ms NewsNotes Spring/Summer 2012

news notes

NewsNotes is published by ms consultants, inc. Please submit all questions or comments to Chuck Campbell at 614.898.7100 or [email protected].

ms now offers 3D laser point-cloud technologyEquipped with the very latest in 3D laser-imaging technology, ms consultants now offers high-resolution

building investigation services, including: - Facility conditions assessments, visualization, and measurement - Pre-construction and construction as-built surveys - Building information modeling - Construction progress reporting - Street intersection ADA surveys - Structural analysis and maintenance 3D point-cloud technology is emerging as the future of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and ms

consultants is on the leading edge. With the use of this technology, data collection for as-built documentation is more comprehensive and in higher detail than ever before possible. The more technically detailed the project, the more value can be realized.

Traditionally, as-built documentation is gathered in the field by a project team and project-specific data is recorded manually. Utilizing point-cloud technology allows the project team to digitally record all available visible data.

All elements located within line-of-sight are recorded with resolutions often exceeding one hundred data points per square inch. This method eliminates the need to go back to the site to record data that was not originally required or was perceived to be irrelevant.

Once the field data is captured, the point cloud is processed to a level of detail consistent with the project requirements. Perfectly suited for incorporation into 3D BIM software packages, the level of as-built accuracy and potential detail is unparalled.

A number of clients are already using this technology.To see how this system can be utilized to your advantage, please contact Jason Christoff, PE, in our Columbus office at 614.898.7100,

or contact your local ms office or e-mail [email protected].

ms consultants, inc. engineers, architects, planners

Financing options ARE available for projects. See story starting on page 2.

spring/summer 2012 - volume 21, issue 1

ms consultants, inc.engineers, architect, planners

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2

what the federal government currently gets in annual taxes for roadway, bridge and mass transit projects.

Just before going on break for the July 4th holiday, Congress finally passed a long-delayed transportation bill – ending 33 months of short-term extensions.

But even that won’t really provide a long-term solution to the funding problem. The bill is only a two-year extension and Congress kept the federal gasoline tax at 18.4 cents per gallon. The gas tax, which hasn't been increased since 1993, is (together with state gasoline taxes) the major source of funding for road and bridge projects.

Combine that with the ever-improving fuel efficiency of vehicles and the result is that states have been receiving less and less money annually from the federal level.

The water infrastructure throughout the country is also in dire shape. The Environmental Protection Agency just released their latest “Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assess-ment”, which is updated every four years. It finds that the water and sewer systems in the U.S. will need an estimated investment of $334.8 billion between now and 2027.

According to the National League of Cities, local governments have been paying more than 95 percent of the cost of water and sewer upgrades since the 1990s as federal aid has declined.

So what are local governments, who have seen their share of funding from the federal and state level slashed, supposed to do about fixing or maintaining their local transportation, water and wastewater systems?

Is there anywhere they can turn to find funding sources?Actually, yes. In Ohio and many other states, there are various funding

sources available for transportation, water, parks, development

3

and energy projects – if you know where to look and how to apply.The grants and loans available cover a broad range of

infrastructure elements, including bridges, roads, railroads, pedes-trian and bike trails, water and sewer systems, brownfield sites, redevelopment of buildings and residences, healthcare facilities, public safety facilities and equipment, park improvements, energy efficient technologies and farmland preservation.

And the small wastewater systems in Ohio have not been forgotten by the funding agencies. Since 1968, when the Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA) was established, the OWDA and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) have funded more than 830 wastewater projects for over 350 small systems totaling more than $735 million.

This dedication to small systems still continues today. Ohio funding programs dedicated to small systems include the OWDA Community Assistance program, the Ohio Public Works Commis-sion Small Government program, and the OEPA Water Pollution Control Loan Fund's Small Community Interest Rate program.

ms consultants has helped many of our clients obtain funding for a variety of infrastructure projects. The grants have been for various amounts, some totaling in the millions of dollars.

An example is the Jobs Ready Site (JRS) grant for the Camp-bell Struthers Lowellville (CASTLO) Community Improvement Corporation in northeast Ohio. Working with the JRS, ms obtained $3 million in grant assistance for CASTLO to provide infrastructure improvements to create a “ready to build” industrial site. These improvements included water, sewer and streets.

The grant application was based on a relatively innovative local share method. The existing large steel mill on the site was demolished and then the value of the salvaged steel was used to provide the 25 percent local share for the grant.

At the federal level, ms has also helped a number of clients obtain funding via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), and/or complete projects that received ARRA funding. Of the original $787 billion in funding approved in 2009, approxi-mately $22.5 billion is still available.

Approximately $5 million in ARRA funding was awarded to the Interstate 75/Dixie Drive/Central Avenue project in Dayton, Ohio, a $26 million project that ms is completing for ODOT District 7. (See the story

starting on page 4.) To learn more about the various funding

options available for projects, please contact Gary Diorio, PE. Gary can be reached in the office at 330.744.5321 or e-mail at [email protected].

America’s infrastructure system continues to age, with many commuters encountering the signs of transportation-related decay – rusty bridge supports, concrete beams and decks with exposed rebar – on an almost daily basis. At the same time, water and sewer infrastructure is failing to keep up with new clean water require-ments. Communities across the country frequently encounter water main breaks, sewer backups and massive repair costs to replace aging systems built decades ago.

With such a great need for infrastructure repair, the question many communities are asking is: How are we going to pay for the needed upgrades?

The most recent “Report Card” from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gives the infrastructure system in the United States an overall grade of “D”

If you break down the report card by the states ms consultants is based in, the numbers are bad across the board:

• In Ohio, for example, 27 percent of the bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. In Pennsylvania, that number jumps to 50 percent.

