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Lee Road Action Plan
On March 27, 2023, City Council adopted the Lee Road Action Plan, a community-driven plan that creates a vision to comprehensively transform the area south of Van Aken Boulevard into a thriving corridor and commercial district that is attractive, walkable, bikeable, and transit-friendly. The final plan includes strategies for transportation, urban design, land use, and economic development. The plan documents may be accessed below:
- Executive Summary (3/21/2023)
- Lee Road Action Plan (3/21/2023)
- Lee Road Action Plan Concept (Site Plan)
- Lee Road Action Plan Appendices (3/21/2023)
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Project Overview
This visionary reinvestment plan recommends improved connections along Lee Road from the northern residential neighborhoods through the southern civic and commercial areas. The Lee Road Action Plan builds on the recommendations of the Economic Development Strategy/Strategic Investment Plan Update and Lee Road Traffic Study & Corridor Plan, focuses on the area south of Van Aken Boulevard and several blocks into the City of Cleveland, and creates the vision to comprehensively transform the area south of Chagrin Boulevard into a thriving corridor and commercial district that is attractive, walkable, bikeable, and transit-friendly. It is a community-driven plan that, through robust community engagement, provides detailed recommendations to address the longstanding need for transportation enhancements and corridor redevelopment, and focuses on transportation, economic development, urban design, and land use.
Existing Conditions and Background
Lee Road is a NOACA-designated priority bike route with connections to the Green and Blue Line rapid transit and the #40 and #14 RTA bus routes. Lee Road is a busy four-lane road that is absent of bicycle infrastructure and provides minimal connection with adjacent residential neighborhoods, bike routes, and parks. There is excess motor vehicle capacity, too much asphalt, no landscaping, inadequate pedestrian areas, and access challenges.
To the north, Lee Road connects to Cleveland Heights where there are three drive lanes and bike shoulders. To the south, the road connects to Cleveland at Scottsdale where it includes small, underutilized commercial buildings and lots, each with its own front-facing parking lot. The half-mile between Chagrin and Scottsdale has high commercial vacancies, tax delinquencies, and 45 driveway curb cuts. Underinvestment and disjointedness in the commercial district contrast with the strong sense of community in the nearby single- and two-family residential neighborhoods.
In 2010, the City created the Economic Development Strategy/Strategic Investment Plan Update to enhance business activity and build a strong and sustainable economic future through policies that correct market imbalances and provide strong returns on investment.
In 2012, the City undertook the Lee Road Traffic Study & Corridor Plan to improve transportation access and circulation for all modes along Lee Road and improve the character of the commercial district south of Chagrin Road through streetscape enhancements. This plan recommended lane reconfiguration along the entire Lee Road corridor from four lanes to two through lanes with a center turn lane, bike infrastructure along the entire corridor (north-bike shoulders, middle-sharrows, south-dedicated bike lanes), traffic signal improvements, targeted intersection reconfiguration, and pedestrian improvements. The plan also recommended further study to create a vision for the Lee Road corridor south of Chagrin Boulevard, including access management, shared parking, redevelopment strategies, marketing strategy, and improved neighborhood connections.
Project Phases
Learn more about the three phases of the Lee Road Action Plan by clicking on the tabs below.