Opportunity Corridor Boulevard | |
Route information | |
Existed | 2008–present |
Major junctions | |
West end | I-490 / I-77 in Cleveland |
East end | US 322 in Cleveland |
Location | |
Country | United States |
State | Ohio |
Counties | Cuyahoga |
Highway system | |
|
The Opportunity Corridor is a linear project in Cleveland, Ohio, with a boulevard that connects Interstate 77 (I-77) and I-490 to the University Circle neighborhood. "The purpose of the project is to improve the roadway network within a historically under-served, economically depressed area within the City of Cleveland." [1] The corridor is entirely concurrent with Ohio State Route 10.
In the 1960s, Cuyahoga County had planned to build a freeway called the Clark Freeway in Cleveland and its environs, part of a network of planned freeways. [2] The entirety of I-490, along with a portion of what later became I-90 westward from the I-71/I-90/I-490 interchange, was built as a result of this project. However, the road was initially proposed to extend to the Outer-belt East Freeway (I-271). The route was ultimately truncated to East 55th Street as a result of freeway revolts.
Later plans for a highway along this general routing included a plan to build a freeway northeastward from East 55th Street to the Cleveland Memorial Shoreway (I-90 and State Route 2), but this plan was rejected in 2002. [3] The route was again proposed by Ken Blackwell during his failed bid for governor in 2006. [4]
The road as built, part of the Inner-belt reconstruction project, is a boulevard connecting I-490 to the University Circle neighborhood. This iteration was conceived in 2008, [5] though references to it existed as early as 2003; [6] its record of decision was issued in May 2014. [1] [7] Construction began in March 2015 along the portion east of East 93rd Street; [8] [9] this portion opened in two segments in late 2017 and November 2018. [10] After various delays, [11] [12] the last section opened November 12, 2021. [13]
The project was estimated in April 2013 to cost $331.3 million by the Federal Highway Administration, or about $100 million per mile. [14]
As of 2023 [update] , several building projects were underway along the boulevard. [15]
The Opportunity Corridor has a number of opponents, including a grassroots group, Clevelanders for Transportation Equity. [16] Many of the objections are rooted in the upheaval of the local community, which is predominantly lower income and African-American. [17] [18]
Other local critiques include a report by the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative in which concerns are raised regarding a lack of comprehensive vision, lack of meaningful community engagement, poorly designed green infrastructure, and the absence of true multi-modal integration. [19]
The Opportunity Corridor was also featured in a report by the United States Public Interest Research Group titled, "Highway Boondoggles: Wasted Money and America’s Transportation Future". [20] This report highlights ODOT's poor enforcement of their “fix-it-first” policy as well as the stagnant Vehicle Miles Traveled statistics for the region in contrast with the increased ridership on the Regional Transit Authority. [21]
The entire route is in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County.
mi | km | Destinations | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
0.0 | 0.0 | I-490 west (Troy Lee James Highway) to I-77 / I-90 | Continuation beyond western terminus | ||
Quadrant Road[ citation needed ] (to East 55th Street) | Western terminus; one-quadrant interchange [22] | ||||
US 422 / SR 8 (Kinsman Road) | |||||
SR 87 (Buckeye Road) | |||||
Quincy Avenue | Signed as East 105th Street beyond this junction | ||||
US 20 (Euclid Avenue) | |||||
US 322 (Chester Avenue) | Eastern terminus | ||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi |
Interstate 71 (I-71) is a north–south Interstate Highway in the midwestern and southeastern regions of the United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with I-64 and I-65 in Louisville, Kentucky, and its northern terminus at an interchange with I-90 in Cleveland, Ohio. I-71 runs concurrently with I-75 from a point about 20 miles (32 km) south of Cincinnati, Ohio, into Downtown Cincinnati. While most odd numbered Interstates run north–south, I-71 takes more of a northeast–southwest course, with some east–west sections, and is mainly a regional route serving Kentucky and Ohio. It links I-80 and I-90 to I-70 and ultimately links to I-40. Major metropolitan areas served by I-71 include Louisville, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland.
Interstate 271 (I-271) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the suburbs of Cleveland and Akron in the US state of Ohio. The highway is officially designated the Outerbelt East Freeway but is rarely referred to by that name by locals, instead simply referring to it as "271".
State Route 8 is a road in the U.S. state of Ohio. SR 8 stretches from the eastern junction of Interstate 76 (I-76) and I-77 in Akron to Public Square in Cleveland. It is one of nine routes to enter downtown Cleveland at Public Square. The route's first few miles are as a limited-access freeway from I-76 and I-77, heading north. The freeway section of the highway has 16 interchanges, and is cosigned with SR 59 for a short distance from Perkins Street in Akron to Front Street in Cuyahoga Falls. The freeway portion ends at I-271 in Macedonia.
Euclid Avenue is a major street in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It runs northeasterly from Public Square in Downtown Cleveland, passing Playhouse Square and Cleveland State University, to University Circle, the Cleveland Clinic, Severance Hall, Case Western Reserve University's Maltz Performing Arts Center, Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals Case Medical Center. The street runs through the suburbs of East Cleveland, Euclid, and Wickliffe, to Willoughby as a part of U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The HealthLine bus rapid transit line runs in designated bus lanes in the median of Euclid Avenue from Public Square to Louis Stokes Station at Windermere in East Cleveland.
