Chapter 3: Plan Development

Chapter 3: Plan Development 3.1 Congestion Management Plans Introduction A congestion management plan, as defined in federal regulation, is an objective-driven and performance-based process intended to integrate effective management and safe operation of the existing multimodal transportation facilities. The purpose of NOACA’s congestion management plans is to: • Identify the spatial and temporal characteristics of traffic congestion in the region • Measure the congestion severity, duration, extent, and variability • Develop congestion mitigation strategies for enhancing the mobility of people and goods in the NOACA region. Three of NOACA’s regional strategic plan goals have been adopted as the main focus of NOACA’s congestion management plans, as they are in agreement with guidance (or requirements) provided by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) (see Chapter 2 for Regional Strategic Plan Goals, Objectives, and Strategies). The three goals are: • Preserve existing infrastructure • Build a sustainable multi-modal transportation system • Support economic development The congestion management plans establish congestion reduction objectives in five-year increments for 2020, 2025, 2030, 2035, and 2040. Each plan will be evaluated during the third year of its implementation (e.g. 2018 for the 2020 plan). The rest of this chapter offers an insight into the NOACA congestion management plans and includes a discussion and definition of the congestion management objectives for the five-year cycle, and the NOACA methodology for the congestion management process. The methodology explains and analyzes the current and future transportation networks, develops congestion management performance measures, and discusses congestion mitigation strategies. Congestion Management Objectives Congestion management objectives define what the NOACA region intends to achieve regarding traffic congestion management during every five-year cycle. A set of specific, measurable, agreed, realistic, and time-bound (SMART) objectives was established for each of the five plan years: 2020, 2025, 2030, 2035 and 2040. These regional and local objectives build upon the prior planning year’s objectives so that they will eventually fulfill NOACA’s regional strategic goals that relate to congestion management. It should be noted that the congestion management objectives focus solely on traffic congestion and are a subset of NOACA’s long- range goals and objectives of providing a multimodal transportation system. During the third year of each five-year cycle, the progress and effectiveness of the congestion management plan implementation will be monitored, and the objectives will be adjusted or updated, if necessary. Figure 3.1-1 depicts the relation between the congestion management objectives and NOACA’s long-range goals and objectives.

Figure 3.1-1: Congestion Management Plan Objectives and NOACA Long-Range Goals and Objectives

–

The following guidelines were used to develop two tiers of congestion management objectives: • Reduce average delay per traveler during peak periods • Increase the percent of non-single occupancy vehicles • Regulate the flow of traffic entering freeways (ramp metering) • Increase the efficiency of interchanges • Increase the capacity of non-freeway corridors • Increase transit accessibility • Increase transit and nonmotorized mode shares The first-tier objectives are intended primarily to improve mobility and access to the existing multimodal transportation system. The second-tier or supplemental objectives enhance the efficiency of the system. Figures 3.1-2 and 3.1-3 display the first-tier and supplemental congestion management objectives for the planning years 2020, 2025, 2030, 2035, and 2040 in relation to the 2015 base year.

Figure 3.1-2: First-Tier Congestion Management Objectives 2015 Objective/Planning Year 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 (base)

Reduce average delay per traveler during morning and evening peak 1% 2% 3% 2% 1% periods

Implement the Signal Timing Two At least one corridor in each planning None Optimization Program (STOP) corridors year

Implement ramp metering None At least one location in each planning year

Total population within a 5-mile drive 1.26 1.3 1.34 1.38 1.42 1.45 of a Park & Ride Station million million million million million million

Total population within a 0.5-mile 1.3 Maintain the population of 1.3 million within walk to a transit station million walking distance to transit

Total of transit & nonmotorized mode 6.27% 6.50% 6.80% 7% 7.25% 7.50% shares

Figure 3.1-3: Supplemental Congestion Management Objectives

2015 Objective/Planning Year 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 (Ref.)

Design High-Occupancy Vehicle At least one freeway in each planning year (HOV)/High-Occupancy Toll (HOT) None lanes during AM or PM peak periods Analyze the efficiency of the Implement Diverging Diamond One implemented DDI and None None Interchanges (DDI) Location possibly design in other locations Analyze any road capacity additions as a part of Add road capacity such as lanes, ramps, interchanges, etc. the congestion mitigation strategy packages

Methodology As discussed, the congestion management plans lay out the objectives for each five-year cycle. To achieve those objectives, NOACA has adapted a congestion management process that includes the following steps: 1. Define the current and future transportation system networks 2. Develop multimodal performance measures

3. Collect data and evaluate system performance 4. Analyze traffic congestion problems 5. Identify and assess congestion mitigation strategies 6. Prioritize and program the selected congestion mitigation strategies 7. Monitor the effectiveness of congestion management and evaluate the progress

Figure 3.1-4 illustrates the cyclical nature of the congestion management process.

Figure 3.1-4: Congestion Management Process

Transportation System Networks The base year (2015) and future year (2040) transportation system networks include highway, transit, and auto-transit interface facilities (e.g. park-and-ride lots). The physical characteristics of these networks are based on the NOACA travel forecasting model and are described below. Base Year (2015) Highway Network The highway network for the NOACA congestion management plans covers the entire area of Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, and Medina counties. Figure 3.1-5 displays this roadway network, which is made up of all road facility types: freeways, limited access highways such as expressways, major and minor arterials, and collectors. Local and access road facilities generally carry low traffic volumes and are not congested; therefore, these road types are not shown in Figure 3.1-5 and not considered in the congestion management process.

Figure 3.1-5: 2015 Highway Network by Facility Type

Figure 3.1-6 shows the approximate breakdown of the base year highway network centerline miles (road length independent of number of lanes) by road facility type. Figure 3.1-6: 2015 Highway Network Centerline Miles by Road Facility Type 2015 Facility Type (Centerline Miles) Freeway 727 Limited Access Highway 9

Highway Ramp 256

Arterial 2,581 Collector 4,405

Total 7,978

Also, Figure 3.1-7 gives the percentages of the road facility types in the NOACA region. Figure 3.1-7: Road Facility Types of the 2015 Highway Network by Percentage

Road capacity of a highway segment is highly dependent on its number of lanes. Figure 3.1-8 presents the directional lane categories of the NOACA highway network.

Figure 3.1-8: 2015 Highway Network by Number of Directional Lanes

Figure 3.1-9 gives the approximate number of centerline directional miles (i.e. number of centerline miles on roads of varying lane widths (does not sum total lane mileage)) of the base year highway network. Figure 3.1-9: 2015 Highway Network Mileage by Directional Lanes Number of 2015 Directional Lanes (Centerline Miles) 1 5,736

2 1,740

3 393

4 101

5 8 Total 7,978

As shown in Figure 3.1-10, about 72% of the miles of road in the NOACA region have only one lane in each direction. This is due to the large rural portion of the region. Figure 3.1-10: Centerline Directional Lane Mileage of the 2015 Highway Network by Percentage

2015 Centerline Mileage by Directional Lanes

22%

72% 5%

1% < 1%

1 2 3 4 5

Public Transit Public transportation, popularly known as “transit,” provides alternative travel modes to passenger vehicles for residents’ daily commutes and other trips. Bus services operate on the roadway network, and therefore highway congestion directly affects transit travel time. Because

transit vehicles carry a high number of passengers, however, they improve or reduce highway congestion. NOACA’s congestion management process thus considers public transportation improvements as mitigation strategies to alleviate roadway congestion. These improvements could be an expansion of transit networks and services or the introduction of new or expanded park-and-ride facilities. Transit services in the NOACA region are categorized as local bus, premium bus, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), and rail lines. These services are provided by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA), Laketran (Lake County’s regional public transportation authority), Lorain County Transit (LCT), and Medina County Public Transit (MCPT). For the sake of clarity, Figure 3.1-11 shows just the current transit networks of premium buses, BRT, and rail lines in the NOACA region. The entire transit network can be seen on NOACA’s GIS Data Portal (http://gis.noaca.org/Portal/).

Figure 3.1-11: 2015 Premium Bus, BRT, and Rail Line Network

Auto-Transit Interface Stations To connect passenger vehicles traveling in suburban areas with the transit network, stations must accommodate automobile access in two ways: • Kiss-and-Ride is the widely adopted term for the drop-off and pickup of passengers • Park-and-Ride is when transit passengers park their cars at the station. Because of traffic volumes and the need for parking facilities, park-and-ride stations require a very large area per passenger. Transit accessibility is commonly measured using the GIS buffer method to calculate the proportion of workers who are within a certain distance from transit facilities. Figure 3.1-12 shows the Traffic Analysis Zones (TAZ) that are within a five-mile drive of transit stations. Figure 3.1-13 shows the TAZs that are within a half-mile walk from rail stations.

Figure 3.1-12: TAZs within a 5-Mile Drive of Park-and-Ride Stations

Figure 3.1-13: TAZs within a Half-Mile Walk of Rail Stations

Future Planning Year of 2040 NOACA used its travel forecasting model to analyze the traffic congestion forecasted to occur in 2040, the horizon of its long-range transportation plan, AIM Forward 2040. The 2040 model highway network was built based on the existing and committed highway system, and the travel demand was derived from predicted 2040 socioeconomic data. Figure 3.1-14 and Figure 3.1-15 display the list of roadway committed projects for the period 2015 -2040 and their locations in the 2040 model network.

Figure 3.1-14: Roadway Committed Projects for the 2040 Model Network Project Project Location County Community Project Description Year

SR-2 Cleveland Memorial Shoreway Cuyahoga Cleveland Lane reduction on one segment from 4 lanes to 3 lanes 2016

Chagrin Blvd - Warrensville Center Rd Cuyahoga Shaker Hts Intersection Reconfiguration from 6 to 4 legs 2016 Intersection

I-77 - Royalton Rd (SR 82) Reconfiguring and signalizing I-77 exit ramps. The SB exit ramp to SR-82 westbound Cuyahoga Broadview Hts 2016 Interchange widened from 1 to 2 lanes.

I-77 - Royalton Rd (SR 82) Cuyahoga Broadview Hts Signalizing Royalton Rd at reconfigured I-77 exit ramps 2016 Interchange

Heisley Rd Lake Mentor Widen from 2 to 4 lanes from Jackson St to US-20 (Mentor Ave) 2016

Reconfiguring of I-90/SR 57 Interchange to a Diamond Interchange. I-90 - Lorain Blvd (SR-57) Interchange Lorain Elyria Remove the 49th St Bridge SR-57 Overpass, and the ramps to Griswold Rd and Midway 2016 Mall Blvd.

Widen SR-57 from 4 to 6 lanes between the Ohio Turnpike and I-90 and addition of two Lorain Blvd (SR-57) Lorain Elyria 2016 full access signalized intersections at Griswold Rd and Midway Mall Blvd.

Pearl Rd (US-42) Medina, Widen from 3 to 4 Lanes with a median from Harding St to Fenn Rd and addition of Medina 2016 N Court St (US-42) Medina Twp synchronized signals along corridor.

Pearl Rd (US-42) - Fenn Rd Medina, Medina Intersection modification at Pearl Rd and Fenn Rd. 2016 Intersection Medina Twp

Eastbound and westbound bridges over Cuyahoga River opened to 5 lanes. Opening of I-90 Innerbelt - Voinovich Bridge Cuyahoga Cleveland 2016 eastbound ramp from W 14th St to I-90 EB bridge.

I-77 / Broadway Ave / Pershing Ave Cuyahoga Cleveland New frontage road from Broadway Ave to Pershing Ave for access to I-77 SB 2017

Figure 3.1-14: Roadway Committed Projects for the 2040 Model Network (Continued) Project Project Location County Community Project Description Year

Opportunity Corridor - Cuyahoga Cleveland Widen from 4 to 5 lanes from Cedar Ave to Euclid Ave (3 lanes NB, 2 lanes SB) 2017 Section 1 - E 105th St

I-271 - Brainard Rd Interchange Cuyahoga Lyndhurst Widen the I-271 NB exit from 2 to 3 lanes. 2017

Widen Brainard Rd from 2 to 3 lanes NB between Cedar Rd and the I-271 NB entrance I-271 - Brainard Rd Interchange Cuyahoga Lyndhurst ramp. Widen Brainard Rd from 1 to 2 lanes NB from the I-271 NB entrance ramp to 2017 Edenhall Dr.

Auburn Rd-Crile Rd Connector Rd Lake Concord Twp Addition of a connector road from Auburn Road to Crile Road at Capitol Pkwy. 2017

Auburn Rd - SR-44 Intersection Lake Concord Twp Addition of right-only turn lane on SR-44 NB at Auburn Rd 2017 Modification

Rockside Road - IR-77 Interchange Cuyahoga Independence Widen the SB ramp to I-77 from 1 to 2 lanes 2017

Add double left turn lanes from Rockside Rd WB to I-77 SB ramp. Widen Rockside Rd EB Rockside Road - IR-77 Interchange Cuyahoga Independence between Summit Park Dr and the I-77 SB ramp to add double right turn lanes (1 of 2017 which is an exclusive right turn lane).

Middleburg Hts, Bagley Rd/Pleasant Valley Rd Cuyahoga Widen from 2 to 4 Lanes from Pearl Rd to York Rd 2018 Parma

I-77 Cuyahoga Cleveland Widening of the I-77 bridge over I-490 to 3 lanes in each direction 2018

Addition of a new 4 lane roadway from E. 93rs St to E. 105th St, with 2 lanes in each Opportunity Corridor - Section 2 Cuyahoga Cleveland 2018 direction

Leroy Twp, Vrooman Rd Lake Realignment of Vrooman Rd from I-90 to Ridge Rd (SR-84) / River Rd intersection. 2018 Perry Twp

Figure 3.1-14: Roadway Committed Projects for the 2040 Model Network (Continued) Project Project Location County Community Project Description Year

Leroy Twp, River Rd Lake Realignment of River Rd to intersect Ridge Rd east of new Vrooman Rd intersection. 2018 Perry Twp

Lear Nagle Rd Lorain North Ridgeville Widen from 2 to 3 lanes by adding a median turning lane from SR-10 to US-20 2018

Widen from 2 to 3 lanes by adding a median turning lane from Forest St to the North Center St (SR-301) Lorain LaGrange 2018 Corp Line

Widen from 3 to 5 Lanes from Stoney Ridge Road to Lear Nagle Rd Center Ridge Rd (US-20) Lorain North Ridgeville 2018

Widen from 2 to 3 lanes by adding median turning lane from Alber Dr to Foote Rd. Medina Twp, Medina Rd (SR-18) Medina Widen from 3 to 5 lanes from Foote Rd to River Styx Rd. Widen from 3 or 5 lanes to 7 2018 Montville Twp lanes from River Styx Rd to Nettleton Rd. Addition of a new 4 lane roadway from Woodland Ave to E 93rd St, with 2 lanes in each Opportunity Corridor - Section 3 Cuyahoga Cleveland direction. Addition of a new 5 lane roadway from E 55th St to Woodland Ave, with 3 2019 lanes NB and 2 lanes SB.

Transportation Blvd Extension Cuyahoga Garfield Hts Extend road from I-480 to Rockside Rd, with 1 lane in each direction 2019

Broadview Hts, Royalton Rd (SR-82) Cuyahoga Widen from 3 to 5 lanes from Broadview Rd to Treeworth Blvd 2019 Brecksville

I-77 Cuyahoga Cleveland Add an auxiliary lane on I-77 SB from US-422 EB to E 9th St 2020

I-77 Cuyahoga Brecksville Widen from 2 to 3 lanes in each direction from Cuyahoga County line to Oakes Rd 2020

Bedford, Bedford Widen from 2 to 3 lanes in each direction between Columbus Rd and Miles Rd. I-271 Cuyahoga Hts, Oakwood, Widen from 3 to 5 lanes in each direction from the SUM/CUY county line to Columbus 2020 Warrensville Hts Rd

Figure 3.1-14: Roadway Committed Projects for the 2040 Model Network (Continued) Project Project Location County Community Project Description Year Addition of turn lanes at intersections and median turn lane from Broadview Rd to I-77 Wallings Road - I-77 Interchange Cuyahoga Broadview Heights SB ramps. Add a 3rd lane to the Wallings Road bridge to allow exclusive left hand turns 2022 onto I-77 NB and SB. Garfield Hts, Addition of auxiliary lanes, 2 in both directions, in the middle of the 2 reconstructed I- I-480 Cuyahoga Independence, 2023 480 Valley View bridges. Valley View

Hilliard Blvd Cuyahoga Westlake Widening from 2 to 4 Lanes from Devonshire Oval to west corporation line 2023

I-90 Innerbelt / E 22nd St / Cuyahoga Cleveland Remove Carnegie Ave exit and relocate exit to E 22nd St. 2025 Carnegie Ave

E 22nd St / Carnegie Ave Cuyahoga Cleveland Add access road to Carnegie Ave from new E 22nd St exit. 2025

Remove Cedar Ave bridge over I-90 from Carnegie Ave to new access road and realign Cedar Ave Cuyahoga Cleveland 2025 Cedar Ave to terminate at new Carnegie access road.

Remove Prospect Ave entrance and exit ramps. Replace with access roads connecting I-90 Innerbelt / Prospect Ave Cuyahoga Cleveland 2029 to Carnegie Ave, Euclid Ave, and Chester Ave.

I-90 Innerbelt / Chester Ave Cuyahoga Cleveland Realign Chester Ave EB exit and entrance ramps 2029

I-90 Innerbelt / Superior Ave Cuyahoga Cleveland Realign Superior Ave WB exit and entrance ramps. 2029

I-90 Innerbelt Cuyahoga Cleveland Widen various sections of innerbelt trench by 1 lane from E 22nd St to Superior Ave 2031

Painesville, SR-2 Lake Widen from to 2 to 3 lanes from SR-44 to SR-283 in both directions 2035 Painesville Twp

I-90 Innerbelt Cuyahoga Cleveland Realignment of innerbelt curve and connecting ramps with SR-2 2040

Figure 3.1-15: Roadway Committed Projects for the 2040 Model Network

Following the addition of the committed highway projects to the existing network between now and 2040, Figure 3.1-16 and Figure 3.1-17 give the approximate number of miles by road facility type and the number of directional lanes, respectively, forecasted for 2040. Figure 3.1-16: 2040 Highway Network Centerline Miles by Road Facility Type 2040 Facility Type (Centerline Miles) Freeway 730

Limited Access Highway 9

Highway Ramp 256 Arterial 2,588

Collector 4,406 Total 7,989

Figure 3.1-17: 2040 Highway Network Mileage by Directional Lanes Number of 2040 Directional Lanes (Centerline Miles) 1 5,717

2 1,752 3 402 4 102 5 16 Total 7,989

Similarly, Figure 3.1-18 and Figure 3.1-19 show the estimated future highway network by number of directional lanes and the future transit networks of premium buses, BRT, and rail lines, respectively, in the NOACA region.

Figure 3.1-18: 2040 Highway Network by Number of Directional Lanes

Figure 3.1-19: 2040 Premium Bus, BRT, and Rail Line Network

Multimodal Performance Measures Performance measures are critical elements of the congestion management process that help identify congested locations. The congestion management process uses several performance measures to characterize current and future conditions of the regional transportation system. Performance measures can identify the severity, duration, extent, and variability of congestion. Typical performance measures for the congestion management process include: • Volume over capacity ratio (V/C) • Level of Service (LOS) • Travel time • Travel speed • Transit ridership • Transit service headway • Travel time reliability for passenger cars and transit services • Vehicle Miles of Travel (VMT) for auto, transit rider, walk, and bike modes • Percent of Total Population within a 0.5-mile walk and 5-mile drive of transit services • V/C ratio and travel time on designated freight corridors • Average congestion costs The volume over capacity ratio during peak periods is one of the primary performance measures for evaluating traffic congestion characteristics. The Highway Capacity Manual (HCM), published by the Transportation Research Board (TRB), provides different measures for various road classifications and intersection control types. These measures are generally divided into six ranges and assigned a Level-Of-Service (LOS) category A through F, with LOS F being indicative of severe congestion. LOS is a qualitative measure used to relate the quality of traffic service. Figure 3.1-20 displays LOS ranges that have been used to locate the intensity of traffic congestion. Figure 3.1-20: Volume over Capacity Ranges Volume over Capacity Ratio (V/C) LOS Description V/C < 0.3 A Free Flow Condition V/C < 0.5 B Reasonably Free Flow Condition V/C < 0.7 C Under Capacity V/C < 0.85 D Near Capacity V/C = < 1 E At Capacity V/C > 1 F Over Capacity

The following paragraphs discuss the 2015 base year and future highway and transit networks based on the performance measures of volume over capacity ratio, transit ridership, and nonmotorized mode shares.

Data Collection and Evaluating System Performance Data collection and performance measurement are ongoing activities to evaluate not only the performance of the region’s transportation system, but also the effectiveness of the strategies and projects that will be put in place. Because this is a continuous evaluation process, the effectiveness and benefits of individual congestion mitigation strategies used in recent years may not be apparent. For example, the effect of some Travel Demand Management (TDM) strategies such as congestion pricing will be visible only over a long period. On the other hand, strategies such as the addition of auxiliary lanes are likely to show immediate results. Travel Forecasting Model NOACA uses a wide variety of methods to evaluate the performance of its multimodal transportation system. The existing NOACA trip-based Travel Demand Model is a travel forecasting tool for evaluating current and future travel by various modes in the NOACA region. The original model was developed more than a decade ago, but during the recent update process, several technical enhancements were added to this planning tool. In a travel demand model, the modeling area is split into smaller zones, called Traffic Analysis Zones (TAZ), and the number of TAZs is an important factor in developing more realistic model outputs. In this update, the number of TAZs was increased from the 1,236 used for the prior plan to 5,300. Daily trips were also split into five modeling periods of “early morning,” “AM peak,” “midday off-peak,” “PM peak,” and “nighttime.” The modeling highway and transit networks now have much more detail, including minor streets and transit services. The NOACA modeling team, in cooperation with the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) modeling team, is also developing an activity-based travel demand model that will analyze travel even more realistically at the person level by focusing on the activities that result in various kinds of travel behavior. In the near future, NOACA will use both travel forecasting models: the trip-based model and the activity-based model. These models provide information that can be used to make transportation planning decisions. These decisions may require different kinds of information from the model, depending on the context; however, the models meet most of NOACA’s current and future planning needs, such as the congestion management process. The NOACA travel forecasting model, as a macro-level planning tool for measuring highway network performance, provides a general perspective of traffic congestion at the regional level. The assignment module of this model produces traffic volumes for road segments for five modeling periods: early morning, AM peak, midday off-peak, PM peak, and nighttime. The PM peak period is the most congested period in the NOACA region and is therefore selected for this overview chapter of the congestion management process.

Travel Mode Shares Travel mode shares of daily person trips (the total of all trips taken in a day by all of the traveling public) estimate the existing and future demands for travel modes and consequently reveal the performance measures for highway and transit networks. Travel modes in the NOACA region include single-occupant passenger vehicles, two-occupant passenger vehicles, three-or-more occupant passenger vehicles, walk, bike, and transit. The “Mode Choice” module of the NOACA Travel Forecasting Model approximates the daily person trip share of each travel mode, and Figure 3.1-21 presents the estimated mode shares in percentages of 2015 daily person trips.

Figure 3.1-21: Mode Share Percentages of 2015 Daily Person Trips

Mode Share Percentage of Mode Daily Person Trips

Passenger Vehicle 93.73%

Walk 3.46%

Bike 0.35%

Transit 2.46%

Total 100%

As exhibited in Figure 3.1-22, the majority of passenger vehicles are single-occupant, and personal automobile is the dominant mode of travel. Other travel modes account for a small proportion of the 6.8 millions daily person trips in the region.

Figure 3.1-22: Mode Share Percentages of 2015 Daily Person Trips

0.35% 3.46% 2.46% 17.25%

45.40%

31.08%

Single-Occupant Two-Occupant Three-or-more Occupant Walk Bike Transit

The 2040 scenario of the NOACA Travel Forecasting Model predicts the travel mode shares, and Figure 3.1-23 depicts the estimated share values in percentages. Figure 3.1-23: Mode Share Percentages of 2040 Daily Person Trips

Mode Share Percentage of Mode Daily Person Trips

Passenger Vehicle 93.41%

Walk 3.86%

Bike 0.4%

Transit 2.33%

Total 100%

As illustrated in Figure 3.1-24, and similar to the 2015 mode shares, the automobile will be the dominant mode in future years, and transit, walk, and bike shares will account for a small proportion of the 6.9 millions daily person trips in the region.

Figure 3.1-24: Mode Share Percentages of 2040 Daily Person Trips 0.40% 3.86% 2.33% 16.92%

45.33%

31.16%

Single-Occupant Two-Occupant Three-or-more Occupant Walk Bike Transit

Figure 3.1-25 presents the NOACA travel forecasting model transit results of the NOACA travel forecasting model for the base year 2015. Figure 3.1-25: 2015 Daily Ridership by Transit Mode

Transit Mode 2015 Average Daily Ridership

Local Bus 113,307

Premium Bus 5,755

BRT 17,865

Rail 30,769

Total 167,696

Among the transit modes, rail (18 lines) and BRT (10 lines) carry higher proportions of passengers than those of local buses (212 lines). This is because they have more stops at Park-and-Ride stations. Today, the TAZs within a five-mile drive of the Park-and-Ride stations include 1,264,025 people which is almost 63 percent of the total regional population. Based on current projections this drops to 57.5 percent in 2040. Similarly, the TAZs within a half-mile walk to rail stations include 167,951 people within a -mile walk. The total population within a half-mile walk is only 8.3 percent of the total regional

population and decreases to 7.5 percent in 2040. It is worth mentioning that the congestion management objective values of transit access for the planning years in Figure 3.1-2 were derived from the above base year and future modeling estimates. Spatial and Temporal Traffic Congestion NOACA travel forecasting model uses ODOT’s highway link capacity calculator program, which computes the hourly link capacity and the estimation of link capacities for the modeling periods. It is not as simple as multiplying the hourly capacity by the duration (in hours) of the time periods because that would overestimate the capacity for the time period and consequently underestimate the congestion. The methodology used in the NOACA model assumes that the peak period congestion is equivalent to the peak hour congestion and that the congestion for the off-peak period is equivalent to the congestion in the median off-peak hour. This process is accomplished by assuming that the trips during each time period are concentrated into a briefer time period, so that all these trips are subject to the peak level of congestion during the time period. Figure 3.1- 26 shows the factors calculated to estimate the total capacity for the modeling periods. Figure 3.1-26: 2015 Capacity Factors for the Modeling Periods Period Capacity Factor

Early Morning (3 a.m. – 6 a.m.) 1.2 AM Peak (6 a.m. – 9 a.m.) 2.1 Mid-Day (9 a.m. – 3 p.m.) 5

PM Peak (3 p.m. – 7 p.m.) 2.8 Night Time (7 p.m. – 3 a.m.) 3

NOACA’s travel forecasting model produces traffic volumes for road segments for the five modeling periods mentioned above. To give an overview of the congested locations in the NOACA region, staff used the PM peak period volumes to create maps that show volume over capacity ratio and LOS (see Figures 3.1-27 through 32). The NOACA travel forecasting model scenarios of the 2015 base year and future planning years were used to identify the existing and future congested segments, interchanges, and intersections. The modeling scenarios for the planning years will also be used to locate future congestion spots and compare them to the existing congestion locations. The congestion intensity, duration, extent, and variability will be determined by the model outputs such as volume over capacity ratios, travel time, speed, etc. for each identified segment and spot. These outputs will be verified by several field observations and available traffic counts. The potential causes of congestion in each segment will be determined by considering the prevailing land-use types and major trip production and attraction (AKA origins and destinations) along a congested segment. These causes will be further analyzed to identify appropriate congestion mitigation strategies. One of the most common approaches is to determine the origin and destination of vehicles that reach the congestion spots. The “Select Link” analysis of the travel forecasting model will be

used to identify the origin-destination matrix of vehicles traveling through the congested locations. The congestion intensity, duration, extent, and variability will be evaluated for each congestion spot. For the AM and PM peak periods, the actual travel times and speeds through each segment will be compared with the free flow travel times and speeds to determine the intensity of the congestion. The variability of the congestion will be determined by assuming the higher and lower demand estimates. Also, the road capacity of each segment will be computed for the peak periods and adjusted, if necessary, after the field visits. Traffic delays play a dominant role in determining the level of service (LOS) or effectiveness of traffic operations at signalized intersections. Major intersections in the NOACA region will be evaluated, and the amount of delay time will be computed. The actual length of queuing in miles at major intersections of each segment will be reported. Maps 3.1-9 to 14 display the 2015 and 2040 PM peak period congestion based on the volume over capacity measure and freeway and arterial locations with an LOS of F. An LOS of F means traffic volume is greater than road capacity, and hence, there is congestion; these segments are candidates for further analysis in the congestion management process. A review of the volume over capacity maps leads to the following conclusions: • The freeways generally carry a high volume of traffic due to their roles in intra-regional connectivity. • In urban areas, freeways have the highest percentage of congested roadway miles of any category by functional class. • Cuyahoga County has the highest number of congested segments. • Geauga County has no congestion, as it is almost completely rural. • Roads in Lake, Lorain, and Medina counties are congested in only a few spots. • I-480 in Cuyahoga County has more miles of freeway congestion than any other freeway in the region.

Figure 3.1-27: Volume over Capacity Ratio for the 2015 PM Peak Period

Figure 3.1-28: Freeway Locations with an LOS of F for the 2015 PM Peak Period

Figure 3.1-29: Arterial Locations with an LOS of F for the 2015 PM Peak Period

Figure 3.1-30: Volume over Capacity Ratio for the 2040 PM Peak Period

Figure 3.1-31: Freeway Locations with an LOS of F for the 2040 PM Peak Period

Figure 3.1-32: Arterial Locations with an LOS of F for the 2040 PM Peak Period

Congestion mitigation impacts of the committed roadway projects were analyzed by comparing the volume over capacity ratios of 2015 and 2040 PM peak periods. Figure 3.1-33 shows the comparison. In this table, the highlighted cells indicate the positive affect of projects (i.e., they reduced congestion). Figure 3.1-33: Congestion Mitigation Impacts of the Committed Highway Projects V/C V/C Project Location Project Description 2015 2040

SR-2 Cleveland Memorial Shoreway 0.60 0.73 Lane reduction on one segment from 4 lanes to 3 lanes

Chagrin Blvd - Warrensville Center Rd 0.33 - 0.93 0.36 - 0.87 Intersection Reconfiguration from 6 to 4 legs Intersection

Reconfiguring and signalizing I-77 exit ramps at Royalton Rd. The SB exit ramp to SR-82 I-77 - Royalton Rd (SR 82) Interchange 0.21 - 2.75 0.28 - 1.62 westbound widened from 1 to 2 lanes.

Heisley Rd 0.23 - 0.44 0.17 - 0.45 Widen from 2 to 4 lanes from Jackson St to US-20 (Mentor Ave)

Reconfiguring of I-90/SR 57 Interchange to a Diamond Interchange. I-90 - Lorain Blvd (SR-57) Interchange 0.49 - 1.25 0.47 - 1.25 Remove the 49th St Bridge SR-57 Overpass, and the ramps to Griswold Rd and Midway Mall Blvd.

Widen SR-57 from 4 to 6 lanes between the Ohio Turnpike and I-90 and addition of two Lorain Blvd (SR-57) 0.30 - 1.78 0.26 - 1.77 full access signalized intersections at Griswold Rd and Midway Mall Blvd.

Pearl Rd (US-42) Widen from 3 to 4 Lanes with a median from Harding St to Fenn Rd and addition of 0.35 - 0.58 0.36 - 0.53 N Court St (US-42) synchronized signals along corridor.

Cells highlighted in blue indicate improvements projected in 2040.

Figure 3.1-33: Congestion Mitigation Impacts of the Committed Highway Projects (Continued) V/C V/C Project Location Project Description 2015 2040

Pearl Rd (US-42) - Fenn Rd 0.42 - 0.75 0.39 - 0.65 Intersection modification at Pearl Rd and Fenn Rd. Intersection

Eastbound and westbound bridges over Cuyahoga River opened to 5 lanes. Opening of I-90 Innerbelt - Voinovich Bridge 1.16 - 1.42 0.84 - 1.32 eastbound ramp from W 14th St to I-90 EB bridge.

I-77 / Broadway Ave / Pershing Ave N/A 0.02 - 0.58 New frontage road from Broadway Ave to Pershing Ave for access to I-77 SB

Opportunity Corridor - 0.80 - 1.19 0.75 - 1.10 Widen from 4 to 5 lanes from Cedar Ave to Euclid Ave (3 lanes NB, 2 lanes SB) Section 1 - E 105th St

I-271 - Brainard Rd Interchange 1.19 - 2.60 0.77 - 1.17 Widen the I-271 NB exit from 2 to 3 lanes.

Widen Brainard Rd from 2 to 3 lanes NB between Cedar Rd and the I-271 NB entrance I-271 - Brainard Rd Interchange 0.74 - 1.81 0.85 - 1.39 ramp. Widen Brainard Rd from 1 to 2 lanes NB from the I-271 NB entrance ramp to Edenhall Dr.

Auburn Rd-Crile Rd Connector Rd N/A 0.01 - 0.12 Addition of a connector road from Auburn Road to Crile Road at Capitol Pkwy.

Auburn Rd - SR-44 Intersection 0.64 0.48 Addition of right-only turn lane on SR-44 NB at Auburn Rd Modification

Rockside Road - IR-77 Interchange 1.12 0.46 Widen the SB ramp to I-77 from 1 to 2 lanes

Cells highlighted in blue indicate improvements projected in 2040.

Figure 3.1-33: Congestion Mitigation Impacts of the Committed Highway Projects (Continued) V/C V/C Project Location Project Description 2015 2040 Add double left turn lanes from Rockside Rd WB to I-77 SB ramp. Widen Rockside Rd EB Rockside Road - IR-77 Interchange 1.00 - 1.41 1.03 - 1.39 between Summit Park Dr and the I-77 SB ramp to add double right turn lanes (1 of which is an exclusive right turn lane).

Bagley Rd/Pleasant Valley Rd 0.21 - 1.05 0.20 - 0.80 Widen from 2 to 4 Lanes from Pearl Rd to York Rd

I-77 0.98 - 1.10 0.63 - 0.70 Widening of the I-77 bridge over I-490 to 3 lanes in each direction

Addition of a new 4 lane roadway from E. 93rd St to E. 105th St, with 2 lanes in each Opportunity Corridor - Section 2 N/A 0.48 - 0.81 direction

Vrooman Rd 0.21 - 0.72 0.31 - 0.91 Realignment of Vrooman Rd from I-90 to Ridge Rd (SR-84) / River Rd intersection.

River Rd 0.07 - 0.59 0.03 - 0.85 Realignment of River Rd to intersect Ridge Rd east of new Vrooman Rd intersection.

Lear Nagle Rd 0.64 - 1.27 0.71 - 1.36 Widen from 2 to 3 lanes by adding a median turning lane from SR-10 to US-20

Widen from 2 to 3 lanes by adding a median turning lane from Forest St to the North Center St (SR-301) 0.23 - 0.87 0.24 - 0.96 Corp Line

Widen from 3 to 5 Lanes from Stoney Ridge Road to Lear Nagle Rd Center Ridge Rd (US-20) 0.29 - 1.29 0.26 - 1.06

Cells highlighted in blue indicate improvements projected in 2040.

Figure 3.1-33: Congestion Mitigation Impacts of the Committed Highway Projects (Continued) V/C V/C Project Location Project Description 2015 2040 Widen from 2 to 3 lanes by adding median turning lane from Alber Dr to Foote Rd. Medina Rd (SR-18) 0.49 - 1.02 0.56 - 1.15 Widen from 3 to 5 lanes from Foote Rd to River Styx Rd. Widen from 3 or 5 lanes to 7 lanes from River Styx Rd to Nettleton Rd. Addition of a new 4 lane roadway from Woodland Ave to E 93rd St, with 2 lanes in each Opportunity Corridor - Section 3 N/A 0.23 - 1.92 direction. Addition of a new 5 lane roadway from E 55th St to Woodland Ave, with 3 lanes NB and 2 lanes SB.

Transportation Blvd Extension N/A 0.21 - 0.85 Extend road from I-480 to Rockside Rd, with 1 lane in each direction

Royalton Rd (SR-82) 0.45 - 1.04 0.35 - 0.85 Widen from 3 to 5 lanes from Broadview Rd to Treeworth Blvd

I-77 0.36 - 3.08 0.24 - 1.78 Add an auxiliary lane on I-77 SB from US-422 EB to E 9th St

I-77 0.93 - 1.24 0.75 - 0.96 Widen from 2 to 3 lanes in each direction from Cuyahoga County line to Oakes Rd

Widen from 2 to 3 lanes in each direction between Columbus Rd and Miles Rd. I-271 0.64 - 1.01 0.49 - 1.29 Widen from 3 to 5 lanes in each direction from the SUM/CUY county line to Columbus Rd Addition of turn lanes at intersections and median turn lane from Broadview Rd to I-77 Wallings Road - I-77 Interchange 0.43 - 1.22 0.39 - 1.24 SB ramps. Add a 3rd lane to the Wallings Road bridge to allow exclusive left hand turns onto I-77 NB and SB.

Addition of auxiliary lanes, 2 in both directions, in the middle of the 2 reconstructed I- I-480 0.99 - 1.23 0.64 - 1.38 480 Valley View bridges.

