COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Columbus officials are supporting a plan to transform a river that runs through the city by removing a dam, tightening and deepening the river and adding riverfront bike trails and green spaces.

Mayor Michael Coleman said Tuesday the city would contribute $18 million to the Scioto River project. He's aiming to finish it in 2015.

The plan would cut the width of the river roughly in half and deepen it. Removing the dam is expected to make the water clearer and more usable for fishermen and kayakers.

Coleman says he believes it will make the river "leaner, cleaner and greener."

A study estimated the total project cost at $36 million. The Columbus Downtown Development Corporation hopes to raise funds to pay for costs not covered by the city.