By Kevin Cronin, ClevelandBikes board member
It looks like the City of Cleveland is preparing some significant investment in pedestrian and cycling transportation infrastructure as developer Nathan Zaremba proceeds with The Avenue District, a mixed-use (retail and housing) development project on East 12th Street.
On September 2, you may have seen a Plain Dealer article about the Cleveland Planning Commission approval of the developer's plans, which would lead to the removal of trees in the wide median strip of E. 12th from Lakeside Avenue to Chester Avenue.
I wanted to elaborate, as the plans call for the city to invest $7 million in a more intimate street, with new 5 ft. bike lanes in both the north and south directions. The tree removal seems to be due to the plan to lower the median and widen the pedestrian and sidewalk areas, add trees in the expanded sidewalk area and add in the bike lanes.
Car lanes would decrease from six to three (one in each direction, with a turn lane). While trees would be removed from the central median (a 25 ft. space set off by raised 3 ft. concrete barriers), they will be added to the sidewalk areas. The park at Chester and East 12th St. would also get some work. City Architecture principal Paul Volpe also said bike racks would be placed throughout the project, but no details are available.
I wonder and have concerns for the creation of angled parking, as I've noticed car drivers can be oblivious to bikes and back up abruptly, creating safety risks. There would need to be a lot of bike lane signs in the plan to educate and inform drivers. The plan was approved by the Planning Commission and City Arborist.
It sounds like an exciting opportunity for cycling. As I hear more, or as public presentations are announced, I'll send around more information.
Tree moving
Marc Lefkowitz Says:john, I was told by a fairly good source (my wife) that when University Circle spruced up Wade Oval a couple of years ago that they actually moved some of those grand old trees maybe 100 ft. She tells me that she actually witnessed this amazing feat, and if I recall those are much, much bigger trees than the ones on E. 12th Street. Where there's a will (and a good tree service), there's a way, I suppose.
Bike lanes downtown
Marc Lefkowitz Says:This is exciting news, and all parties involved should be congratulated. This type of plan represents the new thinking for creating livable cities (the current design of E. 12th with the high median always seemed like an imposing place for pedestrians). While it's a shame to lose those mature trees — wouldn't it be nice if the developer saw fit to move some of them to the new sidewalk instead — a low median and a tree-lined, wider pedestrian area are great. Also, a north-south bike lane downtown is most welcome. It will provide a nice connection from the bike-laned Euclid Avenue, and attract cyclists and pedestrians to the new Avenue District. Molto bene!
e. 12 saving the trees
John McGovern Says:marc,
I agree that the developer should try and save those mighty trees in the middle of E. 12. The complexities with moving older, established trees are (1) the relative fragility of the root ball/system (2) the expense of transporting the tree with intact root system, especially if they must be moved long distances (3) the possibility that the tree will not survive in the transplanted location.
That being said and the distance moved being so insignificant, I think a transplatation should at least be attempted as these trees represent some of the grandest trees in the city and their removal will forever alter the streetscape. Additionally, saving these grand old beings (or at minimum a few of them) would help foster a better connection between urban dwellers and their natural landscape.
However, I don't know what organization in Cleveland would be best suited to handling this project.