Governing Board approved on 9/14/01 with Resolution 2001-052

Title: Hillside Road Pedestrian Bridge Enhancement
Sponsor:  Cuyahoga County Engineer
Estimated Total Cost: $500,000
Proposed Source of Federal Funds: NOACA funds

History/Background:
The Cuyahoga County Engineer is currently sponsoring a bridge project involving the rehabilitation of one bridge over the Cuyahoga River and the complete replacement of a second bridge over the Ohio Canal.  The county engineer is proposing the addition of a separate pedestrian structure into the bridge rehabilitation/replacement project to provide access from the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area (CVNRA) Canal Visitor Center to the CVNRA Railroad loading area.

Current Conditions:
Pedestrians traveling between the CVNRA Visitor Center and the CVNRA Train Depot must share the roadway with vehicular traffic.  In order for pedestrians to access the west side of the river, they must walk up stairs and cross the Cuyahoga River by way of a narrow and obsolete bridge, which is currently a hazardous situation.  Hillside Road (CR-145) is a two-lane road that carries an average daily traffic (ADT) volume of 2,270 vehicles.

Proposed Project:
This project involves the installation of a prefabricated single span truss pedestrian bridge, 40 feet south of the current bridge, alleviating the potential pedestrian safety hazards of sharing the roadway with vehicular traffic.  The design will include an approach path and be more accessible and convenient for the handicapped, as no stairways will be involved.  The total construction cost is estimated to be $500,000.  Eighty percent of the construction cost ($400,000) will be funded with NOACA-attributable Transportation Enhancement Activity Surface Transportation Program (E/STP-M) funds. The county engineer will provide the non-federal share ($100,000).  Construction is expected to occur in SFY 2002. This project component was amended to NOACA's state fiscal year (SFY) 2000 - 2003 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) by way of NOACA Governing Board Resolution 2001-041, but is subject to the project planning review.

Staff Comment (Summary):
Staff recommends approval to amend the SFY 2002 – 2005 TIP as specified in NOACA Governing Board Resolution 2001-041 for SFY 2002.

Intergovernmental Review (IGR):

Public Involvement:

Committee Review:
Bicycle Advisory SubCommittee (BASC)
Bicyclists should be allowed to use the bridge and signs should not be posted disallowing them.