ReNewark: How Newark's Sewer Project Revitalized a Community

Purpose: This is a case study of a sewer replacement that transformed into a strategic development initiative to enhance the image, character, and economic vitality of an urban center. Benefits of this Presentation: This presentation will benefit our industry by outlining the integrated approach to planning, building, and funding that made this complex project possible. It will present the challenges and the keys to success. Successful integrated infrastructure projects like this provide value to our industry by enhancing public perception of large-scale sewer work. Above-ground improvements offer citizens a solution they can see and touch while upgrading buried utilities they might not otherwise recognize as needing repair. Status of Completion: The construction was completed in 2018.

Abstract: The Downtown Renovation Phase 1 Project, aptly named 'ReNewark', began as an investment to replace aging sewers and meet EPA requirements in Newark, Ohio. The project was in the heart of a historic downtown square anchored by the Licking County Courthouse. This was a main trunk combined sewer - 48-inches in diameter and 15 feet deep. The primary goal was separation of this 130-year-old brick pipe to reduce overflows and reduce the risk of it collapsing. Since the sewer work was unavoidable, Newark leveraged the opportunity to also enhance the above-ground infrastructure. An integrated approach transformed this utility upgrade into a community redevelopment strategy. Multiple disciplines were engaged to separate the combined sewer, simplify the water piping, reconfigure traffic patterns, and add green infrastructure and pedestrian-friendly features. A multi-disciplinary funding solution was also devised which offset costs for each component of the project. One of the keys to getting this sewer project off the ground was leveraging a green infrastructure loan to pay for bioswales and a portion of the stormwater system. This ambitious sewer separation would not have happened without various entities collaborating to fund the work. Engagement with the public included extensive outreach to build consensus among citizens and the local business community. It happened informally while surveying the buildings as well as during structured events. Eight stakeholder meetings and three public meetings were held over a six-month period. They were attended by more than 500 residents who contributed their ideas to the future of Downtown Newark. The results were clear. The walkable character of the downtown was identified as a critical component for the ongoing viability of local businesses. The site investigations started with dye testing on more than 130 service laterals using remote-operated vehicle camera equipment. Arcadis also entered 90 businesses and residences to survey the existing utilities and perform a structural evaluation of the basements. A portion of the basement in many of the buildings extended beyond the exterior face of the building underneath the sidewalks. They were originally used as access points for coal or other supplies and some are still in use today. Other investigations included flow monitoring, hydraulic modeling, surveying, buried utility mapping with ground-penetrating radar, and geotechnical and archaeological investigations. Where possible, combined sewage inputs within the project area were separated. This diverts stormwater inputs away from the combined sewer and reduces overflows. The sewers were replaced with fiberglass-reinforced polymer mortar pipe with open-trench construction. The selection of this pipe material over a more traditional material like concrete allowed for faster construction in this busy downtown area. The water distribution system was simplified with dual pipes consolidated to a single 12-inch diameter ductile iron pipe. The design team set forth to improve the traffic pattern rather than replace roads in-kind after the sewer construction. The intersections surrounding the Courthouse Square were changed to mini roundabouts. The roundabouts achieved safer and easier pedestrian and vehicular traffic, improved urban aesthetic, and conversion of the traffic around the Courthouse Square from one-way to two-way streets. This provided easier access to downtown businesses. Roads were narrowed and sidewalks widened. More than twenty feet of total sidewalk width was added in some areas, creating outdoor space for events, dining, and retail. Green infrastructure improvements included 35,000 square feet of low-maintenance plantings, more than 130 shade trees, and 12,000 square feet of rain gardens and bioswales that flow into the new storm trunk sewer. The construction occurred in 13 phases over three years. Flexibility during construction was fundamental to maintaining utility and traffic continuity and keeping the downtown functioning. Bypasses of sewage flows and traffic maintenance plans were tailored for each phase to ensure minimal interruptions to the public. A project website www.wedignewark.com was created to keep the community in-the-know. Informational videos were created to promote key milestones, share progress updates, and educate the public on unique elements of the project including the benefits of bioswales and the efficiency of roundabouts. The public could see the results as the project progressed. This engagement during construction was key to getting public buy-in and cooperation. Since the construction commenced in 2014, Newark's urban center has experienced tremendous gains in population, jobs, downtown living, and economic growth. The $25M investment resulted in more than $60M in new private investment that transformed the Courthouse Square into a thriving district. The downtown was reborn with a pedestrian-oriented landscape and a safer, more efficient traffic pattern. It has become a source of community pride, energy, and revenue. The area has seen more than 100 built and planned downtown residential units, dozens of new businesses, and creation of the community-centric Canal Market District. Conclusion: An integrated approach to design and funding can move a large sewer project forward and yield economic benefits. Newark implemented this methodology and realized the benefits of enhanced traffic patterns, pedestrian safety, and stormwater quality. In addition to addressing an EPA mandate to reduce combined sewer overflows, the change to the aesthetic landscape has brought real value to the city and surrounding region.