I am an intern with a prominent lobbyist firm in Columbus and today we were at a reception with the govenor, the head of the ohio democratic party chris redfern, both of whom were discussing importance of flexibility in budgeting for large transportation projects and they mentioned this bridge in particular, the support at the states highest levels is there, lets see it pan out. 

Thanks for the info enzo, were you talking about the I-490 bridge or the one ODOT wants to build?

I am an intern with a prominent lobbyist firm in Columbus and today we were at a reception with the govenor, the head of the ohio democratic party chris redfern, both of whom were discussing importance of flexibility in budgeting for large transportation projects and they mentioned this bridge in particular, the support at the states highest levels is there, lets see it pan out. 

 

egads! Enzo is back, what was it like a two year hiatus?

 

well, welcome back.

haha i know, it has been but alas i turn up in columbus of all places back from cambridge... life isnt bad, but seriously, everyone knows how conservative i can be and this governor impressed me with the kind of future he saw, almost of an earlier breed, he spoke of a possible rolls royce jet engine facility going into ohio with some sort of infrastructure aid involving the state totaling 400 million dollars, sizeable.  A further possible 20 billion ohio and one other unamed state are on the short list for converning spear heading a national campaign to alter fuel dependency including ethenol, solar, wind, bio diesel and nuclear to name a few.  We shall see.

No mov2 this firm is based in ohio but is the single most influential firm in the state, my boss goes out every other week with speaker hughsted and his wife and his, as well as holds consel with the governor, having been educated at oberlin in economics, its a great firm and steep in integrity, especialy for lobbying.

aka this is the i-90 i was refering to.

I am an intern with a prominent lobbyist firm in Columbus and today we were at a reception with the govenor, the head of the ohio democratic party chris redfern, both of whom were discussing importance of flexibility in budgeting for large transportation projects and they mentioned this bridge in particular, the support at the states highest levels is there, lets see it pan out. 

 

Support for the status quo? Support for changing the plan? What kind of support do you speak of?[

^Yeah, I was thinking the same thing 3231. 

 

Ferrari, if you scan through most of this thread, you'll notice that most of the UO sentiment on this project has been negative.  Personally, it would have been better news for me if your lobbying firm was lobbying Strickland to STOP the project as it is currently designed and get them to start over, this time incorporating progressive ideas that will take this city forward instead of backward. 

Well, here's your opportunity to turn the tide -- OK, I realize ODOT won't decide on its own to start over, but it never hurts to get the request on the record!

__________________

 

From ODOT....

 

ODOT and its consultant team will be hosting several stakeholder workshop sessions in conjunction with the recently convened Innerbelt urban design and aesthetics subcommittee. 

 

The six workshops are as follows:

1) Tuesday, May 1st at 1:30 at City Architecture's office - GROUP 5 - QUADRANGLE INC./ BURTEN BELL CARR CDC

2) Thursday, May 3rd at 9:00 at MidTown's office - GROUP 2 - MIDTOWN CLEVELAND

3) Thursday, May 3rd at 1:30 at City Architecture's office - GROUP 4 - ST. CLAIR SUPERIOR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

4) Friday, May 4th at 1:30 at City Architecture's office - GROUP 3 - DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND ALLIANCE

5) Monday, May 7th at 1:30 at City Architecture's office - GROUP 6 & 7 - GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION AND PLANNING ENTITIES

6) Tuesday, May 8th at 8:30 at City Architecture's office - GROUP 8 - CIVIC STAKEHOLDERS

 

Some of the topics that will be explored at the workshops include: How neighborhoods / institutions / agencies / businesses will affected by the new Innerbelt configuration; opportunities the new Innerbelt configuration provides to neighborhoods / institutions / agencies / businesses; how Innerbelt planning can facilitate better connectivity and identity for neighborhoods and the City; and visual, aesthetic, environmental and other thematic areas that should influence the Innerbelt design.

 

If you are interested in observing one of the sessions, you are welcome.  If you would provide me with a heads up so we can ensure there is appropriate seating, it would be appreciated.  The results of these workshops will be reviewed at the second meeting of the Innerbelt urban design and aesthetics subcommittee which is tentatively scheduled for May 17 at 8:30 a.m. at NOACA.

Since I am a member of the subcommittee representing CSU, I will be at most of the meetings.