• At the same time, 25 percent of Ohio’s major roads are in poor or mediocre condition and 45 percent of Ohio’s major urban highways are congested.

• Pennsylvania’s drinking water infrastructure needs an invest-ment of $10.99 billion over the next 20 years, while at the same time the state has $7.18 billion in wastewater infrastructure needs.

• In Indiana, there are 240 “high hazard” dams – which are defined as those whose failure would cause a loss of life and signifi-cant property damage. Overall, 538 of Indiana’s 1,088 dams are in need of rehabilitation to meet applicable state dam safety standards.

• In West Virginia, 39 percent of the bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, and 37 percent of the major roads are in poor or mediocre condition.

• 27 percent of major roads in North Carolina are in poor or mediocre condition, while 54 precent of the major urban highways are congested.

The list of needs state by state is staggering.In 2011, the ASCE released a report calculating that decaying

roads, bridges, railroads and transit systems are costing the United States $129 billion a year. The report indicated that infrastructure deficiencies add $97 billion a year to the cost of operating vehicles and result in travel delays costing another $32 billion.

Also troubling was the prediction that if investments in surface transportation infrastructure are not made soon, U.S. businesses would pay an additional $430 billion in transportation costs within 10 years, and U.S. exports will fall by $28 billion.

According to the ASCE, the repair cost for all of the bridges in the U.S. would cost approximately $140 billion – as reported by Bloomberg News in February 2012. That’s roughly three times

America’sInfrastructure

Where is the moneyto pay for upgrades?

“In Ohio and many otherstates, there are variousfunding sources availablefor transportation, water, parks, development andenergy projects – if youknow where to look andhow to apply.”

An existing steel mill was demolished and the valueof the salvaged steel was used to provide the 25 percentlocal share for a grant to redevelop the industrial site.

2

what the federal government currently gets in annual taxes for roadway, bridge and mass transit projects.

Just before going on break for the July 4th holiday, Congress finally passed a long-delayed transportation bill – ending 33 months of short-term extensions.

But even that won’t really provide a long-term solution to the funding problem. The bill is only a two-year extension and Congress kept the federal gasoline tax at 18.4 cents per gallon. The gas tax, which hasn't been increased since 1993, is (together with state gasoline taxes) the major source of funding for road and bridge projects.

Combine that with the ever-improving fuel efficiency of vehicles and the result is that states have been receiving less and less money annually from the federal level.

The water infrastructure throughout the country is also in dire shape. The Environmental Protection Agency just released their latest “Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assess-ment”, which is updated every four years. It finds that the water and sewer systems in the U.S. will need an estimated investment of $334.8 billion between now and 2027.

According to the National League of Cities, local governments have been paying more than 95 percent of the cost of water and sewer upgrades since the 1990s as federal aid has declined.

So what are local governments, who have seen their share of funding from the federal and state level slashed, supposed to do about fixing or maintaining their local transportation, water and wastewater systems?

Is there anywhere they can turn to find funding sources?Actually, yes. In Ohio and many other states, there are various funding

sources available for transportation, water, parks, development

3

and energy projects – if you know where to look and how to apply.The grants and loans available cover a broad range of

infrastructure elements, including bridges, roads, railroads, pedes-trian and bike trails, water and sewer systems, brownfield sites, redevelopment of buildings and residences, healthcare facilities, public safety facilities and equipment, park improvements, energy efficient technologies and farmland preservation.

And the small wastewater systems in Ohio have not been forgotten by the funding agencies. Since 1968, when the Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA) was established, the OWDA and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) have funded more than 830 wastewater projects for over 350 small systems totaling more than $735 million.

This dedication to small systems still continues today. Ohio funding programs dedicated to small systems include the OWDA Community Assistance program, the Ohio Public Works Commis-sion Small Government program, and the OEPA Water Pollution Control Loan Fund's Small Community Interest Rate program.

ms consultants has helped many of our clients obtain funding for a variety of infrastructure projects. The grants have been for various amounts, some totaling in the millions of dollars.

An example is the Jobs Ready Site (JRS) grant for the Camp-bell Struthers Lowellville (CASTLO) Community Improvement Corporation in northeast Ohio. Working with the JRS, ms obtained $3 million in grant assistance for CASTLO to provide infrastructure improvements to create a “ready to build” industrial site. These improvements included water, sewer and streets.

The grant application was based on a relatively innovative local share method. The existing large steel mill on the site was demolished and then the value of the salvaged steel was used to provide the 25 percent local share for the grant.

At the federal level, ms has also helped a number of clients obtain funding via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), and/or complete projects that received ARRA funding. Of the original $787 billion in funding approved in 2009, approxi-mately $22.5 billion is still available.

Approximately $5 million in ARRA funding was awarded to the Interstate 75/Dixie Drive/Central Avenue project in Dayton, Ohio, a $26 million project that ms is completing for ODOT District 7. (See the story

starting on page 4.) To learn more about the various funding

options available for projects, please contact Gary Diorio, PE. Gary can be reached in the office at 330.744.5321 or e-mail at [email protected].

America’s infrastructure system continues to age, with many commuters encountering the signs of transportation-related decay – rusty bridge supports, concrete beams and decks with exposed rebar – on an almost daily basis. At the same time, water and sewer infrastructure is failing to keep up with new clean water require-ments. Communities across the country frequently encounter water main breaks, sewer backups and massive repair costs to replace aging systems built decades ago.

With such a great need for infrastructure repair, the question many communities are asking is: How are we going to pay for the needed upgrades?