Cells highlighted in blue indicate improvements projected in 2040.

Figure 3.1-33: Congestion Mitigation Impacts of the Committed Highway Projects (Continued) V/C V/C Project Location Project Description 2015 2040

Hilliard Blvd 0.06 - 0.31 0.05 - 0.31 Widening from 2 to 4 Lanes from Devonshire Oval to west corporation line

I-90 Innerbelt / E 22nd St / 1.90 1.58 Remove Carnegie Ave exit and relocate exit to E 22nd St. Carnegie Ave

E 22nd St / Carnegie Ave N/A 0.26 - 0.59 Add access road to Carnegie Ave from new E 22nd St exit.

Remove Cedar Ave bridge over I-90 from Carnegie Ave to new access road and realign Cedar Ave 0.15 - 1.01 0.50 - 0.77 Cedar Ave to terminate at new Carnegie access road.

Remove Prospect Ave entrance and exit ramps. Replace with access roads connecting I-90 Innerbelt / Prospect Ave 0.97 - 0.80 0.51 - 1.14 to Carnegie Ave and Euclid Ave.

Realign Chester Ave exit and entrance ramps. Replace with access roads connecting to I-90 Innerbelt / Chester Ave 0.14 - 1.64 0.10 - 1.95 Euclid Ave and Chester Ave.

I-90 Innerbelt / Superior Ave 0.06 - 1.09 0.21 - 3.95 Realign Superior Ave exit and entrance ramps.

I-90 Innerbelt 0.62 - 1.38 0.53 - 1.17 Widen various sections of innerbelt trench by 1 lane from E 22nd St to Superior Ave

SR-2 0.51 - 0.84 0.36 - 0.59 Widen from to 2 to 3 lanes from SR-44 to SR-283 in both directions

I-90 Innerbelt 0.11 - 0.90 0.03 - 0.78 Realignment of innerbelt curve and connecting ramps with SR-2

Cells highlighted in blue indicate improvements projected in 2040.

The Cost of Congestion As demand approaches the capacity of a road (or of the intersection along the road), extreme traffic congestion sets in. Traffic congestion causes longer trip times, slower speeds, and increased delay. Traffic engineering and financial indicators of travel delay and wasted fuel due to congestion are combined as a robust performance measure of the cost of congestion. NOACA calculates this combined measure through its travel forecasting model and a set of assumptions to arrive at the additional times required to travel a road segment due to traffic congestion conditions. The following steps are used to calculate the total cost of congestion: The average road segment delay is the difference between the estimated travel time under actual (often congested) conditions and under uncongested conditions. Average Road Segment Delay (hour) Length of the Road Segment (miles) Length of the Road Segment (miles) = Modeled Road Segment Speed (mph) Free Flow Speed (mph) The total delay on a road segment is the product of the average− delay by the total number of vehicles traveling on the segment. Road Segment Delay (hour) = Average Road Segment Delay × Total Traffic Volume The road segment delay cost is calculated by multiplying the estimated road segment delay by the average passenger car occupancy and the average value of time. Road Segment Delay Cost ($) = Road Segment Delay × Average Auto Occupancy × Average Value of Time ($) Vehicles waste fuel when they are caught in congested conditions. The additional cost of consumed fuel can be estimated using the delay calculated above and cost of operating an auto. Road Segment Fuel Cost ($) = Road Segment Delay × Modeled Road Segment Speed × Auto Operating Cost ($) The average cost of operation an auto is estimated by dividing the fuel cost per mile by the average number of miles a vehicle can travel on one gallon of fuel. Finally, the total road segment congestion cost comprises of two elements: delay cost and fuel cost. Road Segment Congestion Cost ($) = Road Segment Delay Cost + Road Segment Fuel Cost Assumptions: Average Fuel Cost = $2.5 per gallon The average miles a vehicle can travel on one gallon of fuel is 25.73 mile per gallon. (According to several sources, in 2015, the average Ohio gasoline consumption per day per capita was about 1.059 gallons, and therefore the calculated daily fuel consumption for the NOACA region is 2,145,911 gallons. The 2015 total Vehicle Mile Traveled [VMT] was about 55,224,583 vehicle miles, and therefore the average miles per gallon is the quotient of VMT divided by total daily gasoline consumption.) The median value of time per hour is $12.27. (The 2015 median annual income in the NOACA region was about $51,049, which results in $24.54 per hour. The U.S. Department of

Transportation and other sources indicate a range of 30% to 60% of average earnings for the value of travel time.) Auto occupancy varies during the peak and off-peak periods of a day. The NOACA travel forecasting model estimates a range of 1.21 to 1.485 for average auto occupancy during the five periods of modeling. Figure 3.1-34 and Figure 3.1-35 summarize the daily 2015 and 2040 congestion cost estimates in 2015 dollars for the NOACA region. Figure 3.1-34: 2015 Additional Delay and Fuel Costs due to Congestion

Daily Wasted Fuel (Gallons) 104,204

Daily Wasted Fuel Cost (2015 $) $260,510

Daily Delay Cost (2015 $) $2,270,031

Daily Total Congestion Cost (2015 $) $2,530,541

Figure 3.1-35: 2040 Additional Delay and Fuel Costs due to Congestion

Daily Wasted Fuel (Gallons) 113,848

Daily Wasted Fuel Cost (2015 $) $284,619

Daily Delay Cost (2015 $) $2,443,138

Daily Total Congestion Cost (2015 $) $2,727,757

Finally, the 2015 and 2040 annual costs of congestion in the NOACA region are more than $632 million (2015 $) and $682 million (2015 $), respectively, by assuming 250 (estimated annual work days) as the daily to annual convertor.

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Congestion Mitigation Strategies: Identification and Assessment Identifying appropriate congestion mitigation strategies is a key component of the congestion management process so that plan objectives can be achieved. The identified strategies will be examined using NOACA’s travel forecasting model at the macro level to determine the level of improvement. Other modeling platforms will be used to develop more detailed highway networks of congested spots to assess the results of the identified mitigation strategies before they are implemented. Assessing the performance of the strategies that are implemented to address congestion is one of the required elements of the congestion management process. Federal regulations require “a process for periodic assessment of the efficiency and effectiveness of implemented strategies, in terms of the area’s established performance measures,” and NOACA has therefore built evaluation into its process. In each of five-year congestion management plans, NOACA will evaluate the effectiveness of the improvements that were implemented, and that data will then inform and support the congestion management strategies to be used in the next cycle of projects. The data can also help determine which strategies worked best to mitigate specific types of congestion, and which had little impact. Traffic Operations Strategies These strategies focus on increasing the efficiency of the existing highway network. Signalization generally is the widespread type of control on intersections on major/minor arterial/collector streets. As the first step of this process, NOACA has developed a database of all the intersection control types of arterial and collector streets in the region. A map has been drawn to access this database graphically. Then NOACA developed various traffic control management programs to alleviate the traffic congestion on arterial and collector streets. For instance, NOACA developed the Signal Timing Optimization Program (STOP) in FY 2016 to optimize traffic signals in the region. NOACA plans to hire a consultant to implement signal timing corridor projects and provide technical assistance to local communities to help them improve the safe and efficient operation of their traffic signal systems and corridors. The outcome will be accomplished by implementing optimized signal timing plans, low-cost equipment repairs, or additions that directly impact the safety or operational improvements of the signal system. The focus of the program is to make the existing signal equipment more efficient and address needed repairs or upgrades. The 2016-2017 STOP pilot project consists of the following two corridors: • Cedar Road, from Fenwick Road to Lander Road (4 miles, 29 signalized intersections) • Pearl Road from West 130th Street to Brook Park Road (not including Brook Park Road intersection signal, 4 miles, 18 signalized intersections) Transportation Demand Management Strategies Reducing or preventing congestion improves livability standards in the region. Most Transportation Demand Management (TDM) programs work best as long-term ongoing efforts, rather than as short-term stopgaps or one-time fix-its. As a result, planning for TDM is a somewhat different problem to deal with than planning future highway improvements. The NOACA congestion management process tends to design the TDM program to respond to current problems rather than trying to address projected ones based on future forecasts. The congestion management process encourages the consideration of multimodal means of transportation to further enhance livability.

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Travel demand management strategies such as congestion pricing reduce the demand for travel or shift demand to other modes. It encourages alternative work schedule programs, transit and bicycle use, walking, ridesharing, and telecommuting. All these strategies, except congestion pricing, have been considered in the NOACA region. NOACA’s Technical Assistance (TA) Program provides technical support to communities and public agencies for integrated transportation and land-use planning. The TA program offers the NOACA staff’s planning expertise on community-based multimodal transportation projects. The program improves the safety, efficiency, and preservation of the transportation system for all users, and helps improve the quality of life in the region. As a strategy to manage travel demand, NOACA recently completed the development of a Regional Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Scorecard and Implementation Plan. The goal of the plan would be to attract TOD investment in the NOACA region along rail stations (local and Amtrak), priority bus corridors, and transit centers. As a result, three pilot areas were selected for further analysis: West Boulevard Red Line Station, East 116th Red Line Station, and Broadway/Slavic Village Corridor. NOACA has also embarked on a collaborative initiative with the other six Rideshare agencies in Ohio to set up a comprehensive, online, mobile-friendly TDM/Rideshare platform. This platform replaces the existing, separate OhioRideshare platform (used by MPOs in Northeast Ohio) and RideshareOhio platform (used by MPOs in Central and Western Ohio). The new TDM/Rideshare platform is a “one-stop-shop” trip planner, personalized for northeast Ohio—and its businesses. The new platform allows employers to establish subsites within the same network so employees can plan trips from Points A to B; choose from a menu of travel options; and calculate travel time, money and emissions saved, calories burned, and more. Employees can easily connect for carpools and log trips to monitor their “green” savings. Managed Lanes and Congestion Pricing Strategies Considering high construction costs, constrained right-of-way, and environmental factors, the NOACA congestion management process continuously explores managed lanes to mitigate traffic congestion. The FHWA defines managed lanes as highway facilities or a set of lanes in which operational strategies are implemented and managed—in real time—in response to changing conditions. Managed lanes are distinguished from other traditional forms of lane management strategies in that they are proactively implemented and managed, and may involve using more than one operational strategy. Examples of managed lanes may include High-Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes with tolls that vary based on demand, exclusive bus/truck only lanes, reversible lanes, and High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes. Congestion pricing works by shifting discretionary rush hour highway travel to other transportation modes, or to off-peak periods. By removing a fraction, even as small as 5%, of the vehicles from a congested roadway by pricing enables the system to perform much more efficiently. In August 2012, NOACA produced a technical memorandum to explore the feasibility of implementing congestion pricing within the NOACA region. Results of the analyses indicate that conditions in the NOACA region may not be suitable for implementing congestion pricing. Currently, the NOACA region does not experience a high level of congestion, and the duration of the peak period is relatively short. If congestion levels increase in the future, congestion pricing strategies to maximize traffic flow and shift traffic out of the peak period may become more useful. NOACA supports an ongoing evaluation of strategies that encourage changes in travel behavior to reduce peak period congestion. Managed lanes should not be confused with toll facilities, where the primary objective may be revenue generation.

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Transit Improvements Strategies Currently, high travel demand is limited to the morning and evening peak period hours throughout the region, and considering the forecasts of low population growth, traffic congestion will continue to have a similar pattern in the future. Providing alternative modes of transportation can reduce this moderate traffic congestion even further and perhaps attract people and businesses from other states to the Greater Cleveland area because of the minimal traffic congestion. The roadway and transit networks are the main platforms for daily trips, and their performances play a crucial role in providing a sufficient and efficient multimodal transportation system, giving access and mobility as well as connectivity. As indicated in Tables 3.1-9 and 3.1-10, the passenger vehicle is the dominant mode of travel in 2015 and 2040 in the NOACA region. To provide a multimodal system, however, the share of modes other than passenger vehicle should be increased. In 2015, the total of transit and nonmotorized shares was just over 6%, and this percentage value is not predicted to increase in 2040. The majority of the committed highway projects that were listed in Table 3.1-5 increase highway capacities and therefore alleviate traffic congestion and reduce travel times for passenger vehicles through road segments with additional capacities. Although the policy of adding road capacity seems to be a typical option for traffic congestion mitigation, this policy does not support a multimodal system in the long run. Transit is an obvious alternative to passenger vehicles for longer trips. Rail lines and premium buses connect major trip production and attraction centers to local buses, as feeder services, and provide access to major transit hubs. Improving travel time for passenger vehicles by adding road capacity, however, does not support transit increases, and therefore an exogenous factor is required to make transit more attractive to trip makers. NOACA is encouraging transit organizations in the region to expand their transit network and provide more and improved services. For instance, the HealthLine is Cleveland's first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. It serves the Euclid Corridor and connects the two largest regional employment areas, Downtown Cleveland and University Circle, and extends to the Louis Stokes Station at Windermere in East Cleveland. According to the Greater Cleveland Transit Authority (GCRTA), the annual ridership has increased by about 60% compared to bus line Number 6, which was GRTA’s highest ridership bus line before it was replaced by the HealthLine in 2008. Finally, as a general planning policy in the region, transit trips should be given higher priority over auto trips on the highway network, and local connectivity and access to Park-and-Ride stations and major transit hubs should be emphasized. Currently the rail stations are within walking distance of only 8.5% of the population and 63 percent of residents have drive access to the Park-and-Ride stations, and these shares are forecasted to decline in 2040. The future transit network design should reverse the trend of walk and drive accessibilities. Nonmotorized Travel Modes Strategies Ninety percent of Americans walk for recreation. Almost half ride bicycles at least occasionally. Nine out of 10 trips within a city’s downtown are on foot. It is not unusual for shoppers to stroll a couple miles in an enclosed mall. So Americans and residents in the NOACA region will walk or bike under the right conditions. NOACA attempts to provide suitable conditions for walking and biking across the region. Nonmotorized travel modes, such as walking and biking, are slower than passenger cars and much more sensitive to the length of trips and the environment in which they travel. Generally, these modes can replace the automobile on short trips, which are the most polluting and gas- guzzling trips on a per-mile basis. Walking is the mode of choice for nearly all trips of one-tenth

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of a mile or less; walking is chosen only about 10% of the time when trips reach one-half mile or greater in length. Given the bike’s greater speed, bike trips can be longer. Bike trips for work or shopping purposes are still usually less than a mile or two. Trips can be shortened, and walking/bicycling encouraged, by mixing land-use development. Walkway and bikeway facilities have increased substantially since NOACA’s first inventory in 1997. Mileage of both bike lanes and bike paths continue to increase, with an annual growth rate of three to ten miles. Considering the climate in the NOACA region, the current and future nonmotorized shares of more than 4% are satisfactory. Prioritization, Implementation, and Monitoring The congestion mitigation strategies will be prioritized based on evaluation, effectiveness, budget availability, and public/stakeholders’ requests. The congestion mitigation projects will be defined and implemented according to the prioritized list. Public involvement is an important component in the congestion management process. The congestion management technical reports will be made available to the public on NOACA’s website and presented to a variety of public entities in preparation of AIM Forward 2040. Similarly, NOACA holds public workshops when conducting corridor studies, and as the congestion management process progresses, public input will continue to be incorporated into future system performance evaluation and individual corridor studies. Finally, the congestion management process assists transportation decision makers in evaluating, selecting, and implementing cost-effective congestion reduction or prevention strategies that can improve the efficiency and safety of the region’s transportation infrastructure. As the ability to increase highway capacity will always be restricted by limited financial resources, it is necessary to plan for the efficient management and operation of the existing transportation system. Some congestion management strategies require yearly monitoring, while before and after studies will be adequate for others. A monitoring time period will be defined for each strategy that is implemented, and its effectiveness will also be documented. This documentation will be used for adjusting/updating the objectives of the subsequent congestion management plans.

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3.2 Transportation Asset Management Introduction Roadway infrastructure is the backbone of America’s transportation system, and maintaining it in a state of good repair is essential for all modes of transportation. The transportation network supports the economy and directly impacts the competiveness of the nation and our region. Over the years, the United States has built one of the world’s most extensive transportation systems, representing trillions of dollars of public investment. A well-executed asset management plan is necessary to successfully manage the assets this investment represents. Historically, asset management has been a critical, but underrepresented and underfunded element of the transportation planning process. Asset management is based on a simple, but powerful premise that agencies should consider the full life-cycle cost of their funding decisions and manage their assets accordingly. NOACA faces the challenges that are common to many other local governments and transportation agencies: aging infrastructure, rising costs, and stable or declining funding. NOACA is being pressed to do more with less, and resources often fall short of the need to maintain a state of good repair across many transportation assets. Asset management is a strategic and systematic process of operating, maintaining, and improving physical assets, with a focus on engineering and economic analysis based upon quality information, to identify a structured sequence of maintenance, preservation, repair, rehabilitation, and replacement actions that will achieve and sustain a desired state of good repair over the life cycle of the assets at minimum practicable cost (23 U.S.C. 101(a)(2), MAP- 21 § 1103). NOACA has focused on transportation asset management for a long while. In 2007, the Regional Transportation Investment Policy was updated to include pavement targets and a pavement management program. In September 2013, NOACA kicked off its Transportation Asset Management Program, and in October 2014, initiated a Transportation Asset Management Plan (TAM) in an effort to best plan for the management of the region’s infrastructure assets. A comprehensive approach to asset management is critical as maintenance responsibility for a majority of the urbanized area transportation network, under Ohio Home Rule Law, lies with the five counties, 106 municipal corporations, and 58 townships that own them. Existing Inventory and Condition The region’s transportation needs are served by a number of assets, including several interstate highways, a major airport, passenger and freight rail, ports, transit, and bikeways. Pavements Roadway pavement condition in the NOACA region was determined using Pavement Condition Rating (PCR) data for federal-aid-eligible roadways. Federal-aid eligible roadways include all roadways except local streets and minor collector roadways located outside the urbanized area. In total, there are approximately 3,293 lane miles of federal-aid-eligible roadways in the NOACA region.

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Figure 3.2-1: Pavement Condition Ratings Pavement Condition Rating Element 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 (PCR) Miles 1,132.5 1,044.3 864.5 989.9 644.6 Very Good 90 - 100 Percenta 34.7% 31.9% 26.3% 30.1% 19.6% ge Miles 1,203.8 1,239.6 1,318.4 1,226.8 1,517.0 Good 75 - 89 Percenta 36.9% 37.8% 40.2% 37.4% 46.1% ge Miles 595.6 656.9 596.6 573.9 667.8 Fair 65 - 74 Percenta 18.3% 20.0% 18.2% 17.5% 20.3% ge Miles 247.2 244.7 350.9 357.8 348.8 Fair to Poor 55 - 64 Percenta 7.6% 7.5% 10.7% 10.9% 10.6% ge Miles 81.8 91.4 133.1 122.8 101.6 Poor 40 - 54 Percenta 2.5% 2.8% 4.1% 3.7% 3.1% ge Miles 0.0 0.3 18.9 12.6 12.7 Very Poor 0 - 39 Percenta 0.0% 0.0% 0.6% 0.4% 0.4% ge Total 3,260.9 3,277.1 3,282.3 3,283.7 3,292.5 Miles

Bridges The NOACA area has 3,069 bridges, and 11% of them are not in a state of good repair. The number of bridges by county is shown below. Figure 3.2-2: Condition of Bridges

Cuyahoga Geauga Lake Lorain Medina NOACA % of Condition Appraisal County County County County County Region Total

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Cuyahoga Geauga Lake Lorain Medina NOACA % of Condition Appraisal County County County County County Region Total

3 - Serious 46 1 7 13 28 95 3.1% 2 - Critical 12 0 2 4 1 19 0.6% 1 - "Imminent" Failure 3 0 0 0 0 3 0.1% 0 - Failed 4 1 0 2 0 7 0.2% Total 1,328 282 295 613 551 3,069 100.0%

% Good and Above 41.1% 63.5% 42.4% 47.5% 51.2% 46.4% 46.4%

Transit The NOACA area is home to a number of transit assets that help residents travel within the region. The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA, or RTA) provides Bus Rapid Transit (the HealthLine), train, E-Line trolley, and bus service throughout Cuyahoga County. In total, RTA and the four other transit agencies in the region—Laketran, Lorain County Transit, Geauga County Transit, and Medina County Public Transit—carry 50 million riders each year. In addition to serving intraregional travel, several transit agencies—including PARTA, SARTA, and METRO—connect to destinations beyond the NOACA region, including Akron, Canton, and Kent. Transit assets include fixed rail guideway, vehicle fleets, facilities, signs, shelters/stops, and maintenance locations. Figure 3.2-3: Transit Ridership: Annual Unlinked Passenger Trips by Agency, 2009-2014 Agency 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Greater Cleveland Reg. Transit 42,419,301 46,210,832 48,234,103 49,206,289 49,245,884 Authority (GCRTA) Laketran 688,517 712,568 756,358 726,166 728,029 Medina County Public Transit 104,789 101,751 111,304 99,841 64,829 (MCPT) Geauga 62,330 46,366 49,781 51,163 60,127 County Transit Lorain County 107,360 88,922 75,405 70,152 56,574 Transit (LCT)

Brunswick 31,415 36,993 36,620 34,951 32,659 Transit

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Agency 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Alternative (BTA) Regional Total 43,413,712 47,197,432 49,263,571 50,188,562 50,188,102

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Figure 3.2-4: Regional Transit Assets Map

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Bicycle/Pedestrian NOACA’s five-county area possesses a significant bikeway network. Existing facilities can be classified in the following categories: • Bike Lane: 61 miles; • Bike Route: 274 miles • Shared Use Path: 261 miles Sidewalks The bulk of major streets in the five-county area have full or partial sidewalks (meaning sidewalks on only one side of the roadway). Most roadways outside municipal boundaries lack sidewalks. Generally at the regional level— for federal-aid roadways—741 miles of roadway (28%) have full sidewalks, 534 miles (20%) have partial sidewalks, and 1,378 miles of roadway (52%) have no sidewalks.

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Figure 3.2-5: Regional Bikeway Assets Map

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Figure 3.2-6: Regional Sidewalk Assets Map

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Freight infrastructure The NOACA area has valuable freight assets, including approximately 54 miles of national highway system (NHS) Intermodal Connectors. Other key freight assets include: • Airports

o Cleveland Hopkins (CLE) and Burke Lakefront are the two major public airports in the region. In 2014, CLE handled 370 million pounds of cargo, up from 276 million pounds in 2008.1 Burke Lakefront Airport primarily serves as a general aviation and reliever airport for Hopkins, as well as handling air cargo. • Ports

o The five-county NOACA region also possesses three cargo ports. The Port of Cleveland is the region’s largest port—it moved 11.5 million tons of freight in 2013, mainly iron ore, limestone, and imported steel products. The other two ports in the region—Fairport Harbor and Lorain Harbor—moved 1.5 million tons and 761,000 tons of freight, respectively, in 2013.2 • Rail

o The freight rail system in Northeast Ohio includes two Class I railroads, one Class II, and five short-line railroads. CSX and Norfolk Southern (NS) operate the main lines that run east-west through Ohio, providing long-haul service, while regional and short lines provide access to the region’s ports, airports, and intermodal terminals. The NOACA region currently has more than 750 miles of freight railroad tracks, 69% of which are in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties.3

1Federal Aviation Administration, All-Cargo Airports by Landed Weight, 2014, http://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/passenger_allcargo_stats/passenger/media/cy14-cargo- airports.pdf, (accessed DATE). 2 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Waterborne Commerce of the United States, Calendar Year 2013, http://www.navigationdatacenter.us/wcsc/pdf/wcusnatl13.pdf, (accessed DATE). 3 U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Research, National Transportation Atlas Database, 2012.

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Figure 3.2-7: Regional Freight Assets Map

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Analysis of the Transportation System over the next 20 Years Key strategic transportation asset management efforts form the overall approach to asset management. They are described below. Transportation Asset Management Plan – Uses an integrated approach geared toward effectively managing existing and new infrastructure to maximize benefits, reduce risk, and provide safe and reliable levels of service to the region. The plan contains asset inventories and existing conditions; goals, objectives and measures; performance measures and targets; performance gaps; life-cycle management; risk management; financial summary; investment strategies; and process enhancements. The plan was developed using a 10-year horizon, but should be updated every two years. Pavement Management Software – Is an advanced analytical tool that enables better decision making and maximizes the budget while achieving the highest possible return on investment. The tool will be used to focus on reducing the substantial backlog of deficient pavements while at the same time using a multiyear prioritization approach that contains a mix of fixes for pavements in various condition stages, so an acceptable balance of pavement condition for the region will be maintained. The system generates scenarios based on different prioritization criteria over a defined (short, medium, or long) planning horizon. Ten separate decision trees have been developed: • Major collector; composite pavement • Major collector; flexible pavement • Major collector; rigid pavement • Principal arterial; rigid pavement • Minor arterial; composite pavement • Minor arterial; flexible pavement • Minor arterial; rigid pavement • Minor collector; flexible pavement • Principal arterial; composite pavement • Principal arterial; flexible pavement The pavement treatment types being used are: • 2.0 inch HOT Mix Mill & Overlay • Joint Repair • Full Depth Reclamation • Preventive Maintenance Minor • Preventive Maintenance Major • Minor Rehab without Repairs (Asphalt Concrete AC) • Minor Rehab with Repairs (AC) • Functional CPR (Minor Concrete Repair)

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• Structural CPR (Rehab with more repair work) • Major Rehab/Reconstruction One of the first items to consider is the value of the roads within NOACA’s primary area of concern (urban and local federal-aid systems). Using the RoadMatrix PMS, the replacement value of NOACA roads was determined using the road square footage values and unit cost per square foot for reconstruction. Although this is a simplistic estimate of the replacement value, it does provide an estimated value of the network. The total replacement value of urban and local system roads was determined to be approximately $5 billion, consisting of approximately $3.8 billion for local system roads and $1.2 billion for urban system roads. Several scenarios were run, but the scenario most appropriate for the discussion of the 20-year analysis is the unlimited budget scenario. If completely unconstrained by the budget, all backlog would be eliminated at a cost of $7 billion over a 22-year analysis period (from 2018 to 2040). The list of pavement projects is available upon request. Figure 3.2-8: Cost of Rehabilitations by Lane-Length

Bridge Management Software – For this analysis, bridge inventory and condition data were collected from the 2014 national bridge inventory (NBI) data submitted by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) as part of the national bridge inspection program. The NBI database is a collection of information that covers all of the nation’s bridges more than 20 feet long that carry public roads, including interstate highways, U.S. highways, state, and county roads, as well as publicly accessible bridges on federal lands. In Ohio any self-supported structure equal or greater than 10 feet in length is considered a bridge. Thus, inventory and condition data of highway bridges between 10 feet and 20 feet were

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collected from ODOT’s Transportation Information Mapping System (TIMS). These “non-NBI- length” bridges are scrutinized at the same level as the NBI-length bridges. Future system-wide bridge condition, using the measure of percentage of the deck area of bridges that is not structurally deficient (good or fair) based on NBI ratings, was projected using the FHWA’s National Bridge Investment Allocation System (NBIAS). FHWA used the NBIAS to produce a report to Congress on the condition, performance, and future capital investment needs of the nation’s bridges. NBIAS is designed to minimize maintenance costs by generating an optimal set of preservation actions for bridge elements based on life-cycle user and agency costs, and engineering standards of bridge maintenance needs. Bridge replacement and improvement costs were adjusted to Ohio, based on state-specific adjustment factors developed by FHWA from cost data provided by the states. System preservation needs were estimated over a 23-year period (i.e., 2017-2040) for the entire federal-aid network. To achieve a state of good repair for the entire federal-aid network, NBIAS determines the maximum performance level based on economic optimization analyses that consist of life-cycle user and agency costs. NBIAS estimates that an annual investment equivalent to $205 million in 2016 dollars is the optimal funding needed to achieve the maximum performance at which maintenance needs are cost-effectively addressed as intended in their life cycle. The table below contains the 2014 general condition appraisal of bridges in the NOACA region. The list of bridge projects is available upon request. Figure 3.2-9: Condition Appraisal of Bridges in NOACA’s Region

Cuyahoga Geauga Lake Lorain Medina NOACA % of Condition Appraisal County County County County County Region Total

9 - As Built 29 36 8 56 38 167 5.4% 8 - Very Good 126 92 47 96 79 440 14.3% 7 - Good 391 51 70 139 165 816 26.6% 6 - Satisfactory 460 74 108 177 132 951 31.0% 5 - Fair 152 14 41 87 64 358 11.7% 4 - Poor 105 13 12 39 44 213 6.9% 3 - Serious 46 1 7 13 28 95 3.1% 2 - Critical 12 0 2 4 1 19 0.6% 1 - "Imminent" Failure 3 0 0 0 0 3 0.1% 0 - Failed 4 1 0 2 0 7 0.2% Total 1,328 282 295 613 551 3,069 100.0%

% Good and Above 41.1% 63.5% 42.4% 47.5% 51.2% 46.4% 46.4%

Source: The Ohio Department of Transportation Goals, Objectives and Measures/Targets

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The NOACA Board of Directors adopted the Regional Strategic Plan, Going Forward, Together, on January 23, 2015. The Regional Strategic Plan is a progressive approach for propelling the region forward in an era of changing demographics, job climate, and funding constraints. An overarching goal of the plan is to keep Northeast Ohio sustainable, competitive in a global economy, and effective at moving people and freight. The plan embraces a vision statement, five goals, and strategies for meeting the goals and effectively allocating the region’s resources. NOACA's Vision Statement NOACA will STRENGTHEN regional cohesion, PRESERVE existing infrastructure, and BUILD a sustainable multimodal transportation system to SUPPORT economic development and ENHANCE quality of life in Northeast Ohio. Goals, Objectives, and Strategies The goals for inclusion in the transportation asset management program are drawn from the mission statement. All actions of the Transportation Asset Management Program support NOACA’s mission and tie back to the organizational goals. The objectives are goals at a more specific and actionable level. The objectives provide a description of what NOACA intends to achieve through its Transportation Asset Management Program. The strategies help create a roadmap to achieving objectives. The objectives and strategies were developed in collaboration with the Transportation Asset Management Steering Committee and are included in the Transportation Asset Management Plan. Strengthen Regional Cohesion Objective 1. Establish Transportation Asset Management as a regional priority • Strategy 1A. Support consistent use of TAM to support decision making • Strategy 1B. Partner with public and business community leaders to demonstrate links to economic development and quality of life • Strategy 1C. Conduct extensive outreach both to inform and obtain input from regional partners and the public on key asset management decision points Objective 2. Serve as a liaison for NOACA members and partners such as ODOT and FHWA • Strategy 2A. Foster agreement on common TAM goals and language • Strategy 2B. Ensure consistency and transparency in project selection and funding priorities • Strategy 2C. Develop and maintain policies that reflect the priorities of local and regional partners Preserve Existing Infrastructure Objective 3. Apply a “fix-it first” mentality for projects that rely on NOACA funds • Strategy 3A. Communicate areawide preservation needs/costs • Strategy 3B. Pursue new funding mechanisms to support system preservation investment

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• Strategy 3C. Develop a TAM policy that supports preservation projects before allocating resources for expansion • Strategy 3D. Incorporate TAM into the long-range planning process and strengthen the link between the region’s long-range transportation plan and investment decisions Objective 4. Achieve a state-of-good-repair (SOGR) for roadway assets

- Strategy 4A. Formally adopt SOGR targets for NOACA planning and programming - Strategy 4B. Prioritize funding of projects that help achieve condition targets - Strategy 4C. Regularly monitor and share progress toward condition targets Objective 5. Promote a least-life-cycle cost approach to transportation infrastructure investment • Strategy 5A. Strengthen data as a regional asset by developing and sharing data resources • Strategy 5B. Provide tools to support transparent data-driven decision making for transportation investment • Strategy 5C. Develop business processes that clearly connect the agency’s strategic objectives with its investment decisions • Strategy 5D. Communicate impacts of “worst first” and “do nothing” scenarios • Strategy 5E. Provide guidance on considering life-cycle costs for new assets Build a Sustainable and Multimodal Transportation System to Support Economic Development and Enhance Quality of Life Objective 6. Expand Transportation Asset Management program to other modes • Strategy 6A. Support data development for other modes such as transit, pedestrian, and bike, and other asset types such as safety infrastructure and signals • Strategy 6B. Support condition targets for other modal assets such as transit, pedestrian and bike amenities, freight assets • Strategy 6C. Support investment decisions that improve transportation conditions and performance for nonmotorized users

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Measures and Targets Pavement condition rating (PCR) is a scoring method to monitor pavement conditions over time. Each pavement segment is given a numeric rating between 0 and 100. The score is determined by deducting points from 100 for each observable distress according to guidance issued by ODOT.4 ODOT used the PCR score to determine condition categories for each highway segment, as shown to the right. PCR Classifications Pavement Condition In January 2017, as required by the Fixing America's Surface Rating (PCR) Transportation (FAST) ACT, FHWA issued the final rule making on assessing pavement and bridge conditions for the National Very Good 90 - 100 Highway Performance Program (NHPP) (82 FR 5886).5 This rule establishes a minimum pavement condition for interstate pavements, proposes the establishment of minimum pavement condition levels for the national highway system (NHS) by state Good 75 - 89 DOTs, and describes the process to be used by state DOTs to establish and report their targets. The rule proposes that state DOTs report four condition metrics, Fair 65 - 74 including rutting, international roughness index (IRI), cracking, and faulting. A method is proposed for combining these metrics into an assessment of Good, Fair, or Poor condition for each Fair to Poor 55 - 64 segment. State DOTs will be required to establish their own targets for statewide condition of NHS pavements. MPOs will have the choice of establishing their own targets for NHS Poor 40 - 54 pavements within their jurisdictions or supporting the target established by the state. There is no requirement for assessing the condition, reporting, or setting targets for non-NHS federal- Very Poor 0 - 39 aid-eligible pavements. The International Roughness Index (IRI) rating shall be determined for all pavement types using the criteria in Figure 3.2-10.

4 Ohio DOT, 2006 PCR Manual. 5 See https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/tpm/rule.cfm.

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Figure 3.2-10: Pavement Rating Criteria Rating Metric Good Fair Poor IRI (inches per mile) <95 95-170 >170 Cracking (percent of area) <5% 5%-20% >20% (asphalt) Cracking (percent of area) <5% 5%-15% >15% (jointed concrete) Cracking (percent of area) <5% 5%-10% >10% (CRCP) Rutting (inches) <0.20 0.20-0.40 >0.40 Faulting (inches) <0.10 0.10-0.15 >0.15

Pavement Infrastructure Condition Measures and Targets Establishment of infrastructure condition targets is challenging for any agency, and budget implications and sustainability must be balanced with the expectations of decision makers and constituents. NOACA established condition target values that will help the agency coordinate among member communities to attain the best network conditions region-wide and support continued improvement over time. Bridge Infrastructure Condition Measures and Targets Per federal inspection standards, bridges are assigned a rating that represents the general condition of the structure. Structural assessments, together with ratings of the physical condition of key bridge components, determine whether a bridge is classified as “structurally deficient” or “functionally obsolete.” The three components of a bridge that are individually inspected and rated are the deck surface; the superstructure that supports the deck; and the substructure, which supports the superstructure and distributes all bridge loads to below-ground bridge footings. Structural assessments determine whether a bridge is classified as structurally deficient or not structurally deficient. A bridge is considered structurally deficient if significant load-carrying elements are found to be in poor condition due to deterioration and/or damage.6 A structurally deficient bridge requires significant maintenance and repairs to remain in service. The classification of a bridge as “structurally deficient” does not imply that it is unsafe for travel. FHWA guidelines assign a condition rating of good, fair, or poor based on the minimum National Bridge Inventory (NBI) condition rating of the deck, superstructure, and substructure. If the NBI rating is 4 or below for any of the three bridge components, the bridge is classified as structurally deficient.

6 FHWA, Bridge Preservation Guide, August 2011.

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Figure 3.2-11: Bridge Condition Ratings NBI Rating Bridge Condition Structural Classification ≥7 Good Not Deficient 5 or 6 Fair Not Deficient ≤4 Poor Deficient

For bridges on the NHS, the FAST ACT establishes the minimum condition level as “no more than 10 percent of the total NHS bridge deck area may be on structurally deficient bridges.” Figure 3.2-12 gives the performance measures and targets that will measure how effectively NOACA is achieving the goals and objectives of the Regional Strategic Plan and the transportation asset management program. Figure 3.2-12: NOACA Performance Measures and Targets Item Performance Measure Target Funds Percentage of NOACA- 90% administered Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) funds dedicated toward preservation of the existing transportation system Pavements Average network condition level 80 for the urban and local federal- aid system, including non- interstate national highway system (NHS), using an average weighted pavement condition rating (PCR) on a 0 to 100 scale Percentage of the network 85% above the average weighted PCR of 55 for the urban and local federal-aid system, including non-interstate national highway system (NHS), using an average weighted PCR on a 0 to 100 Bridges Average general appraisal for 6.8 all structures more than 20 long on the urban and local federal- aid system, including non- interstate NHS. The General Appraisal (GA) is a composite condition measurement of the

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major structural items of a bridge such as superstructure, piers, and abutments. General Appraisal values range from 0 to 9, with 9 being like new and 0 being out of service. Percent of bridge deck area on No more than 10% structurally deficient bridges for all structures more than 20 feet long on the urban and local federal-aid system, including non-interstate NHS. A bridge is considered to be structurally deficient if the deck, superstructure, substructure, or culvert is rated in "poor" condition (0 to 4 on the national bridge inventory [NBI] rating scale).

