Midway Protected Bike Network

Cleveland’s Midway Protected Bike Network will be the most extensive bike network of its kind, anywhere! While buffered bike lanes have been installed elsewhere both in this country and internationally, The Midway will consist of 60 miles of landscape-buffered, two-directional center lane bike lanes–with separate bike signal system–which will connect Cleveland neighborhoods to each other and to key regional assets. When complete, The Midway Network will be a truly world-class transportation system designed for Clevelanders of all ages and bike skill levels.

The Midway was studied by the Cleveland City Planning Commission in 2016 as part of NOACA’s TLCI Program. The plan builds on preliminary work of Bike Cleveland and the YMCA, and studied the technical feasibility, programming, and strategic implementation of dedicated cycle tracks and protected bike facilities within the City of Cleveland. You can view the public meeting presentation HERE. This plan makes the Midway an official plan of the City of Cleveland.

THE NETWORK

Designed with safety, convenience and comfort in mind, The Midway will be an easy to navigate network connecting city residents of all ages to schools, places of employment, and regional assets like Cleveland Metroparks. Planned to first roll out in Cleveland proper, The Midway network can easily expand to surrounding suburbs. In fact, the East Side Greenway plan recommends Midway-style facilities on a number of former street car corridors included within that plan. When built, the Midway’s world-class, human-scale infrastructure will distinguish Cleveland as one of the most bike-friendly and livable cities in the country.

 

THE OPPORTUNITY

Cleveland is fortunate to have the space needed to create such a transformative, bicycle network as The Midway, a legacy of both our city’s former streetcar era and decades of suburban sprawl. Today, Cleveland boasts wide street corridors with low traffic volumes, which presents a ready opportunity for Cleveland residents and visitors alike to embrace active transportation within a safe and inviting riding environment. From 1860 until 1954, Cleveland residents of all ages relied on the city’s 236-mile streetcar network to get to work, school, a ballgame and even the outlying Metroparks. At its peak in 1946, a record 493 million passengers rode the streetcars. When they were removed in the mid-1950’s, however, these former street car corridors were simply converted to additional vehicle lanes. What is especially innovative about The Midway is its adaptive re-use of infrastructure formerly dedicated to public mass transit use.

BUT WHY BUILD IT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET?

The Midway’s center lane, two-directional, landscape-buffered design has many safety advantages:

WHERE AND WHEN WILL THE MIDWAY PROJECT BEGIN?

For the latest updates, plus the next steps and anticipated milestones, visit the Cleveland Midway page. There is also a signup form there where you can register to receive updates as the Superior Midway project develops.