost-sensitive solutions responsive to our client’s Neabsco Creek Boardwalk Simpson Park Playground Nachusa Grasslands Neabsco Creek Boardwalk 1/9 PROJECTS CONTACT info@lardnerklein.com phone (703) 739-0972 fax (703) 739-0973 120 N Alfred St. #100 Alexandria, Virginia 22314 About Careers Media