About the Study

Interstate 71 (I-71) is a regionally significant highway that connects Cleveland with Columbus, Cincinnati, and Louisville, Kentucky. Traffic flow varies along this freeway corridor, but with continuing suburban growth, it occasionally operates near capacity during peak periods as it passes through urbanized areas.

NOACA, in partnership with the Ohio Department of Transportation, is conducting a regional transportation planning study of a nine-mile stretch along the I-71 corridor in northeast Ohio. It passes through northeastern Ohio communities, including Strongsville, Brunswick, and North Royalton. The study area is bounded by Center Road (SR 303) on the south, Pearl Road (US 42) on the north and west, and W. 130th Street on the east.

Traffic congestion in this area has been a long-standing concern for local officials. Prior studies have been conducted to investigate potential solutions, as illustrated in the figure below.

Timeline of Previous Studies

The I-71 Crossroads Regional Transportation Study (I-71 Crossroads Study) aims to evaluate current and future conditions in the study area and to investigate how to improve the mobility, connectivity, and safety of the road network for all users.  

The study is expected to be completed by December 2026.

Public Meetings

November 19 & 20, 2025

Round 1 Public Meetings were held in Strongsville and Brunswick to educate the public about the study and its preliminary findings on existing and future conditions, and to gather their experiences with problem areas within the study area. Links to the meeting presentation and exhibits can be viewed and downloaded below:

• Meeting presentation
• Meeting exhibits
• Roll plot
• Comment form (Due back by Friday, December 19, 2025

Future Meetings

• Tentatively scheduled for Spring 2026

A sample of images and videos showing traffic at varying afternoon travel times along I-71, SR 82, and Howe Road is available below. The team also collected similar imagery at other identified areas of concern within the study area.

• SR 82 looking westbound at 4:17 PM on September 10, 2025
• SR 82 looking westbound at 5:13 PM on September 10, 2025 
• SR 82 looking westbound at 5:17 PM on September 30, 2025
• SR 82 looking westbound at 5:57 PM on September 30, 2025
• SR 82 looking westbound at 6:12 PM on September 30, 2025
• SR 82 looking westbound at 6:34 PM on September 30, 2025  
• I-71 traffic camera at SR 82 at 4:00 PM on September 11, 2025 (video)
• I-71 traffic camera at SR 82 at 5:00 PM on September 17, 2025 (video)

Contact

Direct your comments and questions about this study to the I-71 Crossroads Study team at noaca@mpo.noaca.org.