Transportation Corridors as Vehicles for Cultural and Ecological Regeneration - Restorative Redevelopment of Devastated Ecocultural Landscapes - page 353

FIGURE 17.24 Wildlife habitat connectivity and transportation corridor converging south

of Ravalli.

across the road rather than be bisected by the corridor as it was previously. Thus
the tribes' political center will be seated within a landscape context that better
fits tribal values.

Experience of Place
The Salish, Kootenai, and Pend d'Oreille are very interested in instilling visitor
respect and appreciation of their homelands. The design team developed a series of
interpretive features along U.S. 93 to enhance both residents' and visitors' experi-
ence of place. Visitor education and appreciation of the landscape and culture is
essential to cultivate respect. Interpretive overlooks, place name signage, and com-
munity signs now introduce travelers to the tribal homeland and cultural values. Key
to enhancing the visitor's experience of place were interpretive overlooks designed
to introduce visitors to the Reservation. There are two overlooks, one at Ravalli Hill
overlooking the Mission Valley and the National Bison Range, the other at Polson
Hill overlooking Flathead Lake. Visitor education and appreciation of the tribal
homeland was essential to cultivate respect of Amerindian culture. The overlooks
are constructed of native materials and nestled into the landscape and will incorpo-
rate native artwork and oral traditions to tell the story of the landscape and its people
(Figure 17.25).
Jones & Jones addressed community design and how to preserve rural character
while integrating transportation corridor issues with small town planning. In one
community, for example, the design team incorporated aesthetics, community iden-
tity, and open space design with road improvements. One project included capital-
izing on an opportunity to daylight a buried creek running through the town center.