CLEVELAND, Ohio — After years of safety complaints from neighbors, a Cleveland road is now seeing improvements. Work on Franklin Boulevard, between W 25th to W 85th Streets, is nearing its halfway point.
A report released in 2019 by the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) found that certain parts of the roughly 2-mile stretch of road, that straddles Ohio City and Gordon Square neighborhoods, were twice as likely to see crashes compared to other nearby streets.
“It’s just frequent that people fly up and down the street. But there’s still a lot of pedestrians around and a lot of bike traffic. So yeah, I did have concerns over the safety of the street,” said Andrew Hinesman, who lives near Franklin Blvd.
The cyclist has lived in the neighborhood for more than a decade and uses the thoroughfare to commute to work several times a week. He said he was among many neighbors who submitted ideas to the city when it asked for feedback on the road’s safety.
“I really questioned why they just can’t drop the speed limit down to 25 from 35. That was my biggest thing. It seemed easiest to me,” he said.
Despite similar requests from neighbors, a 2016 ODOT study ultimately found Franklin Boulevard did not meet the qualifications for a speed change. Instead, the city settled on other traffic calming measures.
The NOACA report recommended the city replace traffic lights at intersections with mini traffic circles, to alleviate speeding and improve pedestrian safety. Several of the mini-roundabouts have been completed as the first phase of construction nears its end.
“I like it. It’s clearly going to help. It will keep traffic flowing more than just having traffic lights. I think overall it will be for the better,” Hinesman said.
NOACA also recommended adding raised crosswalks. The city opted not to include them, but some crossings will eventually feature Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacons (RRFB) and high-visibility crosswalk striping.
Some neighbors who navigate the street on foot told News 5 the plan still doesn’t feel safer for pedestrians.
“We don’t have a car, we don’t drive. We are only pedestrians so our concerns are maybe not the norm, but it is something we think about constantly whenever we’re outside,” said Jessica Mullen.
Mullen and Kelly Cree, who live nearby, said they’d like to ride their bicycles more but worry about sharing the road with cars on streets like Franklin Blvd.
“Protected bike lanes, I think that’s like the most important thing that the city could do to encourage less car usage,” Cree said.
Other neighbors said they were concerned the new intersections could cause confusion. News 5 cameras were rolling when several cars drove in the wrong direction through the roundabouts.
The city said the mini-roundabouts are the result of studies and years of community feedback. The smaller circles are designed to fit the relatively small intersections and allow emergency vehicles and delivery trucks to drive over them if necessary.
Some neighbors said they’re skeptical speeding cars will be impeded by the roundabouts.
“They paved it and it looks great and all, but people are still speeding through. So I don’t think it’s stopping anybody,” said Sheike Samb.
Others believe they are already making a difference.
“I think I’ll feel a little more safe just because of how aware a driver has to be of the roundabouts and the things in the street itself,” Hinesman said.
Phase 1 of the project, which includes the stretch of Franklin Blvd between W 50th to W 85th Streets, will likely conclude in the coming days when crews can finish striping and adding signage.
The section between W 25th and W 50th will be under construction next year, with a goal of wrapping up the project in August 2023.
When the road completely reopens, the city said it will collect speed data and monitor how well the new design functions. Those findings will determine whether changes or other improvements are necessary.
You can view the entire project proposal, as well as previous public meetings by clicking on this link.
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