The most recent “Report Card” from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gives the infrastructure system in the United States an overall grade of “D”.

If you break down the report card by the states ms consultants is based in, the numbers are bad across the board:

• In Ohio, for example, 27 percent of the bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. In Pennsylvania, that number jumps to 50 percent.

• At the same time, 25 percent of Ohio’s major roads are in poor or mediocre condition and 45 percent of Ohio’s major urban highways are congested.

• Pennsylvania’s drinking water infrastructure needs an invest-ment of $10.99 billion over the next 20 years, while at the same time the state has $7.18 billion in wastewater infrastructure needs.

• In Indiana, there are 240 “high hazard” dams – which are defined as those whose failure would cause a loss of life and signifi-cant property damage. Overall, 538 of Indiana’s 1,088 dams are in need of rehabilitation to meet applicable state dam safety standards.

• In West Virginia, 39 percent of the bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, and 37 percent of the major roads are in poor or mediocre condition.

• 27 percent of major roads in North Carolina are in poor or mediocre condition, while 54 precent of the major urban highways are congested.

The list of needs state by state is staggering.In 2011, the ASCE released a report calculating that decaying

roads, bridges, railroads and transit systems are costing the United States $129 billion a year. The report indicated that infrastructure deficiencies add $97 billion a year to the cost of operating vehicles and result in travel delays costing another $32 billion.

Also troubling was the prediction that if investments in surface transportation infrastructure are not made soon, U.S. businesses would pay an additional $430 billion in transportation costs within 10 years, and U.S. exports will fall by $28 billion.

According to the ASCE, the repair cost for all of the bridges in the U.S. would cost approximately $140 billion – as reported by Bloomberg News in February 2012. That’s roughly three times

America’sInfrastructure

Where is the moneyto pay for upgrades?

“In Ohio and many otherstates, there are variousfunding sources availablefor transportation, water, parks, development andenergy projects – if youknow where to look andhow to apply.”

An existing steel mill was demolished and the valueof the salvaged steel was used to provide the 25 percentlocal share for a grant to redevelop the industrial site.

4

Interstate 75 is one of the busiest transportation corridors in the United States, helping move more than $4 billion in goods throughout Ohio annually.

Constructed in the 1950s as a connector between Cincinnati and Dayton, the roadway originally ended in Dayton at the juncture of Dixie Drive and Central Avenue, on the southern side of the metropolitan area. The highway was eventually extended north through Dayton in the 1960s (and now connects northern Michigan to southern Florida), but the interchange was never reconfigured as it should have been.

ms consultants was retained by the Ohio Department of Trans-portation to supply environmental documentation and design services to complete the existing Dixie Drive and Central Avenue interchange with I-75.

In addition to providing access and eggress in both directions, the ms team addressed the efficiency of the existing arterials with the intention of reducing the overall footprint of the interchange. Eastbound and westbound traffic had been separated, with the former running on Dixie Drive and the latter on Central Avenue.

5

Through realignment and restructuring of the interchange, circu-itous routes were transformed into straightforward travel patterns allowing easy access to and from the interstate and the adjacent businesses, reducing congestion and enhancing safety.

When the project is completed later this year, three twin bridges carrying I-75 over Dixie Drive/Central Avenue, Holes Creek, and an active railroad line will have been replaced, rehabilitated or widened.

Dryden Road, which runs parallel to I-75 and connects to Dixie and Central, will also be widened with the intersection being signalized.

Located adjacent to the confluence of the Great Miami River and Holes Creek, the project site contains both ancient and more recent historical features.

A large prehistoric earthwork, known as the Alexanderville Works, is situated within the project limits. ms worked with cultural resources subconsultant, Hardlines Design Company, to conduct archaeological investigations to ensure that proposed modifications did not encroach on currently undisturbed areas.

Interchangeredesign in Daytonfixes 1960s alignment

In the early 1900s, Orville and Wilbur Wright performed

initial experiments on a “water plane” design along this section of

the Great Miami River. Through the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, the river

was used as a seaplane refueling location for flights between the

Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico. These activities led to the

development of the Moraine Airpark on the western riverbank.

While the project does not directly impact the airpark, special

features will be introduced into the interchange lighting plan to

maintain safe landing and take-off zones for aircraft.

The river is important to today’s residents as well, serving as a

recreational location complete with a bicycle path along the east

bank of the river both north and south of the project. As ramps are

added and relocated, connectivity for bicyclists through the area

will be strictly maintained.

Once the interchange is completed, the city of West Carrollton

is planning to move forward with a $70 million dollar entertain-

ment district to be called Miami Bend. A waterpark is included in

the master plan, and ties that portion of the waterfront into a larger

corridor plan envisioned for the river stretching from Sidney

(north of Dayton) to Hamilton (just north of Cincinnati).

The interchange is also crucial to the area’s economic and

An aerial view of the interchangeprior to the start of construction.

industrial redevelopment, according to various city and business

leaders.

Chris Kershner, the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce’s

vice president for public policy and economic development, told

the Middletown Journal that the project “is critical to the redevel-

opment and reindustrialization of the surrounding area.”

He helped West Carrollton lobby for funding to make the

project possible. Of the more than $26 million total project cost,

$5 million was provided at the federal level.

Bill Covell, West Carrollton’s economic director*, was quoted

as saying the project is “a chance to redevelop the entire area”, and

“the interchange is crucial to rebuilding the city’s industrial

strength.”

The successful completion of this project will serve as an

example of engineering in action — resolving transportation,

environmental, historical and economic elements through

efficient, integrated design.

