Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Call to Action: Scranton Road bike lanes in Cleveland

This message is from Bike Cleveland:

A recent NewsChannel 5 report brought forward some Scranton Road resident’s safety concerns about the bike lanes that are planned as part of the resurfacing of the road. The reporter stated that this would be a “bike lane on a road that many use to get to downtown Cleveland” and that it is “packed with 3 schools, several churches, an RTA bus route, and MetroHealth Medical Center traffic.”

It was also suggested that the bike lanes will create a “significant safety risk” and that the “bike lanes just won’t fit.”

While we respect the concerns expressed by some residents, the bike lanes will enhance the safety of Scranton Road and we’d like to take a moment to clarify why we need bike lanes on Scranton Rd:

Putting a “bike lane on a road that many use to get to downtown Cleveland” makes sense. Bicycle riders in this neighborhood (and those that travel through it) use Scranton Road to get to Downtown Cleveland as well. To the west is the notoriously dangerous 25th Street, and to the east is Interstate 71 – with only a few ways to connect (out of the way) to 14th Street. This is why Scranton Road has been on the city’s Bikeway Implementation Plan since 2014.

Putting a bike lane on a road that is “packed with 3 schools, several churches, an RTA bus route, and MetroHealth Medical Center traffic” also makes sense. Children riding to school, to the library, and beyond need to be safe. Riders of all ages and abilities need to move through the neighborhood safely. Scranton Road has long been designated as a Safe Routes to School corridor – both for Scranton and Luis Munoz Marin Schools.

There is nothing to substantiate that the bike lanes will create a “significant safety risk” and they will certainly fit.

CALL TO ACTION: If you demand a connected bike network as planned over the past 5 years through the City of Cleveland Bikeway Implementation Plan, we ask you to contact Councilwoman Jasmin Santana and her assistant via the details below. Express your desire for bike lanes on Scranton Road, and emphasize that they will enhance the safety of the corridor for all road users.

Councilwoman Jasmin Santana: jsantana@clevelandcitycouncil.org

Her assistant is:  Maranyeliz Miranda: mmiranda@clevelandcitycouncil.org

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