Opportunity Corridor Update October 2011
Moving forward
Stakeholder input shapes direction of Opportunity Corridor
If you’re coming from downtown or the West Side to take advantage of University Circle’s world-class arts and cultural institutions, or if your destination is Cleveland Clinic or University Hospitals, you could be frustrated by the challenges of getting there.
The good news is, plans to change that continue to move forward. Significant progress has been made in the planning and design phases of the Ohio Department of Transportation’s $215 million Opportunity Corridor transportation and economic development project.
The new boulevard will be a catalyst for reinvestment in nearby communities with the redevelopment of more than 200 acres of underutilized land into vital neighborhood assets. It will improve connections between I-490 and University Circle, where 45,000 Greater Clevelanders work and 2.5 million people visit annually.
In July 2011, the Steering Committee identified a single Recommended Preferred Alternative based on input gathered from the City of Cleveland, Community Development Corporations, neighborhood stakeholders, steering committees, businesses, and the public. The plan anticipates:
- A wide median and traffic signals
- Pedestrian and bicycle paths
- Tree lawns and landscaping
- Access to RTA bus and rapid transit transportation
It also features a depressed center median and four travel lanes. Although the number of lanes is less than previously anticipated, the final number will not be determined until the calculated future traffic volumes are confirmed.
Great news, you say. When will this be ready?
With the Recommended Preferred Alternative selected, traffic analysis and environmental studies will be conducted and additional public hearings held before a Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision are produced during 2012. The project will then seek federal approval and necessary additional funding before development planning and right-of-way acquisition gets under way in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Construction could start as early as 2016.
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