Reports will be made.

Ask them if there is enough money to even begin the project

KJP let me know if you hear about any meetings etc in the columbus area, i can cover those and in many cases get access to certain things using my firms name.  Strickland spoke about alot of economic oppurtunities and his director of economic delveopment lives about 300 yards from me in shaker heights.  Lee is on our side but its just getting ODOT to splurge when it is trying to get alot of things done with limited money.  Its tough and when little or no local money is raised to complement costs its hard to make a solid run at getting your way. 

I seriously doubt there would be any public meetings in Columbus. Why would there be? Private meetings among ODOT managers are a different story, but I'm not privvy to those.

any news?

All quiet in the paver's paradise of ODOT.

Cleveland Innerbelt Project Development Schedule:

 

*ODOT to Submit Access Modification Study (AMS) to FHWA – Early Summer 2007

*Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Study (DEIS) – Mid-Summer 2007

*Public Hearing on DEIS – Late Summer 2007

*Public Comment Period on DEIS – Late Summer 2007

*Submit Final Environmental Impact Study (FEIS) to FHWA – Winter 2008

*FHWA Record of Decision (ROD) – Anticipated Spring 2008

 

*DRAFT: April 26, 2007*

*Please note this schedule is subject to change

 

From ODOT:

 

St. Clair Ramp to I-90 EB to Close Permanently on June 21

 

CLEVELAND - The St. Clair entrance ramp to I-90 eastbound is scheduled to permanently close on June 21, 2007.

 

Signs were erected in the area about a month ago to notify motorists and residents of the impending closure. The ramp will be closed permantly because it does not meet safety design standards and has a low volume of traffic.

 

The St. Clair entrance ramp to I-90 eastbound is located closely between the Superior Avenue entrance ramp and the Lakeside/King Avenue exit ramp which creates unsafe weaving movements on a high volume section of I-90.

 

The amount of traffic that uses the St. Clair ramp is much less than uses the adjacent ramps. A traffic study concluded that the St. Clair ramp traffic can be diverted to the Superior Avenue, East 55th Street and South Marginal entrance onto I-90 without degrading the traffic on the local street system. A public meeting was held earlier this year to gather public comment on the closure.

 

Once the ramp is closed, ODOT will proceed with vacating the existing highway easement to the City of Cleveland, the underlying fee owner of the property.

 

###

^The land that is to be vacated due to this ramp closure is going to State Industrial Products (formerly State Chemical). This arrangement with the city (the owners of the land) was done in October of last year. State Industrial is vacating land that was used for employee parking.

 

From Cleveland vs. The World:

 

http://clevelandplanner.blogspot.com/2006/10/september-15-2006-cleveland-planning.html

 

1. Ordinance No. 1447-06:

Authorizes the sale of City-owned property located at East 30th Street off of Hamilton Avenue to State Industrial Products, Inc. (SIP - Formerly State Chemical)

Because of the impending construction on the Innerbelt and relocation of the Innerbelt curve, the bridge structure (14,300 sq ft) that currently is used for 40 parking spaces for SIP is proposed to come down. SIP will demo 38,000 sq ft of their manufacturing building to make room for a new employee parking lot and construct a new manufacturing facility on land on East 30th Street and Hamilton Avenue that will be vacated.

 

I never understood why such a long ramp was needed (which took out a lot of buildings fronting on St. Clair). It's not like it was needed for motorists' to accelerate onto I-90. The sharpness of the turn onto I-90 required motorists to slow to 10-20 mph. I don't if the stop sign at I-90 was there at the start, some 50 years ago. But the stop sign only adds insult to injury for the loss of St. Clair's frontage.

 

Hopefully there will be numerous takers for that land. And they won't even have to worry about digging a basement for their buildings!

OUCH!

 

Starting this Friday and continuing for 40 days, ODOT will close downtown's Ontario Street exit ramp from I-90 eastbound. ODOT will rebuild I-90's bridge over Ontario, which will also mean occasional ramp closures (but during off-peak hours only) on I-90 eastbound at West 14th (why?) and East 9th.

 

This is going to cause some SERIOUS traffic jams. The posted detour route will be to exit I-90 eastbound at Broadway. I suspect traffic will find other ways, like I-490/I-77 or West 25th.

