KS Associates is on a team with Environmental Design Group, LLC (EDG) to provide surveying and coastal engineering services for the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) District 4 ATB SR 0531 13.20 project in Ashtabula County, Ohio. Erosion from Lake Erie wave action destabilized the bluffs along areas of SR-531 and placed the roadway at risk.
The team first performed a Feasibility Study to identify locations of significant bluff erosion. The team prioritized the eroding areas of the bluff, from the greatest to least amount of risk to the roadway.
Initially, KS Associates’ role was to perform surveys to monitor slope movement at key points along the route. The surveys commenced in October 2022. The project quickly escalated into an emergency repair two months later, when a section of the bluff rapidly eroded, forcing ODOT to close the route. In response, KS Associates mobilized three survey crews to gather topographic information used to design and construct a temporary sheet pile wall to protect the roadway. Surveyors utilized a 3D laser scanner to safely gather survey data on the actively moving portions of the bluff.
Sheet pile walls were constructed as a temporary measure while design of a permanent solution is underway. KS Associates is continuing to perform surveying services to monitor movement of the bluff until the permanent retaining wall is constructed.
KS Coastal Engineers are also assisting with the design of a revetment to protect the eroding shoreline. For this portion of the project, KS Associates advanced surveys to cover 5,000 feet of roadway and shoreline using a combination of 3D laser scanning, hydrographic surveying, topographic surveying, and Right-of-Way re-establishment. KS Coastal Engineers are also advising the team on ongoing coastal conditions and managing regulatory requirements. This includes obtaining permits from the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA).
