The NOACA Governing Board approved the following project as a candidate to be amended to the NOACA Transportation Plan and in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) by adopting Resolution No. 2004-012 on March 12, 2004.

Title: Preliminary Engineering (PE) Phase of SR-44/
Jackson Street Interchange Access Modification in Painesville
Sponsor: City of Painesville
Estimated Total Cost: $2,050,199
Proposed Source of Federal Funds: TEA-21 Congressional Earmark

History/Background:
The SR-44/Jackson Street Interchange Improvement is listed in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) legislation, Ohio Demonstration Projects, dated 7/24/98. It is referenced in NOACA’s Framework for Action 2025 Update Tier III Project List of Major Transportation Investments. Burgess & Niple, on behalf of the City of Painesville (project sponsor), prepared an Access Modification Study for the Jackson Street Interchange. According to ODOT, the congressional earmark is available in the amount of $2,050,199 at a rate of one hundred percent (100%), requiring no match from the city.

Current Conditions:
The SR-44/Jackson Street Interchange is located just over one mile south of SR-2/SR-44 interchange. It is a half-diamond interchange providing only northbound-on and southbound-off access to and from SR-44. In order to access the project area from the northbound SR-44, traffic must either exit SR-44 at the SR-84 interchange, located approximately one mile to the south, and utilize existing Painesville City, Mentor City, Concord Township and Painesville Township streets, or continue northbound on SR-44 and westbound on SR-2 to the Heisley Road interchange. Existing traffic in the vicinity of Jackson Street, destined for southbound SR-44, must use either the Heisley Road/SR-2 interchange, or the SR-44/SR-84 interchange.

Proposed Project:
The sponsor proposes study, planning and engineering for the improvement of the project area serviced by the SR-44/Jackson Street Interchange. The area will be further studied to determine a preferred alternative for improving the existing half-diamond interchange to eliminate traffic congestion problems on SR-44 mainline and its ramps with West Jackson Street and Fern Drive. The sponsor intends to utilize the congressional earmark of $2,050,199 authorized in TEA-21 to fund the preliminary planning, engineering.

Staff Comment (Summary):