The Cleveland Plain Dealer recently reported on a massive proposal by Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish to create a “transformative” connected lakefront path from Bay Village to Euclid.
The County is not proposing to take private property, which comprises about 70% of the land area under consideration. Instead, the City plans to follow in the footsteps of Euclid, where private landowners granted public access to their property in return for stabilization of the shoreline along a 3/4 mile trail. The Euclid program cost $12 million. Budish’s team estimates that the project would cost about $15 million per mile. The project is in early stages with Cleveland.comreporting that the County is requesting a $200,000 grant to assist in funding a $500,000 feasibility study.
The initial wish-list for the project includes things like bike and pedestrian access to bridges, coordination of lakefront access in communities and with other cities, and a change in Ohio law to allow breakwalls to be built into the lake to create a road for ambulances.
More information on the plan can be found on the Cuyahoga County Executive’s website, including proposed access maps. The report indicates an extensive opportunity for public hearings and input will be planned.
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