Lorain County Commissioner Betty Blair deserves all the thanks for this development (see below). This is big news as two sides with different paths in mind toward the same destination are now working together. Now we can get this project out of the sidetrack and moving forward to promote sustainable development along the corridor and serve as a relief valve during Inner Belt construction.   KJP

___________

 

NEWS RELEASE - FEBRUARY 12, 2009

FROM: BETTY BLAIR

LORAIN COUNTY COMMISSIONER

CHAIR, LORAIN COUNTY COMMUNITY ALLIANCE (LCCA)

 

The Lorain County Board of Commissioners is pleased to announce a partnership

with the Northern Ohio Commuter Rail Coalition in a joint quest to bring

Commuter Rail from Cleveland westward to Lorain County and to Vermilion and even

to Sandusky.

 

The Coalition, represented by Larry Bettcher, Anthony and Bob Campana, Patrick

Petrigan, and Vermilion Mayor, Jean Anderson, has agreed to contribute up to

$34,000 towards the County's required 80 per cent match to access the $343,000

Earmark acquired by Congresswoman, Betty Sutton, in support of this Project. A

MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) will be presented from this Coalition which

will address specific stipulations with respect to raising of the remaining

match moneys and the time frame in which the "Request For Proposals" regarding

the Alternatives Analysis Study in order to obtain Federal funding can be

completed.

 

The conjoined "Steering Committee" will now be known as the "WEST SHORE COMMUTER

RAIL TASK FORCE." Represented at the meeting where this proposal was discussed

included the Northern Coalition; NOACA (Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating

Agency); Lorain Port Authority; Lorain County Transit; Lorain County Community

Alliance and the Lorain County Board of Commissioners.

 

For the past two years, meetings of the stakeholders along this corridor have

been hosted by Ken Prendergast of All Aboard Ohio and the Lorain County

Community Alliance. The Ohio Rail Development Commission has had input on this

project.

 

The NOCRC and the Lorain County Commissioners along with all of the stakeholders

who have been involved in this process are anxious to see the measure of impact

that this project will produce. We believe that this project will be crucial to

executing economic development to our region now and into the future. Patrick

Petrigan, Chair of NOCRC steering committee says, “This is not about choo-choos;

it’s about creating jobs and about northern Ohio’s future”

 

--

Ken Prendergast

Executive Director

All Aboard Ohio

12029 Clifton Blvd., Suite 505

Cleveland, OH 44107

(216) 986-6064 office

(216) 288-4883 cell

(216) 986-6071 fax

[email protected]

www.allaboardohio.org

Lifted from Ecocity Cleveland - Green City, Blue Lake site

http://www.gcbl.org/transportation/bikes/bike-lane-on-innerbelt-bridge

The federal policy of accommodating new bike/ped amenities in new construction is often overlooked — unless a groundswell of public support drives the process. Make your voice heard for a bike path on the Innerbelt Bridge by emailing ODOT Innerbelt Project Manager Craig Hebebrand or by leaving a comment here.

 

[email protected]

 

edit: my email

subject: Advocate for pedestrian and bicycle facilities on the new Cleveland Innerbelt Bridge

 

Dear Mr. Hebebrand,

 

I am excited about the news that ODOT has approved a two bridge design for the Innerbelt Bridge in Cleveland.  Please consider my input as an advocate for a pedestrian and bicycle path on the bridge.  I do not believe that any other bridge over the Cuyahoga River valley is an acceptable substitute to connect downtown to Tremont. 

 

The path could be a way for people to get to jobs that they could not have had if they did not have access to private motor vehicles on account of disability or scant means.

 

Best Regards,

 

Boreal

from Kirtland

For the record, we're not just talking about a bike path but a pedestrian path as well, right?

... a pedestrian path as well, right?

Yes.  The GCBL article develops the "talking points" well http://www.gcbl.org/transportation/bikes/bike-lane-on-innerbelt-bridge

... a pedestrian path as well, right?

Yes. The GCBL article develops the "talking points" well http://www.gcbl.org/transportation/bikes/bike-lane-on-innerbelt-bridge

 

I hadn't looked at it before... I like the talking points, but the whole thing really is kind of bike-heavy.  As discussed over in the bike thread, there is some alarming hostility out there toward bikers, and I don't know that it carries over to pedestrians.  Maybe if the two switched positions in the argument, the whole thing might be better received.

I'm assuming it's goodbye cold storage building?