For more information about this project, please contact John

S. Stains, PE, in the Columbus office at 614.898.7100, or e-mail

[email protected].

*Editor’s Note: Mr. Covell passed away from illness on May 2, 2012.

This view is looking northeast along the new

Dixie Drive alignment.

4

Interstate 75 is one of the busiest transportation corridors in the United States, helping move more than $4 billion in goods throughout Ohio annually.

Constructed in the 1950s as a connector between Cincinnati and Dayton, the roadway originally ended in Dayton at the juncture of Dixie Drive and Central Avenue, on the southern side of the metropolitan area. The highway was eventually extended north through Dayton in the 1960s (and now connects northern Michigan to southern Florida), but the interchange was never reconfigured as it should have been.

ms consultants was retained by the Ohio Department of Trans-portation to supply environmental documentation and design services to complete the existing Dixie Drive and Central Avenue interchange with I-75.

In addition to providing access and eggress in both directions, the ms team addressed the efficiency of the existing arterials with the intention of reducing the overall footprint of the interchange. Eastbound and westbound traffic had been separated, with the former running on Dixie Drive and the latter on Central Avenue.

5

Through realignment and restructuring of the interchange, circu-itous routes were transformed into straightforward travel patterns allowing easy access to and from the interstate and the adjacent businesses, reducing congestion and enhancing safety.

When the project is completed later this year, three twin bridges carrying I-75 over Dixie Drive/Central Avenue, Holes Creek, and an active railroad line will have been replaced, rehabilitated or widened.

Dryden Road, which runs parallel to I-75 and connects to Dixie and Central, will also be widened with the intersection being signalized.

Located adjacent to the confluence of the Great Miami River and Holes Creek, the project site contains both ancient and more recent historical features.

A large prehistoric earthwork, known as the Alexanderville Works, is situated within the project limits. ms worked with cultural resources subconsultant, Hardlines Design Company, to conduct archaeological investigations to ensure that proposed modifications did not encroach on currently undisturbed areas.

Interchangeredesign in Daytonfixes 1960s alignment

In the early 1900s, Orville and Wilbur Wright performed

initial experiments on a “water plane” design along this section of

the Great Miami River. Through the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, the river

was used as a seaplane refueling location for flights between the

Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico. These activities led to the

development of the Moraine Airpark on the western riverbank.

While the project does not directly impact the airpark, special

features will be introduced into the interchange lighting plan to

maintain safe landing and take-off zones for aircraft.

The river is important to today’s residents as well, serving as a

recreational location complete with a bicycle path along the east

bank of the river both north and south of the project. As ramps are

added and relocated, connectivity for bicyclists through the area

will be strictly maintained.

Once the interchange is completed, the city of West Carrollton

is planning to move forward with a $70 million dollar entertain-

ment district to be called Miami Bend. A waterpark is included in

the master plan, and ties that portion of the waterfront into a larger

corridor plan envisioned for the river stretching from Sidney

(north of Dayton) to Hamilton (just north of Cincinnati).

The interchange is also crucial to the area’s economic and

An aerial view of the interchangeprior to the start of construction.

industrial redevelopment, according to various city and business

leaders.

Chris Kershner, the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce’s

vice president for public policy and economic development, told

the Middletown Journal that the project “is critical to the redevel-

opment and reindustrialization of the surrounding area.”

He helped West Carrollton lobby for funding to make the

project possible. Of the more than $26 million total project cost,

$5 million was provided at the federal level.

Bill Covell, West Carrollton’s economic director*, was quoted

as saying the project is “a chance to redevelop the entire area”, and

“the interchange is crucial to rebuilding the city’s industrial

strength.”

The successful completion of this project will serve as an

example of engineering in action — resolving transportation,

environmental, historical and economic elements through

efficient, integrated design.

For more information about this project, please contact John

S. Stains, PE, in the Columbus office at 614.898.7100, or e-mail

[email protected].

*Editor’s Note: Mr. Covell passed away from illness on May 2, 2012.

This view is looking northeast along the new

Dixie Drive alignment.

Improvements totreatment plant

are well underway

6 7

The Mahoning Valley Sanitary District (MVSD) operates a 60-MGD lime-soda softening plant to supply the cities of Youngstown and Niles, located in northeast Ohio.

MVSD has long recognized that improvements to the mixing and settling processes were necessary to continue providing high quality water as efficiently and economically as possible. Recent installation of new filter-control equipment significantly increased the urgent need for mixing and settling improvements.

Adding to the problem is the fact that MVSD currently does not utilize recarbonation in its water treatment operations, which results in excessive deposits on the settling basins, filter-control equipment, and eventually on valves, meters and other equipment in the distribution system. Removing the deposits requires costly and time-consuming maintenance.

An adequate recarbonation facility, as well as improvements to the mixing and settling processes, was the goal as ms consul-tants was brought in to develop a Preliminary Design Report to evaluate alternatives and provide recommendations for system improvements, including raw water metering.

Based upon the District's approval of the recommendations in that preliminary report, ms then proceeded with final design services, the preparation and submittal of applicable permit appli-cations and contract documents (including plan drawings and technical specifications) for solicitation of construction bids.

The project is now well into the construction phase and the old grit chamber, old railroad trestle and former coal storage bin have all been demolished.

The former underground recarbonation tanks were filled with over 3,000 tons of compacted limestone sand to make way for a new loading dock area at the main Head House.

A five-month-long excavation ranging from 34-54 feet deep and approximately the size of a football field has taken place, with a massive retaining wall system in place to support the existing access roads.

