Advocates Show Support for Mobility

Mobility advocates showed up again to Monday’s Cleveland City Council meeting, voicing their support for an updated Complete and Green Streets legislation and addressing other mobility issues in Cleveland. 

The city has missed many opportunities to create safe and inclusive streets over the last 10 years since the original Complete & Green Streets ordinance was passed in 2011. The current condition of many of our roads is a clear indication that the legislation needs updating. 

Bike Cleveland is thrilled to see Clevelanders taking advantage of public comment to address mobility issues. Are you interested in making public comment at a future council meeting? We’d love to help! Reach out to Jenna Thomas at jenna@bikecleveland.org or at (216)354-4902.

Jack Brancatelli, a student at Cleveland State University and the vice president of the university chapter of the American Planning Association, took the mic on Monday night to urge the city council to introduce and swiftly pass an updated ordinance. Here is what Jack had to say:

“We should accept nothing less than streets that are proactively designed for kids walking to school, for our elders and neighbors, for people who have disabilities or use a wheelchair, for Clevelanders who can’t afford a car, for the next generation looking to call Cleveland home. Please show us Cleveland is ready to commit to a safer transportation network that makes this city a great place to live no matter what side of town you’re on, and no matter how you are getting across it.”

Watch Jack’s full testimony here: https://youtu.be/mdrV-9kUBWg?t=391

Beth Glas, the Executive Vice President of Maximum Accessible Housing of Ohio and Co-Chair of ADA Cleveland, also spoke at Monday’s council meeting in support of Complete and Green streets. 

“Complete Streets legislation would set the standard for how our streets are designed, considering the most vulnerable road users first, which 74,000 Clevelanders with disabilities―that’s about 20% of our population. For people with disabilities, our physical streets and sidewalks can be dangerous. Sidewalks without curb cuts, crosswalks without audible signals, and broken, narrow sidewalks can create barriers that endanger lives and limit independence…In supporting the Complete and Green Streets ordinance, you are supporting the rights of people with disabilities to travel safely on the streets and sidewalks of Cleveland.”

Watch Beth’s full testimony here: https://youtu.be/mdrV-9kUBWg?t=614

Sabrina Otis, a resident of Ward 15, spoke on Monday about a specific traffic safety issue happening in her neighborhood.

“I live on W. 111st Street and I have a problem. W. 111st runs right into West Blvd, West Boulevard runs across Detroit and Madison. My problem with that is that we have lots of traffic, it runs off of 90, and everybody from all over Lorain County, Westlake, Lakewood, they travel coming into the city. As they come, they do 60, 70, they do whatever. As they come, they speed. We have families. We need speed cameras over there…There was just an accident last week. We’re tired of the speeders.”

Watch Sabrina’s full testimony here: https://youtu.be/mdrV-9kUBWg?t=1223

Clevelanders for Public Transit member Ayat Amin voiced her support for the decriminalization of fare evasion. This is one aspect of the organization’s campaign to end the transit death spiral.

“There has been an ordinance that you can pass to decriminalize fare evasion that’s been ready since 2019…And us at Clevelanders for Public Transit have come to you for many years asking for you to show justice on this issue. What I’m asking for today is for you all to show your leadership, especially when it comes to justice on this issue, and to pass this ordinance that’s ready.”

Watch Ayat’s full testimony here: https://youtu.be/mdrV-9kUBWg?t=1424