 

I hope this is one of the buildings in question. If the new bridge does anything I pray it will take down both of these buildings. I have hated these buildings my entire life. And now the only reason they stand is for someone to collect a monthly check from the advertising that's plastered on them. Personally I will be very happy when these two eyesores hit the ground. cya. Now if only we could only tear down the Justice Center, Cleveland Public Power, Aviation High School and build something at the Ontario Triangle(where the Labron sign is) I will be a happy man.

i'm probably going to get a well deservered time out for this, but after that post and thr "scaled down" comment on the CC thread, I've decided that I don't like you.

Lifted from Ecocity Cleveland - Green City, Blue Lake site

http://www.gcbl.org/transportation/bikes/bike-lane-on-innerbelt-bridge

The federal policy of accommodating new bike/ped amenities in new construction is often overlooked — unless a groundswell of public support drives the process. Make your voice heard for a bike path on the Innerbelt Bridge by emailing ODOT Innerbelt Project Manager Craig Hebebrand or by leaving a comment here.

 

[email protected]

 

edit: my email

subject: Advocate for pedestrian and bicycle facilities on the new Cleveland Innerbelt Bridge

 

Dear Mr. Hebebrand,

 

I am excited about the news that ODOT has approved a two bridge design for the Innerbelt Bridge in Cleveland.  Please consider my input as an advocate for a pedestrian and bicycle path on the bridge.  I do not believe that any other bridge over the Cuyahoga River valley is an acceptable substitute to connect downtown to Tremont. 

 

The path could be a way for people to get to jobs that they could not have had if they did not have access to private motor vehicles on account of disability or scant means.

 

Best Regards,

 

Boreal

from Kirtland

 

I also emailed him, all I got was this generic response:

 

Dear Mr. ExSpectator36,

 

Thank you for your comments on the Cleveland Innerbelt Project.

 

Respectfully,

 

Craig K. Hebebrand, P.E.

 

I'm assuming it's goodbye cold storage building?

 

I hope this is one of the buildings in question. If the new bridge does anything I pray it will take down both of these buildings. I have hated these buildings my entire life. And now the only reason they stand is for someone to collect a monthly check from the advertising that's plastered on them. Personally I will be very happy when these two eyesores hit the ground. cya.

As far as the cold storage building, I don't think its a significant loss. I normally dislike seeing a building knocked down for "progress", but I'm OK with this.

 

Now if only we could only tear down the Justice Center, Cleveland Public Power, Aviation High School and build something at the Ontario Triangle(where the Labron sign is) I will be a happy man.

The Justice Center, Cleveland Public Power, and Aviation High School?

 

I'm not stupid enough to think that the Justice Center is attractive or reaches the archetectural potential possible for that site, or that its even a good design for a Justice Center. With that said, I'd hate to lose that building. I've always been a fan of the way the Justice Center and the Federal building reflect each other (to some degree) across the mall. I veiw them as bookends, with roughly the same size and scale. Without the Justice Center, the Federal building looks like crap. With the Justice Center, the Federal building doesn't look like it was inspired by a brick wrapped in tin foil.

http://maps.google.com/maps/sv?cbp=12,141.20716986330206,,0,-4.069767441860466&cbll=41.505787,-81.697064&panoid=&v=1&hl=en&gl=us

 

Cleveland Public Power, Eh. I'd love to see the whales taken off of it, or replaced with something more Ohio-ish. But other than that, it could be worse. Someday if the building outlasts its usefullness I'd rather its replacement not be on the waterfront, but I don't think its a big deal.

 

Aviation High School, What's wrong with Aviation High? I'd obviously prefer to see the building used, but its a solid building in a unique place. Why get rid of it? Do you have a better use for the site?

 

OK, back to the Innerbelt before I get in trouble for being to far off topic, I'm sure its been discussed previously, but would it be cheaper to build a double decker bridge as a replacement?

I'm assuming it's goodbye cold storage building?

 

I hope this is one of the buildings in question. If the new bridge does anything I pray it will take down both of these buildings. I have hated these buildings my entire life. And now the only reason they stand is for someone to collect a monthly check from the advertising that's plastered on them. Personally I will be very happy when these two eyesores hit the ground. cya. Now if only we could only tear down the Justice Center, Cleveland Public Power, Aviation High School and build something at the Ontario Triangle(where the Labron sign is) I will be a happy man.

 

The broadway mills building on the East end is a stunning structure.  It's only problem is that it is secluded from the rest of downtown which makes it hard to repurpose.

I'm assuming it's goodbye cold storage building?

