City Planning Commission

Agenda for April 4, 2014

 

Ordinance No. 388-14(Ward 3/Councilmember Cimperman and Ward 15/Councilmember Zone): To change the name of a portion of Bulkley Boulevard, aka Cleveland Memorial Shoreway West, to Edgewater Parkway.

 

http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/designreview/drcagenda/2014/04042014/index.php

 

Yeah, I don't have a problem with this. Part of me would like to see the old name, Bulkley Boulevard brought back. But Edgewater Parkway works for me.

City Planning Commission

Agenda for April 4, 2014

 

Ordinance No. 388-14(Ward 3/Councilmember Cimperman and Ward 15/Councilmember Zone): To change the name of a portion of Bulkley Boulevard, aka Cleveland Memorial Shoreway West, to Edgewater Parkway.

 

http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/designreview/drcagenda/2014/04042014/index.php

 

Yeah, I don't have a problem with this. Part of me would like to see the old name, Bulkley Boulevard brought back. But Edgewater Parkway works for me.

 

Edgewater Parkway is actually the original name.

Edgewater Parkway is actually the original name.

 

Got a source of info for that?

Edgewater Parkway is actually the original name.

 

Got a source of info for that?

 

Just old maps. I'll try to post one tomorrow.

Edgewater Parkway is actually the original name.

 

Got a source of info for that?

 

I posted a map of this a while back, but in 1898 the name was being tossed around:

 

 

And for fun, here's an 1898 rendering of the Edgewater Parkway. This would have been constructed on fake land (just as today's is) and then flowed into W 58th Street via an underpass.

http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/1248214/

 

It's comical that here we are in the 21st century talking about building underpasses under that rail line to connect to the lake when they were proposing to do it in the 19th century :-D I guess things just take a really long time here.  :-D

So is that was it was proposed to be? Because in old photos when it was a dirt road circa 1900 it was always referred to as Bulkley Boulevard.

I walked the dog over to this site late the other night & peered down into the trench.  They are close to making the final connection of the old sewer/new sewer right at the volleyball courts of Battery Park.  The old existing pipe is excavated & exposed in the trench and the new trench comes in at about 30-45 degree angle.  The sheet piling operation is done for the time being thank goodness.  The cranes are still on site though, I'm guessing they will be pulling much of the sheet piling back out when the sewer relocation portion is done.  Railroad crews have been out this week also.

I was kinda hoping they would go for Lake Shore Drive. I've always wanted to tell some body, when asked for my location, "I'm on LSD"

I was kinda hoping they would go for Lake Shore Drive. I've always wanted to tell some body, when asked for my location, "I'm on LSD"

 

You can still use that response, just depends on your state of mind.

I was kinda hoping they would go for Lake Shore Drive. I've always wanted to tell some body, when asked for my location, "I'm on LSD"

 

You can still use that response, just depends on your state of mind.

 

[shadow=black,right]That sure is some pretty puke[/shadow]

Updated photos.  I can only figure that the new trench (South of the RR tracks but well North of the new sewer line between 70th and 73rd) is the beginning of the tunnel.

 

 

 

 

 

And maybe that discussion about early repaving of Father Caruso from 70th to W. 65th might come to fruition.  They has smoothers on it the other day making it look even and pretty.

( This pook looking East along Fr. Caruso from W70th)

 

The project is slightly ahead of schedule despite the brutal winter & some utility relocations that took longer than expected.  I think the railroad track relocation is next.  Some big developments related to getting the east/west connection back between these areas now that Caruso will dead end at 70th.  Should be an announcement soon about extending Frascati through from Battery Park over to 70th.

The project is slightly ahead of schedule despite the brutal winter & some utility relocations that took longer than expected.  I think the railroad track relocation is next.  Some big developments related to getting the east/west connection back between these areas now that Caruso will dead end at 70th.  Should be an announcement soon about extending Frascati through from Battery Park over to 70th.

l

 

That would be fantastic. Then a connection to W78th from W76th.

Connecting 78th to 76th north of Detroit is a must for sure.

When you refer to the tunnel above, are you referring to a tunnel for pedestrian use, or is the road relocation actually going below grade?

When you refer to the tunnel above, are you referring to a tunnel for pedestrian use, or is the road relocation actually going below grade?

 

This is the car tunnel.  It will go beneath the RR tracks roughly at W73rd street and slope down to meet the Shoreway at Edgewater park.

 

 

The two existing pedestrian tunnels at 76th and 65th are already completed and in regular use.

 

This little map gives a good simple perspective.

 

 

 

 

Argh. It's not "Norfolk and Southern RR" but "Norfolk Southern RR." That's just the worst map mistake I've ever seen in my entire life. :D

 

Argh. It's not "Norfolk and Southern RR" but "Norfolk Southern RR." That's just the worst map mistake I've ever seen in my entire life. :D

 

I find that hard to believe!

walked through the site yesterday.  The sewer relocation portion of this project is pretty much done.  All the new sewer line is in place & they have poured new structures for the sewer connections to the existing sewer at 70th & over at the the west end behind the volleyball courts.  There's a big steel tube they are welding up, I'm assuming for bypassing the sewer when the time is right and they need to close up both structures.  The new temporary pathway of the railroad, when it's shifted to the south, is pretty clearly visible now.  You can see the pathway being prepared in the photos above.  Pretty tremendous project of infrastructure, if you're into that sort of thing.

