LOCAL: ODOT Offers Pictures on New Innerbelt Bridge, Taking Comments

CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) –

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) held a public meeting Tuesday night to discuss options for the look and feel of community areas surrounding the second new Innerbelt Bridge.

While the second bridge – which will eventually carry eastbound traffic – will look nearly identical to the new westbound structure (being constructed now), there are some important landscaping and land-use decisions which have yet to be made.

This spring, ODOT engaged groups of city and county officials, local community development organizations and business interests to introduce proposed enhancements and ask for feedback. These Focus Groups provided further suggestions and refinements to the areas.

Public comments on last night’s proposals will be accepted in writing now through July 17, 2012 and will be discussed by these Focus Groups and presented to the City of Cleveland’s Downtown/Flats Design Review and Planning Commission for final concurrence.

Clevelanders may also view last night’s presentation and provide comments online by visiting www.Innerbelt.org and selecting “Second (Eastbound) Bridge” from the menu at the left.

In other news, the meeting was also the public’s first opportunity to see renderings of the two, new bridges together! Construction of the new eastbound span has been moved up to begin in 2016, representing only a short delay from the original schedule. The Department is hopeful that additional funding will become available in order to move forward with the Eastbound Bridge project on its original timeline and limit impacts to commuters and businesses alike.

To see the pictures, click on the link below:

http://www.19actionnews.com/story/18995942/public-meeting-innerbelt-bride-dicussion

Article Courtesy of WOIO 19 Action News