Registration is open NOW for the Ohio Conference on Freight, which returns to Toledo July 29-31. Reserve your seat before reduced pricing ends June 1!
This year’s event coincides with the completion of the historic Gordie Howe International Bridge, which will soon become one of the largest ports of entry into the United States.
Conference attendees will experience an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of the bridge’s innovative customs facilities, designed to streamline trade and freight movement across the border.
This is one part of a robust slate of activities and presentations that will connect logistics professionals, manufacturers, policymakers, and transportation planners.
The Ohio Conference on Freight is your gateway to the latest developments in shipping, rail, trucking, and air freight. Expert speakers, interactive breakout sessions, and industry networking opportunities will equip you with cutting-edge insights into the challenges and innovations shaping the freight world.
For more information on the conference agenda, travel, and how to submit your registration, go to www.OhioConferenceonFreight.com
Check out what’s happening during Bike Month
Cyclists of all abilities can celebrate spring with events happening across our region during Bike Month!
We kicked off Bike Month with a ribbon cutting and community ride to dedicate the new multiuse path along the Anthony Wayne Trail in Maumee and Toledo.
An avid rider, Andrew Kleinhenz, spoke about how the new connection allows him to more safely commute on his bike. Now, he’s resumed his daily ride to work and has even sold his car. “These new paths are simply the best,” he wrote in a letter to Maumee officials.
Raj Nagisetty, a TMACOG transportation planner who focuses on bike and pedestrian infrastructure, will be at community events like area farmers markets throughout May, sharing information about regional planning and trail coordination, offering tune-ups, and talking with people about what they think is needed to expand access and improve safety.
On Wednesday, May 21, The Ride of Silence will take place in Toledo and Bowling Green. This international movement is designed to remember people who have been injured or killed while riding a bicycle, bring awareness to safety issues, and highlight bicyclists’ right to use public roadways.
Local rides in Toledo and Bowling Green organize at 6:30 p.m. and begin promptly at 7 p.m. No registration is necessary, but helmets are required.
Click here for a gallery of photos from the May 1 kickoff event, and to see what else is happening during Bike Month.
Thank you to the supporters of Bike Month 2025:
Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc.
Colliers Engineering & Design
DGL Consulting Engineers
FirstEnergy
Fishbeck
Metroparks Toledo
OHM Advisors
The Mannik & Smith Group, Inc.
Wood County Park District
Transportation Summit highlights regional progress and innovation
A wide-ranging slate of speakers including engineers, planners, and construction professionals shared insight on new technology, current plans, and forward-looking innovations during TMACOG’s Transportation Summit last month.
The Roadway Construction Roundup included presentations on summer project plans from Kacy Young of the Ohio Department of Transportation; Daniel Rodriguez of the Ohio Turnpike & Infrastructure Commission; and Mike Pniewski, the Lucas County engineer.
During Regional Trends and Topics, statewide passenger rail advocate John Esterly reviewed the federal Corridor ID program that is allowing Ohio to explore new route developments to connect major metropolitan areas, among them Toledo and Columbus. John Hartig reported on The Great Lakes Way, an initiative to link recreational land and water trails between Lake Erie and Lake Huron. Jannah Wilson of Ottawa County and Jim Witter of Wood County explained current and future plans for their park districts to build, expand, and fill gaps in bike and walking infrastructure.
The keynote presentation – Smart Solutions: The Impact of Innovative Materials and Methods – featured an engaging discussion between Jay Whitt, technical services engineer for Heidelberg Materials, Danny Dymarkowski, vice president of Foundation Steel, and Andrew Schulte, manager of applied vehicle dynamics for the Transportation Research Center, a leading automotive testing facility located northwest of Columbus.
Moderated by TMACOG transportation planner Raj Nagisetty, the group discussed trends and best practices for crafting strong and effective concrete; a roll-out rebar technology that allows Foundation Steel to offer greatly improved efficiency in roadway projects; and some of the exciting and interesting new technology under study at the Transportation Research Center, including the development of driverless vehicles.
Thanks to the supporters of the 2025 Transportation Summit:
Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc.
Colliers Engineering & Design
DGL Consulting Engineers
FirstEnergy
Fishbeck
Northern Concrete Pipe, Inc.
OHM Advisors
The Mannik & Smith Group, Inc.
Turner Concrete Products
Free water training on tap
There’s still time to reserve a place at our free all-day training for water, wastewater, and stormwater professionals.
Set for Tuesday, May 20 in Bowling Green, this event offers continuing education opportunities for all staff, including licensed operators, billing clerks, elected officials, and administrators.
TMACOG is working with Great Lakes Rural Community Assistance Partnership to present this program with classroom sessions and field demonstrations at no cost. The agenda includes specialized sessions allowing attendees to earn to up six hours of continuing education credit, plus a free lunch!
Participants will also have the opportunity to tour Bowling Green’s drinking water or wastewater facilities (space is limited).
South Korea and Ohio officials collaborate on algae challenges
Local and state water quality experts exchanged knowledge with counterparts from South Korea during a forum on harmful algal blooms at the University of Toledo’s Lake Erie Research Center.