Public/Stakeholder Engagement There are three primary goals for outreach activities: • Inform regional stakeholders of the long-term benefits to investing in the preservation of the transportation system • Build buy-in for the asset management approach adopted by NOACA • Promote the use of asset management principles in the region, which will lead to improved performance of the entire regional transportation system Outreach consists of internal and external communication. Internal outreach involves steering committee meetings and Committee and Board meeting presentations. External outreach includes peer reviews, webinars, and presentations at conferences. External outreach will also involve presentations given to the individual counties that make up the NOACA region. The stakeholders include elected and appointed officials serving the cities, counties, and townships in the region; residents and other members of the traveling public in the region; and businesses affected by transportation investment decisions, including freight carriers and transit agencies, within the region. Recommendations Strategies to Minimize the Life-Cycle Cost When a new asset is built, the owner is committing not only to the initial construction costs, but also to the future costs of maintaining and operating that asset. Over a long time, future costs can be much greater than the initial cost. An important part of TAM is managing facilities as cost effectively as possible over the entire service life and to be mindful of whole-life costs when making decisions about an asset. According to the AASHTO Transportation Asset Management Guide, life-cycle management is characterized as “maintaining existing system performance at a constant desired level while

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minimizing resource consumption and externalities over the long term.” Life-cycle management applies data and analytics to develop a long-term strategy for managing an asset or group of similar assets at the lowest possible whole-life cost. This is accomplished by addressing all phases of an asset’s life cycle and applying the most effective treatment at each point in an asset’s life. The emphasis is on long-term preservation and sustainability without sacrificing system performance or public safety. One approach to maintaining or replacing assets is to rank asset from worst condition to best condition and then work down the list until funds are expended. This is called a worst first approach and is not optimal. Most often, assets that are prioritized on a worst first basis require reconstruction or replacement, which is very costly relative to other types of maintenance and preservation activities. A more cost-effective approach is to consider preventive maintenance activities and rehabilitation activities that stop short of asset replacement. A common example of a preventive maintenance activity is changing the oil in a car. Car owners who change the oil in their car can significantly extend the life of their engine compared to owners who perform no work until the engine seizes up and requires replacement. Preventive maintenance and rehabilitation are designed to slow down the deterioration of an asset and prolong its life. As an asset’s life span is extended, expensive replacement can be pushed further into the future. As a result, preventive maintenance and rehabilitation strategies can drive down the overall cost of ownership. Implementing life-cycle management requires information about the assets to be managed, such as the type of asset being managed, asset locations, attributes (owner or responsible agency, funding eligibility, age, etc.), and condition. Information is also needed on how the assets deteriorate, what types of treatments are available to prevent or correct that deterioration, and how much these treatments cost. Once the necessary data is collected, computer models are used to determine the most cost-effective treatment option for each asset. Treatment options generally range from “do nothing” to “complete replacement.” These computer models can be used to help an agency determine the funding needed to achieve a desired condition state, the optimal use of available funds, and many other calculations that previously would have been determined through expert judgment or consensus. Using a life-cycle approach to manage a population of assets, such as a pavement network, agencies find that it is much more cost effective to apply preservation treatments earlier in the life cycle of an asset to prevent deterioration from progressing to a point where only expensive treatments are viable. This strategy is much more cost effective because lower-cost treatments can be used while the asset is still in good condition. When considered over the serviceable life of an asset, the preservation strategy results in a lower annualized life-cycle cost because low-cost treatments are used to extend the life of the asset and postpone the need for more costly rehabilitation treatments. NOACA has implemented a pavement management system to support life-cycle management. The system will provide results and insights into the benefits and consequences of potential planning and programming strategies, allowing the best possible use of available resources. In addition, the NBIAS bridge needs assessment tool will be used to strengthen NOACA’s understanding of the life-cycle management needs of bridges within the region. The pavement management system supports life-cycle management by selecting the most appropriate treatment for each pavement section in each year of the analysis period according to decision trees. The decision trees use condition data to determine the most appropriate, lowest-cost treatment for each segment.

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Using the treatment recommendations from the decision trees, analysts can determine the most appropriate time to apply maintenance treatments and at what point more costly repairs or rehabilitations will be needed if maintenance is not applied. Combining this information on optimal treatment timing with other inventory data such as functional class and traffic volume, NOACA can develop a prioritized list of treatments that would deliver the greatest overall benefit for the given budget. To facilitate life-cycle management, the data in the pavement management system and the decision trees will be updated annually. Information on treatment types, costs, and decision trees will be updated based on information gathered from member agencies. The pavement management system will be used to analyze the projected benefits of various investment strategies and budget levels. This information can then be used to inform the planning and project prioritization/selection decisions. To facilitate life-cycle management for structures, the Bridge Priority Index (BPI) was developed to rank all bridges in priority order for repair or reconstruction based on their condition, functional class, and traffic demand. Each of these elements consists of factors that were given weighted values to reflect the level of their relative importance. Each element was given or assigned a numerical “Significance Factor” to reflect its relative significance, as described below. BPI = . + . ( + ) + .  BPI𝟑𝟑: Bridge𝟓𝟓 𝐀𝐀𝐀𝐀𝐀𝐀𝐰𝐰𝐰𝐰 Priority𝟐𝟐 𝟓𝟓 Index𝐆𝐆𝐆𝐆𝐰𝐰𝐰𝐰 𝐒𝐒𝐒𝐒𝐰𝐰𝐰𝐰 𝟏𝟏 𝟓𝟓 𝐅𝐅𝐅𝐅𝐰𝐰𝐰𝐰  : Average Daily Traffic Weighted Value

 𝐀𝐀𝐀𝐀𝐀𝐀𝐰𝐰𝐰𝐰: Bridge Condition General Appraisal Weighted Value  𝐆𝐆𝐆𝐆𝐰𝐰𝐰𝐰: Bridge Condition Sufficiency Rating Weighted Value

 𝐒𝐒𝐒𝐒𝐰𝐰𝐰𝐰: Functional Class Weighted Value Significance𝐅𝐅𝐅𝐅𝐰𝐰𝐰𝐰 Factors:  3.5: For Average Daily Traffic  2.5: For Bridge Condition (Combined General Appraisal and Sufficiency Rating)  1.5: For Functional Class The higher the Bridge Priority Index, the more urgent or compelling is the need to prioritize the bridge to address its condition. Strategies to Manage Risks To identify the greatest risks to NOACA’s mission, a risk register was developed with the support of the TAM Steering Committee and participants in a risk workshop. To provide consistent scoring within the risk register, scoring tables were used for several categories of consequences. Consequences were rated on a scale from one to five, with five being the most severe. The consequence categories included public safety, asset condition impact, regional scope, mobility, and financial impact. A regional scope score of one, for example, would indicate that the event would impact a single asset. A regional scope score of five would indicate that the event would impact many assets across the region. The other categories were given similar ranges from moderate to severe impact.

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Likelihood of occurrence was also rated on a scale of one to five, which represented a range from one instance in 10 years (one) to more than one instance per year (five). To generate a single risk score, the likelihood rating was multiplied by the average of the different consequence categories. This produces a single risk score ranging from one (lowest likelihood and lowest consequences in all categories) up to a possible 25 (highest likelihood and highest consequences in all categories). A higher score indicates a greater risk and a stronger need to ensure that risk mitigation strategies are in place. Investment Strategies As an MPO, NOACA is responsible for leading the coordinated transportation planning efforts for its constituent area of Northeast Ohio. Fundamental to this effort is establishing policies and procedures that will enable the shared objectives of AIM Forward 2040 and the TIP to be achieved as efficiently as possible. To this end, life-cycle management is a core principle of long-term and short-term strategies, and all available tools, particularly the newly developed pavement management system, will be used to improve decisions in all aspects of planning and programming highway and bridge projects. Efforts will be directed toward gaining consensus on the need to adopt life-cycle management practices and a common set of asset management priorities, not just for federal-aid-eligible roads, but all public transportation funding. In doing so, NOACA will lead efforts to make planning and programming more data driven, goal-oriented, and objective. While member agencies are free to establish their own strategies for investing local funds, the adoption of life-cycle management principles in all member communities, along with the development of common asset management priorities, would be of great benefit to the region. NOACA will work to educate managers of external funding programs on asset management practices and make the newly developed pavement management systems available to external managers for use in managing their assets on and off the federal-aid-eligible system. NOACA has opportunities to leverage its role as a project sponsor within the region by: • Dedicating the bulk of STBG funds to pavement projects of regional benefit on the urban and local federal-aid-eligible systems. Analysis of the 20-year pavement needs of the region has clearly demonstrated that funds are sorely needed on the urban and local federal-aid- eligible systems. While there are also important bridge projects, the bridge needs of the region largely fall under ODOT’s jurisdiction. NOACA should devote its attention to the parts of the system where it can make a significant difference. Developing a Transportation Asset Management Policy to formalize investment in regional preservation. With greater tools at its disposal and a deeper understanding of the pavement needs of the region, NOACA should consider developing a new program with a more aggressive funding allocation as the primary mechanism and leveraging its role as a project sponsor into a better state of repair for the region. TAMP Policy This policy establishes the link between the agency’s strategic objectives with its investment decisions. Components of the policy are: • Policy Statement • Authority • Purpose

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• Background • Policy • Infrastructure Targets • Funding Implementation Action Areas Development of this TAMP represents an improved process; however, this process needs to be standardized so the strategies and goals described here are implemented and updated as necessary. The TAMP should be updated approximately every two years under the direction of a Steering Committee. This will provide a plan that has a planning horizon between the LRTP and TIP (10 years). In addition it helps balance the TAMP’s focus between strategy and tactics. While the initial TAMP is intended to focus primarily on pavements and bridges, the program should ultimately expand to include other assets such as transit, bicycle, and pedestrian amenities. An inventory of completed and planned infrastructure projects, regardless of funding source, will be maintained and updated annually. Implementation of this TAMP will require that member communities understand and embrace life-cycle management, preservation strategies, and goal-oriented programming. To facilitate adoption of these practices, NOACA staff will provide targeted and significant outreach and support. It is important that the public understand why and how this evolution in thinking and process is being made. Preservation strategies implemented at budget levels below ideal can lead to programming decisions that seem counterintuitive. An example would be deciding to apply maintenance on a section of road in good condition to keep it from requiring much more expensive repairs, while a neighboring road that is already in poor condition receives no major work. The reason for these types of decisions is that the future cost incurred if the former pavement goes untreated is significant, while there is no increase in future cost for postponing the latter. These are hard decisions to make and explain. For the sake of future transportation users and taxpayers, however, it is essential that NOACA remain disciplined in the implementation of life-cycle management. Public outreach will be needed at every opportunity and to every constituent group. Elected officials, interest groups, and individual citizens all have specific concerns regarding the health and future of the transportation system. Each will need specific, targeted information to understand how life-cycle management is the best overall approach for preserving the system at the lowest possible cost. Monitoring, Assessing and Documenting Performance NOACA will report on the effectiveness of the performance measures annually. NOACA will use existing tools and new ones to monitor and forecast the condition of the region’s assets, and to prioritize projects based on the performance goals. To monitor the condition of the pavement, ODOT will collect pavement condition ratings on all of the federal-aid roadways in NOACA’s region every two years.

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3.3 Transportation System Resiliency Introduction Resiliency is a process for managing complex infrastructures rather than a single outcome. It is a cradle-to-grave process for engineering, building, and operating a fault-tolerant, safe, secure, smart, efficient, and sustainable transportation infrastructure system. Resiliency is a risk-based and life-cycle process for addressing the vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure systems, making the system work smarter and better able to adapt to unexpected challenges. Resiliency is not just about a post-disaster capability for rapid recovery. Nor is resiliency only about protecting assets. Resiliency is derived from the fundamental principles of layered defense and risk mitigation. As such, a resiliency framework takes an adaptive life-cycle approach to tackling the dynamic challenges that confront today’s complex infrastructure systems. Embedded in it is the capability to protect its assets, anticipate and detect threats, prevent risks of known failures, withstand unanticipated disruptions, and respond and recover rapidly when the worst does happen. NOACA is working to integrate strategies into the planning process to be more resilient in the face of a changing climate. As the region adjusts to increasingly extreme weather events, stress on public facilities, and higher costs of services, there is growing need not only to plan for these events, but also to reduce the affects through resilience planning. Moreover, resiliency should also incorporate reducing green house gas (GHG) emissions to minimize their contribution to climate change. Extreme weather, hurricanes, tropical storms, and prolonged intense temperatures have heightened awareness of a changing climate. Even for those who are skeptical about the long- term effects of this change, there is strong evidence to suggest that these extreme weather events are occurring more frequently, with the need for state transportation agencies to respond to the aftermath. Over the longer term, the latest climate modeling projects the climate to change at an increasingly rapid pace over the coming decades. Such change will likely alter both long-term climatic averages and the frequency and severity of extreme weather, both of which play an important role in the planning, design, operations, maintenance, and management of highways. Projected climate and weather changes will have important implications for the long-term safety and functionality of the highway system. Goals, Objectives, Measures/Targets NOACA’s Regional Strategic Plan is a progressive approach for propelling the region forward in an era of changing demographics, job climate, and funding constraints. An overarching goal of the plan is to keep Northeast Ohio sustainable, competitive in a global economy, and effective at moving people and freight.

The plan embraces a vision statement, five goals, and strategies for meeting the goals and effectively allocating the region’s resources. The most important aspect to resilience planning is working together across jurisdictional boundaries. Goal 1 of the Regional Strategic Plan is Strengthen Regional Cohesion. The strategies to achieve this goal are identified below. • Foster collaboration on issues of transportation, air and water quality that will lead to greater regional cohesion and cooperation on other issues of regional concern.

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• Work with governments in the region as well as state and federal authorities to remove barriers to joint development or maintenance of infrastructure by multiple governmental entities and by governmental and private entities. • Work with governments in the region as well as state and federal authorities to promote cost sharing, purchasing coordination, and consolidation of services to improve the efficiency and reduce the costs of developing and maintaining transportation and water infrastructure. • Facilitate and promote the sharing of best practices for regional collaboration and cost sharing. • Ensure infrastructure investments are planned and implemented to maximize transportation benefits across all impacted communities. • Promote infrastructure investments that enhance the interrelationships of communities within the region. Further goals specifically dealing with mitigating climate change effects should be developed. Impacts/Risks An asset is vulnerable to climatic conditions if conditions such as intense precipitation and extreme temperatures and their aftermath result in asset failure or sufficient damage to reduce the functionality of the asset. Climate-related risk relates not only to the failure of that asset but also to the consequences or magnitudes of costs associated with that failure. In this case, a consequence might be the direct replacement costs of the asset, direct and indirect costs to asset users, and the economic costs to society given the disruption to transportation caused by failure of the asset or even temporary loss of its services. The complete risk equation is: Risk = Probability of Climate Event Occurrence × Probability of Asset Failure × Consequence or Costs7 Projected climate changes by 2050: • Increased temperature; estimated increase in the NOACA region of 4 to 5 degrees. • Increased precipitation; estimated increase in the NOACA region of 5%8 As shown in Figure 3.3-1, the projected climate changes will affect the transportation system in many ways. Increased temperatures and prolonged heat waves could cause premature deterioration of infrastructure, damage to asphalt roads from buckling and rutting, and stress the steel in bridges through thermal expansion. The increase in precipitation poses an increased risk of flooding, and if the precipitation falls as rain rather than snow, there is an increased risk of landslides and road washouts. If the soil moisture levels become too high, the structural integrity of roads and bridges could be compromised.

7 Strategic Issues Facing Transportation, Volume 2: Climate Change, Extreme Weather Events, and the Highway System: Practitioner’s Guide and Research Report. 8 Based on output from MAGICC/SCENGEN, which reports data in 2.5 degree grid boxes. Each grid box is approximately 150 miles across and contains an average change in temperature and precipitation for the entire grid box. The data are interpolated and smoothed to make them more presentable. Since the data are smoothed, transitions between different changes in precipitation (and temperature) should not be taken as being exact model output.

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Figure 3.3-1: Potential Impacts of Climate Change

Source: Addressing-Climate-Change-Impacts-on-Infrastructure-Report The uncertainty associated with changing conditions are risks. Risk management is a process of identifying sources of risk, evaluating them, and integrating mitigation actions and strategies into an agency’s transportation asset management plan. Risk refers to events, such as performance failure, weather events, cost controls, the selection of suboptimal preservation projects, regulatory delays, construction delays, etc., that interfere with NOACA’s ability to perform its mission. Risk management for NOACA involves systematically identifying, analyzing, assessing, and managing the risks that threaten the ability to achieve its organizational objectives. NOACA has five risk categories: • Infrastructure damage • Environmental and Extreme Weather • Funding • Internal (including training and staff characteristics) • External (including political, stakeholder reputation, and regulatory) A Transportation Asset Management Risk Workshop was held in July 2015. At the workshop, regional stakeholders identified these risks as having the highest priority: • Bridges are structurally damaged by motor vehicle crashes, accelerating repair/rehab • Lack of regular maintenance leads to deteriorated infrastructure and more costly repairs • Bridges fail or are posted for weight restriction (NOT rendered inserviceable) • Bridges or pavement are damaged due to overweight/overheight loadings • Extreme snowfall causes major disruptions in mobility • Federal officials reduce funds across the board for transportation • State officials increase maintenance obligations without identifying a funding stream • No new dedicated capital funding streams are instituted

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• Inability to provide local match prevents scheduled projects from coming to fruition • State officials earmark or mandate capital projects • Major events force change in priorities • Lack of coordination between other infrastructure projects, which deteriorates pavements more quickly or disrupts schedules NOACA maintains a risk register, which was developed for the TAMP. Managing the risks identified in the risk register will be part of the general long-range planning, research, and policy development work. Raising awareness of long-term risks and communicating potential consequences to regional decision makers is also a valuable responsibility. Climate change has the potential to have major impacts on the infrastructure and environmental assets. Increased precipitation may require additional on-site capacity to manage storm water and off-site infiltration and storage to free capacity on storm water conveyance systems. Multimodal transportation networks will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from mobile sources and diversify travel options for local residents. Recommendations Implement the following strategies to reduce the vulnerability to natural disasters: • Coordinate with agencies in natural disaster risk reduction • Develop an adaptation framework • Assess the vulnerability of transportation assets to types of natural disasters • Identify at-risk assets and potential impacts of disasters • Evaluate approaches to system management, operations, and maintenance • Determine assets to retrofit, rehabilitate, or relocate • Analyze appropriate areas to build new facilities • Prioritize funding using costs, benefits, risks, and impacts • Develop systems for monitoring and reporting • Educate and engage decision makers, partners, and the public • Integrate resilience concepts into asset management • Reduce transportation greenhouse gases (GHGs) Implementation Action Areas • Projects that decrease greenhouse gases • Expand transit • Transit vehicle replacements with CNG buses • Nonmotorized improvements • Signal timing optimization projects

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• Ramp metering • Reduce bottlenecks • Congestion reduction • Reduction of single occupancy vehicle trips • Rideshare • Vanpools • Projects that create redundancy of critical infrastructure • Redundant highway or bridge constructed • Enhance intelligent transportation systems (ITS) • Projects that adapt to the effects of climate change on infrastructure • Additional on-site capacity to manage storm water and off-site infiltration and storage to free capacity on storm water conveyance systems • Extreme temperature pavement design Monitoring, Assessing and Documenting Performance Performance measures and targets will be established through the development of a steering committee consisting of local partners, ODOT, FHWA, DHS, and local safety forces. This committee will also establish the standards for (or implementation of?) monitoring, assessing, and documenting the progress toward the targets.

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3.4: Freight Introduction Freight is synonymous with economic competitiveness and job creation. From the materials with which roads are built, to the cars and bikes on those roads, to the products we’re going to the store to buy, freight is everywhere. Freight can be measured by the value of the product or the tonnage being shipped, and when these numbers are growing, it’s a good indication that the economy is growing as well. A total of 65,510 people were employed in transportation and material-moving occupations in the Cleveland-Elyria Metropolitan Statistical Area in 2015, and their goods movement supported 313,700 people employed in freight-related industries.9 A focus on efficient freight movement will help businesses retain these jobs while positioning them for future growth. Northeast Ohio, being within a day’s drive of 60% of the United States and Canadian population, is in a great position to capitalize on goods movement .10 To take full advantage of this, the infrastructure that allows freight to move efficiently around the region must be maintained. In the business world, time is money—delays in shipping cost businesses money, making it harder for existing businesses to grow and new businesses to locate in Northeast Ohio. Accordingly, NOACA has made freight planning an integral part of the decision-making process in allocating resources. While freight planning has always been important, transportation planning with a focus on freight stakeholders has become more prominent over the past few years at all levels. The Federal Highway Administration released a draft National Freight Strategic Plan in late 2015. Also at the national level, draft performance measures were released in 2016 that focus specifically on freight movement. With the passage of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act in late 2015, a freight-specific federal grant program was created for the first time, showing that Congress recognizes the importance of freight projects and is willing to fund them. The Ohio Department of Transportation conducted a Statewide Freight Study that was published in November 2013 and released a FAST Act compliant freight plan in January 2017. NOACA will examine these sources and further develop processes at the regional level for AIM Forward 2040 as well as a dedicated Multimodal Freight Plan in 2017. Through these initiatives, NOACA will enhance freight system performance while also improving the safety, security, and resiliency of the system.

9 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides data for the Transportation and Materials-Moving Occupations and Farm employment at http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_17460.htm#53-0000. The Ohio Department of Jobs & Family Services, Labor Market Information, provides employment data for Wholesale; Retail; Manufacturing; and Mining, Logging, and Construction industries at http://ohiolmi.com/ces/lmr.htm. 10 Ohio Department of Transportation, Transport Ohio: Comprehensive Freight Plan, January 2017,http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Planning/SPR/StatewidePlanning/Documents/ODOT_FreightPl an_FINAL_1.30.17.pdf, 1.

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Figure 3.4-1: Regional Freight Network

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Current Conditions and Future Projections The freight transportation system in Northeast Ohio boasts an extensive road and rail system, three ports, and a major international airport (see Figure 3.4-1). As seen in Figure 3.4-2, truck shipping is the dominant mode of freight movement; however, each mode has its benefits and drawbacks and is better suited for different types of goods. Having multiple options therefore makes it easier for businesses to operate in the region and increases system reliability and resiliency. This section will provide an overview of each mode, key commodities, and projections for goods movement.11 Figure 3.4-2: 2015 Freight by Mode

2015 Freight by Mode 300000

250000

200000

150000

100000

50000

0 Air Multiple Other and Pipeline Rail Truck Water (include modes & unknown truck-air) mail

Tons (in thousands) Value (in millions)

Modes Air Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is the primary air cargo carrier in the region. The airport offers several different cargo and handling companies—Delta Airlines Cargo, FedEx, Servisair GlobeGround, Southwest, United Cargo, UPS, and the United States Postal Service. While making up a very small fraction of all freight shipped in the region, air cargo is often highly valuable and profitable, which is necessary to justify the relatively higher cost and speed compared to other modes. In fact, air cargo has by far the greatest dollar value per ton of goods shipped. Goods commonly shipped by air include electronics, precision instruments, other smaller manufactured products, and pharmaceuticals. It will be important for NOACA to maintain adequate access and a state of good repair on the road network leading to and from Hopkins in order to ensure its continued success in shipping these high-value goods.

11 All tonnage and value figures come from the Federal Highway Administration Freight Analysis Framework (FAF4), http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/freight_analysis/faf/index.htm#faf4. Data is for the Cleveland-Akron-Canton Combined Statistical Area. Because freight regularly travels long distances and because of the interconnectedness of the regional economy, it is appropriate to use this scale rather than the five counties of NOACA.

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Pipeline Pipelines are often overlooked as movers of freight because they are fixed objects rather than moving vehicles. Pipelines carry the second highest tonnage of freight exported from and imported to the region, however; this is still projected to be the case in 2045. They carry a variety of liquid and gas products used for transportation, energy production, and industrial processes. These commodities have been found in significant quantities in the Marcellus and Utica shale formations, which are predominantly in the southeastern part of the state. The populous regions and manufacturing centers such as Northeast Ohio are where many of these products are used, however. While NOACA is primarily engaged in roadway projects due to its funding sources and mandates as a metropolitan planning organization, it will be important for planners, elected officials, and other community stakeholders to understand the role of pipelines in the region, including their siting, safety, condition, and compatible land uses. Rail The freight rail system in Northeast Ohio includes two Class I railroads, one Class II, and five short-line railroads. CSX and Norfolk Southern (NS) operate the main lines running east-west through Ohio, providing long-haul service, while regional and short lines provide access to the region’s ports, airport, and intermodal terminals. The Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway is a Class II rail line that serves Northeast Ohio. The Railway owns 558 miles of track in Ohio and has a significant amount of track rights over both CSX and NS.12 The last mile of rail service is dependent on short-line operators to maintain the connectivity between the long-haul railroads and the factories, refineries, and transload facilities. They generally provide point-to-point service over short distances, and most operate between 10 and 100 track miles. These short lines operate mostly on tracks owned by either the Class I or Class II railroads, though they also operate as switching and terminal railroads, which provide local services. Railroads are primarily suited for carrying larger or heavier products such as machinery, plastics and rubber, scrap metal, other metal products, and agricultural commodities with long shelf lives. Class I Rail Terminals: • CSX Cleveland Terminal – East 152nd Street, Cleveland

o Multi-commodity facility o 92 car spots • CSX transflow Terminal – West 3rd Street, Cleveland

o Multi-commodity facility o 105 car spots • Norfolk Southern Terminal – Chardon Road, Euclid

o Bulk transfer terminal – transflow o 101 car spots • Norfolk Southern Terminal – Broadway Avenue, Maple Heights

o Bulk transfer terminal Short-line Railroad Operators:

12 Ohio Rail Development Commission, May 2010,http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Rail/Programs/StatewideRailPlan/Pages/default.aspx.

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• ArcelorMittal – Cleveland Works Railway

o Operates 10 miles of track o Serves the Cleveland steel industries • Cleveland Commercial Railroad

o Operates over 29 miles of lines in eastern Cleveland and between Cleveland and Mantua • Flats Industrial Railroad

o Provides switching service in the Cleveland area o Interchanges with both CSX and NS • Lake Terminal Railroad

o A switching carrier serving steel mills and pipe manufacturers • Newburgh & South Shore Railroad

o Owns and operates three miles of track in the Cleveland area servicing steel, lumber, flour, and metals industries in the area

Truck Regional freight activity is dominated by truck traffic, which carries greater tonnage and value than all other modes combined. To support this, NOACA has developed a Regional Freight Network to help prioritize projects in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and thus ensure that the most heavily traveled truck routes are kept in a state of good repair. With Interstates 76, 80, and 90 traveling west-east and I-71 and I-77 traveling north-south, the region has ample road access easily to reach many major destinations across America. Northeast Ohio further features a robust network of state routes and local roads that has been built over several decades, in some cases to support existing growth but in other cases to support projected growth that may or may not have occurred. A legacy of jobs and population leaving the central cities and spreading through the region has grown the road network but affected the ability to maintain it. This lack of maintenance can cause delays that hurts all road users, including freight trucks, and possibly decrease safety. When NOACA conducted a survey of freight stakeholders in 2011, respondents engaged in trucking stated that poor pavement was the number one concern, while highway congestion ranked fifth. Tight turning radii and turning at traffic lights were second and third. In a section asking about the best aspects of moving freight in Northeast Ohio, interstate access and access to markets were the top two, while low congestion was number three; no one chose road/bridge conditions. Taken together, these rankings indicate that freight stakeholders prioritize maintenance and improvement of existing infrastructure over additional capacity projects. All types of products are shipped by truck, including but certainly not limited to wholesale and retail goods, base metals, many other manufactured products, and perishable foods. Many bulk commodities are shipped on our roadways as well, such as gravel, natural sands, base metals, nonmetal minerals, and scrap metal. Federal regulations set a weight limit of 80,000 pounds for a tractor-trailer; these bulk commodities are typically the ones that result in loads nearest to the weight limit and accordingly do the most road damage. As discussed below in the section on

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Intermodal shipping, encouraging other modes of shipment for these products may be desirable to lessen the wear and tear on the road network. Trucks will always maintain a critical role, though, as even rail and waterway shipping typically involve trucks delivering goods to and from the rail or port facility. Only a select few businesses generate the volume of freight necessary to have a direct rail connection or port facility; these include businesses such as the steel mill on the Cuyahoga River and other bulk commodity or manufacturing enterprises. Commercial and retail establishments actually generate the majority of truck traffic in the region, as they have higher inventory turnover (the rate at which products are brought to the facility and then sold). This is a factor communities can consider in land-use decisions, as proper business siting can reduce vehicle miles traveled and thereby reduce pollutants and the potential for crashes. Communities may also designate truck routes and place signage to direct trucks to or away from certain roads to create safe roads for all users and minimize construction costs, as all roads do not need to be engineered to accommodate truck widths and weights. Care should be taken in these instances, however, because inefficient routing may discourage businesses from locating in the community as well as increase vehicle miles traveled for those businesses that do use the routes. Water The five-county region of Northeast Ohio has three cargo ports, the largest being the Port of Cleveland, where businesses moved 12,999,000 tons in 2014. The second largest port is Fairport Harbor, which moved 1,719,000 tons. The Lorain Harbor is the smallest and moved 960,000 tons of cargo, according to the Army Corps of Engineers.13 Similar to rail freight, water facilities in Northeast Ohio are best suited for moving bulk commodities and other products that do not need to be delivered as rapidly, such as metallic ores, gravel, scrap metal, and agricultural commodities. The Cleveland-Cuyahoga Port Authority has cargo terminals with 12 docks along the Lake Erie shoreline and the Cuyahoga River. The Cleveland Bulk Terminal handles iron ore and limestone as well as other dry bulk cargo. The port facilities are operated by four different companies, and they include 80 acres of owned and leased property, a 45 acre bulk terminal, and 300,000 square feet of inside storage capacity. The port maintains a full seaway depth and has direct access to major Interstates and Class I railroads. Total volume, encompassing shipments via the Port Authority itself as well as other businesses along the river, has more than doubled since the recession of 2007-2009, when it bottomed out at 6,076,000 tons. Iron ore makes up more than half the total volume, with limestone, nonmetallic minerals, and cement and concrete also contributing large shares. In 2015, NOACA awarded $4.9 million dollars to the Port from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant program. The funding was used to purchase cranes for loading and unloading cargo and shows one way NOACA can facilitate multimodal shipping. The Port partnered with a European firm in 2013 to become the first Great Lakes port to offer containerized shipping, which allows a wide variety of products to be shipped between Cleveland and Europe. In the past, these products were sent to East Coast ports, primarily by truck. Shipping them from Cleveland can therefore reduce truck traffic and its associated congestion, air pollution, and road damage, while providing local businesses a low-cost shipping option. Furthermore, containerized shipping offsets some of the fluctuation of bulk commodity shipping, helping the Port remain viable.

13 All data in this section is from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Waterborne Commerce of the United States. Calendar Year 2014, http://www.navigationdatacenter.us/wcsc/pdf/wcusgl14.pdf.

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Fairport Harbor in Lake County is a deep draft commercial harbor with 1.5 miles of channel on the Grand River. Like the Cleveland and Lorain ports, Fairport Harbor suffered in the recession, with volume dropping to 1,122,000 tons in 2009. Unlike the other two ports, 2014 was not the best year since then; rather, 2011 saw a large increase, and tonnage has since declined. Limestone also makes up the bulk of the traffic, with nonmetallic minerals adding nearly all the rest of the volume. The Lorain Harbor in Lorain County is also a deep draft commercial port. Primary commercial traffic includes limestone, along with sand and gravel. Tonnage has continued to rebound from a recession low of 580,000 tons in 2009; however, the 2014 volume is still significantly lower than pre-recession tonnage, which peaked at 3,617,000 tons in 2006. Intermodal The intermodal connectors of the National Highway System (NHS) are the first and last miles of roadway used by truckers to travel between the major highways of the NHS and the nation’s ports, rail terminals, and air cargo hubs. Most NHS connectors are local roads that often weave their way through older industrial and residential neighborhoods.14 They represent an essential link between the highway system and intermodal facilities as well as end users. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) requires that states submit intermodal facilities periodically, and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) tasks NOACA with collecting data for the region. Connectors may be added or removed based on recent volume figures. As of October 2016, the region has 14 intermodal connectors for freight facilities. A comprehensive review of these intermodal connectors was released in November 2015 and can be found on the NOACA website at http://noaca.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=10953. The technical memo concludes: “the majority of the intermodal connectors have issues ranging from minor to pressing that will need to be addressed in the future. Identified conditions include: • poor pavement conditions throughout many of the intermodal connectors • localized congestion in select communities • deteriorating and/or low bridges • inadequate turning radii • lack of signage and road markings The presence of these conditions on intermodal connectors will impede the ability to realize the NOACA goal of supporting economic development and may also create safety issues for all road users.”15 The NOACA Freight Stakeholder Survey in 2011 asked respondents to rate how certain infrastructure issues affected them on a scale of 1 (no problem) to 4 (very serious problem). Connectivity to intermodal connector facilities scored the highest of all options at 2.75. The condition of intermodal connectors scored a 2.5, which was tied for second highest. The conclusions of the Intermodal Connector Technical Memorandum taken together with the stakeholder survey results indicate that infrastructure conditions at intermodal connectors may discourage their usage. Projects at these locations should be strongly considered to increase

14 Intermodal Freight Connectors: Strategies for Improvement, NCHRP Project 8-36, Task 30 . 15 NOACA Intermodal Connector Technical Memorandum, November 2015., http://noaca.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=10953.

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their viability as shipping options. Shipping intermodally removes trucks from our regions roads, thereby reducing road damage, congestion, and air pollution, while providing lower-cost options for businesses. Projections Tonnage and value of freight exported from and imported to Northeast Ohio are both expected to grow over the duration of AIM Forward 2040, and trucking is expected to remain the dominant mode of freight movement. Figure 3.4-3 represents what the FHWA considers its baseline estimate, with tonnage increasing by more than 50% and value by more than 100%. The tonnage increase in particular presents challenges for road maintenance, congestion, and air pollution, as it means significantly more trucks on the road. This is a key factor to consider as decisions are made regarding preservation versus capacity projects. While capacity increases seem like a logical response to an increase in vehicles, this must be balanced with budget constraints. If capacity is added to some corridors while others are not maintained, the result may be a shift in usage from one to the other, resulting in no real capacity addition. Strategies that involve Transportation Asset Management and congestion management will be crucial for best allocating funding. NOACA will continue to engage the business and freight communities regularly to understand their needs. Figure 3.4-3: Tonnage and Value of Freight

Tonnage & Value of Freight 500,000 $900,000.00 450,000 $800,000.00 400,000 $700,000.00 350,000 $600,000.00 300,000 $500,000.00 250,000 $400,000.00 200,000 $300,000.00 150,000 100,000 $200,000.00 50,000 $100,000.00 0 $0.00 2015 2025 2035 2045

Tons (in thousands) Value (in millions)

Growth is expected among almost all modes of transportation for both imports and exports; the only exceptions are a slight decline in the value of products shipped via pipeline and a decline in the tonnage of goods exported via rail. When exports and imports are combined, though, all modes see tonnage and value increases (see Figure 3.4-4).

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Figure 3.4-4: Imports and Exports via Shipping Mode

Mode 2015 2015 Value 2045 2045 Value Tonnage Value Tonnage (in millions) Tonnage (in (in millions) Increase Increase (in thousands) thousands)

Air 405 $45,129 1,479 $193,731 265% 329%

Multiple 10,748 $44,886 15,248 $84,010 42% 87% Modes & Mail

Other & 53 $1,216 202 $4,884 283% 302% Unknown

Pipe 27,316 $13,990 37,711 $15,504 38% 11%

Rail 18,775 $10,966 21,323 $19,537 14% 78%

Truck 239,714 $256,040 370,218 $445,348 54% 74%

Water 16,840 $13,727 25,449 $47,276 51% 244%

Nearly all commodities are expected to grow. Out of 42 commodity classes, only building stone, coal, crude petroleum, fuel oils, gasoline, logs, tobacco products, and wood products are projected to contract in either tonnage or value. Figures 3.4-5 and 3.4-6 show the 10 commodities expected to grow the fastest in tonnage as well as their absolute tonnage; transportation projects can facilitate this expected growth by identifying business locations and ensuring good access and conditions.