 

I hope this is one of the buildings in question. If the new bridge does anything I pray it will take down both of these buildings. I have hated these buildings my entire life. And now the only reason they stand is for someone to collect a monthly check from the advertising that's plastered on them. Personally I will be very happy when these two eyesores hit the ground. cya. Now if only we could only tear down the Justice Center, Cleveland Public Power, Aviation High School and build something at the Ontario Triangle(where the Labron sign is) I will be a happy man.

 

Yeah, that's just igorant.  Tearing down buildings that define our past for freeways is a great idea and has always done good for our city...  Syke.

http://blog.cleveland.com/pdopinion/2009/02/dodging_a_bullet_getting_a_bri.html

Dodging a bullet, getting a bridge

Posted by The editors February 13, 2009 05:00AM

So when do we change the name of this thread to "Mediocre vision for the Inner Belt/I-90?

So when do we change the name of this thread to "Mediocre vision for the Inner Belt/I-90?

 

I know you're being sarcastic, but that is funny!

So when do we change the name of this thread to "Mediocre vision for the Inner Belt/I-90?

I vote we wait till we've seen what kind of bridges are proposed. At that point we'll know enough about how cheap ODOT will try to be, that we can choose between "Mediocre vision for the Inner Belt/I-90" and "Grand pile of steaming horsedung that some moron at ODOT considers an acceptable way of screwing up the south side of downtown".

 

Maybe at that point we should add a poll to decide the new name of the thread.  :|

Well, no, the thesis of this thread was that cross-town traffic should be routed across the I-490 bridge and up to the trench on I-90 and then out of town.  Local traffic from the west could get off of I-90 and take a slower route bustling with commerce through Tremont and on a "smaller" bridge across the river into downtown Cleveland. 

i'm probably going to get a well deservered time out for this, but after that post and thr "scaled down" comment on the CC thread, I've decided that I don't like you.

 

Hmm. I am sorry, I guess I was unaware that we had a relationship... I've always been bad at picking up these kind of signals...stupid stupid stupid  :bang2:

Well, no, the thesis of this thread was that cross-town traffic should be routed across the I-490 bridge and up to the trench on I-90 and then out of town.  Local traffic from the west could get off of I-90 and take a slower route bustling with commerce through Tremont and on a "smaller" bridge across the river into downtown Cleveland. 

 

Can we assume the announced plan puts the kibosh on anything like this?  What about doing caps over the trench, as was also discussed?

The people of our area, Mayor Jackson, and ODOT would be well served to read about what other cities have done regarding freeway removal.  In places like Portland and San Francisco, the removal of huge freeways/expressways led to increased economic investment.  The "gridlock" that freeway planners predicted did not arrive.

 

What we need to do is to eliminate the Innerbelt Bridge as KJP has proposed and throw out the proposed Opportunity Corridor idea.  In their place, we need to replace them with an integrated system that expands light rail and buses, bus and pedestrian access, and increased safety for car lanes (to reduce the desire for drives to cross 4 lanes of traffic in a single movement).

 

For more on what removal of freeways can do, please see the link below.

 

http://www.preservenet.com/freeways/index.html

what about industry, trucking?

In general or in particular?  Shipping via rail is cheaper than via truck.  Let's use our money to tie into/expand the existing rail lines.  Someone recently noted that the railways are looking to increase intermodal options in Ohio anyhow.  Why not here in Cleveland? 

 

With respect to Cleveland in particular, truck traffic could use the 490/77 proposal set forth by KJP.  With Opportunity Corridor, why could they not use the existing street grid?

 

People sometimes act like we never had cities before the expansion of the Interstate Highway System in the 1950s.  Trucks and industry/commerce can, and do, function well in cities.  I think that cities function best when the freeways are kept away, at their outer edges.

.

Why do people do this??

 

ODOT: E-Mail About Innerbelt Bridge Collapse A Hoax

 

NewsNet5.com

updated 11:50 a.m. ET, Tues., March. 10, 2009

 

CLEVELAND - Rumors continue to fly about the safety of Cleveland's Innerbelt bridge because of another e-mail circulating that says the bridge is in danger of collapsing.

 

Like other before, the e-mail is a hoax. Ohio Department of Transportation engineer Michael Malloy said that the Interstate 90 bridge through downtown Cleveland is not about to collapse...

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29603511/

Cleveland's Inner Belt Bridge could be on fast-track for stimulus money

Posted by Aaron Marshall and Karen Farkas/Plain Dealer Reporters March 18, 2009 08:11AM

Categories: Innerbelt Bridge, Ohio Department of Transportation, Real Time News

 

COLUMBUS House Speaker Armond Budish is so worried about the condition of Cleveland's Inner Belt Bridge that he is pressing state transportation officials to fast-track a fix by spending $200 million in federal stimulus dollars.

