Search Page

City of Bowie Trails Master Plan Update Bowie, MD The City of Bowie, Maryland is blessed with many small segments of bicycle and pedestrian facilities, but they lack an identifiable network with a strong community image. The City of Bowie’s 2016 Sustainability Plan targeted two specific goals for improving the City’s walkability and expanding existing trails for biking, hiking and family walks into a safe interconnected network. The City funded an update to the Trails Master Plan to address these goals and to set new priorities for future capital improvement projects to help achieve the goals. Updating the City Trails Master Plan presented an opportunity to address current issues and the needs of the trail system’s users. ​ The Trails Plan Update was conducted over an eight-month process that included a community survey and two trails planning workshops that formed the basis for the draft plan. The resulting document includes the network goals and priorities, gap analysis, alternatives evaluation, trail network recommendations and trail design recommendations, as well as guidance on implementation and funding. ​ The plan was approved in September of 2019.

Neabsco Creek Boardwalk Prince William County, Virginia L/KLA designed the Neabsco Creek Boardwalk with the help of a multi-disciplined team that included Wiley|Wilson (civil and structural), Environmental Systems Analysis, Inc. (environmental), The Robert B. Balter Company (geotechnical), John Milner Associates, now CHG, Inc. (cultural), Dawson Associates (interpretive signage), and Dominion Surveyors. L/KLA’s collaborative design approach helped to address the complex issues associated with flooding, storm surge, and related environmental permitting. The Neabsco Creek Boardwalk Crossing is a critical linkage of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail connecting Rippon Lodge and Rippon Landing Park with the Metz Wetlands. It provides opportunities to link nearby neighborhoods with Neabsco Creek and with each other. ​ The boardwalk crossing is a regional destination for wildlife viewing, outdoor education and nature appreciation for all ages and abilities. It provides significant educational opportunities for students ranging from pre-K to graduate school, telling the story of the ebb and flow of Neabsco Creek and its inhabitants through the day, month, year, and over our lifetime and beyond. Landing areas at each end of the boardwalk are designed to include orientation space suitable for a classroom with staging areas near each landing to accommodate school field trips. A floating pier at the south landing allows students of all ages to get up close and personal with the aquatic life of Neabsco Creek. ​ Permitting for the Boardwalk included a Conditional Letter of Map Revision (FEMA), NEPA, USACOE, and various state and local regulatory approvals. The 3,200-linear foot boardwalk is designed for all ages and abilities, and includes two long span crossings of Neabsco Creek, five additional short span crossings of tributaries, two landings, an observation deck and water level platforms for classroom use. Construction began in fall of 2017. A ribbon cutting event was held in early June 2019. ​ In August 2020, the project was awarded a Gold Medal award from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Neasbsco Creek Boardwalk Receives State Environmental Award Virginia DEQ Gold Medal August 2020 Neasbsco Creek Boardwalk was the Recipient of a Virginia ASLA merit award in the General Design category in 2019 Click here for the Neabsco Creek Boardwalk Prospectus (preliminary design 09/16/13) Click here to read Neabsco Creek Boardwalk Opening Draws Rave Reviews In Woodbridge article in the Patch (06/04/19) Click here to read Neabsco Creek Boardwalk brings new view to Woodbridge article in Inside Nova (06/01/19)

Tilghman Village Master Plan, Talbot County, Maryland Talbot County’s Comprehensive Plan Development and Growth Sector Planning Policies called for master plans that describe each village’s character and evaluate the compatibility and suitability of existing and proposed land uses, infrastructure, facilities and services associated with development–mostly infill and redevelopment–within each village. The planning department utilized funding from Maryland DNR’s Working Waterfront Enhancement Grants to support the village master plans for two villages–Bellevue and Tilghman. ​ ​ The DNR program funds localplanning assistance to support traditional maritime uses and the protection of property for public access and maritime-related services, but it also supports the exploration of opportunities for maritime heritagetourism, recreation, natural resources conservation and hazard mitigation within the traditional culture of the historic community. Tilghman’s maritime businesses were specifically called out in the development of the program as one of the areas in greatest need for access to working waterfront assets. ​ The Tilghman Plan focuses on finding ways to support those businesses as an integral part of the village life. Those who live, work or spend leisure time in Tilghman appreciate its authenticity and diversity along with its strong community values and character. However, there are often-competing interests between working watermen and tourism-dependent private marinas, or between long-time residents, newcomers, and weekend visitors. The purpose of the Tilghman Village Master Plan is to balance these interests for the betterment and long-term viability of the community as a whole. Click here to read the Tilghman Village Master Plan (September 2017)