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Figure 3.4-5: Top 10 Exports by Tonnage in 2045 Figure 3.4-6: Top 10 Imports by Tonnage in 2045 Exports 2045 Tonnage % Imports 2045 Tonnage % (in thousands) Increase (in thousands) Increase Transportation Equipment 847 311% Precision Instruments 256 257% 213 226% Electronics 2,133 177% Machinery 5,646 163% Precision Instruments Furniture 2,144 141% Electronics 1,603 185% Pharmaceuticals 451 126% Machinery 4,987 125% Transportation 97 103% Meat/Seafood 392 120% Equipment Chemical products 5,728 114% Chemical Products 2,373 99% Pharmaceuticals 113 111% Plastics/Rubber 8,164 97% Furniture 1,580 93% Animal Feed 1,169 95% Misc. Manufacturing 1,304 90% Printed Products 4,438 94% Products Alcoholic Beverages 1,377 88%

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It is important to note that none of these projections is guaranteed--investments made by NOACA, ODOT, and others will shape them. Funding can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. For example, a decrease in funding for rail-related projects because rail tonnage is expected to grow the least may result in poor conditions on rail intermodal connectors, thereby leading shippers to avoid using rail. Freight transportation projects should therefore be evaluated based on their ability to contribute positively to regional goals and performance measures. Northeast Ohio does have several opportunities to grow due to its robust multimodal freight system. As discussed in-depth in the modal descriptions, the region has several interstates, two major rail lines, an international airport, three Great Lakes port facilities, and relatively fast access to major population centers. Few regions are fortunate enough to have this combination. Impediments do exist, though. Most notably, there are scarce financial resources available to maintain and grow the transportation system as needed. Prioritizing projects through transportation asset management, congestion management, and other objective factors will allow NOACA to make the best use of funding. Security & Resilience From a freight perspective, considering security and resilience in planning means reducing the likelihood of adverse events while also providing the ability to ship goods via multiple routes or method if such an event does occur, whether natural or due to human activity. In other words, the region should maintain a diverse portfolio of freight transportation options. Being overly dependent on one mode or one part of a mode means that the region is susceptible if that mode is adversely affected. It may seem callous to think of economic considerations in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, but they become a big concern to the residents of the region during recovery. If a business cannot send or receive shipments, it may be forced to close or reduce hours temporarily, which hurts the business, its employees, and its customers, all of which prolong recovery. Most importantly, disaster assistance will move through the region via these same freight channels; food and water, temporary shelters, construction materials to rebuild, etc., will likely need to be delivered to the communities affected by the event. Individual businesses and logistics service providers choose their shipping methods based on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, speed of delivery and cost, with these two increasing together. Importantly for NOACA and others in the region, externalities such as environmental considerations may, in some cases, not factor into this decision because the cost is borne by the public at large, rather than the specific business. In other words, the general public pays to remediate pollution caused by freight transportation, effectively subsidizing the businesses and consumers who buy the products. Environmental disasters directly affect system resiliency, so as an organization responsible for air and water quality planning, NOACA needs to examine these factors when making investment decisions with public money. One of the biggest externalities is the release of the greenhouses gases (GHGs), particularly carbon dioxide, that drive global warming. In 2013, the transportation sector of the economy released 1,810.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), representing 27.1% of all U.S. GHG emissions; this is second only to the industrial sector at 28.8%. Within the transportation sector, freight accounts for 29.2% of the emissions; trucking makes up the bulk of 16 this at 407.7 tons CO2e out of 528.8 total. Projects and strategies to reduce freight emissions, particularly from trucks, are therefore critical to minimizing global warming. Because global

16 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2013, EPA 430-R-15-004 (Washington, DC: April 15, 2015, table ES-7, http://epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/usinventoryreport.html.

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warming is expected to result in a variety of weather extremes such as increased flood risk, reducing freight sector emissions can therefore increase the resiliency of the system by reducing the risk of these extremes. Truck shipping would be significantly more expensive if the trucking industry had to pay for the infrastructure and environmental damage it causes, and these increased shipping costs would in many cases be passed on to the consumer in the form of higher retail prices. According to a 2015 draft report of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the unpriced external costs of truck shipping are $2.62 to $5.86 per ton-mile of freight moved, while the same costs for rail are just $0.30 to $0.82.17 These costs include pavement damage; traffic congestion; crash risk; greenhouse gases; and local air pollution, specifically particulate matter and nitrous oxides, which are important precursors for ground-level ozone formation. This report drew on an earlier Government Accountability Office (GAO) study, which estimated conservatively that “freight trucking costs that were not passed on to consumers were at least 6 times greater than rail costs and at least 9 times greater than waterways costs per million ton miles of freight transport. Most of these costs were external costs imposed on society.”18 Taken together, these reports indicate that freight-moving businesses are incentivized to choose trucking because they do not pay the full environmental and road maintenance costs. Instead, all taxpayers pay to remediate pollution and maintain infrastructure. Methods to transfer these costs from the public to the responsible businesses and consumers include gas taxes and road tolling; however, it is likely not feasible or legally possible to implement these options at a local or regional level. As such, NOACA and others can instead look to encourage alternate modes of shipping by making infrastructure and land-use decisions that make these modes easily accessible and efficient. Even though shipping via rail or water is cheaper per ton-mile for businesses and have fewer negative external costs for the public, there are three main reasons trucks are the primary shipping mode: consumers demand fast delivery, most businesses do not have rail or waterway access in the same way they have robust road access, and the goods being shipped may be perishable or otherwise time-sensitive. Decades of investment primarily in roadways has created path dependency, whereby shipping via truck has become much more convenient. Even if the projections described earlier are not exactly realized, it is still overwhelmingly likely that trucks will maintain their status as the primary way of moving goods. Important tradeoffs must therefore be considered when investing in freight projects. Projects that involve rail, waterways, or pipelines may improve quality of life via reduced pollution, but they may also hinder efforts at supporting economic development if they come at the expense of maintaining key truck corridors. There are, however, opportunities for NOACA to facilitate the use of lower-polluting options while also encouraging economic development; these win-win scenarios should be explored as fully as possible. For example, the findings on intermodal connector shortcomings discussed earlier may indicate that more businesses would ship via rail or waterways but are discouraged from doing so due to poor infrastructure conditions. NOACA and county/local governments should consider intermodal connector projects as one method of mitigating harmful environmental impacts in our communities. Moreover, communities should consider freight movement when making land use and zoning decisions. Business location has an impact on

17 Congressional Budget Office, Pricing Freight Transport to Account for External Costs, March 2015, https://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/114th-congress-2015-2016/workingpaper/50049- Freight_Transport_Working_Paper-2.pdf. 18 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11134.pdf, Introduction.

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the freight modes available, so ensuring access to multiple methods will be a key to increasing resilience and mitigating environmental impacts. Safety As with the environmental considerations discussed above, different modes of freight movement have different risks and benefits for safety. A crash involving a truck will almost always take place on a road and may involve other vehicles, while other modes will rarely or never do so. Trains may crash or be derailed, causing a standstill in goods movement because there is no way to reroute other trains on the line. Pipelines may have catastrophic safety failures such as an explosion, but the majority involve spills or leaks that don’t cause immediate death or serious injury the way a vehicle or train crash can. Just as with passenger travel, air is safer for freight on a per-mile basis, but a plane crash is typically much more serious and deadly in the rare cases it does happen. All of these factors are weighed by businesses when determining how to ship goods. NOACA and other stakeholders should consider them as well because transportation spending and land-use decisions, as mentioned above, will affect where and how businesses can ship freight, which in part determines the likelihood of harmful events. Truck crashes are typically the most visible because they occur more frequently and are on the same roads passengers travel. Over the five years from 2011 through 2015, medium/heavy vehicles of all types were involved in 14,695 crashes in the region. This is about 6% of all crashes, but it is unknown if the freight vehicle was at fault in these incidents. Of the 14, 695 crashes, 52 resulted in a fatality and another 2,894 in an injury, with 301 of these considered severe. Interestingly, 20% of freight-related crashes resulted in death or serious injury, lower than the 26% rate for all regional crashes, despite the heavy weight of trucks. Because shipping via truck will remain the dominant mode for several reasons discussed in this chapter, planners and other stakeholders should prioritize projects that can reduce the risk of freight truck crashes. Chapter 3.5 discusses strategies for improving roadway safety. Goals, Objectives, and Measures Three topics have been recurrent themes through stakeholder feedback, and freight-specific goals have been derived from them: • Prioritize maintenance over capacity additions. • Facilitate all modes of shipping. • Use targeted strategies to reduce congestion where it impedes freight movement. These closely mirror aspects of the NOACA Vision Statement: STRENGTHEN regional cohesion, PRESERVE existing infrastructure, and BUILD a sustainable multimodal transportation system to SUPPORT economic development and ENHANCE quality of life in Northeast Ohio. They are also similar to goals in the Draft National Freight Strategic Plan that came from MAP- 21 legislation (see Figure 3.4-7).

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Figure 3.4-7: National Freight Strategic Plan Goals

Several objectives in the NOACA Regional Strategic Plan (RSP) align with these national goals, and the objectives then lead to performance measures that will be the basis of planning efforts. In other words, meeting the performance measures will put NOACA in the best position to meet goals. Note in the list of performance measures that the relevant objectives of the RSP are shown in parenthesis. In January 2017 FHWA finalized a performance measure related to freight performance on the Interstate system for travel time reliability. FHWA has determined that a trip should take no more than 50% longer than normal. In other words, a trip that would normally take an hour based on posted speed limits should not take more than an hour and thirty minutes. ODOT will be the entity responsible for submitting this data, and it is currently unknown what role NOACA will play, although NOACA will track the measure. This metric is helpful since Interstates receive the highest truck volumes, but NOACA will also monitor performance measures more appropriate to the regional level. The data used for the FHWA performance measure comes from the National Performance Measures Research Data Set (NPMRDS), and NOACA will

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maintain access to it for use on all roads of the National Highway System, which includes intermodal connectors. NOACA Freight Performance Measures NOACA freight performance measures will include the following: • Average Truck Travel Time Reliability Index on Interstates and the National Highway System (3.1.2, 4.1, 4.5) • Pavement condition on freight intermodal connectors (2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.4, 3.1.3, 3.1.4, 3.1.5, 3.1.6, 3.1.9, 4.1, 4.5) • Pavement condition on corridors where either average daily truck traffic (ADTT) is greater than 1,600 or trucks make up at least 8% of all vehicles (2.1.1, 2.1.2, 4.1, 4.5) • Number of at-grade railroad crossings on National Highway System roads with at least 19 train crossings per 24 hours, which is the average number of trains per day for all regional crossings (2.1.4, 3.1.3, 3.1.4, 3.1.5, 3.1.6, 3.1.9, 4.1, 4.5, 5.3) These performance measures are primarily focused on roadways, as the majority of NOACA spending is designated for roads; however, they can facilitate all modes of shipping. Focusing on intermodal connectors is one way to improve roads while also encouraging modes other than trucking, and eliminating at-grade rail crossings can improve safety for all infrastructure users and also remove potential bottlenecks that discourage rail shipping. NOACA will follow guidance from FHWA and ODOT in setting targets for these performance measures.

Recommendations Economic growth is a key reason for freight planning, and infrastructure investments should be made with this in mind; however, projects should be viewed in a larger context. For example, every political jurisdiction in Cuyahoga County has agreed to an “anti-poaching” protocol for business attraction.19 In doing so, the communities have stated that a business that moves from one community to another is a transfer of economic activity with no net growth, and that the communities believe they will all be better off in the long term by not engaging in this type of business attraction. Similarly, freight projects should enable business growth rather than facilitate relocation. To this end, TIP scoring has been updated to better prioritize roads that receive the highest truck volumes. Figure 3.4-8 displays average truck volumes during 2016. Transportation asset management should likewise be used to recognize deficiencies or poor conditions that have large negative affects on freight. This process will ensure that highly used existing roads are prioritized for funding, which will help retain and grow the businesses using these roads rather than encourage them to move to a different community or out of the region altogether. As shown earlier in this chapter, businesses have indicated that preservation of roads they already use is a more pressing need than additional capacity.

19 Cuyahoga County Business Attraction and Anti-Poaching Protocol, http://media.cleveland.com/metro/other/cuyahoga-county-poaching.PDF.

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Figure 3.4-8: Average Truck Volumes during 2016

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The Multimodal Regional Freight Plan takes a further look at freight-generating industries that are projected to grow in employment over the next decade. NOACA can direct its funding in a way that facilitates growth in the industries that will employ more of the region’s residents. Northeast Ohio has historically been known for manufacturing. It remains so today, but the face of manufacturing is changing. Driving this change are productivity gains due largely to mechanization and automation—more goods can be produced by fewer workers. Research from the Federal Reserve Bank shows that manufacturing output has been steadily increasing for decades and is at an all-time high, while the number of employees in manufacturing has been declining and is near its lowest point in at least 25 years.20 Transportation projects will be able to have the biggest economic development impact if they support industries that are both increasing their volume of goods produced and creating jobs. The Ohio Development Services Agency recognizes 11 target industries important for the state’s economic future, including advanced manufacturing, automotive, food processing, logistics, and polymers and chemicals, which all generate large freight volumes.21 NOACA and local communities should support projects that make all modes of freight movement remain viable. Doing so provides businesses with the widest variety of options to meet their shipping needs, helping them balance cost and speed of delivery so they can maximize profits. Supporting all modes of freight movement also helps keep regional roads uncongested and in a state of good repair, and reduces the negative environmental impacts of shipping. Intermodal connector conditions and access should be a high priority based on feedback from the freight community. Reducing the environmental impacts of shipping, particularly air pollution, is one aspect of increasing quality of life, and other issues must also be considered for livability. Freight vehicles and distribution centers may significantly increase noise, potentially discouraging people from living nearby. Furthermore, the infrastructure that may be considered optimal for these vehicles and centers may be hard to harmonize with other desired uses or roadway design. Land-use and zoning decisions will have to balance the desire for efficient freight movement with mobility and livability concerns. Several options of varying complexity are available to help with this balance, such as clustering freight activity in certain zones, implementing off-hour delivery programs, and designating low-emission zones.22 Land-use decisions are important for accommodating all residents and businesses, particularly in areas that have a mix of uses. For example, NOACA applied for federal funding in 2016 through the FASTLANE grant program to reconstruct roads in the west bank of the Flats in Cleveland. This area is home to multiple businesses that rely on access to Lake Erie shipping. At the same time, redevelopment is occurring that will bring a wide variety of users onto the transportation system; a $450-million apartment complex with ground floor businesses was announced this year, and bike lanes have been discussed on these roads. As redevelopment continues along the waterfront throughout the region, planners will have to ensure that the system is designed for residents to move safely and easily while not jeopardizing the success of businesses that provide jobs in these communities.

20 https://fredblog.stlouisfed.org/2016/05/manufacturing-up-down/. 21 http://development.ohio.gov/reports/reports_industry_series.htm. 22 The Report Why Goods Movement Matters from the Regional Plan Association and Volvo Research and Educational Foundations discusses several possible choices: http://www.vref.se/download/18.33c5115c15519a46ea8bd335/1465289680305/Why-Goods-Movement- Matters-Report-ENG+-+June+2016.pdf.

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Implementation Action Areas Key areas for improvement should be based on their ability to help achieve the performance measures, goals, and recommendations described in the previous sections. As mentioned earlier, congestion management will be a key priority due to expected increases in truck volumes; Chapter 3.1 goes into greater detail on strategies to reduce congestion. Freight vehicles experience, and contribute to, the same congestion that passenger vehicles face, so the same strategies can be used. Note that the top congested segments discussed in Chapter 3.1 are in many cases corridors with high truck counts. The top four most congested road segments, as well as numbers eight through10, are all among the most highly traveled freight routes; these can be seen on the Regional Freight Network map earlier in this chapter. Five of these seven corridors already have plans or projects in place to reduce congestion. The following projects are currently listed in the Transportation Improvement Program or the previous long-range transportation plan, Connections+ 2035, and involve intermodal connectors or freight corridors where trucks make up at least 8% of all vehicles. Interstates have the largest volume of truck traffic in terms of absolute numbers of trucks as well as trucks as a percentage of all vehicles, so projects on them will have the biggest potential impact on freight movement via truck. Knowing that, Figures 3.4-9 - 3.4-10 instead highlight non-interstate projects. Figure 3.4-9: Projects Currently Programmed in the TIP to Begin Construction no later than 2019 PID Project County Description Cost 11230 SR 175 Cuyahoga Bridge $6,271,000 Replacement 22213 Harvard Avenue Cuyahoga Bridge $7,645,573 Replacement 23414 US 42 Cuyahoga Bridge Deck $4,996,551 Replacement 90908 SR 528 Geauga Resurfacing $1,957,000 92071 US 422 Geauga Bridge Repair $1,636,830 99202 SR 528/608 Geauga Intersection $525,537 Improvement 89270 SR 535 Lake Resurfacing $174,000 93467 SR 2 Lake Bridge Repair $1,220,000 79758 SR 2 Lorain Preventive $1,031,772 Maintenance 88859 SR 83 Lorain Bridge $689,060 Replacement 92888 SR 10 Lorain Resurfacing $975,364 94420 SR 303 Lorain Resurfacing $2,389,888 97046 SR 83 Lorain Resurfacing $2,615,129

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97128 SR 18 Lorain Intersection $359,368 Improvement 98394 SR 18 Lorain Resurfacing $4,083,579 98470 SR 58 Lorain Resurfacing $2,512,023 99844 US 20 Lorain Bridge Repair $109,032 100044 US 20 Lorain Resurfacing $2,238,190 79761 US 42 Medina Rehabilitation $12,532,012 81941 US 42 Medina Bridge $635,549 Replacement 88876 SR 18 Medina Bridge $1,699,812 Replacement 92920 SR 57 Medina Resurfacing $991,440 94437 US 42 Medina Bridge Repair $1,072,500 94438 SR 57 Medina Bridge $1,067,500 Replacement 98570 SR 18 Medina Resurfacing $3,006,817

Figure 3.4-10: Proposed Long-Range Transportation Plan Projects PID Project County Description Cost n/a SR 2 Cuyahoga Bridge Rehabilitation (SFN $56,259,100 1800035) n/a Innerbelt Cuyahoga Build a new overhead NS bridge $55,000,000 CCG4C Norfolk to accommodate realignment of Southern the Innerbelt curve Railroad Bridge n/a SR Cuyahoga Upgrade Berea freeway ramp $17,200,000 237/Cleveland access to Cleveland Hopkins Hopkins Airport Airport n/a SR 176 Cuyahoga Bridge Rehabilitation (SFN $13,754,200 Jennings 1810189) Freeway n/a East 361st Street Lake Reconstruct intersection with $1,500,000 Lakeland Boulevard n/a Hopkins Lake Provide at-grade railroad $12,000,000 Railroad separation with an overpass Overpass between Jackson Street and Tyler Boulevard

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PID Project County Description Cost n/a SR 57/Seville Medina Reconstruct intersection of these $300,000 Road roadways Intersection n/a SR 18 Widening Medina Widen from Foote Road to $20,000,000 Nettleton Road (Note: this is the entire project scope, but only the segment from River Styx Road to Nettleton Road meets freight criteria)

Additional Projects Along with all of the listed projects, there are other potential projects that have not previously been included in a TIP or LRTP due to lack of funding, unknown costs, or other issues. These include: • Reconstruction of Intermodal Connector OH44P in Cleveland, including Main Avenue, Elm Street, Center Street, and River Road • Irishtown Bend stabilization • Reconstruction of Rockefeller Road that is part of Intermodal Connector OH47P in Cleveland • Construction of a new interstate interchange south of Route 18, off of I-71, with more convenient and safe access to the Medina industrial area. From an economic development perspective, this may be the number one priority. Trucks need a better route that would save time and money (and wear and tear on roads in the historic downtown). This alternate route would help maintain the existing road system, enhance capacity and access, and mitigate congestion (currently, there are constant bottlenecks at the historic Medina Square). Medina has been working with a local task force and ODOT for the past several years; ODOT completed an Origin & Destination Study for this potential new interchange, but additional funding is needed for the next step—a feasibility study. • Expansion of the Route 18 corridor from Cleveland Clinic- Medina Hospital to the I-71 interchange. Conclusion With this understanding of the regional freight system, NOACA can best plan for system improvements that support each aspect of the NOACA Vision Statement:

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Strengthen Regional Cohesion: Freight flows into, out of, and through all political jurisdictions, meaning communities must work together to ensure the efficient movement of goods. The success of a business in one community will depend in part on its ability to ship products through other communities, so collaboration is key. Preserve Existing Infrastructure: A freight stakeholder survey rated poor roadway conditions as a top concern for the ability to efficiently move goods. Further, the heavy weight of tractor- trailers causes a disproportionate amount of road damage. Build a Sustainable Multimodal Transportation System: Different businesses have different shipping needs, so it is important that the region have access to all forms of goods movement. Additionally, safety, security, and resilience call for different modes of shipping to be readily available to ensure efficient movement in the face of disaster. Support Economic Development: As noted throughout this chapter, all goods-producing businesses are engaged in freight movement. A robust freight system allows businesses to receive materials and deliver finished products easily and enables consumers to have easy access to these products. This will help retain, attract, and grow businesses in the region. Enhance Quality of Life: Moving freight, mainly by truck, creates high amounts of pollutants that cause ground-level ozone and drive global warming, so it is critical to evaluate projects based on their emissions and strive to reduce them whenever possible. As mentioned throughout this chapter, linking freight planning and land use will help identify and prioritize freight needs to allow for efficient movement of the projected increase in freight volume. When transportation planning and land use are integrated together, projects can be prioritized that promote economic gains while also reducing the negative impacts of freight such as increased traffic, noise, and pollution. Investment decisions all too often create a dichotomy between economic growth and environmental protections. With proper freight and land-use planning, however, NOACA and regional stakeholders can work together to bring the transportation system into a state of good repair while facilitating business and job growth and ensuring that our air and water are protected.

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3.5: Livable Communities Introduction NOACA’s commitment to building a more livable region is summarized in the agency’s Regional Strategic Plan’s vision statement, particularly in that the agency will “ENHANCE quality of life in Northeast Ohio.” In terms of transportation planning at the regional level, creating a better quality of life means that NOACA will work to ensure everyone has options available to access to the transportation system and the places it connects, and therefore opportunities to participate in the region’s communities and economy. This focus on multimodal transportation has direct and indirect affects on community livability. The concept of livability in transportation planning has grown since the end of the 1990s and early 2000s, particularly with the introduction of context sensitive solutions (CSS), a theoretical framework that considers transportation project impacts on communities and the environment, rather than focusing on efficiency alone. Similarly, a policy and design approach known as Complete Streets gathered momentum between 2000 and the present day. The Complete Streets approach to transportation planning is to balance modes in policy, planning, and programming, so that mobility options are maximized for all users, not just those in single- occupancy vehicles. The federal government institutionalized this movement toward livability in 2009 with the creation of the interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities. The Partnership is a collaboration between the Departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and the Environmental Protection Agency to integrate policy, planning, and programming across federal agencies. Former Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood characterized this focus on livability as being “able to take your kids to school, go to work, see a doctor, drop by the grocery or Post Office, go out to dinner and a movie, and play with your kids at the park—all without having to get in your car.”23 The partnership worked to create six livability principles to inform coordination between agencies. These principles are: 1. Provide more transportation choices. 2. Promote equitable, affordable housing. 3. Enhance economic competitiveness. 4. Support existing communities. 5. Coordinate policies and leverage investment. 6. Value communities and neighborhoods. As part of the Partnership, the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty created a Livability Initiative to advance these principles in transportation planning and projects. The Initiative offers case studies, research, and tools that support the benefits of livability planning, which can help agencies such as NOACA set priorities at the local and regional levels. In its report “The Role of FHWA Programs in Livability: State of the Practice Summary,” FHWA concluded several key research findings through extensive literature review and professional outreach: • Many agencies have implemented livability in transportation by creating safer, more balanced local and regional multimodal roadway networks

23 U.S. Department of Transportation, Livability, https://www.transportation.gov/livability.

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while incorporating CSS and improved design elements such as complete streets. • Creating livable transportation systems requires an interdisciplinary approach. Few of the examples researched involved singular agencies or stand-alone community goals. • Livable transportation plans and projects are most successful when planned in support of broader community goals. • The majority of implementation projects occur at the local scale—often with Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and/or State partners and funding. • There can be significant differences in the application of livability principles in rural or gateway communities, urban, and suburban areas, both in rural roadway issues and transit service.24 3.5.1: Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative NOACA’s Strategic Plan goals, policies, and programs support the FHWA’s findings about livability. In particular, NOACA’s Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative (TLCI) has and continues to promote multimodal design, interdisciplinary and community engagement, and the locally relevant implementation of projects that improve the quality of life in the diverse communities of Northeast Ohio. TLCI provides assistance to communities and public agencies for integrated transportation and land-use planning and projects that strengthen community livability. The TLCI program has the following objectives: • Develop transportation projects that provide more travel options through complete streets and context sensitive solutions, increasing user safety and supporting positive public health impacts • Promote reinvestment in underused or vacant/abandoned properties through development concepts supported by multimodal transportation systems • Support economic development through place-based transportation and land-use recommendations, and connect these proposals with existing assets and investments • Ensure that the benefits of growth and change are available to all members of a community by integrating principles of accessibility and environmental justice into projects • Enhance regional cohesion by supporting collaboration between regional and community partners • Provide people with safe and reliable transportation choices that enhance their quality of life These TLCI objectives align with the principles of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, and moreover support the key findings from FHWA’s report. Each year, the TLCI objectives

24 Federal Highway Administration, “The Role of FHWA Programs in Livability: State of the Practice Summary,” http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/livability/state_of_the_practice_summary/research00.cfm#results.

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guide NOACA’s Board of Directors in the selection of projects and investments in support of goals of the Regional Strategic Plan, particularly in enhancing quality of life in the region’s communities. The TLCI program is guided by the TLCI Policy, which was adopted on January 23, 2015. The policy details the program objectives, eligibility and responsibility of sponsors, selection of awards, and funding levels for grants. Most importantly, it establishes the two main program components: the planning grant and the implementation grant. The planning grant component helps local partners fund planning studies that can lead to improvements to transportation systems and the neighborhoods they support. The planning grant program has led to more than 100 completed studies over the past decade. Additionally, in tandem with consultant-led planning grant funded studies, NOACA’s Technical Assistance program assists local partners in multimodal transportation planning by awarding NOACA staff assistance in the completion of studies. Technical Assistance awarded studies follow a similar process to TLCI Planning Grant studies, but are more focused and smaller scale in nature. The TLCI Implementation Grant helps communities move forward with the development and installation of infrastructure from past completed livability studies. The implementation grants were created in 2015, based on recommendations from the TLCI evaluation process and an analysis of completed studies by NOACA. To deliver the grants, NOACA works in partnership with local partners and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) to program and fund construction projects across the region. This component of the TLCI program is focused on smaller-scale projects that can enhance the multimodal transportation system in northeast Ohio. Funding Since 2006, the TLCI program has invested millions of dollars to improve livability in Northeastern Ohio communities. Figure 3.5a-1 details these investments. In the decade that the program has been in existence, it has led to projects that have improved the design and function of the region’s multimodal transportation system. Some of these projects include: • The redesign of the East Blvd./Martin Luther King Jr./East 105th Street intersection in Cleveland, which improved safety and access for pedestrians and vehicles • A road diet and bike lanes with signal upgrades on Madison Avenue in Lakewood • Construction of the Maple Highlands Trail in Chardon • A new Rapid Transit Station on Mayfield Road in the Little Italy neighborhood of Cleveland

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Figure 3.5.1-1: TLCI: Dollars Invested 2006-2016

Year NOACA Award Local Funding Total Investment 2006 $976,000 $244,000 $1,220,000 2007 $997,000 $249,250 $1,246,250 2008 $749,208 $187,302 $936,510 2009 $820,000 $205,000 $1,025,000 2010 $777,250 $194,313 $971,563 2011 $785,000 $196,250 $981,250 2014 $998,000 $307,000 $1,305,000 2015 (Planning) $580,000 $163,750 $743,750 2015 (Implementation) $579,298 $144,825 $724,123 2016 (Planning) $451,000 $185,000 $636,000 2016 (Implementation) $589,000 $1,598,303 $2,187,303 Total 2006-2016: $8,301,756 $3,674,993 $11,976,749

Prior to 2015, the TLCI program had a $1 million annual budget, all of which funded the TLCI Planning Grant. With the creation of the TLCI Implementation Grant (through the TLCI Policy), up to half of the program budget was allocated for planning grants, with the remainder allocated toward implementation grants. In 2016, the program budget was increased to $2 million per program year; this increase led to a quarter of available funds reserved for planning grants and the remainder directed toward implementation grant-funded projects. Public and Stakeholder Involvement TLCI plans and implementation projects are interdisciplinary, through the engagement of different departments and agencies, as well as community partners. Planning processes (including NOACA Technical Assistance) are intended to be collaborations between the public, key stakeholders, and the project sponsors. TLCI efforts on average have three public meetings and can range from a dozen participants to hundreds. With better use of online survey tools, social media, and other innovative forms of outreach, TLCI public meetings are growing in numbers and inclusivity. Likewise, there are on average three stakeholder meetings per TLCI planning effort. Stakeholder committees generally include transportation and development experts, business people from the study area, non-profits, and other professionals that lend local expertise to the study. Some examples of stakeholders include the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA), Laketran, ODOT, Cuyahoga County Board of Health, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, and various other community organizations. Application of Livability Principles across Northeast Ohio

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• As FHWA’s State of the Practice Summary reports, there are significant differences in the application of livability planning in rural, urban, and suburban areas in Northeast Ohio. NOACA has worked to enhance livability in its diversity of places. Figure 3.5a-2 shows the difference between program awards across the region between 2014 and 2016. The TLCI is a unique means to promote reinvestment in urban and suburban areas, as well as smart growth where there is demand in the region. It has been used to plan for enhanced access to natural and environmental assets, and connectivity within the oldest of the region’s built places. At the core of the program and NOACA’s mission, TLCI works to fund improved transportation for drivers, cyclists, transit riders, and pedestrians in all Northeast Ohio communities, and to connect those communities by all modes to the greatest extent possible. Figure 3.5.1-2: TLCI Program Awards by Area and Type 2014 - 2016

TLCI Planning Grants 2014 Sponsor Project Name Area Type Brook Park Abram Creek Greenway Suburban Trail Cleveland University Circle District Urban Multimodal Transportation and Mobility Cleveland Clark Avenue Corridor Urban Multimodal Cleveland Eastside Lakefront Greenway and Urban Trail Connector Parma Heights Pearl Road Complete Streets Suburban Multimodal Initiative Rocky River Detroit Road Traffic and Parking Suburban Multimodal with Marion Ramp Redevelopment Cuyahoga County Eastside Greenway Plan Urban/Suburban Bicycle/Trail Planning Commission Cuyahoga County East 185th Street Planning Urban Multimodal Planning Commission Lake County Central Lake County Lakefront Suburban/Rural Bicycle/Trail General Health Connectivity District Avon Lake Avon Lake Multimodal Suburban Trail Transportation Plan Elyria Elyria Transportation and Business Urban Multimodal District Redevelopment 2015

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Cleveland Multimodal Transportation Facility Urban Multimodal Fairview Park Center Ridge Road Complete Suburban Multimodal Streets Shaker Heights Van Aken District Connections Suburban Multimodal Cuyahoga County Northfield/Warrensville Center Urban/Suburban Multimodal Planning Corridor Commission Gates Mills Chagrin Valley Connectors Suburban/Rural Trail Cleveland Midway Cycle Track and Protected Urban Bicycle Bike Facilities Parma West Creek Quarry District Suburban Multimodal Cleveland E. 79th Street Transportation Urban Multimodal Oriented Corridor 2016 Cleveland- Irishtown Bend Redevelopment Urban Multimodal Cuyahoga County Port Authority Cuyahoga County Cuyahoga County Greenway Urban/Suburban Bicycle/Trail Planning Commission Lorain County Lorain County Lakefront Urban/Suburban Multimodal Board of Connectivity Plan Commissioners Lorain County Lorain County Transit Urban/Suburban Transit Board of Redevelopment Plan Commissioners South Euclid Mayfield Road Corridor Multi- Suburban Multimodal City/Modal Plan TLCI Implementation Grants 2015 Sponsor Project Name Area Type Cleveland Tremont Pedestrian and Bike Urban Multimodal Linkages Cleveland Hillside Community Park – E. 79th Urban Trail Street RTA Station Cleveland Clark Avenue Tremont Bike Lanes Urban Bicycle Cleveland Superior Avenue RRFB (E. 45th Urban Pedestrian Street and Superior Avenue =)

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Cleveland W. 65th Street Corridor Urban Bicycle Enhancements Cleveland Gordon Square Arts District Urban Pedestrian Crosswalk Improvements Cleveland University Circle Transit Waiting Urban Transit Improvements Cleveland Pearl Road Cycling Amenities Urban Bicycle Cleveland Gordon Square Arts District Urban Pedestrian Wayfinding Cleveland Waterloo Wayfinder System and Urban Pedestrian Health Walk Route Cleveland Lorain Avenue Bike Racks - West Urban Bicycle Park Euclid Euclid Avenue and E. 160th Street Urban Transit Intersection Improvement Cleveland Heights North Park Buffered Bike Lanes Urban Bicycle Shaker Heights Lee Road Bicycle Facilities Urban Bicycle Chardon Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon Rural Pedestrian North Ridgeville Town Center Crosswalk Suburban/Rural Pedestrian Enhancements Cleveland Lakefront Bicycle Amenities Urban Bicycle Metroparks North Olmsted North Olmsted Bike Racks Suburban Bicycle 2016 Elyria Downtown Elyria Revitalization and Urban Multimodal Connectivity Laketran Multimodal Transfer Center at Suburban/Rural Transit Lakeland Community College University Heights Warrensville Center Road and Suburban Multimodal Cedar Road Multimodal Improvements Cleveland Heights Edgehill Overlook Intersection Urban/Suburban Multimodal Improvements Olmsted Falls Downtown Vehicular and Pedestrian Suburban/Rural Multimodal Enhancements – Phase1 Parma Heights Pearl Road Complete and Green Suburban Multimodal Streets Initiative

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While a majority of the funded planning and implementation projects in the past three program years are in more populated, developed areas, the diversity of these areas (both physically and socioeconomically) means that the application of livability planning is unique in each case. For example, a multimodal plan in University Circle on the east side of Cleveland is very different from a multimodal plan in the Clark Avenue corridor on the west side of Cleveland, even though both plans are in the same city and both urban in context. The movement of vehicles, bicycles, transit, and pedestrians are significantly different between these places due to urban design, the demographics of the populations moving within and through each place, and the land uses and local economic conditions prevalent in each location. There is not a standard application of livability planning in this example (or any other), and so as FHWA’s report highlights, plans and projects are most successful when completed in support of larger community goals. Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative Recommendations In working to achieve its vision for an enhanced quality of life though the strategic planning and build out of a multimodal transportation system, NOACA will need to ensure that TLCI plans and implementation projects reflect priorities identified through the agency’s work program. These will include: • Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan: TLCI recommendations and resulting Implementation Grant-funded projects should advance recommendations of the regional plan. TLCI planning can be used to detail high-level recommendations for corridors and trail facilities, while implementation funding can pay for the construction of specific plans. • Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Scorecard and Program: TLCI plans often involve study into the zoning and regulation of properties in a corridor or area, and can be used to create specific plans for station areas that may require local zoning changes or amendments. Implementation funding can assist with small-scale infrastructure at modal interface points (e.g., transit waiting areas) to support development and enhance rider experience. • Congestion Management Program: TLCI has funded Transportation Demand Management (TDM) planning in higher congestion areas. TDM planning and strategies should be implemented in areas identified through NOACA’s program. • Regional Safety Program: TLCI Implementation Grants can be a useful means of funding safety countermeasures identified through safety studies. • Transportation Asset Management Program (TAMP): TLCI planning- and implementation-funded projects should coordinate with projects in the TAMP to provide for efficiency in a coordinated project’s delivery and budget. Since the last long-range transportation plan, NOACA has made progress toward the implementation of TLCI plans through the creation of the TLCI Implementation Grant. In early fiscal year 2017, NOACA extended the overall TLCI budget from $1 million per program year to $2 million, with about three-quarters of the budget devoted to the Implementation Grant. In future program years it will be important for implementation-funded projects to create measurable benefits for communities. The TLCI evaluation process (through which the

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Implementation Grant program was created) will need to assess the impacts of both the planning and implementation grants on a regular cycle so that program improvements can be instituted as needed. TLCI program development and administration should also continue to be updated and evaluated on a regular basis. Following the first program evaluation, several products to ensure quality control were established. These include: • TLCI Consultant List: To verify compliance with federal law and guarantee the overall quality of firms contracting for TLCI planning studies, NOACA created a list of preselected consultants, updated on a two-year cycle. The goal of the list is to engage leading regional, statewide, and national firms in the TLCI program and create efficiency for local partners in their selection of a consultant. The list should continue to be renewed every two years, with an annual update of qualifications, so that NOACA and partners can engage leading experts in transportation and livability planning. • TLCI Design Guidelines: In early FY2017, NOACA staff created a document of design and engineering guidelines to assist planners and engineers working on TLCI projects. These guidelines highlight best practices and recommend appropriate steps in the planning of specific multimodal transportation facilities, particularly in regard to bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. The guidelines should be updated annually or biannually as the state of the practice progresses, and should be reviewed by local partners, NOACA’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Council (BPAC), and other relevant experts. • Bicycle and Pedestrian Council: BPAC is a standing subcommittee dedicated to the review and recommendation of bicycle and pedestrian projects in Northeast Ohio. The council is made up of local partners, some of whom are directly responsible for implementing the recommendations of TLCI studies. The BPAC can help NOACA identify planning priorities in TLCI program years, and should provide comment on TLCI Implementation Grant applications before recommendations are advanced through the committee process to the Board of Directors. Finally, as demand has grown for TLCI Implementation Grant funds, NOACA should work to explore partnerships with local, regional, state, and national partners, particularly non-profits and foundations, to support Implementation Grant-funded projects with private (or other non- federal) funds. These partnerships could help expand the impact of the program for communities with little or no resources, and could help advance innovative projects in the region. With fewer TLCI funds allocated toward planning, the likelihood of higher-profile plans being awarded funding could lead to a greater interest in “pushing the envelope” in project design and funding. 3.5.2: Transit Introduction Transit is an important aspect of the transportation network, and mobility choices are vital to the health and vibrancy of a region. Public transit options reduce congestion, personal

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transportation costs, and carbon output. Public transit is not just a form of alternative transportation, but provides options for lower-income households, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Public transit provides access to healthcare, entertainment, and educational facilities, among other daily activities and destinations. The narrative below provides an overview of existing transit services and operators in the NOACA region. Provider characteristics, services and operations are included in the descriptions of each transit agency. A summary of the new Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, projects, investments, and fiscal needs over the term of AIM Forward 2040 as well as regional trends is also included. Regional Trends: Transit The region is experiencing a phenomenon known as “sprawl without growth.” Most metropolitan areas have increased in land area, often growing across municipal and county boundaries.25 As a consequence to this kind of “growth,” the NOACA region faces a continuous challenge associated with providing appropriate levels of public transportation and infrastructure to each geographic area. Demand for transportation options other than the private automobile is on the rise, largely due to these trends: • Transit ridership is on the raise in some areas. • Older adults looking to age in place will increase transit demand. • Younger professionals are looking to locate in places where transit is rich and accessible. • The Millennial generation is driving less. • Millennials tend to prefer walkable urban neighborhoods over suburbs, and prefer public transit, bicycling, and walking to driving. • Downtown and neighborhoods adjacent to downtown are experiencing population growth and development. • Development around transit tends to spur economic development. Impacts of the FAST Act on Transit 26 Congress establishes the funding for Federal Transit Administration (FTA) programs through authorizing legislation that amends Chapter 53 of Title 49 of the U.S. Code. On December 4, 2015, President Obama signed the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, reauthorizing surface transportation programs through Fiscal Year 2020. Procurement27 Section 3019 of the FAST Act changed purchasing procedures to offer more purchasing options for public transportation systems of varying sizes. Under the Act, multiple states and providers may purchase capital assets through cooperative interstate procurements. The FAST Act also created a pilot program to allow nonprofit organizations to enter into cooperative procurement

25Ohio Statewide Transit Needs Study, http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Planning/Transit/TransitNeedsStudy/Documents/OhioStatewideTrans itNeedsStudyFinalReport.pdf. 26Federal Transit Administration, https://www.transit.dot.gov/FAST. 27Ibid.