 

Budish said Tuesday that he has had "multiple meetings" urging ODOT to use a chunk of more than $750 million in available federal stimulus funds on the bridge project. It's unclear whether the fix would be a new bridge or a rehabilitation of the current one...

 

 

http://blog.cleveland.com/openers/2009/03/clevelands_inner_belt_bridge_c.html

 

Inner Belt Bridge project to get $200 million in federal stimulus money

 

Posted by Karen Farkas

Every time one of these articles fails to mention pedestrian lanes I get nervous.

Every time one of these articles fails to mention pedestrian lanes I get nervous.

 

Every time I see "opportunity corridor" I get pissed!  Another road to separate more neighborhoods.  ::) ::)

 

 

Every time one of these articles fails to mention pedestrian lanes I get nervous.

 

Every time I see "opportunity corridor" I get pissed! Another road to separate more neighborhoods. ::) ::)

 

 

 

That makes two of us.

 

Every time I see "opportunity corridor" I get pissed! Another road to separate more neighborhoods. ::) ::)

 

My sentiments exactly... One of the few times you get Cleveland leaders to speak w/ one voice, and it's for an expensive, taxpayer finaced boondoggle that will hurt the City: another stupid freeway; and one that parallels (and no doubt will siphon off) riders from the Red Line rapid transit.  if that isn't bass-ackwards thinking, ... What surprises me is how little, if any, dissent there is against this, aside from a few sensible UOers... Sure wish we could have gotten this kind of leader unanimity on Dual Hub -- we'd have a subway up Euclid today.

The Red Line through the lower Eastern neighborhoods of the city is neither fast enough, frequent enough, or well located enough to be competing with the existing road system for any of the of the auto owning neighborhood residents' travel as it is.  So I doubt the impact of the OC on it's ridership will be substantial.

The Red Line through the lower Eastern neighborhoods of the city is neither fast enough, frequent enough, or well located enough to be competing with the existing road system for any of the of the auto owning neighborhood residents' travel as it is.  So I doubt the impact of the OC on it's ridership will be substantial.

 

I totally disagree.  The main target of this road is University Circle and the commuters from the West Side suburbs who don't want to drive thru the city or deal with downtown -- most no doubt being of the 1 car 1 driver variety.  One of the stronger points of the Red Line east is the reverse commuters who travel to Case and the huge/growing University Hospitals campus.  Go to the University Circle station at rush hour (just drive down Cedar Hill).  You'll see packed platforms of West Side (and some downtown) commuters.  How can you say this Opportunity freeway won't cut into that?  Add to that the huge employment center that will be created by the Juvenile Justice Center that'll be open in a year... I wouldn't be surprised if some kind of deal  was cut to build this road w/ the JJC judges who didn't want to relocate from 22nd & Cedar in the 1st place.

 

For the record, I'm thrilled with the stimulus money going to rebuild the inner belt, esp the increasingly dangerous bridge over the Flats.

I don't see the OCB cutting into Red Line usage much.  For those using the rapid already, shaving a few minutes off a west side commute is little benefit to get them to switch to using a car (if they even have one available to them).  Those using the rapid most likely are using it for reasons other than time (not having a car available, cheaper, not having to worry about parking, not wanting to drive, etc.) as from most locations driving would probably be slighly faster anyways, so making it a few minutes faster shouldn't have an effect on most of them.

I don't see the OCB cutting into Red Line usage much. For those using the rapid already, shaving a few minutes off a west side commute is little benefit to get them to switch to using a car (if they even have one available to them). Those using the rapid most likely are using it for reasons other than time (not having a car available, cheaper, not having to worry about parking, not wanting to drive, etc.) as from most locations driving would probably be slighly faster anyways, so making it a few minutes faster shouldn't have an effect on most of them.

 

I agree, there isn't much overlap between people who use the red line and people who would use this.  Given all the development going on now, I would expect both train and car traffic in this corridor to increase, regardless of whether OCB is built.

ODOT will host Innerbelt environmental impact hearing on April 21

Posted by Sun News April 15, 2009 06:20AM

http://blog.cleveland.com/brooklynsunjournal/2009/04/odot_will_host_innerbelt_envir.html

 

The Ohio Department of Transportation invites residents to attend a public hearing regarding the draft environmental impact statement for the proposed Cleveland Innerbelt project at 5:30 p.m. on April 21 at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 2187 West 14th Street...

