Nov 20, Franklin County Chapter of OSPE Luncheon
Place: LaScala Restaurant, 4199 West Dublin Granville Road, Dublin, Ohio
Time: Registration: 11:30 am, Lunch: 11:45 am, Speaker 12:15 pm, Closing Remarks 1:15 pm
Cost: Members: $20.00, Non-Members $30.00
Program: Scioto Greenways; A Riverfront Transformation Columbus, Ohio
The Scioto Riverfront in Downtown Columbus has been transformed as a result of hundreds of millions of dollars in public and private developments in the River South area. But while substantial public and private investments along the Scioto River have created world-class amenities, the river has remained a slow-moving, overly wide pool of sediment-laden water due to the presence of low head dams.
The removal of the Main Street Dam begins to restore the natural course of the river, improve the ecological systems and river habitat, provide new recreation options, and provide an opportunity to further leverage existing investments by creating a stunning 33-acre greenway through Downtown Columbus, Ohio.
The additional green space will better connect Downtown to the Scioto Peninsula and East Franklinton, build on the recent park investments, create links to the existing regional bikeway system, and serve as a catalyst for further private investment in Downtown.
Across the country, dam removal and river restoration projects have been shown to increase property values, encourage investment, and create vibrant communities. A healthy river that enables recreation and improves connectivity will allow Columbus to thrive and ensure maximum economic, ecological, and social benefits.
The project is estimated to cost $35.5 million and is being funded by a variety of public and private partners, including: City of Columbus, City of Columbus Department of Public Utilities, Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, Ohio Department of Transportation, Ohio
Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Columbus Downtown Development Corporation, Franklin County Board of Commissioners, Metro Parks, The Columbus Foundation, and Battelle.
Presenters (Stantec Consulting Services Inc.):
Bryon Ringley, PE- Project Manager
Travis White, PE- Assistant Project Manager
Bryon Ringley is a Senior Principal at Stantec, in the Columbus, Ohio office. Bryon has a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from the University of Evansville (Indiana) and a Master of Science in Hazardous and Waste Materials Management from Southern Methodist University (Dallas, TX). Bryon is a registered professional engineer in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.
Bryon began his engineering career working for the City of Richmond, Indiana, in the City Engineer’s Office and at the Richmond Sanitary District in 1990. Bryon is now a Discipline Leader for Stantec’s Water Group here in Columbus and has been active in a variety of water resources projects throughout Ohio and the Great Lakes Region.
Bryon is the Project Manager on several high profile water resources projects here in central Ohio, including:
· 5th Avenue Dam Removal and Lower Olentangy River Restoration; and
· Main Street Dam Removal and Scioto Greenways.
Mr. White serves as a Senior Project Engineer in the Columbus, Ohio office of Stantec Consulting Services Inc., and is the assistant project manager and civil lead on the Scioto Greenways Project.
He is responsible for water resource projects, including ecosystem and stream restoration, watershed assessment, and green infrastructure projects.
Mr. White earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Cincinnati; is a regular presenter on stream restoration and green infrastructure topics at technical conferences and workshops across Ohio; and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Ohio.
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A certificate for 1 hour of Professional Development for attending the program will be presented at the luncheon