Has there been any updated information regarding the timing for the "mainline reconstruction" portion of this project?

News around the DetShore ..... They are close to closing the Eastbound ramp into Edgewater Park in order to start work on the W 73rd tunnel.  Supposedly they are ready now, but Matt Zone wants them to hold off until the unrelated construction over on the Herman/Tillman/49th Shoreway exit is completed, since all the park traffic will have to go East and then enter the park from that exit.

 

They filled in the big sewer junction at W 69th and Fr. Caruso and have been smoothing and grading the land South of the RR tracks for what I presume is the upcoming shoe-fly  (I finally retained that word ;)  ).   

 

 

They filled in the big sewer junction at W 69th and Fr. Caruso and have been smoothing and grading the land North of the RR tracks for what I presume is the upcoming shoe-fly  (I finally retained that word ;)  ).   

 

Congrats. Shoe-fly is one of my all-time favorite railroad words. So is "highball."

 

I saw the earthmoving equipment starting to gather along the Shoreway, at the west end of the Edgewater ramps below the tracks.

 

Not my best pic, but it shows the filled sewer junction at 69th and Fr. Caruso   

 

(Picture facing East on Fr. Caruso at 69th)

^ Look at all that sand!!! My landscaping buddy once said that if you kick the ground anywhere between there and W25 you get sand.

that sand is trucked in for backfill material.  It's not native soil.  Not saying there isn't sand in the soil, but not like that.  I've been watching the trenching & excavating for this project and it's mostly hard clay being dug out.

that sand is trucked in for backfill material.  It's not native soil.  Not saying there isn't sand in the soil, but not like that.  I've been watching the trenching & excavating for this project and it's mostly hard clay being dug out.

 

Interesting. I was with my friend when he was doing work for the Transformer Station, lots of sand. Maybe it has to do with where cliffs are/were located. Who is the resident UO geologist lol?

 

that new railroad bed location (shoe-fly) is gonna pump the ground & shake the area 10x worse than before.  Houses could feel trains coming by before and that was after about 100 years of the railroad bed settling & compacting....

Oh yeah it is!  Shakin' hard

 

Here are a couple of better pictures now that the area is smoothed over completely:

 

 

that new railroad bed location (shoe-fly) is gonna pump the ground & shake the area 10x worse than before.  Houses could feel trains coming by before and that was after about 100 years of the railroad bed settling & compacting....

 

Actually 160 years ;)

 

EDIT: for those living in the area, I'd be interested to hear if the ground shakes more. Granted the trains will be moving much more slowly through there with extra track curvature, so that may reduce the vibration but you'll probably hear wheel flanges squealing against the insides of the railheads unless they install flange greasers.

The Flange Greasers...I loved their early work, before they got all popular and stuff...

The Flange Greasers...I loved their early work, before they got all popular and stuff...

 

Yeah yeah yeah.... Dude wasn't lying though:

 

No amount of Flange Greasers would make up for rerouting traffic way from the river mouth...the KJP way!

 

Laying down the RR ties for the shoefly

I believe the proper term is SHOOFLY, or shoo-fly.

The past few events at Edgewater have caused major backups entering the park. I'm concerned the planned Shoreway improvements don't go far enough to alleviate the parking/entrance issues that will only be exacerbated as Edgewater and Wendy Park gain in popularity.

 

Well we won't get our street grid anytime soon, it seems. So for the time being I'd suggest angled parking along the road.

 

This angled or even parallel parking works surprisingly well along busy coastal highways in California.

 

Any thoughts?

Little bitter after going last night.

 

Looks like a fence was erected around the beach partially in the name of "no alcohol beyond this point".

 

But it has  largely destroyed one of the key uses of that area: sled riding.  You will run into the fence now if you get a good run going.  This really really stinks.

 

 

^You should definitely contact the Metroparks to let them know. Is it fairly substantial permanent fencing, with concrete anchors or deep dug posts?

^You should definitely contact the Metroparks to let them know. Is it fairly substantial permanent fencing, with concrete anchors or deep dug posts?

 

Its just treated 4 x 4's in the sand with rope.

 

 

Shoreway project for intersection of 73rd is flying along.  Good amount of dirt fills brought up between the RR tracks & the Shoreway where the new east bound off ramp to 73rd will be.  New temporary tracks are being laid out with the rail road ties.  No steel rails set yet.  Sewer relocation portion of the job is complete.  I think some old warehouse buildings were demo'd from 73rd & Caruso as well.

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/districts/D12/Deputy%20Director/News/Pages/State-Route-2-Eastbound-Ramp-to-Edgewater-Park-Temporary-Closure.aspx

 

The State Route 2 eastbound exit ramp to Edgewater Park is scheduled to close on Monday, July 14, 2014 and will reopen late-November, 2014.  The closure is part of the Ohio Department of Transportation’s West 73rd Street Extension project and is necessary to construct the ramp on a new alignment.

