Cleveland's Artisan Neighborhood

Ohio City Multimodal Transportation Plan

Dear Ohio City Stakeholder,  

Ohio City Incorporated is presenting a comprehensive transportation plan, developed in partnership with the City of Cleveland, to improve transportation options in the neighborhood. 
 
Ohio City, with over three-million annual visitors and anchor institutions including Saint Ignatius High School, Lutheran Hospital, Great Lakes Brewing Company, and the West Side Market, has long served as a regional destination as well as a historic residential neighborhood. Ohio City's population grew from 2000 to 2010 and the neighborhood has seen an incredible influx of new businesses over the past three years, with over 35 new businesses creating over 300 new jobs in the Ohio City Market District alone. New residents, businesses, and an increased number of visitors have strained the already limited transportation infrastructure of the Ohio City neighborhood.
 
Ohio City Incorporated, acknowledging that a complete urban neighborhood requires comprehensive transportation solutions, has partnered with the City of Cleveland to develop a comprehensive transportation strategy for residents, employees, and visitors of Ohio City to navigate the neighborhood. 
 
The Plan includes: 
  • Implementing Complete Streets - building off of the Complete Streets investment being made by the Ohio Department of Transportation on the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge and Abbey Road through implementation of increased bike lanes, bike parking, and traffic calming for pedestrians as recommended by the Ohio City Market District Multimodal and Launch Lorain planning studies.
  • Transit Oriented Development (TOD) - developing mixed-use housing adjacent to the RTA Red Line West 25th Street Rapid Station which serves over 360,000 arrivals and departures annually on weekdays. 

While cycling, pedestrianism, and public transportation are viable and increasingly popular options for reaching Ohio City, the current reality is that the majority of the neighborhood's 3-million plus annual visitors arrive by car. In order to address the increased parking demand in the neighborhood, Ohio City Inc has developed several options for better utilizing existing parking options in the neighborhood. The proposed Transportation Plan will also create newly available parking without demolishing any existing structures and actually decrease the amount dedicated to surface parking in the neighborhood. 

Completed and planned parking improvements include: 
  • A comprehensive neighborhood wayfinding system
  • Valet and employee parking for those who work in the neighborhood, which will secure more than 400 parking spaces during key business hours and will free up more public spaces for visitors in the Market District.
  • Consolidation of the Hick's and West Side Market Customer lots, which will add 150 parking spaces without demolishing any structures and will improve lighting and security. Parking will be free for the first 90 minutes and will cost only $2.00/hour after. This will be considered Phase I.
  • A Market District Structured Parking Facility garage that will provide 500 additional public parking spaces without increasing the number of surface lots in the neighborhood. Considered Phase II, the facility will serve both the private and non-profit institutions in Ohio City as well as overflow parking for West Side Market and Market District customers.
The short- and long-term parking and transportation solutions we've identified will greatly benefit residents, neighborhood employees, visitors and students including: 
  • A sustainable, 21st-century transportation plan that will accommodate future growth in Ohio City that takes into account all modes of transportation including walking, biking, public transit, and driving
  • Safer and more secure parking options, as paid parking lots will be professionally managed and monitored
  • Easier access to on-street parking for residents in congested areas
  • More than 350 additional parking spots at peak hours for those visiting the Ohio City neighborhood
 
We look forward to engaging the neighborhood in a dialogue around this plan and continuing to improve the quality of life for our residents, businesses and visitors.
 
Sincerely,
eric signature
 
 
 
Eric Wobser
Executive Director
 
Meetings

Join Councilman Cimperman at a public meeting on July 31, 2012 at 6pm at Franklin Circle Church (1688 Fulton Road). Ohio City Inc will be present to discuss the transportation plan.

Documents
View the complete Ohio City Multimodal Transportation plan here. 
 
Read More

Freshwater Cleveland - July 19, 2012
ohio city plan aims to rebuild neighborhood around multimodal transportation

The Cleveland Plain Dealer - July 19, 2012
Ohio City steers toward a parking space solution: editorial

The Cleveland Plain Dealer - July 12, 2012
West Side Market parking could become single paid lot, with validation for shoppers