The Ohio Department of Transportation and the City of Cleveland have set a series milestones that will bring the Cleveland Innerbelt Plan to the preliminary engineering and design stage of the project development process in February 2007. Actual physical work is scheduled to begin in 2007 and be completed by 2009 or 2010.
The milestones are:
Winter 2008 —Record of Decision
Fall 2007 — Final Environmental Impact Study
Summer 2007 — Public comment period and public hearing on Draft Environmental Impact Study
Spring 2007 — Draft Environmental Impact Study released
Spring 2007 — Access Modification Study released
March 5, 2007 — Deadline for Public Comments for Inclusion in Draft Environmental Impact Study. This is the most effective way a case can be brought by a citizen to halt an aspect of the Innerbelt Plan. ODOT must respond to a well-researched case of environmental impact. Fill out an ODOT online comment form here.
Winter 2007 — ODOT plans to initiate an Urban Design Aesthetic Study for input on the design elements on bridges and city streets involved in Innerbelt Project.
February 1, 2007 — ODOT public meeting at Green Orthodox Church to present updated plan.
January 19, 2007 — ODOT presents Preferred Alternative to City Planning Commission
2006
October 5, 2006 — The Central Viaduct Bridge Sub-Committee selects single-tower cable stay bridge for new bridge design.
July, 2006 — ODOT hosts a public meeting on ODOT Preferred Alternative and environmental impacts.
July, 2006 — ODOT circulates preliminary environmental impact findings to public for comment.
April, 2006 — Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson approves ODOT's plan for the Central Viaduct Bridge and the Innerbelt trench, including the closing of ramps at Carnegie Avenue and Prospect Avenue. ODOT agrees to reestablish an exit ramp to Broadway Avenue and the Quadrangle Area. Go here for full release.
March, 2006 — Midtown Cleveland and Downtown Cleveland Alliance oppose ODOT's plan to close ramps and Carnegie and Prospect avenues and hire traffic engineer to complete independent impact study.
Due February, 2006 — ODOT to submit Access Modification Study to FHWA, a detailed operational analysis of traffic revision.
Due December, 2005 — Economic Impact Analysis— ODOT looks at potential economic impacts of its Preferred Alternative, specifically, proposed changes to Innerbelt Trench and closing of ramps.
Due December, 2005 — Rollout Alternatives Report for the Cleveland Innerbelt. ODOT will receive public comment on this report.
January, 2004 — ODOT announces a $3.7 billion statewide package of major new transportation projects including $515 million for the Cleveland Innerbelt Curve and Viaduct. The funds will be used on the multi-phase project to reconstruct and upgrade Cleveland's Dead Man's Curve and viaduct beginning in 2010.
February 12, 2004 — The community committee overseeing the Cleveland Innerbelt project gives its conditional approval for a "recommended design concept and scope." Conditions include a request by the City of Cleveland that the Ohio Department of Transporation agree to seek approvals from the City Planning Commission at the end of future planning milestones.
September, 2004 — The Cleveland Innerbelt Study narrows the alternatives for reconstructing the Innerbelt freeway to four possibilities. The "hybrid alternatives" range from the minimum ($350 million), which calls for modest improvements to the Central Viaduct bridge, to the maximum ($1.2 billion), which reconfigures access points on the Innerbelt freeway, constructs a new boulevard to serve the near East side and University Circle, a new roadway to serve the Cuyahoga River Valley, a new Central Viaduct Bridge, and other significant improvements.
November 17, 2005 — At CSU's Wolstein Center, ODOT presents its plan for the Innerbelt, including the Innerbelt Bridge.
