Columbus is finally putting real money behind its long-touted riverfront overhaul, signing off on a tree and native planting contract that nudges the East Fork White River project from planning talk to active work. The Board of Public Works and Safety voted Friday to bring on a contractor for tree removal and riverbank restoration tied to bank stabilization and a planned low-head dam removal, a step city leaders describe as key to the project’s safety goals. Neighbors along the 2nd–3rd Street corridor should expect temporary fencing and construction hustle in the coming months as work ramps up along the river.
Contract Approved For Riverbank Trees
The board signed off on a roughly $296,257 deal with Plainfield-based Williams Creek Management to clear out invasive trees and install native vegetation on the east bank. Permits call for re-vegetating about 6.5 acres south of Water Street, according to The Republic. City officials say the tree contract is designed to check required permitting boxes and to reestablish riparian shade and cover before heavier earthmoving equipment shows up.
What The Riverfront Makeover Covers
The tree job is just one slice of the broader Our River…Our Riverfront effort, which calls for removing the failing low-head dam, shoring up eroding banks, improving emergency access and creating a pedestrian link to Mill Race Park. City planning documents spell out a flood-tolerant planting plan and the broader goals that drove a recent redesign of the east bank work, according to the City of Columbus Redevelopment.
Timeline, Funding And Who's Doing The Work
Milestone Contractors is in charge of the major east bank package, which includes new retaining walls, a trail connection and a plaza area, while a separate specialist will tackle the dam removal once the timing of state grants lines up with the construction schedule. The overall project has about $18.9 million available from TIF, READI and Next Level Trails funding, and Jerry Sweeten of the Ecosystems Connections Institute has said the dam removal itself will likely land in a September to October window and take around five days. Mayor Mary Ferdon has said the city’s goal is to have the entire riverfront overhaul wrapped up by the end of 2027, as reported by The Republic.
What Comes Next For The Trees
Contractors have already cut out many of the invasive trees in earlier phases and will lay erosion-control mats before the new native plant material goes in. Officials say remaining invasive specimens will be swapped for native plantings closer to the end of the project so young trees are not damaged by heavy equipment. That sequencing, with early clearing followed by later re-vegetation, is intended to meet permit requirements and speed up recovery of the riverbank, according to local reporting by 106.1 The River.
Residents and trail regulars should brace for on-and-off access changes along the 2nd–3rd Street corridor as crews stage materials and launch the bank stabilization work. City redevelopment staff emphasize that the project is aimed at long-term safety, river access and ecological healing rather than quick cosmetic fixes, and the redevelopment office is keeping project resources and updates flowing on its riverfront web page for anyone who wants to dig into the details.
