Cleveland Innerbelt Update - Construction to Start in 2010

The Ohio Department of Transportation released this press release today:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ODOT ACCEPTS SUBCOMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION OF
SINGLE TOWER CABLE STAY
FOR NEW BRIDGE TO SPAN CUYAHOGA RIVER VALLEY

JANUARY 2, 2007, CLEVELAND, OHIO…The Ohio Department of Transportation has accepted the Central Viaduct Bridge Subcommittee’s recommendation for the bridge type for the new bridge to carry westbound I-90 over the Cuyahoga River Valley between downtown Cleveland and Tremont.

In October, the subcommittee reached consensus and recommended that the Single Tower Cable Stay be the bridge type built when construction starts on the new I-90 westbound bridge that will be built as part of the reconstruction of the Cleveland Innerbelt, starting in 2010.

Since October, ODOT has reviewed the subcommittee’s recommendation, the Bridge Type Study report, prepared by the consultant, Michael Baker Jr., Inc., and comments from the public and believes that the Single Tower Cable Stay is the appropriate bridge type for the new westbound Central Viaduct Bridge.

The subcommittee also recommended the adoption of design guidelines to be used throughout the bridge design process. The subcommittee will continue to advise ODOT throughout the design process for the bridge. The Central Viaduct Bridge Subcommittee is a subset of the Urban Projects Committee.

This release proves that things are moving forward despite a news report from the Plain Dealer on October 18 stating there would be a two year delay because of redesign issues. On November 9, Sun News reporter Ken Prendegast reported a clarification of the PD's story quoting ODOT project manager, Craig Hebrebrand: “I think there’s been some misinterpretation. All we’re doing is taking some time to dot the i’s and cross the t’s on two documents.”

Further proof of the ongoing progress is shown in ODOT's "Draft list of major new projects for 2008 - 2013." In this report the following time-line and dollar amounts for District 12 (Cleveland area) are listed, most of it for the innerbelt. To get an accurate portrayal of the amounts and time frame, read the original spreadsheet - my interpretation of it does not do it justice; sorry for any confusion.

(1^st $ = Project Cost in millions; 2^nd $ = Total TRAC Commitment in millions)

• Bessemer Ave. - $5.9, $3.1, Extension of Bessemer Ave. to increase connectivity to I-490
• I-71/90 - $922.0 $743.0 PDP Steps 5-8 Innerbelt Corridor
  GCRTA Park and Ride N. Olmstead, Strongsville, Westlake
• I-71/90 - East 55th St. $14.0
• I-71/90 - Quigley Road Connector
• I-71/90 - Innerbelt Bridge; Grp 1 Construct new WB bridge and approaches I71 to Carnegie Curve $10.0
  
• Cuyahoga River Valley Crossing - Tower and Superstructure $84.0
• Cuyahoga River Valley Crossing - Approach piers and superstructure $118.0
• Cuyahoga River Valley - West Approach $45.0
• Cuyahoga River Valley - East Approach $118.0

• Innerbelt Bridge; Advance Construction Contracts
• Demo Cuyahoga River Valley Crossing-Foundations DEMO($20)
• Building Demolition DEMO($13)
• Slope Stabilization DEMO($8)
• Relocation of Commercial Road DEMO($11)
• Replacement of the East 22nd Street Bridge $10.0
• Carnegie Avenue Improvements $9.0
• Reconstruct I-77 Approach to the Central Interchange $6.0 $126.0

• I-77/490 -
• Reconstruct I-77 over I-490 $17.0
• Reconstruct SB I-77 from SR 14 South $24.0
• Rehabilitation of the Existing Central Viaduct
• Existing Central Viaduct - East & West Approaches $7.0 $65.0
• East 30th Street Extension $1.0

• I-71/90 ITS - $29.7 $0.3 SPR $29.4 Cleveland ITS - Freeway Management System
• I-77 - $90.6 $42.4 Major Rehab/$0.1 District $48.1 Add lane from SR 82 to Rockside Rd
• US 322/I-271 - $19.1 $4.2 city/$0.6 Dist/$1.4 MPO $12.9 Upgrade interchange and improve Mayfield Rd.
• US 6 - $76.4 $26.6 Local $51.7 Reconstruction of Cleveland's West Shoreway
• Euclid Avenue Corridor - $247.4, $75.0 Euclid Corridor improvements
• Lake SR 2 - $100.7 $21.5 Major Rehab $79.2 Add lane and interchange upgrade from SR 91 to Newell Creek
• Lake SR 2 - $76.4 $18.1 M Major Rehab $58.3 Add Lane and interchange upgrade from Newell Creek to SR 44

The previous were Tier I numbers. There is a 90 day public comment period before any recommendations are given to the governor to authorize. There is also a substantial Tier II list which are projects under active development, but not guaranteed funding. Some of the projects include further funding for portions of the Innerbelt project, including Dead Man's Curve, the Cuyahoga River Intermodal Connector, the University Circle Access (Opportunity) Boulevard, and improvements of ramps servicing Hopkins Airport.