Current Regional Issues:
Special thanks to Medina County and the City of Brunswick for hosting this event. For directions:
http://www.brunswick.oh.us/Sites/ParksNRec/ParksRec.htm Click on 3637 Center Rd. in top left corner for map and directions to the Brunswick City Recreation Center.
Issue #1: Avon I-90 Nagel Interchange
Avon picks Nagel I-90 interchange
SCOT ALLYN, Morning Journal Writer
02/28/2006
AVON -- The city is still miles away from solving its traffic bottlenecks near Interstate 90, but City Council moved an inch closer to relief last night by voting to accept a recommendation to build a new highway access at Nagel Road.
Avon's transportation consultant, Dublin-based TranSystems Corp., recommended the Nagel Road interchange over six other options at last week's City Council meeting.
TranSystems has estimated that construction on a new interchange, no matter where it is located, probably would not begin for three years under the most favorable conditions.
After council's vote, Rick Rockrich, a TranSystems vice president, said the firm would submit its report to the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency to ensure the project is placed on the agency's Transportation Infrastructure Plan, which would help with funding.
Council President Clinton Pelfrey said the Nagel Road option is still far from a certainty. An unfavorable result from the environmental study could disqualify the Nagel Road option from consideration, he said.
Some residents in attendance were displeased by council's vote.
Several residents of the Willow Creek subdivision protested council's vote as an emergency measure, saying not enough time was given to review the expert's report. Willow Creek is the closest residential neighborhood to a possible Nagel Road interchange.
''I question the judgment of rushing it through,'' said Bentley Park resident Brian Parsons. ''Why do they have their foot on the gas here? Last week they said they would take their time, but now they've accepted the conclusion (that Nagel Road is best).''
Eileen Sullivan, who said she has lived in Willow Creek since 2003, said she was disappointed with council. ''I want council to do some critical analysis,'' said Sullivan. ''They need to look at the opinions of all residents who might be affected. There was no discussion and no debate. We didn't get any feedback from council.''
http://www.morningjournal.com/site/news.cfm?newsid
Cuyahoga County Commissioners voted with the NOACA Governing Board for an economic impact study to be done for the proposed Avon Interchange. It was concluded by the entire board that a study of specific economic impacts was required before making any decisions.
More information at:
http://www.noaca.org/avonrfp.html
Cuyahoga County Airport
Airport plan is up in the air
Thursday, April 12, 2007
By Susan Ketchum
RICHMOND HEIGHTS--Now that the commissioners from Lake and Cuyahoga counties have nixed the favored expansion plan for the Cuyahoga County Airport, one question remains: what is the alternative?
The runway will probably be expanded a little on each end, said Paul Oyaski, Cuyahoga County director of development.
"Alternative 29 is a dead issue, but there are a few dozen other alternatives. We will continue to work with Richmond Heights, Highland Heights, Willoughby Hills and interested local citizens," Oyaski said.
More at:
http://www.cleveland.com/sun/sunmessenger/index.ssf?/base/news
Airport plan 'dead'
By: John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
03/31/2007
Officials: Cuyahoga County Airport runway expansion into WH won't happen
Plans to expand Cuyahoga County Airport's runway into Willoughby Hills have been scrapped, The News-Herald confirmed Friday.
In rare fashion, county commissioners from Lake and Cuyahoga met Thursday in the Cuyahoga County commissioners' chambers in Cleveland, in part to discuss the potential airport plan.
Cuyahoga County Director of Development Paul Oyaski said Friday afternoon the proposal to expand the airport's runway into Willoughby Hills is now a "dead issue."
More at:
http://www.news-herald.com/site/news.cfm?newsid
Cuyahoga and Lake County Commissioners met regarding the Cuyahoga County Airport expansion and to allay any fears of nearby residents that their homes were in danger. They jointly agreed that the alternative known as #29 was "dead" and agreed to work together in the future to agree to another alternative that a) meets FAA study conclusions due later this year; and b) expands airport to meet needs of tenants and expand the local economy. The commissioners also agreed to investigate the future planning and development of regional airports in the two counties together.
For more information:
http://development.cuyahogacounty.us/airport/default.htm