November 25, 2008: The Ohio Department of Transportation has approved the City of Shaker Heights’ and Cuyahoga County Engineer’s application for a $4million ($4,000,000) Safety and Congestion Program grant to reconfigure the roads and traffic pattern at the Warrensville Center, Van Aken, Chagrin and Northfield intersection. The intersection, one of the busiest in the county, sees 45,000 cars per day.
“The reconfiguration of the streets from six roads to four is the cornerstone of our entire Van Aken/Warrensville Development Plan,” says Mayor Earl Leiken.
The goal of the plan is to improve traffic, enhance economic development opportunities and to create a mixed use district with retail, housing and office space. The traffic reconfiguration project is estimated to cost approximately $10 million; the City will contribute $2.3million and the county engineer $500,000. Shaker is applying for additional grant funding to complete the financing. Construction is slated to begin in 2012.
According to City Planning Director, Joyce Braverman, the current six-legged intersection has confusing geometry and striping, a history of rear and side swipe crashes, long cycle times( the wait is up to two minutes for a light to change), and many turn restrictions.
The new plan includes:
- Re-configuration of the intersection from 6 legs to 4
- The closing of Van Aken Blvd.
- Relocation of Northfield Road to the south
- Creation of regular shaped redevelopment parcels
- Extension of the rapid transit track through the intersection
- Creation of an intermodal center in the former Northfield Road
The Transit Oriented Development plan was completed in 2008 and funded by a NOACA TLCI grant. It included three public meetings at which hundreds of Shaker residents provided input. The other partners on the project include the Cuyahoga County Engineer, RTA and many additional community stakeholders. For additional information, contact Joyce Braverman at 216-491-1432.
