For years, civic leaders have celebrated Greater Cleveland's special relationship the the Lake, but there's never been an easy way for people to get close to the water. Jeremy Paris heads the Group Plan Commission which is working to revamp portions of the downtown cityscape, and he says that's what prompted the idea to literally bridge a huge gap.
JEREMY PARIS: This is actually one of the most daunting development sites in Cleveland, because of the way that cities formed --- these older industrial cities --- with a lot of infrastructure along the water --- heavy rail, light rail, divided highway --- between downtown and the waterfront. And trying to make it truly accessible, that's our challenge. (:19)
This Thursday night, three different bridge design proposals will be on display at the County administration building, downtown. Officials hope to get the structure started next spring, so that it will be ready in time for the Republican National Convention, which Cleveland is hosting in the summer of 2016. But, Jeremy Paris emphasizes that the bridge isn't being designed for outsiders --- it's a Cleveland bridge for Clevelanders, and planners are looking for the public's input on what they hope will be a local landmark.