 

I'm all about improving safety but the focus should be on increasing connections, like non-car Tremont access and minimizing the trench's impact.  If that isn't the focus I doubt they'll even bother with any of it.

That's why I posted that .. so that people who have an opinion on the matter and are able to make it to the meeting can voice their opinions to the appropriate people.

It was these hearings for the Columbus Interbelt/I-670 reconstruction back in the 90's where residents and community leaders spoke up for changes and the High St. cap...got the ball rolling and definitely had an impact on the final design of the project.

Plans underway for new Inner Belt Bridge

Posted by Karen Farkas/Plain Dealer Reporter April 20, 2009 11:52AM

 

 

CLEVELAND — Plans for the new Inner Belt Bridge are underway, even though no federal funds can be spent to acquire land until later this year, after federal authorities issue a final approval of the entire project.

 

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/04/inner_belt_bridge.html

Right bridge. Wrong location. Such a shame.

While it will be a straightforward girder bridge, built of concrete or steel, it will have a signature design, said Bonnie Teeuwen, deputy director of the ODOT district that includes Cuyahoga County.

 

What is that I smell?  Is it bullsh-t?  I think so.

While it will be a straightforward girder bridge, built of concrete or steel, it will have a signature design, said Bonnie Teeuwen, deputy director of the ODOT district that includes Cuyahoga County.

 

What is that I smell?  Is it bullsh-t?  I think so.

Yes X it is.....

 

Wrong bridge, wrong location, wrong planning, wrong...

What it will be is a Valley View Bridge with a few functionless engineer designed trinkets near the eye level of drivers passing at 70 mph.  I can't think of anything less important to making this mesh with the context.  Although, they probably consider the context to be Toledo to Ashtabula. 

At least we can look forward to ODOT demolishing several more examples of our industrial past (as if we haven't lost enough buildings, let alone neighborhoods in the first round of freeway building), losing land for downtown development, visually crowding the Hope Memorial Bridge, removing exit ramps for local business, poor aesthetics, creating more worthless land along the riverfront, pandering to a non-sustainable form of transportation, no pedestrian or bike access...  Anything else?

Wrong bridge, wrong location, wrong planning, wrong...

What it will be is a Valley View Bridge with a few functionless engineer designed trinkets near the eye level of drivers passing at 70 mph. I can't think of anything less important to making this mesh with the context. Although, they probably consider the context to be Toledo to Ashtabula.

At least we can look forward to ODOT demolishing several more examples of our industrial past (as if we haven't lost enough buildings, let alone neighborhoods in the first round of freeway building), losing land for downtown development, visually crowding the Hope Memorial Bridge, removing exit ramps for local business, poor aesthetics, creating more worthless land along the riverfront, pandering to a non-sustainable form of transportation, no pedestrian or bike access... Anything else?

 

So frustrating.

There is supposed to be pedestrian and bike access, and that should not be negotiable.

There is supposed to be pedestrian and bike access, and that should not be negotiable.

 

:wtf: :wtf: :wtf: :wtf:

Period.

Period.

 

I'm sure I'll be sorry I asked this....

 

How do and why do you propose a bike land and a pedestrian walkway on a bridge like that.  Where do bikers and walkers get on, especially in downtown, with all the on / off ramps?

 

Isn't the ODOT-esq picture precious?

^ Ask Frank Jackson.  At one point, he was the one pushing for it.  I imagine that it would work similarly to bike/pedestrian lanes on other bridges.  They're separated from the cars so it doesn't really matter what speed the cars are going.  As for how people get on it downtown... if the entire ODOT engineering staff is stumped about that, the time has come for fresh blood.

I like how they have the meetings in the Greek Cathedral, just in case someone would propose the southern alignment.

I'm sure I'll be sorry I asked this....

 

How do and why do you propose a bike land and a pedestrian walkway on a bridge like that.  Where do bikers and walkers get on, especially in downtown, with all the on / off ramps?

 

I'm not sure why you are dreading the answer (don't you enjoy learning?), but here goes:

 

There are no fewer than 20 examples of bicycle/pedestrian lanes on Interstate highway bridges, where said lanes are usually separated from motor vehicle lanes by barriers.  These crossings aren't limited to warm or snow-free climates, but include Pittsburgh, Hartford, NYC, Chicago, and Philadelphia.

 

The Oregonian (Portland, OR) recently published a story on two such crossings in Washington state.

 

Why make this crossing?  Well, it would connect Downtown to Tremont and places south without requiring pedestrians and cyclists to zig-zag across Abbey Ave and the Lorain Carnegie or making steep descents and ascents into and out of the Valley.