initiative to examine how the project could evolve. After a series of stakeholder and public meetings, a community vision emerged that called for a more pedestrian-friendly downtown, focusing on streetscaping, wayfinding, and enhancing the existing transportation network. With the goal of improving the image and brand of the city’s downtown while simultaneously improving the transportation network, the resulting solution included expansive sidewalks, sustainable infrastructure, straightforward two-way
Forward, and the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA). These groups and agencies recognized the need for a unified vision to guide growth and decision-making and brought OHM Advisors on as the lead consultant to develop a comprehensive, innovative study that reimagines the Cuyahoga River Valley. Kramer notes that, while crucially important to the future, VFTV is “no small, nor easy, effort.” The Cuyahoga River is a federal shipping channel and a state-designated water trail, meaning commercial shipping and recreational water activities exist together in one river. Furthermore, compared to other commercially-active rivers, the Cuyahoga is narrow, which makes navigation and safety important concerns in developing a plan for its future.
traffic patterns, and easy-to-navigate mini roundabouts at the four corners of the courthouse. Since the project was completed in 2017, these improvements have calmed traffic and significantly improved pedestrian access to the downtown economic area, which has in turn led to gains in population, jobs, downtown living, and economic generating activities. This community-led project in Newark is a tangible result of OHM's community-forward way of doing business. Elsewhere in Ohio, OHM is currently engaged in a project that contains multiple communities within its scope. The Cuyahoga River, which has a long and complex history with industry and its resulting pollution, is now cleaner than it has been in decades thanks to dedicated efforts to improve the river’s condition for future generations. The Cuyahoga's cleaner waters are resulting in an increased demand for recreational, entertainment, and residential development along the river. Understanding the river’s history with development, the Vision for the Valley (VFTV) plan was created with the goal of finding healthy, equitable, and environmentally-conscious ways to continue to promote this regional economic development. Launched in 2019 on the 50th anniversary of the Cuyahoga River Fire, the VFTV is a joint project between the City of Cleveland Planning Commission, Cleveland Metroparks, the Port of Cleveland, Flats
To develop this plan, the project team again engaged in extensive and purposeful community and stakeholder outreach, which allowed for the plan to be founded on equity and inclusion while also guiding decisions based on protecting the health and safety of the waterway, modernizing its surrounding infrastructure, and building awareness of the river. Since inception, this plan helps the river work for everyone while fostering a healthier, more equitable, and more sustainable future. The resulting plan has also been the impetus for remarkable economic development and regional growth since its adoption. With this community-forward approach, Jon Kramer and OHM Advisors have become a pertinent example of the impact the AEC industry has on the health and well-being of communities. Whether the scope of the project is a historical downtown in a rural county seat, or a national historic river that impacts hundreds of communities and millions of people, the mindset by which firms approach projects has cascading effects for the people living in those spaces. OHM’s approach to advancing communities is unique in that it begins with building a thriving community internally that can in turn positively impact the communities in which they live and work. Their work provides an example of what community-forward thinking can change for the AEC industry. LUKE CAROTHERS is the Editor for Civil + Structural Engineer Media. If you want us to cover your project or want to feature your own article, he can be reached at lcarothers@zweiggroup.com.
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June 2023 csengineermag.com
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