State Route 59 is an east–west state highway in the U.S. state of Ohio, serving the Akron metropolitan area. The western terminus of State Route 59 is in downtown Akron at a partial interchange with the Interstate 76/Interstate 77 concurrency, and the eastern terminus is at State Route 5, 0.5 miles (0.80 km) east of Ravenna. The route is approximately 23 miles (37 km) long and was certified in 1969 over what had previously been part of SR 5. It serves as a major or as the primary east–west roadway for the cities of Cuyahoga Falls, Kent, Ravenna, and Stow, the village of Silver Lake, and Franklin and Ravenna Townships.
Interstate 490 (I-490) is a 2.43-mile (3.91 km) auxiliary Interstate Highway in Cleveland, Ohio. The western terminus is a junction with I-90 and I-71 on Cleveland's west side. After spanning the Cuyahoga River, I-490 reaches its eastern terminus at a junction with East 55th Street, just east of I-77.
Interstate 480 (I-480) is a 41.77-mile-long (67.22 km) auxiliary Interstate Highway of I-80 in the US state of Ohio that passes through much of the Greater Cleveland area, including the southern parts of the city of Cleveland. I-480 is one of 13 auxiliary Interstate Highways in the state. The western terminus of I-480 is an interchange with I-80 and the Ohio Turnpike in North Ridgeville. Starting east through suburban Lorain County, I-480 enters Cuyahoga County, then approaches Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, which serves as the primary airport for Northeast Ohio. After traversing Brooklyn and crossing the Cuyahoga River on the Valley View Bridge, the highway continues east toward the communities of Bedford and Twinsburg toward its eastern terminus at I-80 and the Ohio Turnpike in Streetsboro. On its route, I-480 crosses I-71 and I-77 and is concurrent with I-271 for approximately four miles (6.4 km). In 1998, the governor of Ohio, George Voinovich, gave I-480 the additional name of the "Senator John Glenn Highway", in honor of the former NASA astronaut and US senator from Ohio for 24 years.
The Cleveland Memorial Shoreway, often shortened to "the Shoreway", is a limited-access freeway in Cleveland and Bratenahl, Ohio. It closely follows the shore of Lake Erie and connects the east and west sides of Cleveland via the Main Avenue Bridge over the Cuyahoga River. The entire length of the Shoreway is part of the Lake Erie Circle Tour (LECT) and all but the very eastern end of the Shoreway is part of State Route 2. The Shoreway also carries parts of Interstate 90 and State Route 283 on its eastern side, and parts of U.S. Route 6 and U.S. Route 20 on its western side. The Cleveland neighborhood of Detroit-Shoreway is named after the two roads that form the northern border, the Shoreway and Detroit Avenue.
Ohio State Route 176 is a route linking Interstate 71 (I-71) in Cleveland to I-77 near Richfield. The freeway portion is known as the Jennings Freeway, while the at-grade portion is mostly Broadview Road.
The Green Line is a light rail line of the RTA Rapid Transit system in Cleveland and Shaker Heights, Ohio, running from Tower City Center downtown, then east to Green Road near Beachwood. 2.6 miles (4.2 km) of track, including two stations, are shared with the rapid transit Red Line; the stations have low platforms for the Green Line and high platforms for the Red Line. The Green Line shares the right-of-way with the Blue Line in Cleveland, and splits off after passing through Shaker Square. All RTA light rail lines use overhead lines and pantographs to draw power.
State Route 237 is a nearly 14-mile (23 km) north–south signed route in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Its southern terminus is at SR 82 in Strongsville, and its northern terminus is in Lakewood where U.S. Route 20 (US 20) joins the US 6 / SR 2 concurrency.
The Ohio Department of Transportation is the administrative department of the Ohio state government responsible for developing and maintaining all state and U.S. roadways outside of municipalities and all Interstates except the Ohio Turnpike. In addition to highways, the department also helps develop public transportation and public aviation programs. ODOT is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Formerly, under the direction of Michael Massa, ODOT initiated a series of interstate-based Travel Information Centers, which were later transferred to local sectors. The Director of Transportation is part of the Governor's Cabinet.
State Route 10 is a state highway located in and around Cleveland, Ohio. The route's western terminus is in Eaton Township in Lorain County, and the eastern terminus is in Cleveland's University Circle neighborhood.
Interstate 90 (I-90) runs east–west across the northern tier of the US state of Ohio. Much of it is along the Ohio Turnpike, but sections outside the turnpike pass through Cleveland and northeast into Pennsylvania.
The Lakeland Freeway is a limited-access freeway in the northeastern suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio. It runs with and parallel to Interstate 90, and follows the shore of Lake Erie, linking the suburban areas of Lake County to Cleveland and Cuyahoga County.
The Innerbelt Bridge was a truss arch bridge in Cleveland, Ohio carrying Interstate 90/Innerbelt Freeway over the Cuyahoga River.
The George V. Voinovich Bridges are two bridges in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S., that carry Interstate 90 over the Cuyahoga River. They are named for George Voinovich, former mayor of Cleveland, Governor of Ohio, and United States Senator.
Highway revolts have occurred in cities and regions across the United States. In many cities, there remain unused highways, abruptly terminating freeway alignments, and short stretches of freeway in the middle of nowhere, all of which are evidence of larger projects which were never completed. In some instances, freeway revolts have led to the eventual removal or relocation of freeways that had been built.
The Broadway Avenue Historic District is a historic commercial district in the Broadway–Slavic Village neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio, in the United States. The commercial district is the historic center of Cleveland's Czech community, and is an excellent example of a district that grew along a streetcar line. The historic district includes 43 buildings constructed between 1888 and 1930, including the Hruby Conservatory of Music and Our Lady of Lourdes Church and School. The commercial district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 19, 1988.
The transportation system of Cleveland is a network that includes several modes of transportation including sidewalks, roads, public transit, bicycle paths and regional and international airports.