The massive excavation allowed for the start of construction for the new sludge control/settled water facility, two new Solids (SCU) Contact Units with two 60" raw water influent pipes and a new pH control building.

The general contractor, Jack Gibson Construction, has erected two new 30-MGD Solid Contact Units (SCU) on-site. An estimated 3,100 cubic yards of concrete has gone into each SCU during construction.

Two new 50-ton carbon dioxide tanks are already in place, and the plant’s electrical services and security system are currently being upgraded through the main Head House Building.

The electrical contactor has separated electrical services to several of the buildings, so that each building now contains independent electrical services.

Additional improvements are also being added to update MVSD's SCADA and security system.

Construction is expected to be completed by this fall.For more information about this project, please

contact John Pierko, PE, at 330.744.5321 or [email protected].

The treatment plant sits at the base of the Meander Dam on the north end of the Meander Reservoir.

The dual 135-footdiameter SCU tanks.

A view of the Solids Contact Units from the Head House Tower.

Improvements totreatment plant

are well underway

6 7

The Mahoning Valley Sanitary District (MVSD) operates a 60-MGD lime-soda softening plant to supply the cities of Youngstown and Niles, located in northeast Ohio.

MVSD has long recognized that improvements to the mixing and settling processes were necessary to continue providing high quality water as efficiently and economically as possible. Recent installation of new filter-control equipment significantly increased the urgent need for mixing and settling improvements.

Adding to the problem is the fact that MVSD currently does not utilize recarbonation in its water treatment operations, which results in excessive deposits on the settling basins, filter-control equipment, and eventually on valves, meters and other equipment in the distribution system. Removing the deposits requires costly and time-consuming maintenance.

An adequate recarbonation facility, as well as improvements to the mixing and settling processes, was the goal as ms consul-tants was brought in to develop a Preliminary Design Report to evaluate alternatives and provide recommendations for system improvements, including raw water metering.

Based upon the District's approval of the recommendations in that preliminary report, ms then proceeded with final design services, the preparation and submittal of applicable permit appli-cations and contract documents (including plan drawings and technical specifications) for solicitation of construction bids.

The project is now well into the construction phase and the old grit chamber, old railroad trestle and former coal storage bin have all been demolished.

The former underground recarbonation tanks were filled with over 3,000 tons of compacted limestone sand to make way for a new loading dock area at the main Head House.

A five-month-long excavation ranging from 34-54 feet deep and approximately the size of a football field has taken place, with a massive retaining wall system in place to support the existing access roads.

The massive excavation allowed for the start of construction for the new sludge control/settled water facility, two new Solids (SCU) Contact Units with two 60" raw water influent pipes and a new pH control building.

The general contractor, Jack Gibson Construction, has erected two new 30-MGD Solid Contact Units (SCU) on-site. An estimated 3,100 cubic yards of concrete has gone into each SCU during construction.

Two new 50-ton carbon dioxide tanks are already in place, and the plant’s electrical services and security system are currently being upgraded through the main Head House Building.

The electrical contactor has separated electrical services to several of the buildings, so that each building now contains independent electrical services.

Additional improvements are also being added to update MVSD's SCADA and security system.

Construction is expected to be completed by this fall.For more information about this project, please

contact John Pierko, PE, at 330.744.5321 or [email protected].

The treatment plant sits at the base of the Meander Dam on the north end of the Meander Reservoir.

The dual 135-footdiameter SCU tanks.

A view of the Solids Contact Units from the Head House Tower.

8

Nearly 40 different railroads operate thousands of trains in Ohio every day on a rail network of more than 5,200 miles of track and 6,100 road crossings.

Working in partnership with the Federal Railroad Administration, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) regulates the many railroads operating in Ohio to ensure that rail operations and infrastructure are safe and in compliance with federal and state regulations.

When the city of Medina, Ohio, decided to make improvements to several areas of the local Medina Railway system, a team led by ms consultants was called upon to provide design and construction administration services.

The project focused on the reconstruction of four at-grade railroad crossings – located at Lafayette Road, North Progress Drive, Ryan Road and West Liberty Street. Drainage improvements were also made along portions of the track corridor. Cunning-ham & Associates provided those services, as well as the surveying services needed for the project as a subconsultant to ms consultants.

The $950,000 construction cost was provided via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.

At each of the four intersections the existing crossing surface and track were removed and disposed offsite. The existing ballast and sub ballast was then removed to a depth of one foot below the bottom of the cross ties, and 6” of new compacted sub ballast and 6” of new compacted ballast were installed. The new track was constructed using new hardwood creosote-treated cross ties. New embedded concrete-rubber high performance grade crossing systems were designed and installed to accommodate future sidewalk needs of the city of Medina.

The work also included the replacement of select switch ties on either side of the crossings and surfacing of the turnouts to match the grade and line of the new crossing. The approach pavement was milled and resurfaced as needed to provide a smooth finish. The paint markings, including stop bars, were also restored.

At each crossing, new drainage systems were installed with outlets into nearby catch basins or ditches.

During construction, each of the roadways was closed with the traffic temporarily detoured. A detour plan was provided for each location that advised motorists of the road closure and the alternate route around the construction site.

The project design and construction documents were developed to Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Federal Railroad Administration standards to meet the obligations of the ARRA program, under oversight from the city of Medina and guidance from the Ohio Rail Development Commission and ODOT.

For more information about this project, please contact Brian Hughes, PE, at 330.744.5321 or e-mail [email protected].

Medina improves railroad crossings

Venerable footballstadium gettingneeded upgrade

9

ms consultants is guiding the renovation of the existing Rayen High School Stadium, originally built in 1924. For decades, the stadium served as home field to Rayen and Ursuline high schools, and then to Youngstown College – which ultimately became Youngstown State University (YSU).

