The NOACA Governing Board approved the following project for inclusion in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) by adopting Resolution No. 2003-024 on March 14, 2003.

Title: SR 252 (Columbia Road) CSX Railroad Grade Separation in Olmsted Falls
Sponsor:  Olmsted Falls
Estimated Total Cost: $8,900,000
Proposed Source of Federal Funds: Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) earmark

History/Background:
The SR-252 Railroad Grade Separation is listed in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century legislation, Ohio Demonstration Projects, dated 7/24/98. It is referenced in NOACA’s Framework for Action 2025 Update Tier I Project List. In August 2001, the State of Ohio allocated funds from the Governor’s Rail Crossing Safety Initiative to the SR-252 crossing. The City of Olmsted Falls has secured funding commitments for the project including State-administered Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (S/CMAQ) funds and CSXT Railroad.

Current Conditions:
SR-252 (Columbia Road) is a two-lane road with a 28-foot pavement. SR-252 runs north and south through the City of Olmsted Falls. It is a major access road connecting northern Lorain County to I-480. It is functionally classified as an urban minor arterial. The average daily traffic (ADT) is 9,425 vehicles per day with 4% truck traffic (2000 traffic count). The speed limit is 35 miles per hour (mph). Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) does not provides service along this segment of SR-252, but does provide service along Sprague Road (Route 86F) and along Bagley Road (Routes 64F and 68). Land use along SR–252 is primarily residential and commercial.

The City of Olmsted Falls has been dealing with railroad issues involving train noise, traffic congestion, blocked crossings and traveler safety for several years. The acquisition of Conrail by CSX and Norfolk Southern Railroads in 1998 has escalated the problem. Prior to the acquisition, approximately fifteen (15) trains crossed SR-252 per day. Since the acquisition of Conrail by CSX, train traffic has increased to approximately sixty (60) trains per day. The only warning devices at the crossing are standard railroad crossbucks and gates with mast mounted lighting.

Proposed Project:
Construct a railroad grade separation on SR-252 at the CSX railroad tracks. The project study area termini are designated as the SR-252/Sprague Road intersection and the SR-252 bridge over the Ohio Turnpike. These termini were selected to provide adequate clearance to the railroad tracks and to transition back to the to the existing approach roadways. The City has studied the feasibility of an underpass and overpass and determined that either is feasible. The estimated total project cost is $8,900,000, broken down as follows: $1,000,000 for engineering (PE); $1,200,000 for right-of-way (RW) ; and $6,700,000 for construction. The anticipated project completion date is July 2007.

Staff Comment (Summary):

• Attention should be paid to watershed and habitat impact with the project’s close proximity to the west branch of the Rocky River, particularly since it was excluded from the study area for the environmental screening assessment.
• Sponsor should explore whether the proposed project will maintain or improve upon the Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) values and/or wetland habitats discussed in the ecological survey report.
• This project addresses goal # 4 (Transportation Safety) of Access Ohio through policy statement B1 initiative (Systematically reduce the number of at-grade rail-highway crossings).
• This project indirectly serves Urban Core and Environmental Justice (EJ) populations by safely and efficiently accommodating redirected rail freight as a result of the railroad merger.
• Move for committee and public review in order to obtain comments.