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contracts. Under the new procurement procedures, transit agencies can lease equipment or facilities such as low- or no-emission components. Finally, the FAST Act established a Joint Procurement Clearinghouse to allow grantees to co-purchase rolling stock within a system that helps them identify procurement partners. Buy America The FAST ACT increases domestic percentage content requirements for Buy America through incremental increases. By FY2020, the Buy America requirement for rolling stock will total 70%. The FAST Act also makes important changes to the waiver denial process, requiring FTA to certify the availability and quality of the domestic sources for the product in the denied waiver. State of Good Repair The State of Good Repair grants program provides financial assistance to public transit agencies that operate rail fixed-guideway and high-intensity motorbus systems for the maintenance, replacement, and rehabilitation of capital assets, along with the development and implementation of transit asset management plans. These funds reflect a commitment to ensuring that public transit operates safely, efficiently, reliably, and sustainably so that communities can offer balanced transportation choices that help to improve mobility, reduce congestion, and encourage economic development. Access and Mobility New under the FAST Act, FTA will distribute funding under a pilot program for efforts that improve the coordination of transportation services that link with nonemergency medical care. Funding, intended for organizations that focus on coordinated transportation solutions, begins at $2 million in FY2016 and increases incrementally each year, topping out at $3.5 million in FY2019 and FY2020. Research The FAST Act renamed FTA’s research program the Public Transportation Innovation Program and authorized it to fund demonstration, deployment, and evaluation research projects. The research program features a new low- and no-emission vehicle component testing program funded at $3 million a year.28 Bus and Bus Facilities FTA’s Bus and Bus Facilities program received an increase in funding of $268 million over FY2015 levels, for a total of $696 million for FY2016. This program helps transit agencies fund new buses, replace aging fleets and facilities, and adds a new eligibility to deploy low- or no- emission vehicles. The FAST Act reestablished a Bus Discretionary Program that allows states to apply for project- specific funding via a competitive process. Many of the grants are expected to fund replacements for aging fleets or facilities. In FY2016, $268 million in funding will be available. Of that amount, $55 million has been designated for low- or no-emission bus deployment projects.29 Existing Conditions Transit Services There are five different transit agencies operating within the NOACA region: Geauga County Transit (GCT), the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA), Laketran, Lorain County Transit (LTC), and Medina County Public Transit (MCPT). Brunswick Transit Alternative

28Ibid. 29Ibid.

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(BTA) merged with MCPT in 2017 and is now one system that operates independently with individual service areas. The additional agencies (Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority, or PARTA; Akron Metro Regional Transit Authority; and Stark Area Regional Transit Authority) also operate in the seven-county Cleveland Metropolitan Statistical Area. The map in Figure 3.5.2-1 displays the routes of each of the five transit agencies in the NOACA region as of 2017. GCT is not depicted on the map because the system provides only demand response. The region’s population density is declining, and the population is expanding outward into townships and previously rural areas. NOACA and the region’s transit systems will need to plan accordingly to meet the needs of the region’s population. It will be necessary to prioritize limited transportation funding. The region must balance transit needs with demands, determining where to expand or reduce service, and where to strengthen core service.

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Figure 3.5.2-1: Transit Network in Northeast Ohio

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Transit Operators Public transportation provides mobility and accessibility to all populations by providing travel choices that also reduce environmental impacts over single-occupancy vehicle travel. Mobility options are important to all people, but particularly to senior citizens and people with disabilities, and access to public transportation plays a key role in maintaining their quality of life. Public transit is not limited to just the urban core. In Northeast Ohio, transit also provides access to jobs and daily activities in suburban and rural areas. Where service areas of the five transit agencies in NOACA’s region meet or overlap, a regional fare agreement allows riders to transfer once between systems with no additional cost to the rider, though LCT is not part of this agreement. Figure 3.5.2-2 was derived from reporting of the Ohio Department of Transportation’s Status of Public Transit in Ohio guide and the National Transit Database (NTD). Figure 3.5.2-2: Transit System Operators Passenger trips ( Federal Funds Fixed and Federal Funds Demand (operating) Service Area sq Demand E & D Fixed Route (operating) Fixed Response Demand Provider ml Population served Response) Passengers System Costs Route System Costs Response Geauga County Transit 414 90,895 49,781 39,758 $ - $ - $ 1,169,013.00 $ 532,541.00 Greater Cleveland Transit Authority 458 1,412,140 49,245,884 5,154,686 $ 218,032,551.00 $ 17,902,253.00 $ 32,366,962.00 $17,902,253.00 Laketran 227 229,885 728,029 240,025 $ 4,341,163.00 $ 742,893.00 $ 7,816,720.00 $ 1,479,638.00 Lorain County Transit 493 284,664 70,152 16,971 $ 1,111,736.00 $ 670,337.00 $ 523,170.00 $ 315,452.00 Medina County Public Transit 421 180,000 95,182 33,953 $ - $ - $ 1,983,760.00 $ 892,737.00 Brunswick Transit Alternative 37 46,638 32,659 0 $ 276,547.00 $ - $ - $ -

Totals 2050 2,244,222 50,221,687 5,485,393 $ 223,761,997.00 $ 19,315,483.00 $ 43,859,625.00 $21,122,621.00

Source: ODOT Status of Public Transit and NTD Annual Agency Profiles

Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority • Operates fixed route, demand response, and rail services • Fares range from $1.00 (seniors and disabled) to $95 for a monthly pass • Operating recovery ratio for fixed route is 21.9% and 1.5% for demand response • Operating expense/trip for fixed route is $4.90 and $37.96 for demand response Laketran • Operates fixed route, demand response, and commuter express • Fares range from $0.75 (seniors and disabled) to $135 for a monthly pass • Operating recovery ratio for fixed route is 18.7% and 18.3% for demand response • Operating expense/trip for fixed route is $10.89 and $30.93 for demand response Lorain County Transit • Operates fixed route and demand response

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• Fares range from $1.15 (seniors and disabled) to $94 for a monthly pass • Operating recovery ratio for fixed route is 12.2% and 11.2% for demand response • Operating expense/trip for fixed route is $8.92 and $80.63 for demand response Geauga County Transit • Operates a demand response service only, and is a rural transit agency • Fares range from $3.00 (seniors and disabled) to $8.00 for out-of-county trips • Operating recovery ratio for demand response is 33% • Operating expense/trip is $24.30 for demand response Medina County Public Transit • Operates a demand-response service only • Fares range from $1.00 (seniors and disabled) to $2.00 • Operating recovery ratio is 23.9% • Operating expense/trip $17.18 The table in Figure 3.5.2-3 below shows the average annual operating and capital expenses over the course of NOACA’s Fiscal Years 2018-21 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for each transit agency. These needs were extended to 2040 to represent long-term transit costs for the region. The projected expenses are not adjusted for inflation. A little more than $271 million is needed annually to operate the region’s transportation systems. The financial forecast of operating expenses through 2040 is $6.2 billion. GCRTA is by far the largest transit system operating in the region and accounts for more than 94% percent of the region’s operating and capital needs. More information on projections and annualized costs are available in Chapter 5: Financial Plan for the NOACA Region. Figure 3.5.2-3: Average Annual Transit Operating and Capital Expenses

Projected Average Projected Average Annual Operating Annual Capital Operating Expenses Capital Expenses Provider Expenses Through 2040 Expenses Through 2040 Geauga County Transit $ 1,500,898 $ 34,520,654 $ 178,364 $ 4,102,372 Greater Cleveland Transit Authority* $ 253,300,000 $5,825,900,000 $ 83,685,900 $ 1,924,775,700 Laketran $ 12,086,000 $ 277,978,000 $ 5,010,487 $ 115,241,201 Lorain County Transit $ 1,493,587 $ 34,352,501 $ 525,759 $ 12,092,457 Medina County Public Transit/BTA $ 3,050,000 $ 70,150,000 $ 466,650 $ 10,732,950 Total for NOACA Region $ 271,430,485 $6,242,901,155 $ 89,867,160 $ 2,066,944,680 * Annualizes $300 M of rail cars across 23 years of the plan at $13.1 M per year. Actual plan needs costs tables have them scheduled as follows: 2022- $50 M; 2023-$100 M; 2024-$100 M; and 2025-$50 M Source: Transit agencies Van Pool Operators Van pools are an element of the transit system that allow groups of people to share the ride similar to a car pool, but on a larger scale with concurrent savings in fuel and vehicle operating

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costs.30 Each rider pays a monthly fee, which covers all the costs of gas, insurance, and repairs. Generally a van pool is started by five or more people who generally live in the same area and are employed at the same place or in a location that is adjacent. GCRTA is starting a new van-pool service. Commuters from some of the region’s biggest employers will have this option available as a substitute for single-car occupancy trips. The service will be run through GCRTA but be operated by V-Ride, a ride-sharing platform that offers work commuting options for those going to the same place of employment. The program is still being developed, and project details are not available at this time. Please check http://www.riderta.com/ for more information. Impact of Loss of Medicare Revenue for Transit Starting in July 2017, the State of Ohio will lose the tax revenue it is collecting from Medicaid managed care organizations. The federal government ended the practice of collecting taxes from these organizations, which allowed Ohio and other states to collect millions of dollars in tax revenue. As a result, the state of Ohio will lose close to a billion dollars in funding. Each of the five counties and the transit agencies in the NOACA region will also lose major funding. By 2018, GCRTA’s loss will be close to $18 million in sales tax revenue, which will result in service cuts and possible staffing layoffs. Laketran will lose close to $500 million and may also have to cut service. The other smaller systems (Medina, BTA, and LCT) also stand to lose funding depending on the loss from the counties they are located in. If this problem is not fixed, it could result in a significant reduction in public transit services across the entire NOACA region.

30Federal Transit Administration, https://www.transit.dot.gov/ntd

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Goals, Objectives, Measures and Target Long-Range Planning for Transit Agencies A part of NOACA’s long-range transportation planning process is to incorporate the long-range planning efforts and goals of the regional transit agencies. Each agency prioritizes goals and projects for transit and establishes a long-range planning vision. Public transit planning is a cooperative process among transit operators; a proactive public participation process; and NOACA, as the region’s metropolitan planning organization. The narratives below provide a brief overview of the each transit operator’s long-range planning goals, bus replacement schedule, and projected costs. Geauga County Transit (GCT) Geauga County Transit is prepared to meet the growing transportation needs of the county. Increased use of computerized scheduling, billing, and maintenance that uses global positioning, mobile data terminals, and reduced voice traffic for instant communications to each vehicle will help improve customer service, while maintaining each operator’s ability to deliver passengers to their destinations on time in a safer manner. Additional plans are being developed to offer increased service hours of operation, and GCT has a commitment to increase its abilities to respond to the demands of residents for transportation services within a changing rural county environment. Welfare to Work programs, human services, and mental health agencies continue to develop programs that require transportation services for clients. From extended weekday hours to evening and weekend service, GCT continues to strive to serve the needs of all residents of the county through safe and reliable transportation. Due to the current lack of any local dedicated funding, GCT can only include vehicle replacement in the 20-year plan. GCT currently replaces three vehicles per year at an estimated cost of $75,000 per vehicle. The agency will continue on that course and projects a three- vehicle-per-year replacement schedule. GCT’s hopes to expand service with fixed route, larger vehicles and service to adjoining counties, but this will be dependent on funding. Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) GCRTA presently provides service to 59 municipalities and operates approximately 63 bus, five trolleys, one bus rapid transit, one heavy-rail line, and two light-rail lines. GCRTA bus service includes 454 buses, 1,332 shelters, 8,557 bus stops, and 66 routes for a total of 19.7 million service miles. Rail service includes 60 heavy-rail cars, 48 light-rail cars, 52 stations, and 34 miles of one-way track, providing 2.5 million service miles. In addition, GCRTA’s Paratransit District operates 81 vehicles with a variety of services for persons with disabilities and seniors. The total area served by GCRTA is approximately 458 square miles and contains a population of 1.3 million people. Ridership for 2015 totaled 48.3 million passenger trips. Over the past several years, GCRTA has worked to refine its performance measurement, budgeting, and business planning activities to ensure that current operations and capital improvements support the agency’s mission and strategic direction. This strategic direction is embodied in the five policy goals identified by its Board of Trustees. These goals are shown below and support the authority’s Mission Statement to provide safe, reliable, clean, and courteous public transportation. • Customer focus: Provide safe, high-quality services to all customers, and support our employees in that endeavor.

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• Expand and reorganize service: Expand and reorganize service to retain our current riders and attract new riders by providing service that meets customer and community needs. • Prepare for the future: Prepare for the future by forging new partnerships and strengthening existing ones with the public and private sectors to establish policies, funding, innovations, and technologies that support cost-effective public transportation. • Improve financial health: Improve the agency’s financial health through efficient use of resources and the pursuit of new and innovative revenue sources. • Provide community benefits: Provide social economic and environmental benefits to the community through system improvements, and increase community awareness of these contributions. Laketran Laketran is the public transit agency that serves Lake County, Ohio. It offers a family of services, consisting of fixed route, commuter express, and Dial-a-Ride (paratransit) service throughout the county. In 2010, Lake County ranked 11th of 88 counties in Ohio in population (230,041 residents), but is, geographically, the smallest at 231 square miles. Lake County is composed of 23 communities including nine cities, nine villages, and five townships, and is part of the Cleveland Urbanized Area.31 Laketran’s goal is to provide quality transit service to the citizens of Lake County. Some of the major focus areas included in the agency’s current report, Access to Opportunity 2014-2023, include: • Extending service on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. • Providing service on Sundays • Creating routes to underserved areas of Lake County • Keeping up with new technology to provide better/quicker customer service to our citizens/communities • Making fleet and building improvements as necessary These items are in no particular order of importance or what service area Laketran would provide first, but echo the agency’s mission statement to provide quality public transportation services to all Lake County residents with special emphasis on meeting the transportation needs of senior citizens and people with disabilities. As always, these goals are contingent on future funding. Lorain County Transit (LCT) LCT promotes efficient and economic public transportation, which encourages economic development and increases opportunities to enhance independence and the quality of life in Lorain County. Lorain County Transit has four routes and six buses that service the cities of Elyria and Lorain. Due to funding constraints LCT has no major capital projects planned over the next 20 years.

31Laketran, Access to Opportunity 2014-2023 Report, June 2013, https://laketran.com/wp- content/uploads/2016/04/laketran-access-to-opportunity.pdf.

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Over the past few years LCT and Lorain County has been looking for strategies to increase transit funding to expand the existing service. Multiple studies have shown the need for county residents to have a more robust system than what is currently in place. Lorain County currently is without a dedicated public transportation tax. A few attempts to pass tax levies were proffered but did not pass, other strategies should be explored. LCT recently was granted monies through the TLCI Program to do a transit plan for the county. Planning has yet to begin on the project. Medina County Public Transit (MCPT) and Brunswick Transit Alternative (BTA) Since NOACA’s last long-range transportation plan, Connections+ 2035, MCPT has transformed from a rural to an urban system and merged services with BTA. For the past five years, MCPT had been operating, staffing, and taking service calls with BTA, and has performed administrative and maintenance functions. The system is now managed and operated by MCPT. Given the increased need for public transportation and continued population growth, MCPT expects to continue to grow with the needs of the community. Long-range planning goals include the following: • Created commuter routes to Cleveland and Akron • Establish additional fixed or deviated fixed routes in Medina and Brunswick • Establish fixed routes in the City of Wadsworth • Increase ad revenue • Install additional bus stop signs to existing routes and future routes • Install bus shelters on fixed routes • Replace four to five buses per year These goals are in line with MCPT’s mission to provide safe, reliable, quality public transportation services to all residents of Medina County. Vehicle Replacement Schedule Agencies Vehicle Replacement Schedule Agencies have also provided NOACA, through the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), with five-year fiscal projections for operations and capital. Figure 3.5.2-4 shows the bus replacement schedule and associated costs for each transit agency projected to 2040. Based on the information provided, approximately 70 transit vehicles are to be replaced on an annual basis at a cost of more than $36 million dollars. Over the life of the 20-year long-range transportation plan, basic planned bus replacements will cost more than $725 million dollars (unadjusted). This does not include maintenance or upgrades to existing fleets.

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Figure 3.5.2-4: Vehicle Replacement Schedule Projected Projected annual Annual Costs for Vehicle Vehicle Vehicle Projected Vehicle Replacement Provider Replacements Replacements Replacements 2040 Cost 2040 Brunswick Transit Alternative 1 $ 43,200.00 20 $ 2,160,000.00 Geauga County Transit 0 $ - 0 $ - Greater Cleveland Transit Authority (Fixed route 35 $ 20,000,000.00 700 $ 400,000,000.00 Greater Cleveland Transit Authority (Rail) $ 15,000,000.00 74 $ 300,000,000.00 Laketran (Fixed Route) 16 $ 400,000.00 320 $ 8,000,000.00 Laketran (Paratransit) 12 $ 71,600.00 240 $ 1,432,000.00 Lorain County Transit 4 $ 240,000.00 80 $ 4,800,000.00 Medina County Public Transit 4 $ 432,000.00 80 $ 8,640,000.00 Total for NOACA Region 72 $ 36,186,800.00 1,514 $ 725,032,000.00

Data submitted by transit agencies and are estimated costs Data not available for Geauga County

Recommendations Vision for Transit The overall vision for transit remains similar to the vision described in the previous long-range transportation plan. The primary goal is to serve the needs of the transit-dependent population, while continuing to offer a competitive alternative for all riders throughout the region. Transit is an important factor in contributing to the region’s economic prosperity. Shaping the future of transit is necessary as the need for good quality transit increases. In NOACA’s 2015 Strategic Plan Going Forward, Together, one of the goals is to “Build a sustainable multimodal transportation system.” Objectives identified to help achieve this goal are to: • Enhance and improve coordination for public transit, rail, pedestrian and bicycle transportation • Improve access to regional job centers, employment opportunities, and city centers The purpose of this vision is to highlight the long-term benefits of an integrated transit network that is coordinated with land use, infrastructure, and improved service. The vision’s goals and strategies are drawn from public and stakeholder outreach as well as analysis by NOACA staff and transit agencies to improve overall service as well as pedestrian and bike access to transit. Transit Planning Efforts A central aspect of the vision is improving the way that we move around the region and provide access to support development through transportation infrastructure. Choice means increasing both the number of destinations that are easily accessible and the use of mode accessed to arrive. All of the region’s transit systems have plans to maintain and possibly expand their respective systems better to accommodate for these conditions.

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Expanding public transit requires significant capital investment; however, the potential advantages of a well-planned project are often greater than the costs. Public transit benefits include:32 • Connecting people and jobs • Improving mobility for people of all ages • Stimulating and focusing new development on sites near transit • Creating and supporting jobs by providing a reliable alternative to driving • Moving more people in the same amount of road space • Improving air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions • Reducing household transportation costs Public and Stakeholder Input on Transit Through initial public outreach, as well as a series of regional discussions conducted by NOACA, a number of transit-related issues, goals, and priorities were identified as being important to the future of transit in the region. Some that were mentioned are stated below. • More funding should be allocated to transit. • There should be better transit connections between counties. • Technology should be incorporated into transit services. • Improved signage and transit amenities (e.g., bus shelters) are needed. • Add more or new commuter bus routes to downtown for work. • Buses, trains, and stations need to be safer. The State of Ohio conducted a Statewide Transit Needs study in 2014. Part of the process was to gauge the public’s priorities. The activity was called “Build Your Own Transit System.” Participants were given an opportunity to spend dollars on what they thought were priorities to build a transit system. Transit Improvement Top Priorities from the online "Build Your Own Transit System" tool from the Ohio Statewide Transit Study include:33 • Build more/different types of transit services • Increase service in Urban Areas • Create more regional bus service • Improve transit overall in the region

32 Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium (NEOSCC), Vibrant NEO2040, - http://vibrantneo.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Vibrant-NEO-Final-Report_3-31-14_lowres_ALL.pdf. 33Ohio Department of Transportation, “Ohio Statewide Transit Needs Study,” January 2015, http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Planning/Transit/TransitNeedsStudy/Documents/OhioStatewideTrans itNeedsStudyFinalReport.pdf.

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Similar to the Statewide Transit Study, NOACA also launched an electronic survey tool, Crowd Gauge, in fall 2016 to gauge the public’s priorities. The most popular project category under transit was adding new transit service. Below are other priorities and policies that placed high in the rankings. • Restore recently cut bus and rapid transit services • Improve GPS tracking on buses and trains • Provide more frequent service on existing transit corridors • Invest in making the transit system more user-friendly • Encourage new employment centers to locate near existing transit corridors • Enhance transit system coordination between counties The priorities of the public and stakeholders are comparable with the goals and long-term planning vision of NOACA. Having similar goals helps with presenting the region’s priorities and plans to state and federal entities. Implementation Action Areas Strategies to Enhance Transit34 Transit is an important component of the transportation network. Residents, employees, and visitors benefit greatly from transit services, and an opportunity exists to increase the role of transit in the region. Over the coming years, an important goal for transit will be to enhance services to increase attractiveness and more fully integrate services into the multimodal transportation framework of the region. It takes more than vehicles carrying riders for communities to receive their return on investments in transit. Design policies are integral elements to ensuring that people can identify and access the transit system, while land-use and zoning policies help concentrate people and mix land uses to maximize transit’s effectiveness. When combined, design and land-use policies increase not only transit’s ridership potential, but also its value as an economic development and sustainability tool. Ultimately, these synergistic efforts help to create a place with the greatest chances for community building. The following guidelines are recommended to help the communities of Northeast Ohio reap the maximum benefits of the transit investments. Guidelines Density Successful transit generally requires a minimum of seven residential units per acre in residential areas, 25 employees per acre in commercial centers, and about two to four times as much for premium quality transit. Increased population and employment densities place more potential riders within a five-to10-minute walk of transit stations/stops and higher densities. These densities create adequate transit ridership to justify frequent service and help create active street life and commercial activities, such as grocery stores and coffee shops, within convenient walking distance of homes and worksites.

34 NEOSCC, Vibrant NEO 2040, http://vibrantneo.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Vibrant-NEO-Final- Report_3-31-14_lowres_SPEC-transit-supportive-policies.pdf.

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Mixed Uses Traditional, or Euclidean, zoning separates land uses, sets density thresholds and minimum lot sizes, and usually contains explicit regulations such as bulk and height controls and minimum parking requirements. To support transit, however, traditional zoning is often turned on its head (i.e., uses are intermixed, not excluded, and parking caps, rather than parking floors, are sometimes set). To support transit, especially around high-capacity stations, a municipality can create a special zone or change existing classifications. More common than either rezoning or new designations, however, is the creation of an overlay zone. As its name implies, an overlay zone is placed on the zoning map over a base zone. The overlay modifies, eliminates, or adds regulations to the base zone. Overlays provide for effective land-use control without increasing the complexity of the regulations. The uses included in a transit-supportive community should generate trips throughout the day. This strategy takes advantage of unused transit supply in off-peak hours and results in routes that are more productive than in areas with traditional rush-hour peaks. Pedestrian Orientation Pedestrians who can walk to different land uses in less than 10 minutes are more likely to use those sites, including retail establishments, parks, and community facilities. Placing daily goods and services, as well as recreational destinations, within walking distance of residences increases the incentive to use alternative transportation modes, supporting transit use for commuting and other regional travel. See Chapter 3.5c on Active Transportation for more information. Access and Connections For transit to be successful, pedestrians must be able to access the service easily and easily walk when they get off the bus or train. When given sidewalks or traffic-calmed streets to walk along, safe and convenient ways to cross streets, and a comfortable and attractive environment, most people are willing to walk farther to reach public transportation.35 By providing the infrastructure and support services to access public transportation in a variety of ways, the use of the public transportation system will increase and result in smoother mode transition and better connectivity between all modes of transportation.36 Transit Infrastructure and Amenities Transit stops that are easy to find and use are critical to passengers getting on and off the vehicle, regardless of whether the transit mode is a bus or train. Adequate pedestrian accessibility and enhanced passenger amenities at transit stops are critical to attracting people to transit. Provision of stop infrastructure is frequently tied to the number of riders who board and alight at each stop. The greater the number of riders (currently or planned), the greater the capital investment. Another important component of bus stops consists of safety and security measures, which increase transit effectiveness. Safety and security requires transit operators to provide a predominantly controlled environment so riders feel safe. Providing a safe and secure

35Federal Highway Administration, FHWA Course on Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation, Lesson 9: Bicycle and Pedestrian Connections to Transit, http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/univcourse/pdf/swless09.pdf. 36 US DOT, Multimodal Access to Public Transportation, https://www.transportation.gov/mission/health/Multimodal-Access-to-Public-Transportation.

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environment requires a combination of design features, response plans, evaluation of public perception, and coordination between the multiple transit services and levels of government. Transit Oriented Development Scorecard and Implementation Plan Another goal from NOACA’s 2015 Strategic Plan is to “Encourage transit oriented development in higher-density urban corridors and other higher-density areas of the region and retrofitting transit oriented elements in appropriate lower-density areas.” To accomplish this goal, NOACA must prioritize investments that can facilitate this kind of development. Moreover, these projects should foster better connectivity throughout the region. NOACA has plans to embark on more transit-related projects in the future and to be a resource and partner to the region’s existing transit agencies. One of the significant initiatives currently underway is a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Scorecard and Implementation Plan. This project seeks to help increase ridership and promote development in and around the region’s transit stations and high-performing bus corridors. NOACA also seeks to remove barriers to, and advance incentives for, equitable TOD in Northeast Ohio for all populations, while increasing public understanding and awareness around the benefits of TOD. Equitable TOD combines place-based and people-based approaches to develop solutions that address the needs of all residents. The TOD Scorecard will be a fluid tool that NOACA will use to prioritize investments and offer as a resource for the region’s communities that are looking to implement TOD strategies in their areas. What is Transit Oriented Development (TOD)? Transit oriented development (TOD) promotes a mixture of housing, retail, services, workplaces, and open space within walking distance of transit to maximize use of the transit system. By directing compact development to existing developed areas that are well‐served by transit, TOD reduces public infrastructure costs over time and preserves regional open space. Pedestrian‐ and bike‐friendly TOD has numerous public benefits, including decreased congestion, a greater range of housing options, fewer emissions, and improved public health by creating walkable neighborhoods that promote physical activity. TOD real estate projects feature reduced parking, increased density, and building orientation toward transit and the pedestrian environment. TOD lowers combined housing and transportation costs by reducing the need to drive and own cars for commuting and daily trips, and promotes economic opportunity by linking residents with employment and service destinations. NOACA’s Role in Transit-Oriented Development NOACA is neither a land-use jurisdiction nor a transit provider. Most cities and towns in the region have departments of planning and/or community development, which have the most direct day-to-day ability to influence TOD. NOACA, however, can advance TOD by acting as a regional advocate; by providing technical assistance and planning support to localities that wish to embrace TOD; and by targeting public investment and development finance incentives toward specific TOD opportunities. NOACA already influences TOD through two core activities. Like other MPOs, NOACA plays a key role in allocating federal and state funding for roadway and transit projects within its five- county region, and these investments have an impact on the pattern of land use and economic development. NOACA also operates the Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative (TLCI) (see Chapter 3.5 on the TLCI), which helps communities plan the interface of transportation and land use in specific districts or corridors.

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Aging-in-Place with TOD Only a small percentage of Americans move after they reach retirement age. Over time, access to daily needs can be problematic for aging populations. Without access to affordable travel options, seniors face isolation, reduced quality of life, and potential economic hardship. TOD can provide mobility choices for seniors. The Regional TOD Scorecard and Implementation Plan is going to focus on identifying potential policies and programs to locate housing and services for seniors closer to the fixed-route transit system to expand transportation choice. This work will be coordinated with NOACA’s 5310 program (see Chapter 3.5b1 on Enhanced Mobility for Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities). A No-Growth Region TOD is generally associated with regions that are growing. Some have grown rapidly and consistently for decades where TOD is embraced as an alternative to continued sprawl. Others, including several older “legacy” markets, including Northeast Ohio, with historically transit- oriented development patterns, have maintained at least some growth at the metropolitan level while their central cities have remained flat or resumed modest growth. TOD in Northeast Ohio Northeast Ohio is changing. Central cities that were historically the centers of the region are, for the most part, being abandoned. Once-dense urban neighborhoods now struggle with high rates of vacancy. Outside the cities, working farmland and undeveloped landscapes are being converted to new subdivisions, office parks, and shopping centers as people and jobs move to the suburbs. Region-wide, population and employment growth have been flat. The distance between jobs, schools, homes, stores, and parks are increasing, and transportation options are increasingly limited to personal vehicles. A portion of the population (i.e., choice riders, millennials and seniors) who want true transportation options, however, have been spurring some recent demand for neighborhoods in the urban core near transit. That demand coupled with the momentum from the work of NOACA and its regional partners has opened up a great opportunity for transit oriented development within the region. Over the next 20years, the number of Americans age 65 and older will increase to more than 71 million—growing from 12% to 20% of the total population; this is also true for Northeast Ohio. The car and suburb-oriented Baby Boomer generation is coming to the point where neighborhoods that are overabundant in auto amenities and lacking in pedestrian amenities are no longer viable places to age. For this reason, developing new and innovative approaches to meet the changing transportation needs of an aging Northeast Ohio is essential. Public transportation is a vital aspect to how we help engage and provide means for independence to seniors. But running a bus or train through a neighborhood doesn’t necessarily fix mobility issues. Paratransit, or on-demand door-to-door service, is essential in helping the elderly and the disabled complete their daily tasks. TOD plans communities around public transportation. The planning is specifically formulated to encourage active living for all ages, but can create walkable communities where seniors can “age in place” with a neighborhood focused around convenient and efficient transit and dense mixed-use development. In November 2010, Northeast Ohio was awarded a $4.25 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to fund the development of a regional sustainability plan. To manage the three-year planning process, the Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium (NEOSCC) was established in January 2011. NEOSCC’s Vibrant Neo 2040 report was a result of this process. Vibrant NEO 2040 is a culmination of a coordinated and integrated approach to planning efforts for land use, transportation, economic

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and workforce development, and infrastructure investments for a 12-county planning area made up of Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Summit, Stark, Trumbull, and Wayne counties. Some of the key recommendations from this report that are related to TOD are: 1. Develop a robust network of regional job centers connected by multimodal transportation corridors within and between counties. 2. Encourage higher frequency of mixed-use development and a range of diverse affordable housing options. 3. Enhance and coordinate the region’s bus and rail service. While TOD most commonly occurs within walking distance of fixed-guideway transit systems, there are areas of Northeast Ohio that are not near a rail stop, but are nonetheless rich with bus, pedestrian, and bicycle amenities and land uses that can support the reduced auto dependence commonly associated with TOD. Funding for transit and transportation infrastructure is a challenge in Northeast Ohio. Therefore it is more important than ever for the region to be highly strategic in making decisions about directing future investments and ensuring that investments have a catalytic impact on the market for TOD. This effort is one component of a comprehensive TOD implementation strategy that will require the coordination and involvement of many public and private entities throughout the region. The full report on the TOD Project is on NOACA’s website, www.noaca.org.

Monitoring, Assessing, and Documenting Performance Performance Measures for Transit Performance management techniques promote informed decision making, which allow investments to be objectively planned and prioritized. In a constrained funding environment, it is critical to be able to identify the projects and investments that will provide the highest level of benefit. Performance management plays a central role in federal, state, regional, and local transportation planning and funding. The FAST Act stipulates that long-range transportation plans (LRTPs) and the overall work program (OWP) must include a description of the performance measures and performance targets used in assessing the performance of the transportation system, and a system performance report that evaluates the condition and performance of the transportation system. NOACA is currently in the process of creating and vetting possible performance measures with the public, transit agencies, and regional stakeholders. Performance measures will help NOACA monitor and plan its investments for better decision making. The current measures that are being vetted are: • Accessibility & Mobility: 100% mobility and access to opportunities and activities on various modes are available for all area residents, visitors, and organizations. The strategic measures are job access, equity, transportation affordability; network completeness; distribution of the population to alternative transportation; and distribution of jobs to alternative transportation. • Economic Vitality: A growing, competitive 21st century economy. The strategic measures are transit proximity and commute mode share.

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• System Condition: The transportation system is preserved and maintained in a good condition. The strategic measure is the transit system state of good repair. • System Performance: The transportation system achieves reliable and efficient performance at 100%. The strategic measures are transit service effectiveness and transit cost efficiency. Transit Asset Management Plan In July 2016, FTA published a Final Rule for Transit Asset Management. The rule requires FTA grantees to develop asset management plans for their public transportation assets, including vehicles, facilities, equipment, and other infrastructure.37 Transit Asset Management (TAM) is a model that uses asset condition to help prioritize funding to achieve or maintain transit networks in a state of good repair. Many of the region’s transit agencies have a TAM or are working on creating one. NOACA seeks to formalize this process and provide a regional framework and/or plan for the transit agencies to use. NOACA is just beginning to focus on this work and will begin the process of developing a Regional TAM in 2017. Transit System Resilience Resilience (also called reliability and risk management) refers to a system’s ability to accommodate variable and unexpected conditions without catastrophic failure, or “the capacity to absorb shocks gracefully.” Resilience reflects uncertainty, our inability to know what combination of conditions will occur in the future.38 A comprehensive Resilience Program would make the NOACA region’s transit systems and infrastructure stronger and more reliable. Although extreme weather events such as hurricanes and earthquakes are not a common occurrence in the region, Northeast Ohio does deal with harsh winters that can degrade the existing transit infrastructure. Coming up with a regional plan with strategies and performance measures that can help mitigate these problems would increase transit system resilience. More work and research needs to be done to assess the need accurately and to execute a comprehensive resilience program, but the first step would be to start with the metrics and information from the Transit Asset Management Plan and System Performance Measures and progress into an overall comprehensive strategy. 3.5.3: Specialized Transportation and Mobility Management Introduction Specialized transportation focuses on the unique needs of target populations. These populations may include seniors, individuals with disabilities, or people with specific medical needs, and individuals with low incomes. Providers of specialized transportation serve the unmet needs of target populations by offering accessible vehicles, on-demand service, and assistance based on a rider’s unique situation. Mobility Management is a strategic approach to the various public, private, and social service transportation systems that often lack coordination. Mobility solutions are especially important for those who require options beyond personal vehicles. In the five-county region served by NOACA, there are numerous social service, public, and private agencies that provide

37Federal Transit Administration, National Transit Asset Management System Final Rule, https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/asset-management/national-transit-asset- management-system-final-rule. 38Victoria Transport Policy Institute, TMD Encyclopedia, “Evaluating Transportation Resilience: Evaluating The Transportation System’s Ability To Accommodate Diverse, Variable and Unexpected Demands With Minimal Risk,” March 23, 2016,http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm88.htm.