According to the website www.rayenstadium.org, the facility was the site of a significant development in American football history. The first penalty flag was thrown at the stadium in 1941. Recognizing that some fans and players couldn’t hear the alarms generally used at the time to call penalties because of surrounding noise, Youngstown College coach Dwight “Dike” Beede suggested using flags instead.

The stadium was the home field for YSU from 1938 through 1969, then again from 1974 through 1977. But when Stambaugh Stadium opened on the university campus in 1982 the use of Rayen Stadium began to decline, and it has not been used regularly since 1993.

In recent years it has fallen into a state of disrepair, with grass and weeds sprouting up through the seating areas.

The $3 million, two-phase renovation project includes restoring the concrete stands and the installation of new aluminum seating. The restored stands will provide seating for approximately 4,000 spectators.

Phase I will add new exterior fencing, triple ticket booths, new lighting and a new parking lot for approximately 500 vehicles. A new locker room and concession building will include a triple press box.

Phase II will add new synthetic turf for the football field, a new score-board and aluminum seating for approximately 1,500 people at the east end of the field, with a second ticket booth.

The project is scheduled for completion in time for the upcoming football season, which kicks off in August 2012.

For more information, contact K. Anthony Hayek, AIA, NCARB, at 330.744.5321 or [email protected] and weeds grow up through the

stands at Rayen Stadium. The facility hasn’t been used regularly since 1993.

New seating, scoreboard,field turf, lighting, concession

building and parking are planned for the renovated stadium.

8

Nearly 40 different railroads operate thousands of trains in Ohio every day on a rail network of more than 5,200 miles of track and 6,100 road crossings.

Working in partnership with the Federal Railroad Administration, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) regulates the many railroads operating in Ohio to ensure that rail operations and infrastructure are safe and in compliance with federal and state regulations.

When the city of Medina, Ohio, decided to make improvements to several areas of the local Medina Railway system, a team led by ms consultants was called upon to provide design and construction administration services.

The project focused on the reconstruction of four at-grade railroad crossings – located at Lafayette Road, North Progress Drive, Ryan Road and West Liberty Street. Drainage improvements were also made along portions of the track corridor. Cunning-ham & Associates provided those services, as well as the surveying services needed for the project as a subconsultant to ms consultants.

The $950,000 construction cost was provided via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.

At each of the four intersections the existing crossing surface and track were removed and disposed offsite. The existing ballast and sub ballast was then removed to a depth of one foot below the bottom of the cross ties, and 6” of new compacted sub ballast and 6” of new compacted ballast were installed. The new track was constructed using new hardwood creosote-treated cross ties. New embedded concrete-rubber high performance grade crossing systems were designed and installed to accommodate future sidewalk needs of the city of Medina.

The work also included the replacement of select switch ties on either side of the crossings and surfacing of the turnouts to match the grade and line of the new crossing. The approach pavement was milled and resurfaced as needed to provide a smooth finish. The paint markings, including stop bars, were also restored.

At each crossing, new drainage systems were installed with outlets into nearby catch basins or ditches.

During construction, each of the roadways was closed with the traffic temporarily detoured. A detour plan was provided for each location that advised motorists of the road closure and the alternate route around the construction site.

The project design and construction documents were developed to Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Federal Railroad Administration standards to meet the obligations of the ARRA program, under oversight from the city of Medina and guidance from the Ohio Rail Development Commission and ODOT.

For more information about this project, please contact Brian Hughes, PE, at 330.744.5321 or e-mail [email protected].

Medina improves railroad crossings

Venerable footballstadium gettingneeded upgrade

9

ms consultants is guiding the renovation of the existing Rayen High School Stadium, originally built in 1924. For decades, the stadium served as home field to Rayen and Ursuline high schools, and then to Youngstown College – which ultimately became Youngstown State University (YSU).

According to the website www.rayenstadium.org, the facility was the site of a significant development in American football history. The first penalty flag was thrown at the stadium in 1941. Recognizing that some fans and players couldn’t hear the alarms generally used at the time to call penalties because of surrounding noise, Youngstown College coach Dwight “Dike” Beede suggested using flags instead.

The stadium was the home field for YSU from 1938 through 1969, then again from 1974 through 1977. But when Stambaugh Stadium opened on the university campus in 1982 the use of Rayen Stadium began to decline, and it has not been used regularly since 1993.

In recent years it has fallen into a state of disrepair, with grass and weeds sprouting up through the seating areas.

The $3 million, two-phase renovation project includes restoring the concrete stands and the installation of new aluminum seating. The restored stands will provide seating for approximately 4,000 spectators.

Phase I will add new exterior fencing, triple ticket booths, new lighting and a new parking lot for approximately 500 vehicles. A new locker room and concession building will include a triple press box.

Phase II will add new synthetic turf for the football field, a new score-board and aluminum seating for approximately 1,500 people at the east end of the field, with a second ticket booth.

The project is scheduled for completion in time for the upcoming football season, which kicks off in August 2012.

For more information, contact K. Anthony Hayek, AIA, NCARB, at 330.744.5321 or [email protected] and weeds grow up through the

stands at Rayen Stadium. The facility hasn’t been used regularly since 1993.

New seating, scoreboard,field turf, lighting, concession

building and parking are planned for the renovated stadium.

11

As the cover story in this newsletter points out, funding for infrastructure projects is tight all across the country – so some-times a design alternative to the traditional concept is the best way to complete a project with a cost-effective solution.

A good example can be found in Clearfield County, Pennsyl-vania, located about 2.5 hours northeast of Pittsburgh.

