Cleveland seeks ODOT grants for pedestrian safety improvements at 18 city locations
Cleveland City Council’s Municipal Services and Properties Committee is scheduled to consider Ordinance 926-2026 at 9:30 a.m. Monday, September 14, on a proposed authorization tied to pedestrian-safety improvements at up to 18 locations across the city.
The measure would authorize Cleveland’s directors of Capital Projects and/or City Planning to apply for and accept Ohio Department of Transportation funding through the 2024 Pedestrian Safety Improvement Program. The ordinance identifies approximately $1.64 million in grant funding and an estimated Cleveland cash match of $455,657.65.
The city’s project page says the pedestrian-safety work has ODOT Systemic Safety funding and Cleveland Vision Zero general-fund support. The immediate council action is still pending: the legislation is listed as agenda-ready, with no final action or finalized meeting minutes recorded. Committee consideration does not by itself authorize construction or finalize the designs.
What the proposal would cover
The proposed program covers 18 Cleveland locations selected through a citywide review of pedestrian-safety needs, including crash history, pedestrian activity, proximity to schools, parks, libraries and recreation centers, and roadway conditions.
The city’s project page lists the sites by council ward:
Ward 1
- Miles Avenue and East 151st Street
Ward 5
- Kinsman Road and Griswold Avenue
- Kinsman Road between East 71st and East 75th streets
- Quincy Avenue and East 40th Street
- Quincy Avenue and East 55th Street
Ward 7
- Bridge Avenue and West 44th Street
- Detroit Avenue and West 26th Street
Ward 8
- Lakeside Avenue and East Mall Drive
- Lakeside Avenue and West Mall Drive
- St. Clair Avenue and East Mall Drive
- St. Clair Avenue and West Mall Drive
Ward 10
- Waterloo Road and East 162nd Street
- Lakeshore Boulevard between Grovewood Avenue and Glencoe Road
Wards 13 and 15
- Arlis Avenue and West 140th Street
Ward 15
- Lorain Avenue and West 147th Street
- Rocky River Drive and West Park Road
- Rocky River Drive and Oxford Avenue
- Rocky River Drive and Edgecliff Avenue
The specific treatment planned at each location remains under development and may change as design progresses.
Possible pedestrian treatments
Potential improvements include high-visibility crosswalks, which use ladder-style markings that are easier for drivers to see.
Pedestrian hybrid beacons, also known as HAWK signals, use a sequence of flashing and solid lights to require drivers to stop when a person activates the crossing signal. Rectangular rapid-flashing beacons use pedestrian-activated lights to make people crossing or waiting to cross more noticeable to drivers.
Refuge islands provide a protected place in the center of a wider roadway, allowing pedestrians to cross one direction of traffic at a time. Curb extensions push the sidewalk farther into the street, shortening the crossing distance and improving visibility between drivers and pedestrians.
The city has not assigned a final treatment to every location.
Timeline and possible disruptions
The city’s current project schedule lists design work in 2026, final design and construction preparation in winter or spring 2027, construction beginning in summer 2027 and completion during 2027-28.
Those dates are a project plan, not a guarantee. If the work advances, residents, drivers, pedestrians, schools, libraries, parks and nearby businesses may see temporary lane closures, sidewalk closures or other short-term access changes during construction.
Detailed traffic impacts are not yet available. The city says it will provide more information about construction schedules and access as the project moves forward.
What happens next
The Municipal Services and Properties Committee is scheduled to review Ordinance 926-2026 on September 14, 2026. Any subsequent council action, grant agreement, design approval and construction authorization would be separate steps.
For residents near the 18 sites, the immediate news is the pending council review and the planned design process—not an immediate construction start. More specific information about site treatments, schedules and traffic effects should follow as the designs advance.
Sources
- Cleveland City Council Municipal Services and Properties Committee agenda for September 14, 2026
- City of Cleveland 2027 Pedestrian Safety Projects
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