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transportation. With cooperative effort, these organizations can begin to offer coordinated mobility for residents throughout the region while providing resource savings though efficiencies. Existing Conditions Demographics The following demographic information and current conditions are compiled based on the Coordinated Public Transit-Human Service Transportation Plan for Northeast Ohio for Federal Fiscal Years 2015-2017. This plan is required by the federal government for regions that are seeking funding from the Enhanced Mobility for Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities (5310) program. This vital data provides a baseline from which to analyze potential coordination opportunities and improve mobility in the NOACA region. According to the 2010 United States Census, the NOACA region had a population of 2.07 million. Cuyahoga County holds 61.6% of the overall population of the region. The five-county region is home to 17.8% of Ohio’s 11.6 million population, which is a decline of 3.30% from the 2000 Census. The Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan focuses on the following target populations and their unique needs pertaining to transportation.

Older Adults Older adults are identified by the Federal Transit Administration as those over 65 years old. In 2010, the NOACA region had 315,712 people in the older adult cohort, a 15.20% share of the total population and an increase of 0.7% from the 2000 Census (see Figure 3.5.3-1).

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Figure 3.5.3-1: Regional Population

Individuals with Disabilities Individuals of any age may have disability status, considered by the Census Bureau to refer to one’s ability to perform certain daily tasks such as dressing, bathing, and cooking. The Census Bureau found that the percentage of individuals with disability increases with age and includes people who range from “some degree of disability” to those with “severe disability.” In 2010, 311,966 people in the NOACA region were identified as individuals with disabilities, a 16% share of the total population (see Figure 3.5.3-2). This is a decrease of 2.5% from the 2000 Census.

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Figure 3.5.3-2: Individuals with Disabilities by County, 2010

Individuals with Low Income Low-income classification is based on individuals who are at or below 150% of the U.S. Health and Human Services poverty line. According to the 2010 Census, the NOACA region had 441,120 people of low-income status, a 21.4% share of the total population and an increase of 3.7% from the 2000 Census (see Figure 3.5.3-3). Figure 3.5.3-3: Individuals with Low Income by County, 2010

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Zero Car Households Individuals and families living in zero car households have no access to personal vehicles, either by choice or due to other circumstances (cost, ability to drive, etc). In 2010, 10.5% of households in the NOACA region did not have access to personal vehicles, equating to approximately 88,561 households (see Figure 3.5.3-4). Figure 3.5.3-4: Percent of Households without a Vehicle Available, 2010

Existing Transportation Providers Public Transit Within the NOACA five-county region, there are five transit operators: Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, Laketran, Lorain County Transit, Medina County Transit (which includes Brunswick Transit Alternative as of January 1, 2017), and Geauga County Transit. Detailed profiles about each transit system can be found in the Transit Chapter. Paratransit Per the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, all persons are afforded the right to use public transit and requires equivalent, corresponding service for individuals who cannot independently ride. For riders who cannot use fixed public transit routes or do not live near available public transit, paratransit offers on-demand service that is vital to the health, safety, and quality of life for many. In the NOACA region, each transit operator offers this accessible, demand-response service.

Private Transportation Private transportation providers can offer direct options beyond personal and public transportation, and can be especially helpful when trips are needed outside normal transit hours, giving riders the freedom for more spontaneous travel. While private transportation services can be cost prohibitive to some riders, it is a viable option for others to consider.

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Nonprofit Transportation To supplement public and private providers, human service agencies and nonprofits throughout the region offer transportation options to their clients. Whether through actual operation, transit passes, or volunteer driver programs, human service agencies and nonprofits offer direct assistance to clients who need it. According to the 2015 Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan for Northeast Ohio, there were more than 50 identified senior centers, nonprofit organizations, governments, health centers, and social service agencies that provided transportation services.

Existing Funding Resources Enhanced Mobility for Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Section 5310 Program The U.S. Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA’s) Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals With Disabilities (Section 5310) Program is designed to assist private nonprofit, government authorities, and public or private operators of transportation services in meeting the transportation needs of elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities. Funds are distributed to support vehicle purchases, mobility management activities, technology upgrades, infrastructure improvements, and other operating costs. As a designated direct recipient of FTA funds, the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) staff manages the grantee selection process, recommends awards, and performs program administrative functions.

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Goals, Objectives, Measurements/Targets Specialized transportation needs will continue to grow beyond the current options as the population of the United States ages. In the report “An Aging Nation: The Older Population in the United States,” published by the U.S. Census Bureau, the number adults 65 and over are expected to double from 2012 to 2050. This expected increase from 43.1 million to 83.7 million is caused by the aging Baby Boomer generation and longer life expectancy. While some seniors may choose and be able to continue driving personal vehicles, additional transportation options are vital to the health and safety of this growing population. Additionally, emphasis is being placed on the benefits of community integration of seniors and individuals with disabilities and the subsequent transportation requirements. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) notes that “the vast majority of older adults want to age in place so they can continue to live in their own homes or communities.” Their report “Aging in Place: A State Survey of Livability Policies and Practices” specifically found that transportation was a core concern and that “increased mobility options can reduce reliance on transportation by personal car.” Similarly, the Independent Living Movement heralded by disability advocates calls for “consumer control, the idea that people with disabilities are the best experts on their own needs, having crucial and valuable perspective to contribute and deserving of equal opportunity to decide how to live, work, and take part in their communities, particularly in reference to services that powerfully affect their day-to-day lives and access to independence.” In response to growing needs, agency collaboration, and community outreach, the 2015 Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan for Northeast Ohio identified the following goals: • Improve accessibility and service efficiency for low-income, elderly, and/or disabled riders • Improve cost effectiveness • Improve safety • Improve coordination of services and resources Recommendations In response to these goals, the following strategies were identified. Specific detail on each objective can be found within the 2015 Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan for Northeast Ohio. Tier One Objectives 1. Reduce transit/specialized transportation costs for riders and providers 2. Improve frequency of service 3. Improve weekend service 4. Improve operational efficiencies at all levels 5. Improve access to underserved areas with transit dependent populations 6. Improve evening service 7. Advance awareness to growing unmet transportation needs Tier Two Objectives 8. Improve access to information and travel training for riders and human service agencies

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9. Improve last-minute transportation options 10. Mitigate environmental barriers 11. Improve inter-county transportation options

Implementation Action Areas NEO Mobility Coalition In 2012, the American Cancer Society (ACS) commissioned a study to review transportation gaps in its Road to Recovery program. One of the findings suggested looking to regional transportation providers as a solution. In summer 2014, NOACA and ACS staff began to collaborate on mobility management and convened the first NEO Mobility Coalition in October 2014 at NOACA. More than 30 participants, including most of the region’s public transit providers, took part in the meeting. As the group created strategies and goals at the November 2014 meeting, two working groups formed: Access to Transportation and Public Awareness. This coalition is a helpful resource and change agent in implementing the objectives of the 2015 Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan for Northeast Ohio.

Available Transportation Website/Mobility Guide According to the New York City Mobility Management Resource Guide, “Access to information is almost as important as access to the service itself.” Linking individuals in need to available resources is important to the success of these objectives. One strategy that was suggested in agency and community outreach and that was taken on by the Mobility Coalition is a “one-stop shop” for education and resource sharing. In 2017, NOACA staff will begin to integrate a specialized transportation portion into an update of Ohio’s Transportation Demand Management (TDM) platform. The search tool can be used by residents, human service agencies, and other stakeholders to obtain detailed ride information based on provider, schedule, cost, location, and population served. This TDM tool will connect individuals to various transportation options and in turn improve congestion and air quality for the region. Additionally, NOACA staff and members of the NEO Mobility Coalition will begin work on a printed guide with similar information as a resource for those who do not readily have access to the internet., It will be distributed through human service agencies, community centers, and health centers. University/College Volunteer Driver Programs & Collaboration with Ride Sharing Services When funding is an issue, it is vital to seek innovative solutions to meet these objectives. One strategy involves connecting university/college students with target populations who need rides (for little or no cost to the rider). Volunteer driver programs are especially useful for individuals traveling to medical appointments or as first/last mile options. This type of program could be a solution to fill gaps in the current transportation system in the NOACA region. As part of their efforts, the NEO Mobility Coalition brainstormed a possible program aimed at students with specific majors or those interested in service learning opportunities. Majors may include social workers, nurses, psychology/sociology, and physical and occupational therapies. Additionally, ride sharing service companies, such as Uber and Lyft, are showing a willingness to participate in greater mobility for specialized populations. Collaboration between these private

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companies, public transit, and nonprofit agencies has the potential to offer on-demand service for lower costs. Monitoring, Accessing, and Documenting Performance Accessibility and mobility are paramount to a successful regional transportation system in tandem with performance measures for transit. This ensures 100% mobility and access to opportunities and activities on various modes are available for all area residents, visitors, and organizations. The strategic measures are job access, equity, transportation affordability; network completeness; distribution of population to alternative transportation; and distribution of jobs to alternative transportation.

3.5.4: Active Transportation Introduction Active Transportation refers to being physically active for the purpose of transportation (typically biking and walking), and is distinct from being physically active for recreation. NOACA has been formally planning at the regional level for bicycling as a means of transportation since 1978, with the release of Phase I of a four-phase bicycle planning process that spanned from 1977 to 1989. The NOACA Regional Bicycle Plan has been updated three times: 1997, 2008, and 2013. Planning for bicycling and walking as modes of transportation is important for a variety of reasons. Improving travel safety is always important, but improving safety of bicycling and walking is especially important because these road users are most vulnerable to fatality and severe injury in a crash. Furthermore, perceived safety of these modes has a direct effect on how many people are willing to choose biking and walking. With limited federal and state transportation funding, encouraging mode shift to biking and walking is an important and underused travel demand management strategy that can alleviate traffic congestion. Increased biking and walking is a form of exercise and can improve health. In addition, because biking and walking are zero-emission modes of transportation, shifting trips to these modes can improve health by improving air quality. Specifically, biking and walking are ideal modes for replacing short trips (three miles or less), which are more polluting and less efficient, per mile, by car than longer trips.39 Moreover, a significant percentage of the population in Northeast Ohio does not have access to a car, and providing viable transportation options is vital. Planning for bicycle and pedestrian travel has also been established as a priority by the federal government. The United States Code requires that bicyclists and pedestrians be given due consideration in the comprehensive transportation plans developed by each metropolitan planning organization and state, in accordance with sections 134 and 135, respectively. Bicycle transportation facilities and pedestrian walkways are to be considered, where appropriate, in conjunction with all new construction and reconstruction of transportation facilities, except where bicycle and pedestrian use are not permitted. Transportation plans and projects must also provide due consideration for safety and contiguous routes for bicyclists and pedestrians.

39 M.L.Grabow, S.N. Spak, T. Holloway, B. Stone, Jr., A.C., Mednick, and J.A. Patz, “Air Quality and Exercise-Related Health Benefits from Reduced Car Travel in the Midwestern United States,” National Center for Biotechnology Information Resources PubMed, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22049372.

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Existing Conditions Bicycle & Pedestrian Facility Inventory NOACA, in coordination with partner agencies, maintains an inventory of existing and proposed bicycle facilities in all five counties (see Figure 3.5.4-1). This inventory is used to track progress on bicycle network plan completion, to aid in planning for bicycle network expansion, and to produce navigation maps for bicyclists. Figure 3.5.4-2 shows the bicycle network in Northeast Ohio.

Figure 3.5.4-1: Bicycle Inventory County Bicycle Lane Miles Multipurpose Path Miles Cuyahoga1 34.3 157.1 Geauga2 0.0 15.5 Lake2 17.3 17.0 Lorain2 17.8 55.0 Medina2 0.0 16.5 TOTAL 69.4 261.1 Source: NOACA Notes: 1As of 2015. 2As of 2013.

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Figure 3.5.4-2: Northeast Ohio Bicycle Network

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In addition to bicycle-specific facilities, bicycling has been increasingly integrated with transit in Cuyahoga County, via Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s (GCRTA) Rack-N-Roll program, which allows bicyclists to load their bicycle onto a bike rack located on the front bumper of every bus. Bicycles are also allowed on-board Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses and GCRTA trains. In 2016, UH Bikes Cleveland Bike Share (presented by University Hospitals) program was launched in the City of Cleveland, expanding easy access to bicycles by tourists and commuters who drive or take transit downtown or to University Circle. The UH Bikes system initial launch included 250 bikes at 27 fixed stations and 4 “virtual” stations. In 2010, NOACA completed a sidewalk inventory for National Highway System (NHS) corridors in the NOACA region that shows if and to what extent (partial or complete) sidewalks exist (see Figure 3.5.4-3). This inventory is not regularly maintained and is due for an update. The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) also includes some information about sidewalks as part of its pavement management survey.

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Figure 3.5.4-3: Northeast Ohio Sidewalk Network

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Bicycle and Pedestrian Counts With the generous help of volunteers, NOACA conducts annual bicycle and pedestrian counts throughout Northeast Ohio during the months of May and September. NOACA began the bicycle count program in 2004. The program was revised in 2011 to follow National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project methodology and was expanded also to count pedestrians. These counts are conducted to accomplish the following program objectives: • Gauge regional and local levels of bicycling and walking beyond what is already available from Census data. • Identify trends based on count data to aid in the planning and design of multimodal transportation infrastructure, as well as the implementation and execution of encouragement, educational, and enforcement programs. • Aid in the prioritization of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and planning projects.

• Assess the effectiveness of new bicycle paths, lanes, and routes. The short-duration volunteer counts have allowed strategic selection of sites that are ideal for permanent counting equipment. In 2016, NOACA purchased permanent bicycle and pedestrian counters to be installed on Edgehill Road in Cleveland Heights and on the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge in Cleveland. These are the region’s first permanent, urban bicycle and pedestrian counters. Both locations were improved with separated bicycle facilities and showed a dramatic increase in ridership as a result. The data from these counters can be used to extrapolate shorter duration counts in the region. Biking and Walking Mode Share At the county level, mode share has remained about the same for the last few years in the NOACA region, with a slight increase in driving alone, and a slight decrease in transit use. Carpooling rates are about the same in all five counties, while Cuyahoga and Lorain counties have significantly higher rates of walking (2.5% or less), biking (0.5% or less), and transit (5.9% or less) than the other three counties. The League of American Bicyclists’ report on 2014 American Community Survey Data compared local bicycle mode share with other cities and states.40 Bicycle commute rates across the country are rising by 62%, with the highest mode share being 23% in Davis, California. The bicycle commute rate in the state of Ohio is 0.3%, a 36% increase over 0.23% in 2005. Ohio ranks 36 out of 50 states for bicycle commute rates. The City of Cleveland’s bicycle commute rate of 0.7% is more than double the state average. Cleveland’s rate has also increased 238% since 2000. This now ranks Cleveland 40 of 70 large cities in the United States for bicycle commuting. Cincinnati and Columbus are both ranked higher, while Toledo is ranked lower. While Ohio, and its cities don’t rank very high for total bike commute share, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Columbus are ranked 3, 7, and 21, respectively, among a list of 50 cities where bicycle commuting is growing the fastest. A U.S. Census report assessed change in walking and biking commute rates in Cleveland from 2000 to 2010 and determined that both modes saw increases that are statistically significant.41 Walking increased from 4.0% in 2000 to 4.8% in

40League of American Bicyclists, “Where We Ride: Analysis of bicycle commuting in American cities,” Report on 2014 American Community Survey Data, http://www.bikeleague.org/sites/default/files/Where_We_Ride_2014_data_web.pdf. 41Brian McKenzie, “Modes Less Traveled—Bicycling and Walking to Work in the United States: 2008– 2012,” American Community Survey Reports (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Bureau, May 2014), https://www.census.gov/prod/2014pubs/acs-25.pdf. 207

2010, while biking increased from 0.2% in 2000 to 0.6% in 2010. The distribution of mode choice for NOACA’s five counties is shown in Figure 3.5.4-4.

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Figure 3.5.4-4: Transportation Mode Choice in Northeast Ohio

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The map in Figure 3.5.4-5 shows in more detail the areas of the region where people are using transit, walking, biking, or working at home instead of driving/carpooling. The darker colors represent areas where most people drive alone and very few use transit, biking, or walking. Figure 3.5.4-5: Areas of Active Transportation in Northeast Ohio

http://www.census.gov/censusexplorer/censusexplorer-commuting.html

Bicycle and Pedestrian Crash Data The most recent analysis of crashes in the NOACA region (NOACA’s State of Safety 2015 report) uses data for the five-year period from 2010 to 2014. Figure 3.5.46 shows the percent of all crashes and the percent of fatal and serious injury crashes that involved bicycles or pedestrians in each county and in the region. While bike/pedestrian crashes make up a small

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(2%) portion of total crashes, they make up a significant portion (12%) of serious injury and fatal crashes. This is not surprising, as bicyclists and pedestrians are often the most vulnerable road user in a crash. Figure 3.5.4-6: Crashes by Transportation Mode in Northeast Ohio County Mode Total Crashes Percent of Serious Percent of Total Crashes Injury/Fatal SI/F Crashes (SI/F) Crashes Pedestrian 1,967 1.31% 360 11.26% Cuyahoga Bicycle 1,617 1.08% 142 4.44% Total 149,972 2.39% 3,196 15.70% Pedestrian 38 0.39% 13 3.26% Geauga Bicycle 24 0.25% 9 2.26% Total 9,778 0.64% 399 5.52% Pedestrian 137 0.53% 33 5.39% Lake Bicycle 177 0.68% 26 4.25% Total 25,900 1.21% 612 9.64% Pedestrian 198 0.61% 44 5.03% Lorain Bicycle 275 0.85% 32 3.66% Total 32,348 1.46% 875 8.69% Pedestrian 66 0.37% 17 3.49% Medina Bicycle 78 0.44% 9 1.85% Total 17,783 0.81% 487 5.34% Pedestrian 2,406 1.02% 467 8.39% Region Bicycle 2,171 0.92% 218 3.91% Total 235,781 1.94% 5,569 12.3%

For the first time, the most recent State of Safety report included a Top 10 Corridors list (for bicycle and pedestrian crashes (see Figure 3.5.4-7). Because the frequency and nature of bicycle and pedestrian crashes is much different from motor vehicle crashes, examining them separately provides a clearer picture of bike/pedestrian safety needs. Historically, bicycle and pedestrian crashes are underreported, and if a roadway or intersection feels unsafe for biking and walking, most people will choose a different mode of travel, even if they would prefer to bike or walk. In light of this, future State of Safety reports and Bike Plan

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updates should include additional analytical methods that focus on roadway and intersection characteristics and crash potential.42

42Federal Highway Administration, PEDSAFE 2013, Pedestrian Safety Guide and Countermeasure Selection System, Countermeasures, http://www.pedbikesafe.org/PEDSAFE/guide_analysis.cfm

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Figure 3.5.4-7: Bicycle and Pedestrian Crashes: Top 10 Corridors, 2010-2014

Severe Corridor Injury/ Rank Street Length Fatal Municipality County Description (Miles) Crashes per Mile W. 25th from I-71 southbound 1 Street (US 1.75 6 Cleveland CUY ramps to Chatham 42) Avenue Euclid from 0.09 mile west E. 2 Avenue (US 1.44 6 Euclid CUY 248th Street to I-90 20) Lorain from Ranchview North 3 Avenue (SR 1.75 5 CUY Avenue to east of Olmsted 10) Clague Road Granger Garfield from E. 98th St. to E. 4 Road (SR 1.5 5 CUY Heights 135th Street 17) Clifton Road Lakewood/ from Giel Ave. to W. 5 1.5 4 CUY (US 06) Cleveland 108th Street Lakeshore from E. 238th Street to 6 Boulevard 1.67 4 Euclid CUY Westbrook Drive (SR 283) Denison from Fulton Road to W. 7 1 4 Cleveland CUY Avenue 21st Street Euclid from Superior Avenue 8 Avenue (US 1 4 Cleveland CUY to E. 21st Street 20) Orange Avenue/Ont from E. 14th Street to 9 1 4 Cleveland CUY ario Street Superior Avenue (US 422) Rocky River from Westdale Avenue 10 Drive (SR 1 4 Cleveland CUY to Dartmouth Avenue 237)

Goals, Objectives, Performance Measures, and Targets In 2015, NOACA adopted a Regional Strategic Plan with the following vision statement: NOACA will STRENGTHEN regional cohesion, PRESERVE existing infrastructure, and BUILD a sustainable multimodal transportation system to SUPPORT economic development and

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ENHANCE quality of life in Northeast Ohio. The 2013 Regional Bicycle Plan, though finalized prior to development of the NOACA Regional Strategic Plan, established several objectives, listed below, to improve bicycling in the region that support the 2015 strategic plan. Infrastructure Objectives • Identify a regional network that provides more options for people currently bicycling, as well as those considering bicycling for transportation • Coordinate with cities, counties, villages, townships, and the state to implement local connections into the regional network • Eliminate critical gaps in the current regional network, as well as local bikeway networks • Encourage the design and implementation of innovative and safe bicycle facilities that have proven successful in other metropolitan areas, and analyze their impacts within the region • Increase the quantity and quality of bicycle parking at appropriate locations • Develop maintenance strategies for existing and future bicycle facilities • Improve bicycle access to targeted destinations, including public transportation stops, schools, shopping centers, and places of employment • Target major barriers to safe bicycling travel within the region, such as highways, railroads, bridges, and rivers, and work with cities, counties, villages, townships, and the state to develop solutions Policy Objectives • Improve and clarify NOACA’s current policies related to planning and programming infrastructure projects and provision of bicycle facilities • Draft and adopt a regional complete streets policy • Update appropriate agency processes to facilitate the implementation of a regional complete streets policy • Provide project sponsor resources that facilitate the implementation of a regional complete streets policy • Support the local adoption and implementation of complete streets policies • Develop strategies to improve the enforcement of law regarding bicycling • Continue to update and distribute county bicycle maps to interested bicyclists • Offer bicycle facility planning and design training opportunities to local planning and engineering staffs • Lead or support the implementation of programs listed in Chapter 7 of the 2013 Regional Bicycle Plan These objectives will be updated with the next Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan update.

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Performance Measures and Targets Using performance measures to plan for, design, and track transportation expenditures is a relatively new requirement that was introduced with the 2012 transportation bill, MAP-21. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has developed a Guidebook for Developing Pedestrian and Bicycle Performance Measures. The guidebook emphasizes the need to go beyond the only required bike/pedestrian safety performance measure: tracking the number of nonmotorized fatalities and serious injuries. NOACA is in the process of developing performance measures and targets to track over time that go beyond the list required by MAP-21. These performance measures and targets will be established by NOACA through the development of a steering committee that consists of local partners, ODOT, FHWA, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and local safety forces. Some bicycle and pedestrian measures that are being considered include: • Percentage of roads in the urbanized area that also contain sidewalks • Percentage of the population that is within one mile of a bike lane or bike path • Percentage of population that has access to at least one transportation mode beyond a private car • Percentage of population that is within one mile of a bike lane/path and/or percentage of population that is at least ¾ mile from a transit line Bicycle performance measures were identified in the 2013 Regional Bicycle Plan, with the intention of providing updates every one to two years in a “report card” format. • Annual number of bicycle-related crashes • Annual number of miles of bikeways constructed • Annual growth of bicycle commute mode share and bicycle count volumes The report card format did not move forward, but these measures have been included in the Bicycle and Pedestrian Count Report (2012) and the annual State of Safety report. Further establishing robust active transportation performance measures for the NOACA region should be included as part of the next Regional Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan update. Recommendations and Implementation Action Areas NOACA will continue to build on its efforts to include bicycle and pedestrian facilities as a safe, healthy, and viable transportation choice in Northeast Ohio. To provide a system that supports active transportation effectively, NOACA will include products that gather and provide valuable data, analyze the data to identify trends and needs, develop plans to accomplish goals, and use these materials for integration into planning and project development. Recommendations are in green type. Data Gathering and Provision: • Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan (updated every 4 years): The Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan was last updated in 2013, and the next update is planned for 2018/2019. This plan includes means of prioritizing bike/pedestrian funding investments (i.e., the Regional Priority Bikeway Network and the Potential Bikeway Demand Score) and recommendations for improving bicycle safety and mobility in the region. NOACA’s 2002 Congestion Management Manual of Practice (CMMP) sets the Level of Service

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(LOS) targets for the region and is referenced in ODOT’s roadway design standards (L&D Volume 1). The target LOS is D for urban areas and C for rural areas. In some cases, attempting to achieve or maintain this LOS target along a corridor may be mutually exclusive with providing adequate bicycle, pedestrian, or transit accommodations. Moreover, Multimodal Level of Service methodologies have become the industry standard (i.e., Highway Capacity Manual 2010) since NOACA’s 2002 vehicular targets were set. The next update to NOACA’s bicycle and pedestrian plan should include methodology and criteria for using Multimodal Level of Service in a context-sensitive manner. These recommendations should then be used to update the 2002 CMMP and ODOT’s L&D manual, Volume 1. • Bicycle and Pedestrian Count Program

o Volunteer counts (conducted twice a year): Volunteers are asked every May and September to count bicycles and pedestrians during the evening rush hour (5 p.m.-7 p.m.) in various locations throughout the region.

o Permanent counters: NOACA installed the region’s first permanent bicycle and pedestrian counter on Edgehill Road in fall 2016, and another will be installed on the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge in 2017. Additional counters will be installed in the future.

o Bicycle and Pedestrian Count Report (updated every 2 years): This report is a summary of the bike/pedestrian data collected in the NOACA region, and it highlights trends and recommendations. The volunteer count program should continue at its current rate (about 40-50 locations per cycle), while exploring more efficient means of data collection. Although the automated collection system is expected to be fully implemented in the long term, elimination of volunteer counts is not recommended. Manual data collection is valuable for calibrating automated counts and for gathering information not detected by automated counters, such as gender, helmet use, sidewalk riding, and other important details. Installing permanent counters will allow for a more robust dataset. These counts not only provide great data for the location at which they are installed, but also reveal trends that can be used to extrapolate more limited data at another location. In the short term, installing additional counters to achieve diverse coverage is recommended. In the long term, emerging bike/pedestrian data collection methods such as crowd-sourced GPS route data (e.g., Strava, UH Bikes bike share data) and video processing data (e.g., Placemeter, Numina) should be explored, and piloted if appropriate. These additional types of data collection may be more cost effective, and may offer data in a format that allows for additional types of analysis, such as origin and destination, and mode split. The Count Report should be updated every 2 years or more, if appropriate. • County Bike Maps (updated every 3 years): NOACA produces a bike map for each of the five counties. The bike maps highlight where bike paths, lanes, and bike-friendly roads are; provide tips for bike safety; and more. These maps are printed on waterproof, tearproof paper, and are distributed free to the public.

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NOACA recently completed a major update to the Cuyahoga County Bike Map. This new format will be followed to update the bike maps for Lorain, Medina, Lake, and Geauga counties in 2017 and 2018. • Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Council (BPAC) (quarterly meetings): NOACA’s BPAC assists the Transportation Subcommittee in proposing bike and pedestrian accommodations during the project planning stages. The BPAC helps NOACA increase modal choices by encouraging bicycling as a viable transportation mode and supporting facilities that increase bicycle and pedestrian use. • Cuyahoga Greenway Partners (CGP) participant (monthly meetings): The Cuyahoga Greenway Partners is a collaboration to facilitate communication, keep focus, and drive the regional trail effort, raising the visibility, prioritization, funding methods, and implementation of relevant actions to complete the recreation, transportation-choice network. NOACA is the lead on maintaining an inventory of bicycle facilities for the CGP, and assists on other initiatives. NOACA’s programs directly or indirectly include bicycle and pedestrian transportation components. • Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative (Chapter 3.4a): Improving conditions for biking and walking are integral in achieving the TLCI goals for most study areas. • Transit Oriented Development (TOD) program (Chapter 3.4b): Improving conditions for biking and walking within the catchment area of transit stations is a key aspect of TOD, which is a new initiative for NOACA. • Congestion Management Program (CMP) (Chapter 3.1): Improving conditions for biking and walking, and ultimately increasing the mode share of biking and walking, is one of many underused Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategies that can help address traffic congestion concerns. Within the NOACA region, using biking and walking as a TDM strategy is not yet a common practice. Moving Greater University Circle, a 2015 TLCI plan, is the first comprehensive TDM plan in the region. Emphasizing biking and walking as a TDM strategy should be incorporated into NOACA’s CMP, Active Transportation, and Air Quality programs in the future. The CMP has historically focused on identifying roadway segments in the NOACA region where traffic volume exceeds roadway capacity. Identifying roadway segments where traffic volume is below roadway capacity could provide an avenue for installing bicycle lanes, sidewalks, transit lanes, on-street parking, and other roadway features that enhance the livability of the corridor. • Regional Safety Program (Chapter 3.5): The Regional Safety Program at NOACA consists of analyzing crash and other safety-related data to draw conclusions about the state of safety for transportation within the NOACA region, and to develop recommendations to improve safety and reduce crashes. Historically, the safety program has not developed specific recommendations for bicycle/pedestrian transportation. The 2016 State of Safety report includes the first priority location list for bike/pedestrian safety, and the 2016 Transportation Safety Action

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Plan highlights bike/pedestrian safety as one of five focus areas. Future versions of these reports should improve upon methodology for determining bike/pedestrian recommendations.

o State of Safety (updated annually) o Transportation Safety Action Plan • Air Quality Planning (Chapter 3.7): The Air Quality program has included a multimodal rideshare program and a public outreach component that encourages use of alternative modes to reduce emissions. Both aspects of the air quality program are in the process of implementing major updates and improvements. • Transportation Asset Management Program (Chapter 3.2): NOACA’s transportation asset management program consists primarily of monitoring pavement and bridge conditions within the region, and developing prioritized lists of roadways and bridges in need of improvement. In addition, funding is allocated to improve and maintain infrastructure in a state of good repair. Planned bicycle and pedestrian improvements are incorporated into the scope of work, if feasible. The next phase of the asset management program will include transit assets. In the future, the asset management program should be expanded to monitor the condition of bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and provide for means of repair. Concerns regarding poor maintenance of bicycle and pedestrian facilities (including snow removal, street sweeping, pavement condition, etc.) was identified in the 2013 Regional Bicycle Plan as an area that needs improvement. In addition, this topic comes up frequently during many other planning studies, including the TLCI Eastside Greenway Plan and the Cuyahoga County Greenway Partners. Monitoring Assessing & Documenting Performance The same committee that establishes performance measures and targets (consisting of local partners, ODOT, FHWA, DHS, and local safety forces) will also establish the process for monitoring, assessing, and documenting the progress toward the targets. In addition, the next Regional Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan update will establish procedures for monitoring, assessing, and documenting the additional performance measures established within the bike/pedestrian plan. Cost and Finance Summary See Chapter 5, Financial Plan—Forecasted Projects and Costs, for the estimated cost and finance summary for bicycle and pedestrian projects over the 20-year life of this plan.

3.5.5: Travel and Tourism Introduction Tourism has both positive and negative effects on the local transportation system and economy. In 2015 the total U.S. Travel Market had 1,568 million trips, which was a 2.3% increase over 2014 and an 11% increase over 2011.43 Of those, 39.9 million trips were made to the Cleveland

43Cleveland Longwoods Travel USA, 2015 Visitor Study, provided by Destination Cleveland.

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Designated Market Area (Cleveland DMA) in 2015.44 The Cleveland DMA constitutes the Cleveland Commercial Television Market, as defined by The Nielsen Company. It contains 17 counties in Ohio, including the cities of Cleveland, Akron, Ashland, Ashtabula, Canton, Elyria, Lorain, Mansfield, Medina, Mentor, New Philadelphia, Norwalk, Ravenna, Sandusky, and Wooster. In 2015, 21% of trips to the region were overnight trips.45 The remaining were day trips. The 10 most popular modes in which visitors came to the Cleveland DMA (in descending order) were by their own car/truck, plane, rental car, taxi cab, bus, online taxi service, train, bicycle, motorcycle, and ship/boat.46 Economic benefits in 2015 to the five-county NOACA region include $10.3 billion in tourism sales, $14.57 billion in total tourism economic impact, and 92,522 jobs.47 Existing Conditions An estimated 39.9 million trips were made to the Cleveland DMA in 2015.48 Figure 3.5.5-1 shows many of the most common tourist destinations. Statistics for visits to the Cleveland DMA are available for two types of trips: day person-trips (one person visiting for one day and leaving that same day) and overnight person-trips (one person staying at least one night). In 2015, 79% of the trips to the Cleveland DMA were day person-trips. Figure 3.5.5-2 indicates the reasons visitors made day-trips to the Cleveland DMA in 2015; 36% of person day-trips were to visit friends or relatives. Marketable Trips, defined by Longwoods International as including “all leisure trips, with the exception of visits to friends/relatives” made up 55% of all person day-trips to Cleveland. The highest ranked of marketable day-trips to the Cleveland DMA include, in descending order: special events (fairs, festivals, sports events, etc.), shopping, city trips, touring, casinos, outdoors, and theme parks (see Figure 3.5.5-2). The local transportation system’s strength and connection to tourist locations (sports arenas, concert venues, fairgrounds, shopping centers, traditional downtown cores, tourist sites, casinos, regional parks, and theme parks) affects each trip as well as future tourism potential. Conversely, the types and volumes of trips made to tourist locations affects the local transportation system.

44Nielsen Commercial TV Markets, http://seventhpoint.com/images/pdfs/2012- 2013%20Large%20DMA%20Map.pdf. 45Cleveland Longwoods Travel USA, 2015 Visitor Study. 46Ibid. 47Tourism Economics, The Economic Impact of Tourism in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, June 2016. 48Cleveland Longwoods Travel USA, 2015 Visitor Study.

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Figure 3.5.5-1: Greater Cleveland Destinations

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Figure 3.5.5-2: 2015 Reasons for Day Person-Trips to Cleveland DMA1

Source: Cleveland Longwoods Travel USA, 2015 Visitor Study As mentioned above, 21% of trips taken to the Cleveland DMA in 2015 were overnight person- trips. Figure 3.5.5-3 shows the reasons for overnight trips made that year: 55% of those trips were to visit friends or relatives (a 19% increase over day-trips to visit friends or relatives), and marketable trips made up 30% of overnight person-trips to Cleveland. Though all of the marketable trip types were between 1% and 5% lower for overnight person-trips than day person-trips, it’s notable that shopping, the second-most popular purpose for day-trips, did not register as a purpose for overnight person-trips. Special events, city trips, touring, casino visits, theme parks, and outdoors round out the types of overnight marketable trips to the Cleveland DMA, totaling 29% of the purposes of overnight trips. Conference/convention, business-leisure, and other business trips total 15% of the overnight person-trips to the Cleveland DMA.

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Figure 3.5.5-3: 2015 Reasons for Overnight Person-Trips to the Cleveland DMA

Source: Cleveland Longwoods Travel USA, 2015 Visitor Study Special events are the second-highest reason visitors came to Cleveland in 2015 for both day and overnight person-trips, totaling 12% and 11% of those trips respectively. These trips include sporting events, concerts, fairs, festivals, etc. The table in Figure 3.5.5-4 lists some of the larger sites that host those types of events in the region. These locations include professional sports arenas, county fairgrounds, and concert venues. The types of available data varies regarding capacity, annual visitors, and the amount of annual events at each site.

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Figure 3.5.5-4: Large Regional Event Facilities No. of Ann ual Annual Eve Facility Location County Capacity Visitors nts Notes Lake Erie Crushers, (professional baseball team), baseball/softball tournaments, college/high school baseball games, car shows, concerts, family reunions, corporate meetings, charity All Pro walk/runs, bridal Freight and baby Stadium Avon Lorain showers Lake County Captains (Class A Baseball), concerts, fundraisers, meetings, parties, high school Classic baseball and Park Eastlake Lake 16,000 football games Cleveland State Athletic Department and Cleveland Men's and State Women's University Bastketball, Wolstein concerts, special Center Cleveland Cuyahoga 15,000 events

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No. of Ann ual Annual Eve Facility Location County Capacity Visitors nts Notes

2,500 Grandstand, 10 buildings, varying from Cuyahoga County Cuyahoga 1920 sq. ft. Fair, family and County to 23,000 cultural events, Fairgrounds Berea Cuyahoga sq. ft. trade shows Home to the Cleveland Browns (National Football League), First Energy concerts and Stadium Cleveland Cuyahoga 68,000 other events Geauga County Fair, antiques shows, animal Geauga shows, family County events, camping, Fairgrounds Burton Geauga and other events Jacobs Pavilion at Concerts and Nautica Cleveland Cuyahoga 5,000 special events Lake County Fairgrounds Painesville Lake Lake County Fair Lorain County Lorain County Fairgrounds Wellington Lorain Fair Medina County Fair, shows, flea markets, Medina auctions, picnics, County holiday lights Fairgrounds Medina Medina 100,000 event

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No. of Ann ual Annual Eve Facility Location County Capacity Visitors nts Notes Cleveland Indians (Major League Baseball), family Progressive events, other Field Cleveland Cuyahoga 35,225 sporting events Cleveland Cavaliers professional basketball, Lake Erie Monsters (American Hockey League), Cleveland Gladiators (Arena Football), Mid- American Conference Men's & Women's Championship Tournaments (college basketball), concerts, family Quicken shows, and Loans signature sporting Arena Cleveland Cuyahoga 20,562 2,000,000 200 events

Accessing Our Region According to Longwoods International, 70% of Cleveland visitors staying overnight arrived via their personal car or truck.49 That is followed by plane (25%), rental car (17%), taxi cab (7%), bus (6%), online taxi service (5%), train (3%), bicycle (2%), motorcycle (1%), ship/boat (1%), and camper/RV (1%), as shown in Figure 3.5.5-5.

