Public Meeting: Union Avenue

UPDATE 6/24/2020 – Meeting Recording and Public Comment Period

Did you miss the virtual Union Avenue Public Meeting? You can watch it below and submit comments before July 7th, 2020 (details below the video).

As we shared before, we appreciate the addition of bike lanes on Union Avenue but there is space on Union Avenue to create a protected bike lane. Our proposed changes include:

• Reducing driving lane width to at most 12ft. This will help deter speeding and improve safety on the road.
• Reducing the bike lane width to 6ft, and use the extra space to create a 3ft painted buffer. Plastic posts between motor vehicle traffic and bike traffic can be added in the 3ft buffer space.
• Install bike lanes up to the intersection and paint thru bike lanes in the intersection. This reinforces that through bicyclists have priority over turning vehicles or vehicles entering the roadway and can improve safety at intersections where cyclists are most vulnerable.

The City of Cleveland’s goal for complete streets outlined in the City’s Complete & Green Streets Ordinance is to “provide safe and desirable travel for users of all ages and abilities” to that end a protected on-street connection on Union Avenue would provide a safe means for people of all ages and abilities to ride a bike through our neighborhood.

You can submit comments on the design prior to July 7, 2020 the following ways:

• Email to erreza@city.cleveland.oh.us
• Calling City Planning at (216) 664-3826
• Dropping/mailing a letter off at-
  • Cleveland City Hall
    Attn. Elida Rreza, P.E.,
    601 Lakeside Ave., Rm 518
    Cleveland, OH 44114
    (note City Halls adjusted open hours)

Original Union Avenue Virtual Meeting Notice

City proposed striping plan for Union Ave.

Cleveland City Planning will hold a community meeting in conjunction with the Mayor’s Office of Capital Projects, to share with residents and stakeholders the plan to repave Union Avenue. The complete project description below explains the scope of the project.

Important considerations for cyclists and pedestrians:

• New thermoplastic pavement markings will be installed to support a road diet. The
  road diet will improve safety by channeling traffic into one lane in each direction, with
  center left turn slots at signalized intersections. On-street parking will be removed.
• The remaining road width will be used for dedicated bike lanes, which supports the
  Mayor’s Bikeway Masterplan and provides a key link in the east-west direction.
• Enhanced ladder-style crosswalks will be installed at key intersections.

The meeting will be held via WebEx Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. (NOTE THIS IS A NEW DATE)

WebEx video link: https://cityclevelandoh.webex.com/cityclevelandoh/j.php?MTID=m9559df6bd6606284b26efaf2b1c6837f
Participants may also call in by dialing: 415-655-0003 and entering this code when prompted: 850 064 614

Our thoughts about the plan are below, feel free to borrow any when speaking up during the virtual meeting:

Feedback we will be submitting to the City for the Union Avenue project to ensure it is a safe, stress-free corridor for people biking and walking include:

• Reducing driving lane width to at most 12ft. This will help deter speeding and improve safety on the road.
• Reducing the bike lane width to 6ft, and use the extra space to create a 2ft painted buffer. Plastic posts between motor vehicle traffic and bike traffic can be added in the 2ft buffer space.
• Install bike lanes up to the intersection and paint thru bike lanes in the intersection. This reinforces that through bicyclists have priority over turning vehicles or vehicles entering the roadway and can improve safety at intersections where cyclists are most vulnerable.

Here is a rendering of our recommended striping plan for Union Ave.

Here is the meeting flyer: