Clean Ohio Funds - Howard Farms

A new park – which will be the second largest park in the Metroparks of the Toledo Area system – was funded in part by Clean Ohio funds. Howard Farms is about 1,000 acres in Jerusalem Township near the Lake Erie shore, adjacent to the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge and near Metzger Marsh. Oak Openings Preserve, the largest metropark in the system, is 3,765 acres.

A public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 7, 7-9 p.m. at the Jerusalem Township Hall, 9501 Jerusalem Rd, Curtice. Staff of the Metroparks and contractors involved in the restoration and park development will discuss plans for the property. These plans incorporate comments collected at an earlier public meeting.

The Metroparks plan calls for the Howard Farms property to be restored as wetlands, providing habitat to waterbirds and other wildlife. The property was purchased with a combination of funds including the Clean Ohio fund, Ducks Unlimited, and the Metroparks land acquisition fund created through a tax levy. Ducks Unlimited will be working with developer SmithGroupJJR to restore the agricultural land to wetland. For more information on the public meeting, contact Scott Carpenter at the Metroparks: 419-407-9700.  

Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments | www.tmacog.org

Millions Allocated for NW Ohio Transportation Projects

On September 26, ODOT’s Transportation Review and Advisory Council (TRAC) met and approved the “Final 2014-2017 Major New Program List” of projects. The list includes the projects previously approved by the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission (OTIC) to be financed with turnpike bonds. The final list of projects approved in the TMACOG planning area includes the following:

• McCord Road grade separation; $31.6 million estimate, TRAC allocates $3.3 million, FY 2014 start construction
• I-75 widening from SR 199/SR 25 (Perrysburg) to CR 99 (Findlay); $195.4 million estimate, $193 million TRAC (OTIC bonds), FY 14 start construction
•  I-75/I-475 Interchange upgrade phase 2 (Jeep Split); $175.9 million estimate, $163 million TRAC ( OTIC bonds), FY 15 start construction
•  I-75 widening from Phillips to I-280; $51 million estimate, $45 million TRAC (OTIC bonds), FY 15 start construction
• I-475/US 20 interchange upgrade (Central Ave. interchange); $59 million estimate, $44.0 million TRAC ( OTIC bonds), FY 15 start construction

The total cost of the above projects is $512.9 million with a TRAC funding commitment of $448.3 million programmed for 2014 and 2015 fiscal year construction.  Of the total $970 million available from the sale of OTIC bonds, $422.9 million will be committed to projects in the TMACOG MPO planning area of Lucas and Wood counties.

The Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments

Welcome New Member

TMACOG welcomes CT Consultants as a new non-governmental member. CT Consultants is an engineering, architectural, and planning firm headquartered in Mentor with several Ohio offices including Akron, Columbus, North Canton, Youngstown, and Toledo. They work in transportation and environmental planning as well as urban revitalization and site development. Contact the northwest Ohio office at 1690 Woodlands Drive, Suite 200 in Maumee. Phone: 419.897.7922. Kent A. Bryan, P.E, is the regional manager of the firm’s Toledo office. 

Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments | www.tmacog.org

Upcoming Events - November 2013

Pollution Prevention & Good Housekeeping Workshop

Tuesday, November 19, 8:15 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Lucas County Sanitary Engineer Facility, 1111 S. McCord, Holland.

Contact: Kari Gerwin, 419.241.9155 ext. 103

Student Watershed Watch

Thursday, November 21, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., at the University of Toledo Scott Park Campus

Contact: Matt Horvat, 419.241.9155 ext. 123

Water and Wastewater Infrastructure: Presented by Small Communities Environmental Infrastructure Group

Tuesday, December 3, noon-1:30 p.m.

Contact: Joyce Gray, Ohio Rural Community Assistance Program (RCAP), 440.331.6804

TMACOG Leadership Retreat

Wednesday, December 18, 2:30 – 4 p.m. at the Grand Lobby of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza

Contact: Tony Reams, 419.241.9155, ext. 179

TMACOG General Assembly

January 29, 2014 at the Holiday Inn French Quarter, Perrysburg

Contact: Tony Reams, 419.241.9155, ext. 179

Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments | www.tmacog.org

Upcoming TMACOG Events

Passenger Rail Forum
Monday, October 7, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Toledo Club, 235 14th St.
Contact: Diane Reamer-Evans, 419.241.9155 ext. 117

TMACOG Tech: Collaboration and Shared Services
Wednesday, October 16, 2:30 – 4 p.m. at the Grand Lobby of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza
Contact: Peggy Ricard, 419.241.9155 ext. 105

Environmental Law Enforcement Workshop
Wednesday and Thursday, October 30 and 31 at the office of Northwestern Water and Sewer District: 12560 Middleton Pike in Bowling Green
Contact: Susie Harpham, 614.325.9710

New Transportation Staff

The TMACOG Transportation department is pleased to welcome Lance Dasher who was hired in August as a transportation planner. Dasher previously spent two summers at TMACOG as an intern working in traffic counting. In his new full-time position, he will be working with senior staff on the Transportation Improvement Program, on bike and pedestrian issues, and with rail and transit programs. Dasher is working on his master’s degree in geography and planning at the University of Toledo. He has a bachelor’s in the same field from UT. He chose his field because, he says, “The work is about helping a community better itself, taking practical steps to improve the future. That’s what I want to do.”

Member Highlight: Toledo Trucking Association

It’s been a busy time recently for members of the Toledo Trucking Association. They participated in the 2013 Ohio Conference on Freight in September, and September was Truck Safety Month with local members organizing outreach activities. Even without special events, things are always moving in the trucking industry. President of Toledo Trucking Association David Black said that increases in the amount of freight and changes in regulations mean that truckers are always working at full speed.

David Black described the regional trucking business as solid but in flux.

“The trucking industry in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan is robust. There are many small- to medium-sized companies with niche markets.”

There are firms that specialize in delivering food, and others that move only auto parts. He said that there is plenty of freight to be moved but lots of challenges to the industry, from cost of equipment, to training of personnel, to regulations.