49Ibid.

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Figure 3.5.5-5: Transportation to Cleveland DMA, Overnight Person-Trips

Source: Cleveland Longwoods Travel USA, 2015 Visitor Study

Figure 3.5.5-6 indicates the starting locations for the majority of visitors who stayed overnight in the Cleveland DMA in 2015. According to Longwoods International, 29% of those staying overnight came from Ohio, followed by New York (9%), Florida (8%), Pennsylvania (8%), Michigan (7%), California (4%), Illinois (4%), Texas (3%), and Virginia (3%). The cities most overnight travelers came from are Cleveland (15%), Columbus (5%), Chicago (4%), Detroit (4%), New York City (4%), Pittsburgh (4%), Toledo (4%), Washington, DC (3%), Cincinnati (3%), Buffalo (3%), Tampa-St. Petersburg-Sarasota (3%), and Los Angeles (2%).

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Figure 3.5.5-6: Home Locations of Overnight Person-Trips to Cleveland DMA

Source: Cleveland Longwoods Travel USA, 2015 Visitor Study Regional Road Network Figure 3.5.5-5 shows that more than half of those who stay at least one night in the Cleveland DMA arrive in their own car or truck. A functioning and well-maintained roadway network is important for both locals and visitors to a region. Refer to Chapter 3.1 regarding existing conditions for the NOACA Area Congestion Management Program Road Network. Chapter 3.3 on Transportation Asset Management goes into more detail on NOACA’s Transportation Asset Management Plan, which addresses NOACA’s regional approach to maintaining the road network based on integrated infrastructure life cycle modeling. Airport Access As noted in Figure 3.5.5-5, 25% of visitors who stay overnight in the Cleveland DMA arrive by plane. The two commercial airports in the NOACA region are Cleveland-Hopkins International (Cleveland-Hopkins) and Burke Lakefront (Burke); both are within Cleveland City Limits. Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport The majority of 2015 enplanements (99.9%) within the NOACA region occurred at Cleveland- Hopkins. Cleveland-Hopkins is located 10 miles southwest of downtown Cleveland (see Figure 3.5.5-7). Connections to Cleveland-Hopkins include the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) Red Line, which is a heavy-rail line that connects directly to downtown Cleveland, University Circle, East Cleveland, and locations in between. GCRTA bus route 22 also connects the airport to downtown Cleveland. Both lines connect to the GCRTA system, with lines covering various locations in Cuyahoga County.50 A 24-hour-a-day shuttle provides access to a nearby car rental facility that houses eight authorized car rental companies.51 There

50Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, http://www.riderta.com/. 51Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport, http://www.clevelandairport.com/.

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is a parking garage attached to the airport terminal as well as four surface parking lots in various nearby locations accessible either by walking or shuttle. Cleveland-Hopkins has a cell phone parking lot as well as a curbside valet option. There is a taxi stand outside the terminal with access to authorized taxi companies. There are several limousine companies that provide service to and from the airport. The airport website also lists regional hotels that provide shuttle service to and from the airport. There is also a shuttle service provided by Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio, to and from the airport. Figure 3.5.5-7: Enplanements at Airports Preliminary Enplanements at All United States Commercial Service Airports

U.S. Location Airport CY 2015 CY 2014 % City Rank ID Name Enplanements Enplanements Change

Cleveland- Hopkins 46 CLE Cleveland International 3,916,914 3,686,315 6.26% Burke 536 BKL Cleveland Lakefront 2,615 1,241 110.72% Source: Federal Aviation Administration: http://www.faa.gov/

Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport Burke, located along Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, had 2,615 preliminary enplanements in 2015 (see Figure 3.5.5-6). The airport is a half mile from the GCRTA Northcoast station, with connections to the Blue and Green light-rail lines. These lines continue through downtown and connect to the greater transit system with access to areas throughout Cuyahoga County. The 9/12 trolley, one of three downtown fair-free GCRTA trolley service lines, also has a stop near the Northcoast Station. It proceeds throughout the eastern portion of downtown Cleveland. Connections to Laketran, with service to Lake County, is also a half-mile from Burke. Amtrak Service is available through the Cleveland Station, about a half-mile west of Burke Lakefront Airport. Car Rental Locations Seventeen percent of overnight visitors arrive to Cleveland via rental car. As of July 2016 there were at least 67 car rental locations in the five-county northeast Ohio region (see Figure 3.5.5- 8).52 The prevalence of car rental locations is important for ease of visitor mobility, and many are conveniently located near activity hubs and intermodal locations, including airports, regional bus service stops, Amtrak stations, and transit stations. Akin to traditional car rental services, Turo allows private car owners to rent their vehicles to individuals who sign up to its system.53 Turo is available in Northeast Ohio.

53Turo, https://turo.com/.

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Figure 3.5.5-8: Car Rental Agencies by County Agency Address Source Cuyahoga County (48 Known Car Rental Locations) Avis Rent-A-Car 27900 Chagrin Blvd, Beachwood 44122 https://www.avis.com/ 27900 Chagrin Blvd, Beachwood 44122 https://www.avis.com/ 19601 Maplewood Avenue, Cleveland 44135 https://www.avis.com/ 1799 Superior Ave, Cleveland 44114 https://www.avis.com/ 5000 Great Northern Blvd, North Olmsted 44070 https://www.avis.com/ 3596 Lee Rd, Shaker Heights 44120 https://www.avis.com/ 33003 Aurora Rd, Solon 44139 https://www.avis.com/ Budget Car Rental 27900 Chagrin Blvd, Beachwood 44122 www.budget.com 19601 Maplewood Avenue, Cleveland 44135 www.budget.com 1799 Superior Ave, Cleveland 44114 www.budget.com 5000 Great Northern Blvd, North Olmsted 44070 www.budget.com 3596 Lee Rd, Shaker Heights 44120 www.budget.com 33003 Aurora Rd, Solon 44139 www.budget.com City Auto Rental 13945 Triskett Rd, Cleveland 44111 http://www.cityautorental.net/ Dollar Rent-A-Car 19601 Maplewood Avenue, Cleveland 44135 https://www.dollar.com/ Enterprise Rent-A-Car 28000 Chagrin Blvd, Beachwood 44122 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html 19550 Rockside Rd, Bedford 44146 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html 1802 Superior Ave E, Cleveland 44114 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html 15931 Lorain Ave, Cleveland 44111 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html 19601 Maplewood Avenue, Cleveland 44135 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html 3200 Mayfield Rd, Cleveland Hts. 44118 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html 20950 Lakeland Blvd, Euclid 44119 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html 2285 Warren Road, Lakewood 44107 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html 5943 Mayfield Rd, Mayfield Hts. 44124 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html 27521 Lorain Rd., North Olmsted 44070 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html

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Agency Address Source 9375 Brookpark Rd, Parma 44129 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html 7800 Broadview Road, Parma 44134 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html 760 Richmond Rd, Richmond Hts. 44143 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html 15809 Chagrin Blvd, Shaker Hts. 44120 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html 32625 Aurora Rd, Solon 44139 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html 8674 Pearl Rd, Strongsville 44136 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html 23735 Center Ridge Rd, Westlake 44145 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html Hertz Car Rental 3663 Park East Drive, Beachwood 44122 https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/reservation/ 5300 Riverside Drive, Cleveland 44135 https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/reservation/ 19601 Maplewood Avenue, Cleveland 44135 https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/reservation/ 6200 Riverside Drive, Cleveland 44135 https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/reservation/ 26380 Curtiss Wright Parkway, Cleveland 44113 https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/reservation/ 1601 North Marginal Road, Cleveland 44114 https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/reservation/ 1701 East 12th Street, Cleveland 44114 https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/reservation/ 11800 Madison Avenue, Lakewood 44107 https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/reservation/ 5515 Warrensville Center Road, Maple Hts. 44137 https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/reservation/ 1 Allen Bradley Drive, Mayfield Hts. 44124 https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/reservation/ 5411 Brookpark Road, Parma 44130 https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/reservation/ Real EZ Rent a Car 1100 Brookpark Road, Cleveland 44109 http://www.realezrentacar.com/ Rent-A-Wreck 10225 Madison Avenue, Lakewood 44107 https://www.rentawreck.com/ 8003 Brookpark Road, Parma 44129 https://www.rentawreck.com/ Rusty Rentals 2972 Broadway ave., Cleveland 44115 http://rustyrentals.net/ 3401 Brookpark Rd., Parma 44134 http://rustyrentals.net/ Thrifty Car Rentals 19601 Maplewood Avenue, Cleveland 44135 https://www.thrifty.com/ Geauga County (2 Known Car Rental Locations) Enterprise Rent-A-Car 8410 East Washington, Bainbridge 44023 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html

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Agency Address Source 554 Water St, Chardon 44024 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html Lake County (11 Known Car Rental Locations) Avis Rent-A-Car 28500 Euclid Ave. Wickliffe 44092 http://www.lakevisit.com/ Great Lakes Mall Mentor 44060 http://www.lakevisit.com/ Budget Car Rental 7875 Johnnycake Ridge Rd, Mentor 44060 www.budget.com 28502 Euclid Ave, Wickliffe 44092 www.budget.com Classic Rent-A-Car 6920 Center St., Mentor 44060 http://www.cagrentalcar.com/ Dollar Rent-A-Car 7272 Mentor Avenue, Suite 3, Mentor 44060 http://www.lakevisit.com/ Enterprise Rent-A-Car 29820 Euclid Ave, Wickliffe 44092 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html 5813 North Ridge Rd. Madison 44057 http://www.lakevisit.com/ 6876 Center St. Mentor 44060 http://www.lakevisit.com/ Hertz Car Rental 6820 Center Street, Mentor 44060 https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/reservation/ Thrifty Car Rentals 7272 Mentor Avenue, Suite 3, Mentor 44060 http://www.lakevisit.com/ Lorain County (3 Known Car Rental Locations) Enterprise Rent-A-Car 38381 Chester Rd, Avon 44011 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html 614 N Leavitt Rd, Amherst 44001 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html 303 Cleveland St., Elyria 44035 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html Medina County (3 Known Car Rental Locations) Enterprise Rent-A-Car 3839 Center Rd, Brunswick 44212 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html 245 N Court St, Medina 44256 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html 976 Broad St, Wadsworth 44281 https://www.enterprise.com/en/home.html

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Taxi Services Taxi services provide access to most locations in the NOACA region on short notice, which provides flexibility to a visitor’s schedule. Having a robust regional taxi service system, particularly to/from airports and popular destination centers, improves access and visitor experience of that region. There are 27 taxi providers in the NOACA region that provide access to parts of all five counties. A list of taxi service providers can be found in the Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan for Northeast Ohio.54 Regional Bus Service There are three bus services that provide connections between Northeast Ohio and other regions. Greyhound provides daily direct service to several Ohio cities, with connections available to over 3,800 locations in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. There are four Greyhound stops in the NOACA region; they are located in Broadview Heights, Cleveland, Elyria, and Parma.55 Megabus has a stop at the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Transit Center in Cleveland. It provides daily service with direct connections to four American cities (Chicago; New York City; State College, PA; and Toledo), with transfer options to 98 locations in the eastern United States and Canada.56 Baron bus provides daily regional service to 14 cities and eight colleges within a day’s drive of Cleveland.57 Local bus stops include the Cleveland Greyhound Terminal and the Parma Barons Bus Office. Baron also provides charter services. Public Transit Each county in Northeast Ohio has a public transit authority. Visitors to the region can use transit to reach many popular destinations. For more information on transit access, see Chapter 3.5.2: Transit. Ride-Sharing Services (Online Taxi Service) The Longwoods International report includes “Online Taxi Service” as one means in which visitors get to their destinations in Greater Cleveland. Rideshare Service is another term for this service. These services typically connect smart phone users with drivers who use GPS and online payment systems to ease location description and payment methods for users. In Northeast Ohio Lyft and Uber provide these services. Lyft covers the entire Northeast Ohio region.58 Uber provides services to all urban areas and most rural areas in Northeast Ohio.59

Rail Amtrak, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, provides service to Northeast Ohio via two lines: the Capitol Limited and the Lake Shore Limited. Both lines have once-daily service in both directions at stations in Cleveland and Elyria. The Capitol Limited provides services to

54NOACA, Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan for Northeast Ohio, January 2015, http://noaca.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=6797. 55Greyhound: https://www.greyhound.com/en/ 56Megabus: http://us.megabus.com/ 57Baron Bus: http://baronsbus.com/ 58Lyft, https://www.lyft.com/. 59Uber, https://www.uber.com/.

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Chicago; Toledo; Pittsburgh; Washington, D.C.; and points in between. The Lake Shore Limited provides service to Chicago, Toledo, Buffalo, Boston, New York City, and points in between.60 The Cleveland Lakefront Station, located downtown, is near the GCRTA green and blue rapid lines, connecting visitors to the entire GCTRA system throughout Cuyahoga County and to locations in Lake and Medina counties. The station is also accessible to the downtown Cleveland sidewalk network, the Cleveland Lakefront Bikeway, and the Interstate Highway System. Bike Adequate bicycle facilities and a strong bicycle network support are important for access and safety for all users. Bike Share allows visitors an option of an alternate transportation mode to experience a location and to take advantage of such facilities. Bicycle facilities and bike share information can be found about it in Chapter 3.4c: Active Transportation. Motorcycle In 2014 Ohio ranked fourth in the nation with 404,749 registered private and commercial motorcycles.61 One percent of those who visit Cleveland for overnight trips arrived via motorcycle. Boat/Ship Boating is a popular outdoor activity in Ohio. According to The U.S. Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety, Boating Safety Division, Ohio had the seventh-highest number of registered recreational watercraft vessels in the country, at 459,778.62 According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Watercraft, registrations are required for all recreational boats, including powerboats, sailboats, canoes, kayaks, pedal boats, and inflatable boats.63 In 2014 a 53-slip transient marina opened in North Coast Harbor, in downtown Cleveland adjacent to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, First Energy Stadium, and other tourist attractions.64 It includes rentable paddle boats, kayaks, and jet skis. Then–Port-Control-Director Ricky Smith mentioned that the project was intended to provide “visitors a way to get downtown and bringing them to one of the city's greatest jewels."65 Reasons for Trips Trip Generators When targeting where to invest in transportation infrastructure, regional visitor destination nodes should be identified. According to the Cleveland Longwoods study, “The top five overnight trip Cleveland activities and experiences were ’Shopping,’ ’Fine Dining,’ ‘Museum,’ ‘Bar/Nightclub,’ and ‘Landmark/Historic Site.’”

60Amtrak: https://www.amtrak.com/home. 61U.S. Federal Highway Administration, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations – 2014, https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2014/mv1.cfm. 62.U.S Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety, https://www.uscgboating.org/library/accident- statistics/Recreational-Boating-Statistics-2014.pdf. 63Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Watercraft, http://watercraft.ohiodnr.gov/registration. 64 http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2014/06/transient_marina_opens_new_wat.html. 65Tourism Economics: The Economic Impact of Tourism in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, June 2016.

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Retail Centers Shopping is a popular reason people make marketable day trips to the Cleveland DMA. Ten percent of people who came to Cleveland for a day trip shopped while here. The 10 largest retail markets in the NOACA region, in descending order based on net rentable area, measured in square feet, are Great Lakes Mall (Mentor), City of Cleveland, Midway Mall (Elyria/Sheffield), Great Northern (North Olmsted), Bedford, Beachwood, Crocker Park (Westlake/Avon), South Park Mall (Strongsville), Parma, and Willoughby.66 They range from 4.2M to 2.3M square feet of rentable area. The entire list of Retail Markets in the NOACA region can be found in Figure 3.5.5-9. Figure 3.5.5-9: Cleveland Retail Market Statistics Cleveland Retail Market Statistics 2015 H2 % Increase Rank Net Planned in Net (By Rentable Vacancy Rented Development Rentable SF) Trade Area County Area (SF) Rate (%) Area (SF) Area Great Lakes Mall 1 – Mentor Lake 4,220,872 5.8 3,976,061 313,140 7.42 2 Cleveland – City Cuyahoga 4,025,422 9.3 3,651,058 0.00 Midway Mall – 3 Elyria/Sheffield Lorain 3,764,756 17.8 3,094,629 0.00 Great Northern – 4 North Olmsted Cuyahoga 3,025,490 2.6 2,946,827 0.00 5 Bedford Cuyahoga 2,955,018 34.6 1,932,582 6 Beachwood Cuyahoga 2,913,447 2.9 2,828,957 389,000 13.35 Crocker Park – Cuyahoga, 7 Westlake/Avon Lorain 2,829,547 5.4 2,676,751 502,500 17.76 South Park Mall – 8 Strongsville Cuyahoga 2,536,276 2.5 2,472,869 9 Parma Cuyahoga 2,449,003 14.7 2,089,000 10 Willoughby Lake 2,299,116 24.2 1,742,730 Brunswick – 11 Medina Medina 2,259,653 17.3 1,868,733 Solon – Cuyahoga, 12 Bainbridge Geauga 2,092,781 16.8 1,741,194 Brooklyn – Brook 13 Park Cuyahoga 1,897,705 11 1,688,957 Middleburg 14 Heights Cuyahoga 1,687,355 12.7 1,473,061

66CBRE Group, Inc., Cleveland Retail Market View H2 2015

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Cleveland Retail Market Statistics 2015 H2 % Increase Rank Net Planned in Net (By Rentable Vacancy Rented Development Rentable SF) Trade Area County Area (SF) Rate (%) Area (SF) Area Richmond Town 15 Square Cuyahoga 1,541,111 4.9 1,465,597 Severance – 16 South Euclid Cuyahoga 1,422,999 38.5 875,144 17 Mayfield Heights Cuyahoga 1,409,539 2.5 1,374,301 18 Wadsworth Medina 1,402,559 5.6 1,324,016 Rocky River – 19 Fairview Cuyahoga 1,398,316 4.1 1,340,985 20 Lorain – Amherst Lorain 1,286,643 11 1,145,112 21 Geauga Geauga 1,261,669 7.8 1,163,259 200,000 15.85 22 Lake County East Lake 578,302 15.6 488,087 Broadview Heights – 23 Brecksville Cuyahoga 362,174 5.3 342,979 Cleveland East – 24 Euclid Cuyahoga 313,453 15.2 265,808 Cleveland West – 25 Lakewood Cuyahoga 183,736 4.6 175,284 Independence – 26 Rockside Cuyahoga 117,785 16.5 98,350 Market Total 50,234,727 11.93 44,242,332 1,404,640 2.80 Source: CBRE Cleveland Retail Market View H2 2015

Outdoors Trips A significant amount of trips to the Cleveland DMA were to experience the outdoors; 2% of overnight trips and 5% of day trips included an outdoor component. Outdoor trips could include various destinations such as visits to parks, trails, forests, beaches, lakes, rivers, golf courses, farms, historic sites, and other locations on either public or private land. Public park systems tally annual visitors by tracking program participants, estimates based on surveys, or a combination of both. This plan includes regional park systems, which include national, state, and county systems. There is one national Park (Cuyahoga Valley National Park), three state parks, and five county park districts within the NOACA region (see Figure 3.5.5-10). These park systems make up 68,740 acres and had about 54 million visitors in 2015.

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Figure 3.5.5-10: Park Systems in Northeast Ohio County, State, and National Park Systems in NOACA Region Size in Annual Square Visitors Park Type County Acres 2015* Source Cuyahoga Valley National https://www.nps.gov/cuva/index.htm, Park National Cuyahoga 8,766 2,200,000 National Park Service Findley http://parks.ohiodnr.gov/, Ohio State Park State Lorain 838 14,470 Department of Natural Resources Punderson State Park State Geauga 741 16,141 http://parks.ohiodnr.gov/ Headlands Beach State Park State Lake 120 http://parks.ohiodnr.gov/ Cuyahoga Lake Cleveland Lorain http://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/ Metroparks County Medina 23,000 45,000,000 Main/Home.aspx http://www.lakemetroparks.com/ Acreage provided by V. Urbanski, Lake Lake Metroparks, Email Communication Metroparks County Lake 9,022 2,500,000 9/7/2016. http://www.geaugaparkdistrict.org/ Visitors provided by S. Ward, Geauga Geauga County Park District , email Park District County Geauga 10,000 56,519 communication 9/15/2016 http://www.metroparks.cc/index.php, Lorain Acreage provided by J. Ziemnik, County Director, Lorain County Metroparks, Metroparks County Lorain 10,253 3,700,000 Email communication 9/21/2016 Medina County Park District County Medina 6,000 64,210 http://www.medinacountyparks.com/ Total 68,740 53,551,340 *Annual visitors are counted differently by different park systems. Some are estimates, some come from tabulations from events and facility rentals.

Scenic Byways There are three Ohio Scenic Byways within the NOACA Region: The Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail, The Ohio and Erie Canalway Scenic Byway, and The North Ridge Scenic Byway. Ohio

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Scenic Byways are coordinated through the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Office of Local Programs. The intention of the Ohio Scenic Byway Program is to “heighten awareness of our State’s historical and intrinsic resources: cultural, historical, archeological, recreational, natural, and scenic—which collectively enhance the overall traveling experience.”67 Two of the Ohio Scenic Byways (The Ohio and Erie Canalway Scenic Byway and The Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trial) are also America’s Byways. The America’s Byways “program is a grass- roots collaborative effort established to help recognize, preserve and enhance selected roads throughout the United States. The U.S. Secretary of Transportation recognizes certain roads as All-American Roads or National Scenic Byways based on one or more archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic qualities.”68 The 110-mile long Ohio and Erie Canalway Scenic Byway follows the past of the Ohio and Erie Canal from Dover to Cleveland, ending near Lake Erie. According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, The Ohio and Erie Canalway Scenic Byway “chronicles the evolution of transportation systems in this region of America and many of the industries which developed in conjunction with these systems.”69 This byway goes through cities, villages, and historical sites as well as the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The Cuyahoga River, Tuscarawas River, Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath, and the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad corridors crisscross and parallel the byway. The 293-mile long Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail (LECOT) traverses Ohio’s Lake Erie coast from Conneaut in the east at the Pennsylvania border to Toledo in the west.70 This byway goes through small towns and large cities. It connects various outdoor recreational opportunities, including beaches, lighthouses, rivers, birding sites, parks, biking, camping, and boating opportunities as well as sites of historical and cultural significance. In 2016 NOACA, Erie Regional Planning Commission, and the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments developed a mobile application with GPS mapping capabilities that provides information about sites along the LECOT and gives users directions to them from their currently location. The nine-mile North Ridge Byway corresponds to the entire length of SR 254 in Lorain County.71 The corridor follows the shoreline of Lake Erie from 12,000 years ago. Along this route are more than 100 historic homes dating back to the 1830s. Economic Impacts of Travel and Tourism Tourism is an important factor in the local economy. It brings revenue to the region and creates jobs. In 2015 the NOACA region saw $10.3 billion in tourism sales, supporting 92,522 jobs with a total impact of $14.57 billion (see Figure 3.5.5-11).72

67Ohio Department of Transportation: http://www.dot.state.oh.us/OhioByways/Pages/Program.aspx. 68U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/byways/. 69Ohio Department of Transportation: http://www.dot.state.oh.us/OhioByways/Pages/CanalWayOhio.aspx. 70Ohio Department of Transportation: http://www.dot.state.oh.us/OhioByways/Pages/LakeErieCoastalOhio.aspx. 71Ohio Department of Transportation: http://www.dot.state.oh.us/OhioByways/Pages/NorthRidge.aspx. 72Tourism Economics: The Economic Impact of Tourism in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, June 2016.

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Figure 3.5.5-11: Revenue from Tourism Travel + Tourism Calendar Year 2015 Tourism Total Tourism Economic Impact County Sales (Sales, Wages, and Tax Revenues) Employment Cuyahoga $8,149.9M $11,575M 65,865.00 Geauga $191.4M $269.3M 2,776.00 Lake $849.4M $1,154M 9,146.00 Lorain $588.5M $842.3M 8,681.00 Medina $529.1M $728.5M 6,054.00 Total $10,308.3M $14,569.1M 92,522.00 Source: Tourism Economics: The Economic Impact of Tourism in Cuyahoga County, Ohio June 2016 • Recommendations According to the Cleveland Longwoods Travel USA 2015 Report, 11% of visitor spending to the Cleveland DMA is on transportation. That equates to about $136 million annually. On average, each overnight visitor spent $17 on transportation once they were in Cleveland. Eight percent of Cleveland visitors use Auto Club/AAA to help plan their trip, and 64% of overnight visitors use smartphones during their trip. Strengthen the Existing System Regional objectives to increase travel and tourism in the region will start with maintaining, preserving, and enhancing transportation infrastructure, including the road and bridges. Access and integrated connectivity between the regional roadway network to airports, transit, and bike and pedestrian facilities will improve the system not only for locals, but also for those who travel to and around Cleveland. A regional strategic plan that focuses on transportation access for travelers should be considered. Strong connections between the regional road network (primarily the Interstate Highway System, freeways, and principal arterials) and popular tourist destinations, including sports and concert venues, urban centers, retail districts, casinos, and regional park systems, are necessary for visitor access. Roadways should be well maintained, provide adequate capacity, and have good signage to ensure visitors have timely and appropriate access. Wayfinding signage for popular destinations and districts should be suitably sized, easy to read, and located so it is both visible and an appropriate distance from the destination. It also provides and opportunity to brand a destination in a unique way. Parking locations should be accessible and easy to locate with appropriate signage. Valet services and the use of innovative parking strategies, including real-time parking management, could provide ease of access while mitigating event congestion. Flexible use of parking space should be considered, including parking-lot/garage sharing strategies and agreements, to make the best use of available inventory of parking space at all times of the day.

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Access and Wayfinding Technology Evolving technologies can bring about efficiencies for travelers. Recent technological transportation advances include dynamic message signs, smart parking systems, parking meter kiosks, and mobile wayfinding applications.73 These platforms enable local agencies to provide up-to-date information to travelers and allow for efficient information and monetary exchanges between the local agency and the user. Local governments and agencies should consider implementing these technologies to enhance visitor experiences and take advantage of financial benefits and system efficiencies. New Regulations New ways for visitors to access rides and vehicles due to technological advances could be seen as an efficiency in the transportation system, but at times they can be controversial by disrupting it. State and local decision makers should consider safety and liability issues that arise with system changes. Thoughtful consideration to policy changes should be given as transportation system changes arise. Regional Collaboration Increasing visitors in the region will increase economic opportunity. Economic benefits in 2015 to the five-county NOACA region include $10.3 billion in tourism sales, $14.57 billion in total tourism economic impact, and 92,522 jobs. Tourism has been on the rise in Cleveland. Local agencies, including governments, convention and visitor centers bureaus, and local destinations and businesses, should collaborate to track visitor data, plan to increase regional visitors, improve their experience, and ensure the local infrastructure supports them. As of spring 2017 Destination Cleveland began an initiative to collect survey data from Cleveland visitors about the following sectors: transportation, attractions/activities, government/civic organizations, lodging, restaurant, and facilities/venues. The goal is to have sector stakeholders use the survey data to address the problems identified by respondents. 3.6: Transportation Safety Introduction One of NOACA’s transportation planning goals is to preserve and improve the efficiency and safety of the existing transportation system, prioritize elements of the system, and ensure the system serves homeland security. During 2015, there were 36,497 roadway crashes in the region, which resulted in 144 fatalities and 1,115 serious injuries. These crashes make up about 12% of 2015 road crashes in the State of Ohio, which totaled 302,307 crashes with 1,110 fatalities and 9,079 serious injuries. This ratio of regional to state crashes is lower than the proportion of the State of Ohio daily Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) in the NOACA Region (15.3%). NOACA recently formed the Safety and Operations Council (SOC) to serve as an advisory group on the topic of safety planning, and to assist in the development of the RSP and provide recommendations regarding regional safety and operations programs to NOACA’s Transportation Subcommittee. The SOC is made up of local planning and engineering staff, law enforcement, emergency responders, ODOT, FHWA, GCRTA, Ohio Traffic Safety Office, and community members. The organization of the NOACA Board and Committee structure is shown in Figure 3.6-1.

73ODOT: https://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Operations/Traffic/FAQs/Pages/DMS.aspx

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Figure 3.6-1: NOACA Board and Committee Structure

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Figure 3.6-2: Crash Frequency by Severity, 2002-2015

50000 Fatal Crashes 45,270 43,664 43,496 45000 Injury Crashes 40,767 37,98538,237 37,862 PDO Crashes 40000 37,430 36,497 35,19035,992 33,981 33,901 35000 32,425

30000

25000

20000 16,07516,160 15,777 14,594 13,82613,209 12,982 12,820 12,930 15000 12,39112,366 12,01712,163 11,539 10000

5000 135 121 113 108 133 133 163 112 122 109 98 88 92 133 0 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Figure 3.6-3: Crash Frequency by County and 2010-2014

120000 109,896 Fatal Crashes 100000 Injury Crashes

80000 PDO Crashes

60000 39,812 40000 23,934 19,951 20000 7,112 13,481 8,324 5,894 4,245 264 44 2,622 55 90 57 0 Cuyahoga Geauga Lake Lorain Medina

The State of Safety Report helps to prioritize transportation safety concerns. It includes the top high-crash corridors in the region ranked by the number of serious injury and fatal crashes. Figure 3.6-4 shows the top high-crash corridors based on the number of serious injury and fatal crashes of all types of crashes per mile that occurred during the five-year period 2010-2014. Figure 3.6-5 shows the top high-crash corridors based on the number of serious injury and fatal crashes of bicycle and pedestrian crashes for the same five-year period. The State of Safety Report is updated each year to include the latest available five-year crash data.

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Figure 3.6-4: Top High Crash Corridors

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Figure 3.6-5: Top High Pedestrian/Bike Crash Corridors

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Transportation Safety Action Plan The RSP developed a Transportation Safety Action Plan (TSAP) that aims to have a transportation network with zero deaths or injuries. Vision Zero plans maintain that no loss of life on the roads is acceptable, and all traffic deaths and injuries on the road can be prevented with the right planning and policies. While Vision Zero is the long-term goal for the NOACA region, short-term targets for reducing fatal and serious injury crashes have also been included in this plan. The TSAP is a regional transportation safety plan comparable to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP), the formation of which is a key requirement of the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). NOACA is the first metropolitan planning organization to develop a regional safety strategic plan in the State of Ohio. The SOC guided the development of the TSAP and will also oversee and guide its implementation. The TSAP was developed using the data from the State of Safety Report. The plan identifies five safety emphasis areas, in which the NOACA region showed signs of road safety issues, and creates an action plan for how to fix them. The TSAP focuses on serious injury and fatal crashes, because they have the highest impact on human lives and require a focused effort to be combated. The five emphasis areas are:

. Impaired Driving: 18.3% of serious injury or fatal crashes in Ohio involved alcohol and/or drugs. In the NOACA region, it is 20.2%, and was highest in Lake, Lorain, and Medina counties at 23.7%, 24.5%, and 23.4%, respectively.

. Bicycles and Pedestrians: 11.3% of serious injury and fatal crashes that happened in Cuyahoga County involved a pedestrian. This is significantly higher than any other county in the NOACA region and more than double the percentage for the state (5.6%).

. Motorcycles: Geauga, Lake, and Medina counties have a high proportion of serious injury or fatal motorcycle crashes, at 16%, 18%, and 17% respectively, compared to 14% for the region and 12% for the state.

. Roadway Departure Crashes: 32% of the region’s fatal and serious injury crashes during the analysis period 2010-2014 were roadway departure crashes. Roadway departure crashes are frequently serious and account for a high number of road fatalities. Fifty-six percent (56%) of all road fatalities in the U.S. in 2014 were caused by roadway departure crashes.

. Young Drivers: 28.4% of all serious and fatal injury crashes in the region from 2010 to 2014 involved a driver 25 years old or younger. Multiple performance measures were set to gauge progress over time and to identify if the safety issues are indeed being alleviated. NOACA will update the data for each performance measure annually and include it in the State of Safety Report.

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Road Safety Assessments A road safety assessment (RSA) is a formal evaluation of the safety and performance of a road segment or intersection by an independent audit team. RSA team members have extensive experience with road design, traffic maintenance, roadway and intersection geometrics, and highway safety. NOACA staff work with the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and local communities to conduct RSAs at high-crash locations throughout Northeast Ohio. These high- crash locations are corridors and intersections identified in the State of Safety Report, where high frequency of serious injury and fatal motorized vehicle crashes or high frequency of bicycle and pedestrian crashes occurred over the past five years. The RSA team observes traffic and operating conditions; identifies hazardous conditions, deficiencies, equipment malfunctions, sight distance obstructions and other safety concerns; and considers the safety of all road users, including bicyclists, pedestrians, and people with physical challenges. The RSAs recommend safety improvements to reduce the frequency and the severity of crashes. The recommendations focus on low-cost, short-term actions that can be implemented quickly while higher-cost, longer-term actions are being planned to improve overall safety. Many RSA reports were used successfully either to seek federal safety funds to implement recommended improvements and safety countermeasures or as impetus to launch further studies to generate projects that address the safety issues identified in the RSA reports. Examples include a point of access modification study for the I-480/Great Northern Boulevard Interchange, I-271 ramps area at Cedar Road and Brainard Road, and other comprehensive safety studies such as the West 14th Street/Quigley Road Roundabout. The locations of past RSAs are shown on Figure 3.6-6.

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Figure 3.5-6: Completed RSA locations

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Traffic Safety & Operations Technical Assistance NOACA staff provides engineering assistance to communities to address safety and traffic operation concerns. Project sponsors are not required to provide any financial contribution or local match to receive Technical Assistance (TA). The TA project selection process takes place each year as NOACA develops its annual budget and Overall Work Program. NOACA staff evaluates each TA request based on criteria that demonstrates project need, relationship to NOACA’s vision and goals, and the local sponsor’s capacity to implement study recommendations. Figure 3.6-7 is a list of completed technical assistance plans and studies. Figure 3.6-8 shows the location of each study.

Figure 3.6-7: Completed Technical Assistance Plans and Studies

Location Study Name

City of Bay Village Cahoon Park Area Connectivity Study

Intersection Capacity Analyses for Broadview Road at Akins, Oakes &

Avery Roads City of Broadview Heights Speed Zone Study

Signal Warrant Study

Signal Warrant and Operational Analysis

City of Chardon Sidewalk Connectivity Analysis

Rocky River Drive Plan

Safety & Capacity Analysis Study for W. 14th Street and Quigley Road City of Cleveland Roundabout

Veterans Memorial Bridge Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvement Plan

City of North Olmsted Lorain Road and Brookpark Road Intersection Traffic Study

Lorain, Porter, and Butternut Ridge Roads Intersection Traffic Study

City of North Royalton North Royalton Alternative Transportation Plan

Olmsted Township Olmsted Township Complete Streets Plan

City of Strongsville Strongsville Town Center District Redevelopment Plan

City of University Warrensville Center Road and Cedar Road Multimodal Transportation

Heights Plan

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Figure 3.5-8: Technical Assistance Projects

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Goals, Measures and Targets NOACA’s TSAP defines a set of 18 performance measures to evaluate the plan’s success in reducing fatal and serious injury crashes toward the ultimate goal of Vision Zero. These performance measures include the five performance measures required by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and are also included in ODOT’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan. Each performance measure is calculated annually as a five-year rolling average. The rolling average is used to predict long-term crash trends more accurately by smoothing out year-to-year fluctuations. The performance measures are: . Number of fatal crashes . Number of severe injury crashes . Rate of fatal crashes . Rate of severe injury crashes . Number of alcohol/drug related fatalities . Number of alcohol/drug related severe injuries . Number of fatal crashes involving a motorcycle . Number of severe injury crashes involving a motorcycle . Number of unhelmeted motorcyclist fatalities’ . Number of unhelmeted motorcyclist severe injuries . Number of pedestrian fatalities . Number of pedestrian severe injuries . Number of bicycle fatalities . Number of bicycle severe injuries . Fatalities from Roadway Departure crashes . Number of severe injuries from Roadway Departure crashes . Number of fatal crashes involving a driver 25 years old or younger . Number of severe injury crashes involving a driver 25 years old or younger Figure 3.6-9 displays a matrix of the identified performance measures.