PROJECTS Parks Trails and Natural Areas Landscape Architecture Design Cultural Heritage Tourism Infrastructure and Resiliency Urban Design

Watkins Regional Park Master Park Development Plan The Maryland-National Capital Park Planning Commission selected L/KLA and team consultants to prepare a master plan for Watkins Regional Park located in Upper Marlboro, Prince George’s County, MD. Park inventories and analyses, facility and maintenance surveys, staff interviews, public meetings, and on-line surveys provided direction and perspective in solidifying a framework and vision for the park. Areas of focus included park circulation and neighborhood connections; parking; revenue and use analysis; park amenities and siting; events and programming; inventory and protection of natural resources; and infrastructure needs. ​ Watkins Regional Park was initially developed in the late 1960’s. Improvements have been made over the years, but many facilities remain as installed over forty years ago. This 835-acre property receives over one million visitors per year. More than half of the park is protected by various environmental and policy constraints from active development. Infrastructure (athletic fields, farm, picnic facilities, restrooms, etc.) is in need of upgrading, and pressures for additional uses continue to challenge the park’s operations. Areas of focus include park circulation, parking, revenue and use analysis, park amenities and siting, events and programming, inventory and protection of natural resources, and infrastructure needs. The plan recognizes the strengths of the existing park and builds off its successes through enhancements to playground and family oriented gathering spaces, nature center, farm/agriculture, and sports facilities. Recommended improvements to picnic and play features include the introduction of social hubs with seating and food options, a sprayground, and parking renovations. An outdoor pavilion is recommended for accommodating special events and revenue-generating programs. Enhancements to the “northern athletic complex” will be supported with new fields, parking, trails, and picnic shelters at the “southern athletic complex.” ​ The Watkins Regional Park Master Park Development Plan was developed with an open and collaborative public engagement process. An array of outreach methods were used, including: public meetings and focus groups; working with an appointed stakeholder group; interviews with key staff and agency representatives; an on-line survey; a participatory dot poster survey with displays at the Watkins Nature Center (WNC) and the Largo/Kettering/Perrywood Community Center; and attendance at park events. ​ A copy of the Watkins Regional Park Master Park Development Plan is available online here .

Van Dyck Park Master Plan City of Fairfax, Virginia Van Dyck Park is the crown jewel park in the City of Fairfax, Virginia. It is one of its most frequently visited community parks and is the premier park site in the city. The park’s combined three parcels total approximately 36 acres and include wooded natural areas and stream corridor, athletic fields, grassy open spaces with varied topography, trails, picnic areas and picnic shelters, a skatepark, parking, a community center, and police station. The master plan provides the city with a road map for incorporating and implementing necessary infrastructure improvements, while allowing the city to better accommodate the current and future use of the park by the general public. It will strengthen the role of the park as a community asset, a place that serves as the communal living room and backyard for the residents of the City of Fairfax. The plan was adopted in June 2018.

Strategic Livability Plan for Utah's Scenic Byways and Backways Program Utah’s twenty-six scenic byways play an important role in the livability and quality of life in the many communities that are located along these well-traveled routes. The Strategic Livability Plan outlined strategies needed to preserve and protect the intrinsic qualities along the byways and to enhance economic development for byway communities through ongoing tourism and other community-based and state agency initiatives. The Utah Office of Tourism hired a multidisciplinary team led by Lardner/Klein Landscape Architects (L/KLA) to assist with this strategic planning effort. The plan outlined the best practices for livability and sustainability and identified new and creative approaches to funding enhancements that encourage the many visitors from around the world or around the state to stay longer and spend more time in Utah’s rural communities. L/KLA, working with the Utah Office of Tourism and local Scenic Byway partners, developed a detailed plan for welcoming and introducing visitors to the state and its scenic byways. The plan included short-term and long-term program goals, program funding models, operating and facility guidelines and strategic marketing initiatives. In collaboration with representatives from each of the state’s byways and cooperating agencies, L/KLA developed a new vision for Utah’s Scenic Byways to emphasize collaboration among agencies, byways as economic development tools and as opportunities to increase leverage for funding and financing of related preservation and enhancement efforts. Click here to read the Strategic Livability Plan for Utah's Scenic Byways and Backways Program (November 2015)