The Governing Board approved the following project for inclusion in the TIP by adopting Resolution No. 2000-078 on 12/08/00

SponsorCity of Berea
Estimated Total Cost: $27,200,000
Proposed Source of Federal Funds:
Transportation Equity Act for the 21^st Century (TEA-21) earmark

History/Background:
On April 14, 1999, representatives from the city, CSX, NS and Congressman Dennis Kucinich signed an agreement regarding the participation in the joint funding of the elimination of two rail/highway at-grade crossings on SR-237 (Front Street).  The city submitted the grade separations along with the widening of SR-237 (from two lanes to four lanes both north and south of the grade separations) as one project to the Transportation Regional Advisory Council (TRAC) for consideration.

Current Conditions:
SR-237 as Front Street in Berea is a two-lane state highway. It is a significant north-south arterial, which serves Cleveland Hopkins Airport. SR-237 is part of the NOACA Congestion Management System (CMS) network.

SR-237 is functionally classified as a Principal Arterial in the project area.  SR-237, in the vicinity of the two railroad grade crossings, carries about 9,750 vehicles per day. The peak hour volume is estimated at 975 (16 vehicles per minute). Heavy truck traffic is noticeable between Sheldon Road and Depot Street.

Land use along either side of SR-237, between Sheldon Road and Depot Street consists primarily of commercial activity.  Land use between Depot Street and Bagley Road is mixed commercial, residential and the Baldwin-Wallace College Campus.  There is fixed route transit service (Route 86 and 86F) along SR-237.

The number of trains traversing the two grade crossings is estimated at 120 per day. Each crossing serves about 60 trains per day.  The average train length is 6,300 feet.  Based on information provided and staff calculations, the amount of time needed for a train to traverse the crossing at 30 mph is about 2.5 to 4.5 minutes, causing an average vehicular queue of about 32 vehicles (800' or 0.15 mile) from either side of the crossing.

Storage capacity to accommodate the vehicular queue is not available on all sides of the crossing.  The queue will block access to Front Street from adjoining side streets and driveways.  The amount of time needed to dissipate the queue of vehicles and restore normal traffic movement is about 1.5 minutes.

The location of the CSX railroad tracks and its close proximity to the intersections of SR-237 at Depot Street and Lou Groza Boulevard poses a risk to vehicles, which may get trapped while waiting for a signal to change.

Proposed Project:
The proposed project involves the elimination of two at-grade rail/highway intersections, approximately 650 feet apart.  Front Street will be relocated about 130' to the west between Depot Street and Emerson Drive as a four lane highway.  Depot Street will be connected to Front Street at the Lou Groza Boulevard intersection.

The estimated total project cost is $27,200,000 broken down as follows: preliminary engineering (PE) $2,600,000; right-of-way (RW) $4,700,000; and construction (C) $19,900,000.  Funding participation for each project phase is as follows:

PE - $1,112,500 - CSX/NS, $1,300,000 - ODOT and $187,500 - ORDC;

RW - $300,000 - CSX/NS, $4,200,000 - ODOT and $200,000 - TEA-21;and

C - $5,387,500 - CSX/NS, $5,250,000 - ORDC and $9,262,500 TEA-21

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Staff Assessment (Summary):

• The high volume of train traffic (one train every twelve minutes) necessitates grade separation to eliminate frequent interruption and traffic congestion. 
• Aside from grade separation, reasonable physical or operational alternatives improvements to mitigate the impact of potential high train traffic are virtually non- existent.
• The proposed grade separations will serve travel between Berea and Cleveland Hopkins Airport and provide a better connection with the Berea Freeway.
• The proposed improvement should be compatible with bicycle travel, as per USDOT guidelines.
• Project development activities should provide an emission reduction estimate for NOACA's 2006 budget year, project opening day (year), project design year and NOACA's transportation plan year.