 

Better still, visit www.riderta.com and check out the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s Red Line rapid transit (Route 66X), or the RTA park-and-ride lots in Westlake (Route

246), North Olmsted (Route 263) and Strongsville (Route 251). Red Line trains run every 7-15 minutes while park-and-ride buses depart for downtown every 15 minutes.

What the hell? Doesn't Mr. O'Donnell realize that far more people work downtown than visit Indians games? So why write the lead to warn only those attending Indians' games that there might be a problem getting there?? Sometimes I think the PD's writers don't know much about their own city....

 

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1183452148268360.xml&coll=2

 

Eastbound Inner Belt work shuts lane, ramps

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Patrick O'Donnell

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Drivers will have one less eastbound Inner Belt lane starting Friday, when exiting toward Jacobs Field will become a bit complicated.

 

Contractors for the Ohio Department of Transportation will start repairing the deteriorated deck of the Interstate 90/Inner Belt Bridge over Ontario Street on Friday. Over the next 40 days, crews will cut apart sections of two of the lanes on the bridge and lift them out so they can be replaced.

 

"The bottom of the deck is basically rotted out," said ODOT engineer Ray Bencivengo. The project will cost $2.65 million...To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

 

[email protected], 216-999-4818

pd:

 

Inner Belt project hits snag on Carnegie ramps

Business leaders want to keep Carnegie ramps

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Sarah Hollander

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Plans for overhauling the Inner Belt are on hold indefinitely while business leaders lobby the federal government to rethink a major sticking point - access to Carnegie Avenue.

 

The Ohio Department of Transportation planned to submit details on the huge road project to federal highway officials this week, but will wait until the Carnegie issue is settled...

[email protected], 216-999-4816

 

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1184834289148930.xml&coll=2

First the bad news (not to imply there is good news coming), Steve Litt has a blog now.

http://blog.cleveland.com/architecture/

 

I'll let that that sink in for a moment.

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Ok, the sort of good news is, we can now comment directly to his posts when he makes asinine statements.

 

On to the article:

 

 

Big ODOT projects delayed for Shoreway and Inner Belt

Posted by Steven Litt July 18, 2007 16:25PM

Categories: Architecture, City Planning

 

 

Cleveland's lakefront plan completed under former Mayor Jane Campbell inspired designs for a $60 million makeover of the West Shoreway.

 

The final stages of planning for Cleveland's two big highway projects are on indefinite hold while local politicians and business leaders scramble to make last minute adjustments. The delays would be great if they result in improvements to the two projects at issue - the $60 million West Shoreway and the $1.5 billion makeover of the downtown Inner Belt.

 

But in this case, the delays could lead to serious harm if local officials prevail. By harm, I mean designing whole sections of the city to serve the automobile rather than pedestrians and cyclists, or privileging regional traffic over neighborhood traffic...

IMHO, I think it's fantastic that Steve Lit has his own blog!  I predict we will begin to see a different side of Mr. Litt in his blog based writings.

I actually like what Steven Litt has to say. I don't like the tone with which he writes his articles/critiques sometimes, but I think he's right most of the time. I like the fact that he stood up for the Breuer building. And the Inner Belt/Shoreway plans, etc definitely need to be done right. This stuff is gonna be around for decades to come. He just needs some help in getting that stick out of his ass.

Cleveland.com:

 

New plan to cap Inner Belt aims to unite Tri-C, CSU and St. Vincent Charity Hospital in `University Circle West'

Posted by Steven Litt August 02, 2007 15:12PM

Categories: Impact

 

 

Calling it an educational pathway out of poverty, a nonprofit Cleveland development corporation has unveiled a detailed plan for capping a 10-block area of the downtown portion of the I-90 Inner Belt to create what it calls a "University Circle West."

 

Capping the freeway would allow the campuses of Cleveland State University, St. Vincent Charity Hospital and Cuyahoga Community College to grow together gradually around housing, retail and parks built over the highway...

 

 

See an expanded view of the plan (PDF):http://blog.cleveland.com/pdextra/2007/08/quad.pdf

 

I smell a certain KJP all over this!  I tell you...these damn lurkers taking our ideas!  :wink:

Wow. That sounds potentially amazing. I wonder how much this change to the plans would affect the budget?