State Route 879, which carries a large volume of trucks to and from coal mines and a coal fired power plant in the area, needed to have an old bridge replaced. The roadway is classified as a “Rural Major Collector”, and the project involved 575 feet of roadway reconstruction and the replacement of the existing two-lane bridge carrying State Route 879 over Surveyor Run.

But based on cost comparisons developed by ms consultants and the client early in the process, the final project scope ultimately focused on replacing the existing three-span, prestressed concrete bridge with a reinforced concrete culvert.

The existing bridge was 137 feet long and 42.5 feet wide. It was estimated that a new bridge would have cost between $1.22 million and $1.45 million. By comparison, the bid price for the as-designed culvert was $395,000.

The completed project is one long culvert connecting to an existing railroad culvert about 25 feet downstream of the roadway. The new structure is a 64-foot long box culvert connected to an 18-foot long transition section where the shape changes from a box to match the arch shape of the railroad culvert.

One lane of traffic was maintained in each direction on the existing bridge while the culvert was constructed below. The new

structure was backfilled up to approximately 10 feet below the bottom of the existing bridge beams. Then, one lane of alternating-direction traffic was shifted onto a temporary roadway between the bridge and the railroad.

The contractor took less than a week to demolish the bridge, finish the backfill, and re-open two lanes of traffic.

The completed project not only saved on initial construction costs, but the fact that the new structure has no bridge deck nor any joints – just bituminous pavement on fill with a guide rail – will reduce future maintenance costs as well.

For more information about this project, please contact project manager Kevin Hartnett, PE, at 412.264.8701, or e-mail [email protected].

Cheaper alternativereplaces old bridge

An old bridge carrying a two-lane road in western Pennsylvania was replaced with

a more economical culvert. The size of the structure becomes apparent with workmen standing next to it (below).

10

employee news employee news employee news

In April, the Ohio chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council held its annual DesignColumbus Education Day and Trade Show. The event, which focused on Leadership in Energy and Environ-mental Design (LEED), had over 500 participants.

Jason Christoff, PE, and Eric Elizondo, AIA, two LEED AP BD+C accredited professionals at ms consultants, discussed the lessons ms professionals have learned working on LEED projects and presented key information for owners’ consideration.

Mr. Christoff and Mr. Elizondo were joined by fellow ms employees, Melissa Berardi, LEED AP BD+C, and Daniel Barrin-ger, LEED AP ID+C, in their presentation entitled, “Open Letter to My Owner, Your LEED AP.”

More than 50 industry professionals attended to learn about:• An owners’ motivation to go LEED;• Formulating the project strategy for success including costs,

and the owners’ engagement in developing a LEED project;• What the expectations of energy efficiency are under LEED;• The owners’ role in recycling; Willingness of the owner to be the enforcer; and• Thinking about public outreach and education.Other companies in Ohio are getting the message about the

importance of LEED. According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Ohio ranked 12th in the nation in 2011 with the certification of 13.2 million square feet of LEED-certified building space.

For more information about LEED, the DesignColumbus event or the U.S. Green Building Council, please contact Eric Elizondo, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, at 614.898.7100, or e-mail [email protected]. Also visit the Columbus chapter of the USGBC at www.usgbc-coh.org.

In February, Jeremy Gaston, PE, was appointed to the Public

Communication and Outreach Committee (PCOC) of the Water

Environment Federation.

The PCOC is responsible for developing and supporting

comprehensive education and outreach directed at the general

public, the media, WEF members and public policy makers to

encourage informed decision making on economic, environmental,

public health, operating and social policy issues associated with

the water environment.

As part of the PCOC, Jeremy is also an associate of the Public

Education Webcast subcommittee, which organizes and prepares

WEF webcast content about public communications to enhance

the skills of water professionals.

For more information, visit the Water Environment Federation

website at: wef.org.

Kim Zarichnak has joined ms consultants as a Right of Way

Acquisition Specialist.

She has been responsible for the administration and coordina-

tion of right of way activities for highway development for the Penn-

sylvania Department of Transportation, the Pennsylvania Turnpike,

local public agencies and Southeastern Pennsylvania Transporta-

tion Authority (SEPTA) projects.

She oversees areas of negotiations, appraisals, relocations

and property management, and manages the right of way process

to ensure that road improvement projects are delivered on-time

and on budget.

Kim is working out of the Pittsburgh office and can be reached

at 412.264.8701 or [email protected].

We’ll highlight more new additions to the ms staff in the next

issue of NewsNotes.

ms gives LEED update at DesignColumbus

Pho

to c

ourte

sy o

f Ful

crum

Cre

ativ

es

11

As the cover story in this newsletter points out, funding for infrastructure projects is tight all across the country – so some-times a design alternative to the traditional concept is the best way to complete a project with a cost-effective solution.

A good example can be found in Clearfield County, Pennsyl-vania, located about 2.5 hours northeast of Pittsburgh.

State Route 879, which carries a large volume of trucks to and from coal mines and a coal fired power plant in the area, needed to have an old bridge replaced. The roadway is classified as a “Rural Major Collector”, and the project involved 575 feet of roadway reconstruction and the replacement of the existing two-lane bridge carrying State Route 879 over Surveyor Run.

But based on cost comparisons developed by ms consultants and the client early in the process, the final project scope ultimately focused on replacing the existing three-span, prestressed concrete bridge with a reinforced concrete culvert.

The existing bridge was 137 feet long and 42.5 feet wide. It was estimated that a new bridge would have cost between $1.22 million and $1.45 million. By comparison, the bid price for the as-designed culvert was $395,000.

