Cleveland’s Next Opportunity

Posted Wednesday, September 16, 2009

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After years of collecting dust, plans are moving forward for a new three-mile boulevard to connect I- 490 with Cleveland's University Circle. It's called the Opportunity Corridor--yet one more route for the city to turn itself around. Advocates say the $374 million project will spur development in a part of the city greatly in need of an economic boost. But with development stalled on the city's last major transportation project--the Euclid Corridor--why would the next project fare any better? Join host Dan Moulthrop and find out Wednesday morning at 9.

Guests

Councilwoman Phyllis Cleveland Cleveland, Ward 5
Deb Janik Sr. VP, Real Estate and Business Development, Greater Cleveland Partnership, member of the Opportunity Corridor steering committee
Steven Litt The Plain Dealer

Additional Information

Opportunity Corridor suggested route

Opportunity Corridor Public Meetings, Tuesday, Sept 22
Cleveland Play House 11:30 to 1:30
Mt. Sinai Baptist Church 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Please follow our community discussion rules when composing your comments.

John E Johnson Jr 9:21 AM 9/16/09

Earlier this year I recall reading something about there being a toll on this road. Is that still being considered?

steve 9:53 AM 9/16/09

Small business has historically been an economic
driver in greater Cleveland… how will this plan help small businesses grow and adopt to become or remain successful.

Toni Chanakas 10:01 AM 9/16/09

Hi Dan:

Thank you for the show. Your show always gives me wonderful information as to what is going on in Cleveland.

One comment, Are we doing too much all at once. By this I mean, we are beginning to address the Flats Project, then there is the Port Authority Project, isn’t there too many projects going on at the same time? Can we successfully sustain all these projects with new jobs and pedestrian traffic?

I love Cleveland and I do want Cleveland to prosper.

Thanks again.

Toni Chanakas

steven 10:02 AM 9/16/09

I find the current arguments that this is an “economic development” opportunity quite disingenuous: why not simply call it what it is. This project is simply an attempt to better connect the city’s premier economic center- University Circle- with high volume transportation- the interstate highways. The largest employer in the county, Cleveland Clinic, would be well served by this new parkway, which is fine, but to try to position this as yet another economic generator to benefit the neighborhoods that will be heavily impacted by it degrades the debate and obscures the real value of such a project- whatever that may be.

jtalker 10:20 AM 9/16/09

I’ve lived in the Cleveland area for 56 years—commuting to downtown along Chester Ave. on a daily basis for many of those years. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I’ve turned off Chester into something along the the side. What would make the opportunity corridor any different?

Dean, Cleveland 10:26 AM 9/16/09

A comment:

Dan said the land is “abandoned”. That’s just not true. A number of people have called/emailed about the residents who live in the proposed Corridor. They are the key constituency to hear from on this proposed plan.
A. Do they want this?
B. Will those among them who do break the law in that area change their habits?
C. If they are some of most troubled folks in our city, is this really what’s best for them?

Those are the important questions. Hopefully the constituency there is fully being heard from. Leaders should go door to door if need be to speak to them.

Dean, Cleveland

mark 11:01 AM 9/16/09

Hmmm, let’s see: 1) We can’t FIX the lakeshore, cause the private owners won’t sell or want more than could ever be paid. i.e. no political will/know how. So we’ll just leave all that GREAT LAKE stuff to Chicago & continue to ignore the whole region’s greatest asset. 2) We can’t REALLY FIX the schools cause that would involve fixing the families the kids come from, and the only one with a platform AND the STONES to straight talk that situation is COSBY; and...well, you know he’s just a crazy old fart. Plus there’s the issue of being re-elected. 3) Soooo...HEY!! Let’s make another highway...Yeah! That’s what we need!