Actually the ODOT Aesthetics and Land Use committee has been meeting with the various stakeholders over the past couple of months discussing this such thing (I am on it representing CSU). It clearly makes sense to try and make that connection from CSU to Tri-C and the hospital - as long as we can make it physical. Obviously, this will be very expensive and may be beyond the scope of work for the current Innerbelt project. What could be included is creating the infrastructure necessary so years from now, when their is funding available, the cap can become a reality.

Yeah. That would be fantastic, at the very least. What is the surface area that they are discussing placing a cap on? From what part to what part of the Innerbelt?

I smell a certain KJP all over this!  I tell you...these damn lurkers taking our ideas!  :wink:

 

It's an improvement, but if I was appointed dictator of the Inner Belt project, I wouldn't even have the Inner Belt at that exact location.

Inner Belt proposal would include covering area with housing, retail, parks

Group's proposal seeks retail, parks, atop Inner Belt

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Steven Litt

Plain Dealer Architecture Critic

 

Link to Graphic showing map detail:http://www.cleveland.com/news/wide/index.ssf?/news/wide/080407_innerbelt.html

 

A nonprofit Cleveland development organization wants to cover a large portion of the downtown Inner Belt with housing, retail and park space to heal a breach created by the highway 50 years ago.

 

The Quadrangle Inc., which represents businesses and institutions east and southeast of downtown, has unveiled a detailed plan for capping a 10-block area of the Inner Belt to create what it calls "University Circle West." ..

 

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

 

[email protected], 216-999-4136

 

© 2007 The Plain Dealer

http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/plaindealer/steven_litt/index.ssf?/base/entertainment-0/1186216703124870.xml&coll=2

 

 

Thanks for the link to the graphic! That helps a lot.

 

This would be such a fantastic addition to the general plan of the Innerbelt. The only downside is that these delays are adding more money to the overall construction budget, which certainly won't help if we're trying to put additional caps on the freeway, but I think ODOT needs to consider this possibility, if at all possible. How long will the new incarnation of the Innerbelt be in the city once this construction is finished .. several decades? The future of the overall city needs to be taken into consideration here because this isn't simply a highway reconstruction project. If not executed correctly and wisely, this project could impact the city hugely for years to come.

 

I think anything that helps break down the physical barriers that highways cutting through the city create (Shoreway, Innerbelt) is such an important thing. Although they do provide quicker access to and from downtown and points beyond, I think from a planning point of view and a psychological point of view, downtown would be better with as little of an impact by them as possible.

For us lazy people:

http://www.cleveland.com/news/wide/080407_innerbelt.jpg

Yay!!! The PD recognizes the Innerbelt Urban Scar!!!  Much more pro-urban than Innerbelt Congestion-Free Zone (which I think is how our ODOT 'buddies' down south refer to the project). 

 

What would TRUE visionaries do?  Recognize that gas isn't getting any cheaper and build a new innerbelt that  reverses-as much as possible-the urban scar effects with a structurally-sound bridge.  That should be the vision.  No glam or glitz.  Do what's necessary to let people cross the valley while at the same time, reparing our neighborhoods.  Use any extra money for expanding rapid transit since any visionary would see that our culture will change in the future--a sustainable people!  City-living, bike-riding, block-walking ,healthy, HAPPY  :-D Clevelanders!  who the rest of the world envies b/c we had the vision back in ole 2007!

 

 

Yay!!! The PD recognizes the Innerbelt Urban Scar!!!  Much more pro-urban than Innerbelt Congestion-Free Zone (which I think is how our ODOT 'buddies' down south refer to the project). 

 

What would TRUE visionaries do?  Recognize that gas isn't getting any cheaper and build a new innerbelt that  reverses-as much as possible-the urban scar effects with a structurally-sound bridge.  That should be the vision.  No glam or glitz.  Do what's necessary to let people cross the valley while at the same time, reparing our neighborhoods.  Use any extra money for expanding rapid transit since any visionary would see that our culture will change in the future--a sustainable people!  City-living, bike-riding, block-walking ,healthy, HAPPY  :-D Clevelanders!  who the rest of the world envies b/c we had the vision back in ole 2007!

 

 

 

Word to that!

No demand for development on Cleveland's proposed Inner Belt cap: Terry Schwarz

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Terry Schwarz

 

The proposal to cap the Inner Belt between the Cleveland State Uni versity and Cuyahoga Community College campuses is extremely improbable and potentially counterproductive.