The completed project is one long culvert connecting to an existing railroad culvert about 25 feet downstream of the roadway. The new structure is a 64-foot long box culvert connected to an 18-foot long transition section where the shape changes from a box to match the arch shape of the railroad culvert.

One lane of traffic was maintained in each direction on the existing bridge while the culvert was constructed below. The new

structure was backfilled up to approximately 10 feet below the bottom of the existing bridge beams. Then, one lane of alternating-direction traffic was shifted onto a temporary roadway between the bridge and the railroad.

The contractor took less than a week to demolish the bridge, finish the backfill, and re-open two lanes of traffic.

The completed project not only saved on initial construction costs, but the fact that the new structure has no bridge deck nor any joints – just bituminous pavement on fill with a guide rail – will reduce future maintenance costs as well.

For more information about this project, please contact project manager Kevin Hartnett, PE, at 412.264.8701, or e-mail [email protected].

Cheaper alternativereplaces old bridge

An old bridge carrying a two-lane road in western Pennsylvania was replaced with

a more economical culvert. The size of the structure becomes apparent with workmen standing next to it (below).

10

employee news employee news employee news

In April, the Ohio chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council held its annual DesignColumbus Education Day and Trade Show. The event, which focused on Leadership in Energy and Environ-mental Design (LEED), had over 500 participants.

Jason Christoff, PE, and Eric Elizondo, AIA, two LEED AP BD+C accredited professionals at ms consultants, discussed the lessons ms professionals have learned working on LEED projects and presented key information for owners’ consideration.

Mr. Christoff and Mr. Elizondo were joined by fellow ms employees, Melissa Berardi, LEED AP BD+C, and Daniel Barrin-ger, LEED AP ID+C, in their presentation entitled, “Open Letter to My Owner, Your LEED AP.”

More than 50 industry professionals attended to learn about:• An owners’ motivation to go LEED;• Formulating the project strategy for success including costs,

and the owners’ engagement in developing a LEED project;• What the expectations of energy efficiency are under LEED;• The owners’ role in recycling; Willingness of the owner to be the enforcer; and• Thinking about public outreach and education.Other companies in Ohio are getting the message about the

importance of LEED. According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Ohio ranked 12th in the nation in 2011 with the certification of 13.2 million square feet of LEED-certified building space.

For more information about LEED, the DesignColumbus event or the U.S. Green Building Council, please contact Eric Elizondo, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, at 614.898.7100, or e-mail [email protected]. Also visit the Columbus chapter of the USGBC at www.usgbc-coh.org.

In February, Jeremy Gaston, PE, was appointed to the Public

Communication and Outreach Committee (PCOC) of the Water

Environment Federation.

The PCOC is responsible for developing and supporting

comprehensive education and outreach directed at the general

public, the media, WEF members and public policy makers to

encourage informed decision making on economic, environmental,

public health, operating and social policy issues associated with

the water environment.

As part of the PCOC, Jeremy is also an associate of the Public

Education Webcast subcommittee, which organizes and prepares

WEF webcast content about public communications to enhance

the skills of water professionals.

For more information, visit the Water Environment Federation

website at: wef.org.

Kim Zarichnak has joined ms consultants as a Right of Way

Acquisition Specialist.

She has been responsible for the administration and coordina-

tion of right of way activities for highway development for the Penn-

sylvania Department of Transportation, the Pennsylvania Turnpike,

local public agencies and Southeastern Pennsylvania Transporta-

tion Authority (SEPTA) projects.

She oversees areas of negotiations, appraisals, relocations

and property management, and manages the right of way process

to ensure that road improvement projects are delivered on-time

and on budget.

Kim is working out of the Pittsburgh office and can be reached

at 412.264.8701 or [email protected].

We’ll highlight more new additions to the ms staff in the next

issue of NewsNotes.

ms gives LEED update at DesignColumbus

Pho

to c

ourte

sy o

f Ful

crum

Cre

ativ

es

NewsNotes is published by ms consultants, inc. Please submit all questions or comments to Chuck Campbell at 614.898.7100 or [email protected].

ms now offers 3D laser point-cloud technologyEquipped with the very latest in 3D laser-imaging technology, ms consultants now offers high-resolution

building investigation services, including: - Facility conditions assessments, visualization, and measurement - Pre-construction and construction as-built surveys - Building information modeling - Construction progress reporting - Street intersection ADA surveys - Structural analysis and maintenance 3D point-cloud technology is emerging as the future of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and ms

consultants is on the leading edge. With the use of this technology, data collection for as-built documentation is more comprehensive and in higher detail than ever before possible. The more technically detailed the project, the more value can be realized.

Traditionally, as-built documentation is gathered in the field by a project team and project-specific data is recorded manually. Utilizing point-cloud technology allows the project team to digitally record all available visible data.

All elements located within line-of-sight are recorded with resolutions often exceeding one hundred data points per square inch. This method eliminates the need to go back to the site to record data that was not originally required or was perceived to be irrelevant.

Once the field data is captured, the point cloud is processed to a level of detail consistent with the project requirements. Perfectly suited for incorporation into 3D BIM software packages, the level of as-built accuracy and potential detail is unparalled.

A number of clients are already using this technology.To see how this system can be utilized to your advantage, please contact Jason Christoff, PE, in our Columbus office at 614.898.7100,

or contact your local ms office or e-mail [email protected].

ms consultants, inc. engineers, architects, planners

Financing options ARE available for projects. See story starting on page 2.

spring/summer 2012 - volume 21, issue 1

ms consultants, inc.engineers, architect, planners

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