Ohio City Streets Committee
forms to improve pedestrian safety

The Ohio City Streets Committee (OCSC) is based on the idea that streets are important public spaces for residents and travelers alike. The goal is to improve this part of the public realm in order to create a more livable neighborhood.

The OCSC will work on issues related to streets/traffic/pedestrian access. The focus will be to create support for local "street reclaiming" projects throughout Ohio City, to assist forwarding a plan and vision for better traffic alternatives as related to the Innerbelt reconstruction project and for mediating its effects while the freeways are closed.

Recent projects and goals

1. Visit block clubs and neighborhood groups, collected "hot spots" and concerns.

2. Develop a list of neighborhood hot spots and map them.

3. Establish relationships with the East-West Neighborhood Traffic Coalition, EcoCity Cleveland, Cleveland Innerbelt Study Scoping Committee, City Planning.

4. Create a basic blueprint highlighting hot spots and street types throughout Ohio City and offering a selection of viable alternatives.

5. Plan a neighborhood-wide event with Dan Burden, March 5th from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

6. Influence existing projects—encourage neighborhoods with pedestrian over-lay residential areas.

7. Develop on the ground street calming projects.

8. Pursue funding and assistance for a traffic study in Ohio City.

The following list is of areas of concern on Ohio City Near West public right-of-ways as noted by residents, stakeholders and block clubs. This list has been compiled by the Ohio City Streets Committee, it is a work-in-progress. Please send your additions or clarifications to Manda Gillespie at 3214 Monroe Ave., Cleveland, OH 44113, or manda@ecocitycleveland.org or call 216-932-3007.

Speeding

• W. 50th St. from Lorain to Detroit-Speeding cars during rush hour
• W 41st Street from I-90 to Lorain
• W 42nd between Orchard and Lorain
• Speeding on 44th street toward I-90
• Bridge from Fulton to W. 25th—bus & car traffic speed to beat the lights
• W. 29th St. Alley from Bridge to Fulton and W. 28th & Waco Ct. from W. 30th to W. 26th—speeding cars cutting through alleys 36th and Siam
• Herman and Tillman off of Shoreway during rush hour
• 45th & Bailey—stop sign being ignored-speeding on W 45th 45th between Bridge & John-speeding to avoid stoplight
• Speeding cars down Chatham Ave.
• Speeding cars down Monroe Ave.
• Cars taking turn too fast from Fulton onto Monroe Ave.
• Cars speeding down Bailey (also Fulton, Lorain, Monroe) coming on and off the freeway.

Excessive traffic or inappropriate uses

• W. 49th St. from Lorain to Detroit—Heavy Truck Traffic all day long
• No buses on Franklin (?)
• 41st Street-off of 90-all day & night-density and speed of traffic, cutting down Orchard and up 42nd.
• W. 38th from Franklin to Lorain—Heavy daytime truck traffic
• Penn Ct. between Fulton & W. 32nd—Heavy Pedestrian and car traffic.
• Waco Ct. from W. 30th to W. 26th—Heavy pedestrian and car traffic
• W. 25th from Detroit to Lorain—Heavy rush hour and all day truck traffic
• Heavy truck traffic on Fulton
• Trucks on W 45th south of Lorain from blueprint company
• 48th and Lorain traffic light, keep on a regular cycle—not flashing
• Excessive traffic on Bailey during rush hour times.
• Excessive traffic on Monroe during rush hour times (also Fulton and Lorain)
• W. 41st and W. 44th St.—volume of traffic, speed of cars coming on and off highway.
• Excessive traffic on Woodbine Avenue between W. 38th & W. 44th due to on-street drop-off for students at Garrett Morgan School of Science.
• Fulton Road south of Franklin is too wide.
• (No trucks getting off at 41st/44th.)
• (Narrow W. 25th St.—as it approaches Detroit)

Unsafe intersections

• 45th & Bailey—stop sign being ignored
• Speeding on W 45th
• 26th and Lorain—lots of pedestrian traffic but not crosswalk, heavy car volume and speeding
• Fulton, just north of Lorain, there is no crosswalk between the Environmental Center and the library.
• Confusing and complicated intersection at Fulton and Lorain.
• 28th & Fulton there is a blind merge—the light is too quick
• Lights at 44th & Franklin, and Fulton & Lorain are too quick
• Intersection at the corner of Monroe and W. 25th is difficult for pedestrians (two crossing guards hit)
• Abbey and Gehring by W. 25 rapid station—flashing light, cars often don't stop for pedestrians
• Randall and Whitman intersection
• Intersection of Woodbine, John, & W. 38th is confusing, too large and dangerous.
• Crosswalks throughout O.C. need to be re-striped, particularly at high pedestrian crossing areas: W. 38 & Lorain-Fulton, W.32nd & Bridge-Woodbine Avenue crossing at Fulton Bar & Grille Intersection at Randall (41st)/West 44th/Woodbine, The four-way stop going both directions on Woodbine/West 38th/John

Pedestrian and bicycle hazards

• Heavy pedestrian and bike traffic on Franklin from W. 45th to Detroit because of St. Herman's
• Heavy pedestrian traffic around Garret Morgan School of Science and Kentucky School
• Penn Ct. between Fulton & W. 32nd—Heavy Pedestrian and car traffic.
• Waco Ct. from W. 30th to W. 26th—Heavy pedestrian and car traffic
• Jay Ave.—Heavy pedestrian traffic during the day
• Damaged sidewalks throughout Ohio City (in part due to laying cable.)
• 41st Street pedestrian crossing at Lorain is dangerous
• 45th and Lorain—safety needed for left turn onto Lorain.
• Fix the bike-unfriendly grates on Detroit-Superior bridge
• Bike lanes for Detroit-Superior bridge
• Bike lanes for Carnegie bridge
• Pedestrian inaccessibility of rapid station at W. 25th—hard to cross Lorain and often hard to cross Gehring St.
• No good bike routes down W. 25th
• Hard for students to safely cross Monroe Ave or W. 28th St. around Dunbar School
• Difficult pedestrian access to the Orchard Park school. (Create bike access to the river front and through Ohio City.)
• Non-compliance with traffic rules Heisey Bldg. parking lot-speeding cars
• 45th & Bailey-stop sign being ignored—speeding on W. 45th
• Cars running light on W. 25th at Monroe intersection (especially bad during rush hours).
• Cars ignoring stop signs on Monroe and Chatham Avenues
• Buses not stopping at red lights on Lorain Ave.
• Cars doing donuts in Dunbar school parking lot W. 32nd and Hancock—cars not obeying stop sign.

Parking

• No parking on Franklin around W. 49th.
• Streets close to St. Pat' and St Malachi's—heavy on-street parking
• Streets around Johnny Mango's, Fulton Bar, Heck's & Parkers—heavy evening and weekend on-street parking
• Bridge Ave. between Fulton and W. 28th, Fulton Ave. near Bridge and Carroll, W 30th St. from Carroll to Fulton and Bridge from Fulton to W. 28th—heavy St. Ignatius student parking during class hours
• Vestry, Jay, & W. 28th from Franklin Circle to Bridge—Heavy on street parking by Lutheran Hospital staff, patients & visitors.
• Poor street conditions
• Damaged sidewalks throughout Ohio City (in part due to laying cable.)
• 48th street between Turn and Lorain—bad pavement
• Poor condition of street trees (particularly after CPP and Illum. Co. "trim" them), gaps in street trees, etc. Flooding on John Court (between John St. and Whitman)-brick street that has been paved

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