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    MS Consultants Celebrates 50 Years

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    MS Consultants, an engineering, architecture and planning firm, is celebrating the opening 50 years ago of its first office in Youngstown (they followed that up with a Columbus branch ten years later and now have nine offices in five states). The company has done work on a wide variety of projects, from planning work that led to the formation of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park to many local road projects like the 70/71 split and streetscape improvement work on Gay Street and Lane Avenue, among others.

    CEO Thomas E. Mosure was kind enough to answer some questions about the firm’s work, his thoughts on development in Columbus over the last 50 years, and what projects are on tap for the future (including improvements to Stelzer Road and work on the $122-million Upground Reservoir Project).

    Brent Warren:  You’ve done a lot of work on major highway and road projects in Columbus, including the 70/71 split, the road network at Easton and taking I-270 over Morse Road – do you see more projects like these in your future?

    Thomas Mosure: We definitely see more projects like these in the future. Columbus’ economic outlook is great and we expect traffic will continue to grow as the city prospers. ODOT, Columbus and the other communities that we work with are very forward thinking in their approach to meeting the demands of all forms of transportation. Some major highway and roadway projects are already underway. We are currently working with ODOT on studies along the South Outerbelt between US Route 23 and 1-71, I-71 at the Stringtown Road interchange, and the SR 36/37 interchange.

    Improvements to these interchanges, along with the completion of the I-70/I-71 projects, are important to meeting the safety and capacity needs of the region, and we are extremely proud and thankful for the opportunity to work on such large projects. Part of our firm’s success with these large projects is our willingness to tackle the challenges that come with the complexity of these projects, like multiple forms of transportation modes and numerous stakeholders. Not only that, but the employees here also get a great sense of accomplishment when they can improve the safety, mobility, water quality, and roadway aesthetics for central Ohio residents.

    BW: You’ve also worked on some of major streetscape improvement projects in recent years (Lane Ave on campus, High St north of campus, Morse Road and Gay Street downtown) – what have you learned from these projects, and do you think they are part of a larger trend to make streets more pedestrian friendly?

    TM: These projects have really taught us about implementing quality of life improvements for Columbus residents. Quality of life improvements involve working not just to address transportation infrastructure needs but the needs of the region as a whole. This comes in form of implementing “active transportation” aspects, such as walking and bicycling improvements, working with urban planners to create comfortable and safe experiences along the street for residents, and managing stormwater for improved water quality.

    These aspects of roadway improvements are certainly the wave of the future and we will continue to see them in transportation projects throughout the nation. In fact, we are working with Columbus on Stelzer Road near Port Columbus International Airport for transportation improvements. One of the project’s central components is supporting economic development in the region through aesthetics and creation of a gateway for the airport and a reconnection of the neighborhoods to the east and west. The project also includes evaluation of bike paths and sidewalks, intersection improvements and bridge enhancements, and landscaping and other aesthetic treatments. To address water quality, we are currently evaluating options for bioretention basins. If implemented, the basins could help keep debris and other pollution from entering rivers and streams.

    BW: Looking back over the past 50 years, can you make any kind of predictions on where Columbus is growing and how MS Consultants will play a role in shaping the city in the future decades?

    TM: Columbus is an excellent place to live and build a business. The city’s population has grown by more than 250,000 people since our founding and I only expect that trend to continue with all the great things this city is doing for its residents and businesses. We are particularly excited about the city’s focus on securing a reliable water supply for its residents for the next 20 years with its Upground Reservoir Project. We have helped the city with planning for all three reservoirs, as well as design and construction for the first reservoir that will hold 9 billion gallons of water. This reservoir is the largest synthetic-lined reservoir in the world. The city will construct future reservoirs based on water demand in later years.

    We also look forward to Columbus’ focus on its transportation infrastructure. Infrastructure in all its aspects is the backbone for all metro areas and Columbus is a true leader in the area. Columbus leverages its transportation infrastructure wisely, too, as it knows its network is fantastic and is a driver for business growth opportunities and employment.

    With numerous logistics centers, a hefty multi-modal infrastructure, and Rickenbacker International Airport, coupled with the fact that we are only a one-day drive from 50% of US and Canadian population and corporate offices, it’s no wonder why Columbus has grown in the last 50 years and is home to six Fortune 500 companies. Because transportation networks are such vital drivers of economic activity, we are excited about our future roles working with the city of Columbus to improve these networks for years to come. Who knows, in the next 50 years we could be helping the city design roads for self-driving cars!

    MS Consultants will be celebrating their anniversary with parties at each branch, including one on July 11th in Columbus. More information and a timeline featuring projects from the last 50 years is available at www.msconsultants.com.

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    Brent Warren
    Brent Warrenhttps://columbusunderground.com/author/brent-warren
    Brent Warren is a staff reporter for Columbus Underground covering urban development, transportation, city planning, neighborhoods, and other related topics. He grew up in Grandview Heights, lives in the University District and studied City and Regional Planning at OSU.
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