 

Motorists will detour via the West 45th Street exit ramp to Detroit Avenue to West 49th Street to Herman Avenue to SR 2 westbound. 

 

In 2015, the ramp will be closed again from October through December.

 

The ramp closure allows ODOT and the contractor to expedite the work and overall reduce the total amount of time the ramp will be closed from one year to approximately eight to 10 months.

 

The Lakefront West Project is working to connect Cleveland's west side neighborhoods with the lakefront by creating multi-modal connections along the West Shoreway between West Boulevard and the Main Avenue Bridge. The Lakefront West Project will increase access to Lake Erie, improve green space, biking and pedestrian facilities, increase development potential and simplify connections along the now limited-access freeway.

There was a meeting at Mt. Carmel last night about the construction.

 

Takeaways

W. 73rd St Under Pass

1) project supposed to be complete in 12/15

2) Trains on temporary tracks from 8/14-4/15

3) Will be working on the lower portion of the new73rd st under the tracks into the shoreway off ramp (hence the closure Dergon mentions above...this is starting about 6 months sooner than originally planned.

 

Separate but related to the 73rd St. underpass.

1) The West Shoreway will be Re-named to Edgewater Boulevard, the shoreway will begin at about W 30th, from there west will be a tree lined Blvd (including removing the cement median to be replaced by trees).  35 MPH, no stop signs or lights.  described as chester or clifton but no lights adds 75 seconds to a trip.

2) there is funding to re-do W.73rd st from Detroit north....it will be 2 lanes and a dedicated bike lane...no parking on 73rd.  No plan for a light at 73rd and detroit.

3) Father Frascati will be "punched" through from 73rd to 70th.  The industrial building standing at father caruso between 70th and 73rd will be demolished for the road extension and the remainder of the property will be developed by Vintage.

 

I will attempt to answer any questions if you have any.

 

 

 

No parking on 73rd will be a bummer for many residents on that street.  most of them don't have much of a driveway and the garage is filled with junk so the only option is to park on the street

Thanks kennybabes!  When you say completion by 12/15, does that include all of the new "Edgewater Blvd" from W 30th heading west to it's terminus?

Not the complete BLVD

 

Complete by 12/15 is the W. 73rd st portion.

 

They said they have complete funding for the BLVD.  one reason they can do the lower work on where 73rd will tie in/replace the off ramp, that is part of the BLVD funding and not the W. 73rd funding.

 

Since it was a neighborhood meeting about the W. 73rd st work they did not go into many details about the BLVD conversion.

 

Shoreway conversion is funded, will begin about where the "bop stop" is.  showed 2 slides...1 had the multipurpose paths (from Clfton/lake tying in to W. 25th across from St. Malachi and then over the D/S bridge).

 

The other was a top down render of the BLVD with trees where the median is.  the BLVD will have the "same footprint" as the shoreway.  with 3 lanes of traffic in each direction....."think Chester" was the comment.

 

I think they said go to the ODOT website for the current BLVD conversion plans----lots of crowd noise when this was brought up.

 

Another take away.....Matt Zone seems to be pretty good at his job.  Not only getting this done, but keeping the crowd on point.

 

3) Father Frascati will be "punched" through from 73rd to 70th.  The industrial building standing at father caruso between 70th and 73rd will be demolished for the road extension and the remainder of the property will be developed by Vintage.

 

 

Whoa, wait!  That "remainder of the property" is pretty big.  Any idea of what Vintage is proposing?

The State Route 2 eastbound exit ramp to Edgewater Park is scheduled to close on Monday, July 14, 2014 and will reopen late-November, 2014.  The closure is part of the Ohio Department of Transportation’s West 73rd Street Extension project and is necessary to construct the ramp on a new alignment.

 

Motorists will detour via the West 45th Street exit ramp to Detroit Avenue to West 49th Street to Herman Avenue to SR 2 westbound. 

 

Don't do this if you suspect any sort of traffic on the Shoreway. It's far safer to keep going east on Detroit Ave and turn left at W25th to SR 2 westbound. The entrance ramp on West 49th is congested, and dangerous.

No Idea what vintage is planning on doing.

 

They said something about "1 story more than most of the surrounding townhouses"

 

But I could not tell if the questioner was asking about the corner parcel of Battery Park (which the original plan has a 6 story Apt bldg) or this new Vintage property.

 

if you look at the plans for the new under pass W 73rd bends towards 70th before it goes under the train tracks.  Also the under pass is not a concrete "chute"  with vertical walls at the edges of the road it is a terraced hillside.  I am not sure how much land vintage will have left to build on.

 

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/projects/ClevelandUrbanCoreProjects/LakefrontWest/Documents/86481_Renderings.pdf

 

look at first render.....they look to have about 1/2 the land of the current footprint of that industrial site, especially when the southern edge will be a city street (I am sure some of the overall funding was to buy the right of way)