South Korea has been experiencing threats to drinking water due to harmful algal blooms, and the event was an opportunity to compare expertise with a delegation of water officials from The Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Environment and researchers from Hankuk University.
Like Lake Erie, South Korea’s waterways experience seasonal algal blooms caused by a combination of agricultural runoff, the livestock industry, unsewered areas, and municipal sewage; however, there are some differences between the two regions. While approximately 82 percent of western Lake Erie's nutrients originate from agriculture, South Korea's sources are nearly evenly divided between sewage and agriculture. South Korea also employs different manure management practices compared to Ohio, including composting and processing before land application, and utilizing manure as a renewable energy resource.
Speakers included researchers from the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University, as well as staff from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and Ohio Sea Grant. Kari Gerwin, director of water quality planning at TMACOG, presented on The Agenda for Lake Erie, the region’s water quality policy platform, which makes policy, funding, and planning recommendations to achieve Ohio’s nutrient reduction targets.
Dr. Tom Bridgeman, a renowned algae researcher and director of the Lake Erie Center, organized the half-day event. UT Interim President Matthew Schroeder and Dr. Frank Calzonetti, vice president for innovation and economic development, welcomed the guests. During their five-day visit, the South Korean delegation toured the City of Toledo’s Collins Park Water Treatment Plant, a Little Portage River restoration project funded by H2Ohio, and the Lake Erie Center research laboratories.
Apply now for Lucas County green space funding
TMACOG is accepting applications for the Clean Ohio Green Space Conservation Program, which funds projects that enhance recreation, protect water quality, and preserve biodiversity for the benefit of our communities.
The Clean Ohio Green Space Conservation Program provides funding for the acquisition of open spaces and the protection of natural areas, including:
Parks and natural areas
Riparian corridors and stream buffers
Wetlands and forests
Agricultural easements
As the administrative liaison to the Lucas County Natural Resource Assistance Council (NRAC) through the Ohio Public Works Commission, TMACOG plays a vital role in facilitating this process.
Eligible applicants include local governments, park districts, and nonprofit organizations within Lucas County. Projects must demonstrate a clear public benefit that aligns with program goals. Key considerations include:
A letter of nomination from a recognized entity (groups 1-5 on the nomination ballot form)
A statement of the nominee’s background or qualifications.
Water quality realignment spurs new collaboration
TMACOG’s realigned water quality advisory groups are tackling timely topics with renewed energy and focus under a new, streamlined structure.
Staff worked with the Water Quality Council beginning late last year to consolidate five former committees into two dynamic working groups: the Community Water Resources Advisory Group and the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB) Water Quality Advisory Group.
These new groups are collaborating to explore innovative solutions that address important water quality issues. The work of the Stormwater Coalition and Stormwater Action Group were not part of the reorganization.
“Our team worked proactively to identify ways to better serve and engage our members and partners to tackle the region’s water quality challenges,” said Kari Gerwin, director of water quality planning. "The Water Quality Council’s decision to streamline the committees has already led to some dynamic discussions.”
During the WLEB Advisory Group's first meetings, members learned about a bill introduced during the Ohio House of Representatives’ last session that would create a task force to promote soil health, reducing the need for applied fertilizers. The group is also interested in developing homeowner education programs for home sewage treatment systems, seeing a valuable partnership opportunity with the Stormwater Coalition under the Lake Erie Starts Here Northwest Ohio initiative.
At the April meeting, a significant manure management concern in the western Lake Erie watershed, presented by Lake Erie Waterkeeper, spurred discussions on potential regulatory and legislative actions to mitigate nutrient runoff from concentrated animal feeding operations. Looking ahead, the WLEB group is excited to tour an H2Ohio project site in Ottawa County.
The Community Water Resources Advisory Group has focused on advancements in drinking water and wastewater treatment. Its January meeting featured Neo Water Treatment's presentation on an innovative approach to wastewater phosphorus removal using rare earth metals. Patrick Ummel shared benefits of the method like being non-corrosive and having fewer health impacts than other treatment chemicals. The speaker indicated this method has been approved in 32 states for biosolids land application.
The group's May meeting highlighted a discussion on Genifuel Hydrothermal Processing, presented virtually by James Oyler, company's president. According to the speaker, the process allows almost any organic feedstock to generate renewable fuels with the added benefit of eliminating some compounds, including PFAS. The technology is scalable and may be eligible for federal and state incentives.
Save the date for TMACOG’s Summer General Assembly
Mark your calendar for Friday, August 8 for our Summer General Assembly, which will include a program focused on the development and analysis of Ohio’s new state budget.
This event will include a presentation by Kevin Futryk, of the Government Advantage Group, who has also represented private and public sector interests before the Ohio General Assembly, the Governor’s Office, various state agencies and departments, and local governments.
Our traditional venue for this event, Penta Career Center, is working on exciting expansion plans, so we’re shifting this Summer General Assembly to Owens Community College.
Watch for registration information soon for this great opportunity to network and discuss important issues with colleagues from across the region. We’ll post details atwww.tmacog.org/events
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