 

The cost of capping the Inner Belt as described in the Quadrangle Plan would be exorbitant ...

 

... More at http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/othercolumns/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1186563366133040.xml&coll=2

I agree with some things he says, but overall I find his message unsubstantiated. Yes, Cleveland as a whole is shrinking, but downtown is not. Yes, building all the caps at one time will be expensive, but I don't recall anyone saying that was the plan. Furthermore, the $1.6 million spent on the High Street caps isn't expensive (even when adjusted for inflation). Nor is the $8.5  million for the buildings atop them. And some downtown land hasn't been built upon despite substantial interest by developers whose plans were dashed not by the residential market but by the high cost of parking lots they sought to develop. We don't have too much land, as Schwarz said. We have too much expensive land that has held back downtown from reaching the critical mass that Schwarz says is needed to warrant the Inner Belt caps. Here is another chicken-and-egg situation in this city where someone needs to take a risk in order for it to grow. That risk can be minimized by adding the caps one piece at a time.

The other problem with this assessment is that it assumes that all of the capped property is slated for high-rises. While the plan shows the potential for redevelopment, this could be interspersed with other public uses, such as parks and bicycle connectors. A huge portion of the Big Dig in Boston is reconnecting neighborhoods through parks ... I would think we could do the same here, with wisely appointed development parcels in the mix and with an eye toward mixed use that would likely lead to more developments on either side of the trench. Schwarz definitely has a point, but I don't think her arguments entirely refute the concept of a cap. I wish they'd cap the area between Payne and St. Clair while they're at it ... oh, and not knock down two functioning artist live/work buildings either :(

"I agree with some things he says"

 

Ahem. She.

Thanks.

With the bridge collapse in MN, could the idea of replacing the entire innerbelt bridge get new life?

Maybe. Problem is, the money isn't there for it. Unless we raise the gas tax, it won't be.

Voinovich had a bill in the senate that went nowhere until the bridge collapse.  A few senators jumped on to co-sign, including the jr. Senator from New York

I'm slightly encouraged by this article in that they're still considering the cap idea. I really hope it's SERIOUSLY considered:

Carnegie Avenue ramp proposed for Cleveland's downtown Inner Belt may be dead

Posted by Steven Litt August 14, 2007 15:44PM

Categories: Architecture, Breaking News

 

A proposed Carnegie Avenue off-ramp, eagerly sought by downtown businesses as part of the upcoming re-do of the Cleveland Inner Belt, may be dead. The influential Greater Cleveland Partnership dropped its advocacy of the ramp on Monday.

 

"It appears that community consensus in support of the Carnegie Avenue ramp is not possible at this time," Joe Roman, director of the partnership, wrote in an email sent yesterday to downtown business leaders...

i never saw a release about I-90 lanes and ramps reopening through downtown (after the july closure). 

 

although it was a pain with the ramps closed, it seems that ODOT actually finished this project ahead of schedule. 

Removing the Carnegie ramp: This is really bad for economic development and a very stupid move.

I take the opposite view. I believe the ramp eliminates the opportunity for redevelopment or for increasing pedestrian activity in the immediate area by building a soaring visual and physical barrier in the area. I mean, really, how hard is it to make a left turn at East 22nd, and then a right (or left) onto Carnergie?? (see graphic below)

 

But there is no good solution with the Inner Belt in its current alignment. No matter what you do with the current alignment, someone is going to be really unhappy. It's why I've advocated moving the Inner Belt, which might cause a little unhappiness with some interests, but might also offer some trade offs for them too.

 

I say get rid of it and move traffic to I-490! 

pd:

 

ODOT moves to eliminate Carnegie exit off Inner Belt

Compromise plan fails to get support

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Sarah Hollander

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

The state plans to go ahead with plans to revamp the Inner Belt without direct access to Carnegie Avenue in Midtown.

 

The Ohio Department of Transportation plans to close several ramps in "the trench," an accident-prone stretch of Interstate 90 that feeds Midtown and other neighborhoods east of downtown. The Greater Cleveland Partnership stepped in last month to broker a compromise deal but was unable to gather enough support...

 

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-4816

 

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1187425811238390.xml&coll=2