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Figure 3.6-9: Matrix of Identified Performance Measures

Fatality Severe Injury Emphasis Area Measurement Freq. Rate Freq. Rate

Impaired Driving Impaired Driving Crashes

Motorcycle Motorcycle Crashes

Unhelmeted Motorcycle Crashes

Pedestrian and Bicycle Pedestrian Crashes

Bicycle Crashes

Roadway Departure Roadway Departure Crashes

Young Driver Young Driver Crashes

All Severe Injury and Crashes in the region Fatal

The target set by the region’s TSAP is an annual 2% reduction for each performance measure. With the annual update of the State of Safety Report, a new five-year rolling average will be derived for each performance measure to evaluate the progress achieved in reducing road crashes fatalities and serious injuries. Strategies to Improve Safety A roadway crash is caused by one or more contributing factors. A driver can be distracted, the road could have an engineering flaw, the speed limit may be too high, or countless other factors. Achieving safety on the roads will require a coordinated effort between all aspects of the transportation system. The strategies established in NOACA’s TSAP use a comprehensive approach to address safety on the roads by including strategies from all of the five Es of transportation safety: Education, Enforcement, Engineering, Evaluation, and Emergency Medical Services. The TSAP identifies multiple strategies to reduce crashes in each of the five emphasis areas. Along with the strategies, the TSAP includes a list of action steps that should be taken to implement the strategies. The progress in roadway safety will be evaluated by the performance measures from year to year once the recommendations begin to be carried out. The annual update of the crash data analysis will help identify tasks for the Overall Work Program and future Action Plan. Implementation Action NOACA will partner with ODOT, regional safety organizations, law enforcement agencies, and local communities throughout the region to implement the strategies and action plans for each emphasis area recommended in the TSAP. The implementation of these recommendations will require adding new items to NOACA’s Work Program.

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Since education and enforcement strategies make up the vast portion of the TSAP action items, NOACA will engage in various efforts to promote safe road-users’ behavior, educational campaigns, training, and the support of new legislations to achieve the region’s safety targets. NOACA endorses engineering safety improvements through the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) projects prioritization. The TIP scoring criteria will be modified to take into consideration the potential reduction in the number of crashes expected when the project is implemented, based on the Highway Safety Manual methodology. The TIP scoring already takes into consideration whether the proposed project’s location is identified as a high-crash corridor or intersection based on the latest State of Safety Report. Prioritizing projects that will improve safety will help the region reach the safety targets and the ultimate goal of Vision Zero. NOACA will conduct Traffic Safety and Operations technical assistance and RSAs as part of its OWP. NOACA will also guide communities to available funding sources to implement the recommended safety countermeasures.

3.7: Security Introduction The transportation system touches everyone in some way: personal mobility, the movement of raw materials or manufactured materials, and the delivery of agriculture and food products are just a few ways the nation depends on transportation for its livelihood and economic stability. The transportation sector has many interdependencies with critical infrastructure sectors, as shown in Figure 3.7-1. Figure 3.7-1: Transportation Sector Interdependencies with Critical Infrastructure Sectors

The department of Homeland Security has developed a National Infrastructure Protection Plan that outlines how the government and private sector should work together to manage risks and achieve security outcomes, especially those related to the nation’s critical infrastructure. To achieve this end, critical infrastructure partners must collectively identify national priorities, articulate clear goals, mitigate risk, measure progress, and adapt based on feedback and the changing environment. Northeast Ohio is susceptible to many threats, such as severe winter storms, flooding, tornados, and severe thunderstorms. The region must also prepare for other risks such as terrorism. The

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unexpected and complex nature of these incidents requires extensive coordination, collaboration, and flexibility among all the agencies and organizations involved in planning, mitigation, response, and recovery. Regional coordination is critical to security and emergency preparedness. The region’s many individual municipalities, villages, and townships, as well as extensive roadways and bridges, wide-ranging mass transit systems, rail, airports, and shipping ports present significant challenges to coordinating and implementing effective security programs. Current Conditions NOACA is not directly involved in security or emergency projects. There are many city and county emergency/evacuation/disaster plans in place, such as those of the City of Cleveland, the five county governments, the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) and the other transit agencies in NOACA’s region, municipal governments, Ohio State Patrol, Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), the Ohio Turnpike Commission, hospitals, and school districts. ODOT has also constructed an extensive intelligent transportation system (ITS) along the interstate system in the NOACA region. The system includes pan, tilt, and zoom cameras and dynamic message signs. GCRTA has its own police force that provides security for the GCRTA transit system, and closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras to monitor transit facilities, including transit stops. The NOACA Regional ITS Architecture is a roadmap for transportation systems integration in the five county NOACA region (Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, and Medina counties) over the next 15 years. The architecture was developed through a cooperative effort by the region's transportation agencies and covers all modes of transportation and all roads in the region. This architecture is the second update of the NOACA Regional ITS Architecture. The first version of the architecture was developed in October 2000, and the first update was completed in 2003. The purpose of this architecture is to document how each agency's systems will work together in the future and how sharing of information and resources will help provide a safer, more efficient, and more effective transportation system. The Regional ITS Architecture provides a starting point for project definition. It provides an overall framework that shows how anticipated projects will integrate with each other and with existing systems. The ITS projects that have been mapped to the regional ITS architecture are listed in Figure 3.7-2.

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Figure 3.7-2: ITS projects mapped to the regional ITS architecture

Project Time Stakeholder Project Name Project Description Status Frame

Akron METRO System that provides fare Short- Regional GCRTA Passenger reconciliation between peer Planned Term Transit Management System agencies using a common travel Priority Authority card.

Light-rail option for special events Rail Transit Operations - City of occurring at the stadiums to help Light Rail Operations Planned Cleveland alleviate special event traffic Center congestion downtown.

City of Cleveland Long- Possible IntelliDrive* applications Automated Parking Planned Term to assist travelers through on-

Facilities Priority board devices.

Long- Municipal Signal Preemption signal system for Planned Term Preemption emergency vehicles. Priority

Long- Signal upgrade and coordination NOACA Signal System Planned Term along the major evacuation Upgrades Priority routes.

Medium- Traveler information by dialing ODOT 511 Information Planned Term 511 number; provided by ODOT System Priority and private partnership.

Study and development of plan to Short- Cuyahoga County evacuate Cuyahoga County in Planned Term Evacuation Plan Updates case of an emergency affecting Priority mass area.

Study key transit corridors for applicability of bus traffic signal Short- GCRTA Bus Traffic priority to improve transit travel Planned Term Signal Priority time. Implement transit signal Priority priority on traffic signals on identified corridors.

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Project Time Stakeholder Project Name Project Description Status Frame

Long- System that collects data carried County Commercial Planned Term in trucks traveling on specific Vehicle Operations Priority routes. City of Cuyahoga County Port Medium- Automated parking facilities to Cleveland Authority Automated Planned Term show available parking at the Department of Parking Facilities Priority airport Port Control Medium- Traveler information by dialing ODOT 511 Information Planned Term 511 number; provided by ODOT System Priority and private partnership.

DMS signs in allocated parking Cuyahoga County Port Medium- locations to provide incoming Authority Dynamic Planned Term flight information to people Cleveland- Message Signs (DMS) Priority Cuyahoga picking up travelers. County Port Authority Cuyahoga County Port Medium- Authority Electronic Planned Term Automated payment collection.

Payment Collection Priority

City of With the aid of Homeland Cleveland/Cuyahoga Short- Security Funding, cameras will be County Port Security Planned Term installed underneath existing Camera Installation Priority bridges along the Cuyahoga including Vehicle River to monitor river traffic. Tracking System (VTS)

Integrating the computer-aided dispatch to the emergency County Public Municipal Computer- Long- management center that will Safety Aided Dispatch to Planned Term allow the operators to dispatch Agencies Emergency Vehicles Priority emergency response vehicles to the scene more rapidly.

260

Project Time Stakeholder Project Name Project Description Status Frame

Long- Municipal Signal Preemption signal system for Planned Term Preemption emergency vehicles. Priority

Develop software to export traffic incidents input to CAD systems, Computer-Aided Medium- and import the information to Dispatch Integration with Planned Term ODOT. Assumes 3 different CAD ODOT Freeway Priority vendors, and 5 additional Management System connections. Consider City of Cleveland.

Medium- Traveler information by dialing ODOT 511 Information Planned Term 511 number; provided by ODOT System Priority and private partnership.

Integrating the computer-aided dispatch to the emergency Municipal Computer- Long- management center that will Aided Dispatch to Planned Term allow the operators to dispatch Emergency Vehicles Priority emergency response vehicles to the scene more rapidly. Cuyahoga County Long- Emergency Municipal Signal Preemption signal system for Planned Term Services Preemption emergency vehicles. Priority

Develop software to export traffic incidents input to CAD systems, Computer-Aided Medium- and import the information to Dispatch Integration with Planned Term ODOT. Assumes 3 different CAD

ODOT FMS Priority vendors, and 5 additional connections. Consider City of Cleveland.

Medium- Traveler information by dialing ODOT 511 Information Planned Term 511 number; provided by ODOT System Priority and private partnership.

261

Project Time Stakeholder Project Name Project Description Status Frame

Study and development of plan to Short- Cuyahoga County evacuate Cuyahoga County in Planned Term Evacuation Plan Updates case of an emergency affecting Priority mass area.

Development of plans, procedures, and systems to Long- City of Cleveland Special improve traffic conditions Planned Term Event Traffic Planning associated with special events, Priority Cuyahoga such as concerts, sporting County events, and festivals. Engineer Study and development of plan to Short- Cuyahoga County evacuate Cuyahoga County in Planned Term Evacuation Plan Updates case of an emergency affecting Priority mass area.

City of Cleveland Long- Possible IntelliDrive* applications Automated Parking Planned Term to assist travelers through on-

Facilities Priority board devices.

Cuyahoga County Port Medium- Automated parking facilities to Financial Authority Automated Planned Term show available parking at the Institutions Parking Facilities Priority airport.

Cuyahoga County Port Medium- Authority Electronic Planned Term Automated payment collection.

Payment Collection Priority

City of Cleveland Long- Possible IntelliDrive* applications General Public Automated Parking Planned Term to assist travelers through on-

Facilities Priority board devices.

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Project Time Stakeholder Project Name Project Description Status Frame

Deployment of IntelliDrive* infrastructure, including roadside equipment and controller Long- modifications, to implement IntelliDrive* Planned Term vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) Priority communications in the 2014- 2020 time frame (as vehicles are equipped).

Cuyahoga County Port Medium- Automated parking facilities to Authority Automated Planned Term show available parking at the

Parking Facilities Priority airport.

Cuyahoga County Port Medium- Authority Electronic Planned Term Automated payment collection.

Payment Collection Priority

Medium- Traveler information by dialing ODOT 511 Information Planned Term 511 number; provided by ODOT System Priority and private partnership.

Light-rail option for special events Rail Transit Operations - occurring at the stadiums to help Light Rail Operations Planned alleviate special event traffic Center congestion downtown.

City of Cleveland Long- Possible IntelliDrive* applications Automated Parking Planned Term to assist travelers through on-

Facilities Priority board devices.

Greater Development of plans, Cleveland procedures, and systems to Long- Regional City of Cleveland Special improve traffic conditions Planned Term Transit Event Traffic Planning associated with special events, Priority Authority (RTA) such as concerts, sporting events, and festivals.

Cuyahoga County Port Medium- Automated parking facilities to Authority Automated Planned Term show available parking at the

Parking Facilities Priority airport

Cuyahoga County Port Medium- Authority Electronic Planned Term Automated payment collection.

Payment Collection Priority

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Project Time Stakeholder Project Name Project Description Status Frame

GCRTA/Laketran Medium- Installation of AVL on all GCRTA Automatic Vehicle Planned Term and Laketran vehicles. Location (AVL) System Priority

Medium- Similar design to Euclid Corridor

GCRTA Clifton Corridor Planned Term for corridor along Clifton Priority Boulevard.

GCTRA to establish kiosk inside Medium- Cincinati/Northern Kentucky GCRTA Kiosks at Planned Term (CVG) airport to help users from Transfer Points Priority outof town find their way using public transit.

Study and development of plan to Short- Cuyahoga County evacuate Cuyahoga County in Planned Term Evacuation Plan Updates case of an emergency affecting Priority mass area.

Short- Installation of Wireless Internet GCRTA/Laketran Transit Planned Term Feed on buses, automated signs, Vehicle Updates Priority and annunciators.

System that provides fare Short- GCRTA Passenger reconciliation between peer Planned Term Management System agencies using a common travel Priority card.

To include Closed Circuit TV Short- (CCTV) at certain locations to GCRTA Surveillance Planned Term provide surveillance at stations Control Priority and surrounding areas along Euclid Corridor.

Implement an advanced Laketran Advanced Short- paratransit scheduling and Paratransit Scheduling Planned Term dispatch system at Laketran that and Dispatch System Priority is coordinated with GCRTA.

264

Project Time Stakeholder Project Name Project Description Status Frame

Medium- GCRTA/Laketran AVL Installation of AVL on all GCRTA Planned Term System and Laketran vehicles. Priority

Upgrades in fare box hardware Medium- will enable accurate passenger Laketran Metro Vehicle Planned Term counts to have real-time count of Updates Priority population on a bus at a given time.

Study and development of plan to Short- Cuyahoga County evacuate Cuyahoga County in Planned Term Evacuation Plan Updates case of an emergency affecting Priority mass area.

Short- Installation of Wireless Internet Laketran GCRTA/Laketran Transit Planned Term Feed on buses, automated signs, Vehicle Updates Priority and annunciators.

System that provides fare Short- GCRTA Passenger reconciliation between peer Planned Term Management System agencies using a common travel Priority card.

Implement an advanced Laketran Advanced Short- paratransit scheduling and Paratransit Scheduling Planned Term dispatch system at Laketran that and Dispatch System Priority is coordinated with GCRTA.

Short- GCRTA will pair with Google to

Laketran Google Transit Planned Term feed information on Google Priority transit.

Integrating the computer-aided dispatch to the emergency Municipal Computer- Long- management center that will Aided Dispatch to Planned Term allow the operators to dispatch Emergency Vehicles Priority Municipal emergency response vehicles to Public Safety the scene more rapidly. Agencies Long- Municipal Signal Preemption signal system for Planned Term Preemption emergency vehicles. Priority

265

Project Time Stakeholder Project Name Project Description Status Frame

Develop software to export traffic incidents input to CAD systems, Computer-Aided Medium- and import the information to Dispatch Integration with Planned Term ODOT. Assumes 3 different CAD

ODOT FMS Priority vendors, and 5 additional connections. Consider City of Cleveland.

Long- Municipal Signal Preemption signal system for Planned Term Preemption emergency vehicles. Priority

Long- Signal upgrade and coordination NOACA Signal System Planned Term along the major evacuation Upgrades Priority routes.

Municipal Study and development of plan to Short- Public Works Cuyahoga County evacuate Cuyahoga County in Planned Term Departments Evacuation Plan Updates case of an emergency affecting Priority mass area.

Placed at strategic locations where vehicle-animal crashes are frequent, this system can help Medium- warn drivers when large animals NOACA Animal Planned Term are present. The system detects Detection System Priority motion by large animals using NOACA break-the-beam or area-cover sensors and then causes warning light.

Medium- Traveler information by dialing ODOT 511 Information Planned Term 511 number; provided by ODOT System Priority and private partnership.

266

Project Time Stakeholder Project Name Project Description Status Frame

City of Cleveland Long- Possible IntelliDrive* applications Automated Parking Planned Term to assist travelers through on

Facilities Priority board devices.

Private providers to work with Long- ODOT to establish links with Connection of Private Planned Term private providers to deliver traffic Providers Priority information to more people in different facets.

Deployment of IntelliDrive* infrastructure, including roadside equipment and controller Long- modifications, to implement IntelliDrive Planned Term vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) Priority ODOT communications in the 2014- 2020 timeframe (as vehicles are equipped).

Extend ODOT FMS field devices Long- and communications on freeway

ODOT FMS Expansion Planned Term system. Target the installation to Priority meet needs. Full instrumentation may not be required.

Long- Permanent overhead signs to ODOT Freeway Lane Planned Term facilitate merging/use of Control Priority shoulders.

Implement multimodal traveler Long- information kiosks connected to ODOT Install Information Planned Term Cleveland FMS at airport, key Kiosks Priority work sites, stadiums, etc. (5 kiosks in Ohio).

Long- ODOT Maintenance Automatic Vehicle Location for Planned Term Vehicle Upgrade maintenance vehicles. Priority

267

Project Time Stakeholder Project Name Project Description Status Frame

Install snow and ice detection management and advanced snow plow systems. Pilot project Long- to assess use of road weather ODOT Winter Planned Term information systems integrated Maintenance Priority with advanced technology snow plows. These systems provide early warning of icing and snow, and meter the weather.

Develop software to export traffic incidents input to CAD systems, Computer-Aided Medium- and import the information to Dispatch Integration with Planned Term ODOT. Assumes 3 different CAD

ODOT FMS Priority vendors, and 5 additional connections. Consider City of Cleveland.

Cuyahoga County Port Medium- Automated parking facilities to Authority Automated Planned Term show available parking at the

Parking Facilities Priority airport.

Placed at strategic locations where vehicle-animal crashes are frequent, this system can help Medium- warn drivers when large animals NOACA Animal Planned Term are present. The system detects Detection System Priority motion by large animals using break-the-beam or area-cover sensors and then causes warning light.

Medium- Traveler information by dialing ODOT 511 Information Planned Term 511 number; provided by ODOT System Priority and private partnership.

Medium-

ODOT DMS Planned Term Color DMS for inbound traffic. Priority

268

Project Time Stakeholder Project Name Project Description Status Frame

Drivers would be warned by flashing beacons to tune their radio to a specific frequency to Medium- hear important messages. ODOT Highway Advisory Planned Term Recent advances in HAR Radio (HAR) Signs Priority systems allow adjacent radio transmitters to be synched to avoid interference and broadcast consistent messages.

Purchase a commercial power Medium- radio station to be used primarily ODOT Public Radio Planned Term during rush hour and special Station Priority events. Consider partnering with CSU.

Improvements to work zones to Medium- reduce collisions. Ability to alert ODOT Work Zone Safety Planned Term drivers of a construction zone, Improvements Priority roadway hazard, or speed change.

To include Traffic Management Center (TMC), DMS, CCTV, flow detection, freeway service patrols, hybrid communications system, Highway Advisory Radio Short (HAR), ramp metering, web- Regional ODOT Freeway Existing Term based services, and inter-agency Management System Priority communications network. Many agencies (GCRTA, Cuyahoga Emergency Communications System (CECOMS), Cuyahoga County Emergency Management, etc.)

Establish a research program, in Short- conjunction with ODOT, to test

CSU Research Program Planned Term new implementation concepts Priority such as crash mitigation or work zone operations systems.

Study and development of plan to Short- Cuyahoga County evacuate Cuyahoga County in Planned Term Evacuation Plan Updates case of an emergency affecting Priority mass area.

269

Project Time Stakeholder Project Name Project Description Status Frame

Implement additional traveler information dissemination methods, which may include ODOT Expand Traveler Short- cable TV station; personalized Information Delivery Planned Term traveler information on a

Methods Priority subscription basis delivered to cell phones, pagers, personal computing devices, etc.; connections to private sector.

Install advanced Highway-Rail ODOT Highway-Rail Short- Safety Systems at key crossings. Intersection Advanced Planned Term A study must be conducted to

Safety Systems Priority identify the crossings and the preferred system.

Increase frequency on existing Short- routes and expand geographic ODOT Increase Service Planned Term coverage. Purchase additional Patrols Priority service patrol vehicles—two additional vehicles in Ohio.

Develop software to export traffic Ohio State incidents input to CAD systems, Highway Patrol Computer-Aided Medium- and import the information to Dispatch Integration with Planned Term ODOT. Assumes 3 different CAD

ODOT FMS Priority vendors, and 5 additional connections. Consider City of Cleveland.

Medium- Traveler information by dialing ODOT 511 Information Planned Term 511 number; provided by ODOT System Priority and private partnership.

270

Project Time Stakeholder Project Name Project Description Status Frame

Study and development of plan to Short- Cuyahoga County evacuate Cuyahoga County in Planned Term Evacuation Plan Updates case of an emergency affecting Priority mass area.

Cuyahoga County Port Medium- Automated parking facilities to Authority Automated Planned Term show available parking at the

Parking Facilities Priority airport.

Cuyahoga County Port Medium- Authority Electronic Planned Term Automated payment collection.

Payment Collection Priority

Placed at strategic locations where vehicle-animal crashes are frequent, this system can help Medium- warn drivers when large animals NOACA Animal Planned Term are present. The system detects Detection System Priority motion by large animals using break-the-beam or area-cover Ohio Turnpike sensors and then causes warning Commission light.

To include TMC, DMS, CCTV, flow detection, freeway service patrols, hybrid communications Short system, HAR, ramp metering, Regional ODOT Freeway Existing Term web-based services, and inter- Management System Priority agency communications network. Many agencies (GCRTA, CECOMS, Cuyahoga County Emergency Management, etc.)

Study and development of plan to Short- Cuyahoga County evacuate Cuyahoga County in Planned Term Evacuation Plan Updates case of an emergency affecting Priority mass area.

271

Project Time Stakeholder Project Name Project Description Status Frame

Develop software to export traffic Private Tow, incidents input to CAD systems, Wreckers, and Computer-Aided Medium- and import the information to Cleanup Dispatch Integration with Planned Term ODOT. Assumes 3 different CAD

Service ODOT FMS Priority vendors, and 5 additional Providers connections. Consider City of Cleveland.

City of Cleveland Long- Possible IntelliDrive* applications Automated Parking Planned Term to assist travelers through on-

Facilities Priority board devices.

Deployment of IntelliDrive* infrastructure, including roadside equipment and controller Long- modifications, to implement IntelliDrive Planned Term Private Traveler vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) Priority Information communications in the 2014- Providers 2020 timeframe (as vehicles are equipped).

Cuyahoga County Port Medium- Automated parking facilities to Authority Automated Planned Term show available parking at the

Parking Facilities Priority airport.

Medium- Traveler information by dialing ODOT 511 Information Planned Term 511 number; provided by ODOT System Priority and private partnership.

Short- GCRTA will pair with Google to

Laketran Google Transit Planned Term feed information on Google Priority transit.

272

Project Time Stakeholder Project Name Project Description Status Frame

Methods Priority subscription basis delivered to cell phones, pagers, personal computing devices, etc.; connections to private sector.

Install advanced Highway-Rail ODOT Highway-Rail Short- Safety Systems at key crossings. Railroad Intersection Advanced Planned Term A study must be conducted to Operators Safety Systems Priority identify the crossings and the preferred system.

Study and development of plan to Short- Cuyahoga County evacuate Cuyahoga County in School Districts Planned Term Evacuation Plan Updates case of an emergency affecting Priority mass area.

Development of plans, procedures, and systems to Long- Special Police City of Cleveland Special improve traffic conditions Planned Term Districts Event Traffic Planning associated with special events, Priority such as concerts, sporting events, and festivals.

City of Cleveland / With the aid of Homeland Cuyahoga County Port Short- Security Funding, cameras will be Security Camera Planned Term installed underneath existing Installation including Priority bridges along the Cuyahoga Vehicle Tracking System U.S. Coast River to monitor river traffic. (VTS) Guard Study and development of plan to Short- Cuyahoga County evacuate Cuyahoga County in Planned Term Evacuation Plan Updates case of an emergency affecting Priority mass area.

* IntelliDriveSM is a suite of technologies and applications that use wireless communications to provide connectivity: Among vehicles of all types; Between vehicles and roadway infrastructure; Among vehicles, infrastructure and wireless consumer devices

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Future Conditions The current ITS Architecture Strategic Plan should undergo a comprehensive update in the short term. The update should include the themes of US DOT’s current ITS Strategic Plan: • enable safer vehicles and roadways • enhance mobility • limit environmental impacts • promote innovation • support transportation system information sharing Figure 3.7-3: Alignment of ITS Strategic Themes with Strategic Goal Areas and MAP-21

Source: USDOT’s Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) ITS Strategic Plan 2015- 2019 Regional Security Goals, Objectives, and Performance Measures/Targets The NOACA Regional ITS Architecture Report identifies the following Emergency Management needs: • Improve emergency notification/dispatch and response times • Improve traffic safety (expand remote traveler support services)(information plus roadside assistance) • Improve tracking of emergency vehicles • Identify alternate routes for emergency vehicles • Improve evacuation planning • Monitor the transportation infrastructure for security purposes Broad stakeholder and public engagement is necessary to develop the security goals, objectives, performance measures, and targets that address these, and any further, identified needs. That will be done through the ITS architecture update.

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Recommendations • Coordinate with local, state, and federal security and emergency management agencies • Identify critical infrastructure • Identify alternate transportation routes/modes • Integrate security among agencies Implementation Action Areas • Update the region’s ITS architecture strategic plan • Develop a map of the region’s emergency facilities • Develop projects that create redundancy of critical infrastructure

3.8: Environmental Impact Mitigation Introduction to Environmental, Land Use, and Transportation Intersection Transportation moves people and goods from one place to another, but transportation systems also affect community character, the natural and human environment, and economic development patterns. A transportation system can improve the economy, shape development patterns, and influence quality of life and the natural environment. Land use and transportation are symbiotic. Development density, land-use characteristics, and location all influence regional travel patterns, as well as the ability of the public to access opportunities through a range of transportation alternatives, including nonmotorized travel. In turn, the degree of access provided by the transportation system to various land uses will influence current and evolving land-use and development trends. On a more local level, community and site design can facilitate travel by multiple travel modes, including transit and nonmotorized travel. For example, a connected system of streets with higher residential densities and a mix of land uses can allow and encourage travel by foot, bicycle, and public transportation, as well as by automobile.74 When updating transportation plans, responsible agencies must review long-range transportation plans for validity and consistency with current and forecasted demographic, transportation, and land-use conditions and trends. The plan updates need to be based on the latest available projections and assumptions for a variety of data, including population, land use and development, travel, employment, congestion, and economic activity. It is essential that agencies promote the highest level of consistency between land use, transportation, and other planning activities, using a robust public involvement process that includes public workshops and open houses, draft documents that are readily available for review and comment, specific outreach strategies for key stakeholders and communities, and social media. Activities intended to stimulate economic development can affect the transportation network, and the transportation network can affect economic development opportunities. Transportation decision makers can support economic vitality by appropriately planning for and accommodating the many different demands on the transportation system.75

74 Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), The Transportation Planning Process Briefing Book, http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/publications/briefing_book/part02.cfm#Toc420927587. 75 Ibid. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/publications/briefing_book/part02.cfm#Toc420927587.

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Environmental quality is affected by how communities are planned and how populations travel within them. Providing more travel options in more compact, connected communities leads to fewer car trips. In turn, this reduces automobile emissions, lessens the demand for energy resources, and improves air and water quality. Developing land more efficiently and reusing existing properties can preserve rural lands and protect natural resources. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1970 established a national policy to promote the environmental protection in the actions and programs of federal agencies. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) act as lead federal agencies and are responsible for implementing the NEPA process and working with state and local project sponsors during transportation project development. FHWA and FTA apply the NEPA process to transportation decision making by assisting transportation officials in making project decisions that balance engineering and transportation needs with social, economic, and environmental factors. This process relies heavily on input from the public, interest groups, resource agencies, and local governments. FHWA and FTA apply the NEPA process as an umbrella for compliance, with more than 40 environmental laws, regulations, and executive orders that provide an integrated approach to addressing impacts that transportation projects produce on the human and natural environment. A coordinated approach between planning and project development can lead to transportation investments that reflect community needs, were developed from an active public involvement process, and are sensitive to the environment. The first stages of the NEPA process— development of project purpose and need—should build upon the transportation needs identified during planning. These needs will inform the final selection of an alternative for design and construction. Another direct link between NEPA and transportation planning is the requirement that a project must be included in the region’s air quality conforming long-range transportation plan and the region’s Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) before it can advance, because major changes late in the planning process can trigger conformity and other planning reassessments that can lead to delays. Climate Change Trends and Impacts Climate change is a phenomenon that refers to any significant change in the global climate that occurs over an extended period of time. Global warming—the observed increase in average global surface temperatures over the past several decades—is one facet of climate change.76 Over the past century, humans have released large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere. Most of these emissions have come from the combustion of fossil fuels. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), humans are the dominant cause behind the changes to the global climate since at least the mid- 20th century.77 GHGs act like a form of atmospheric insulation, trapping energy and increasing global temperatures. Though GHGs make up a small fraction of the composition of the atmosphere, they can significantly affect the global climate. As a result, global average surface temperatures have increased by approximately 0.85ºC since 1880.78

76 U.S. EPA, “Climate Change: Basic Information,” https://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/basics/ (Accessed July 1, 2016). 77 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (Geneva: IPCC, 2014), http://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/syr/ (Accessed July 1, 2016). 78 Ibid.

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In the U.S., the electric power sector released 2,080.7 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent 79 (MMTCO2e) in 2014, accounting for 30.5% of total emissions (see Figure 3.8-1). The transportation sector generated 1,810.3 MMTCO2e, equal to 26.5% of emissions, an increase of 16% from 1990.80 According to the Energy Information Agency (EIA), transportation has overtaken electric power as the leading source of GHG emissions in the U.S. for the first time since 1979.81 Transportation sector GHG emissions in Northeast Ohio vary by county. Figure 3.8-2 displays each county’s emissions, along with its percentage of the region’s total population. Cuyahoga County, the largest county by population, produces 53.2% of total emissions, considerably lower than its share of the regional population. Medina County, in contrast, makes up a significantly larger share of GHG emissions (13.8%) than its share of regional population (8.4%). Northeast Ohio residents produced 4.72 tons of on-road CO2e per capita during 2015, comparable to the national average. Figure 3.8-1: Share of U.S. GHG Emissions by Sector in 201482

Residential Commercial 5.8% 6.6% Electric Power 30.5% Agricultural 9.2%

Industrial 21.4%

Transportation 26.5%

79 U.S. EPA, Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990–2014 (Washington, DC: U.S. EPA, 2016), https://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/Downloads/ghgemissions/US-GHG-Inventory- 2016-Main-Text.pdf (Accessed July 1, 2016). 80 Ibid. There were an additional 4.1 MMTCO2e of electricity-related emissions from the transportation sector, but these emissions are included under the electric power sector. 81 Energy Information Agency (EIA), June 2016 Monthly Energy Review (Washington, DC: EIA, 2016), http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly/pdf/mer.pdf (Accessed July 1, 2016). 82 Source: U.S. EPA, Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990–2014 (Washington, DC: U.S. EPA, 2016), https://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/Downloads/ghgemissions/US-GHG- Inventory-2016-Main-Text.pdf (Accessed July 1, 2016).

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Figure 3.8-2: Population & On-Road GHG Emissions in NOACA Region83

2015 GHG 2015 % 2015 % 2015 GHG County Emissions Populationa Population Emissionsb (MTCO2e) Cuyahoga 1,263,189 61.2% 5,196,129 53.2%

Geauga 93,874 4.5% 540,197 5.5% Lake 229,437 11.1% 1,218,217 12.5%

Lorain 303,152 14.7% 1,456,158 14.9%

Medina 174,831 8.5% 1,351,813 13.9%

Totals 2,064,483 9,762,514

aPopulation data come from the 2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. bNumbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding Improved fuel economy has helped to offset the impact of increased vehicle miles traveled (VMT) upon mobile emissions of GHGs. Model Year (MY) 2015 passenger vehicles emitted 360 grams per mile (g/mi) of CO2, down from 447 g/mi a decade earlier. During this period, average fuel economy also climbed to 24.7 MPG from 19.9 MPG. This trend should continue as vehicles continue to become more efficient overall. The 2011 fuel economy standards for light-duty vehicles (77 FR 62624) are projected to increase average fuel economy to 54.5 MPG and reduce CO2 emissions per mile to 250 grams by 2025, reducing GHG emissions by more than two million metric tons. Due largely to these improvements in fuel economy, both for light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles, GHG emissions from on-road transportation in the NOACA region are expected to decline significantly by 2040. While VMT in the five-county area is set to increase 54.6% from 2015 through 2040, GHG emissions are set to fall by 27.5%, as illustrated in Figure 3.8-3. These projected decreases vary by county and over time. While both Geauga and Medina counties are expected to fall rapidly through 2020, Cuyahoga and Lorain counties will both see their emissions increase slightly over this period. Moreover, emissions will reach their lowest point in 2035, when they are expected fall to 29.9% below the 2015 baseline, before increasing slightly by 2040. This outcome likely stems from the fact that continued increases in VMT offset the marginal effects of fuel economy improvements after 2035.

83 Source: NOACA estimates using MOVES2014a.

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Figure 3.8-3: On-Road Greenhouse Gas Emissions in NOACA Region, 2015-204084

10,000,000 9,000,000 8,000,000 7,000,000 6,000,000 5,000,000 4,000,000 3,000,000 2,000,000 1,000,000 0 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO2e) Equivalent Dioxide Carbon of Tons Medina 1,351,813 1,022,916 930,594 837,101 804,198 846,088 Lorain 1,456,158 1,460,683 1,322,784 1,185,059 1,122,937 1,161,260 Lake 1,218,217 1,126,708 1,000,151 887,437 833,143 857,520 Geauga 540,197 415,422 373,274 333,038 317,332 327,461 Cuyahoga 5,196,129 5,205,000 4,592,449 4,043,957 3,763,462 3,882,411

GHG emissions are altering the global climate in a variety of ways, including upsetting established weather patterns. In Northeast Ohio, climate change has contributed to increases in both extreme temperatures and precipitation, trends that are likely to worsen in the coming decades. From 1980 to 2010, Northeast Ohio experienced roughly nine days per year when ambient air temperatures exceeded 90°F.85 This number will increase significantly over the next several decades, as the region’s maximum annual daily temperature is projected to rise 2.8- 4.4°F by 2050 and 5.8-9.7°F by 2099.86 Such temperature increases may exacerbate the burden of both heat-related mortality and air pollution. Northeast Ohio has also witnessed a spike in extreme precipitation over the past few decades. Average annual precipitation in Northeast Ohio is expected to increase two to four inches per year by mid-century, but rainfall is also expected to fall in heavier amounts. The shift toward this trend is already observable, as very heavy precipitation increased 37% in the Midwest from 1958-2012.87 Multiple studies demonstrate that higher temperatures will increase the number of heat-related deaths in Northeast Ohio. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), for instance, number of heat-related deaths may increase from 40 per year to 133 and 486 by 2050

84 Source: NOACA estimates using MOVES2014a. 85 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “NOAA's 1981-2010 Climate Normals,” http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/normals/usnormals.html (Accessed June 1, 2016). 86 Projections are drawn from the U.S. Geological Survey’s “National Climate Change Viewer,” which produces downscaled climate projections based on global climate models from the IPCC. 87 U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment (Washington, DC: USGCRP, 2016), 9 and 425, https://s3.amazonaws.com/climatehealth2016/low/ClimateHealth2016_FullReport_small.pdf.

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88 and 2100, respectively. Higher temperatures can also make it more likely for ground-level O3 to form. U.S. EPA estimates that climate change may increase daily 8-hour maximum ozone levels by 1-5 ppb in 2030.89 In addition to its direct impacts on humans, climate change will also affect the transportation system in Northeast Ohio. As the planet warms, stream and lake temperatures will follow suit. Lake temperatures have already increased in each of the Great Lakes since mid-century, due to a combination of higher ambient air temperatures and declining ice cover. From 1973-2010, Great Lakes ice cover fell by 71%, and this trend is expected to continue. In turn, lake surface temperatures are projected to climb 7°F and 12.1°F by 2050 and 2100, respectively. Such changes in the ecology of Lake Erie and other inland lakes will have significant consequences for Northeast Ohio. Lake-effect snowstorms may increase in frequency and severity, at least in the near term, which may affect the flow of commerce and increase the number of traffic collisions.90 Lake levels may also decline as surface evaporation rates pick up, which would force companies that ship cargo on the lake to reduce their tonnage. Each one-inch decline in lake levels reduces the cargo capacity of a 1,000-foot bulk carrier by 270 tons.91 Moreover, climate change may heighten traditional winter- and springtime freeze-thaw cycles, placing additional strain on pavement. The costs of maintaining, repairing, and replacing pavement in the Midwest is projected to increase by $1.5 billion through 2050 and more than $3 billion by 2100 without efforts to curb GHG emissions globally.92 Higher global temperatures may also affect the total number of traffic fatalities. According to a 2015 study, current warming trends would lead to an additional 603 traffic fatalities per year in the United States.93 Air Quality Existing Conditions and Trends In 1970, the United States Congress passed its first round of amendments to the existing federal Clean Air Act (CAA), laying out a framework to control air pollution at the federal, state, and local levels. Because transportation accounts for a significant portion of air pollution, the 1977 Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) introduced the concept of transportation conformity. Under this provision, a region’s transportation plans, programs, and projects cannot interfere with the region’s air quality goals.94 MPOs like NOACA must demonstrate that their long-range

88 P. Altman, D. Lashof, K. Knowlton, E. Chen, L. Johnson, and L. Kalkstein, Killer Summer Heat: Projected Death Toll from Rising Temperatures in America Due to Climate Change (New York: Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), 2012), https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/killer-summer-heat- report.pdf. 89 USGCRP, 74-75. 90 D.M. Wright, D.J. Posselt, and A.L. Steiner, “Sensitivity of Lake-Effect Snowfall to Lake Ice Cover and Temperature in the Great Lakes Region,” Monthly Weather Review, vol. 141, no. 2 (2013), 670-689. 91 F.H. Quinn, “The Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Great Lakes Transportation,” The Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Transportation (Washington, DC: USDOT, 2003), https://trid.trb.org/view.aspx?id=663823 (Accessed November 15, 2016). 92 U.S. EPA, “Climate Action Benefits: Roads,” Climate Change in the U.S.—Benefits of Global Action (Washington, DC: U.S. EPA, 2015), https://www.epa.gov/cira/climate-action-benefits-roads (Accessed November 15, 2016). 93 B. Leard, and K. Roth, Weather, Traffic Accidents, and Climate Change (Washington, DC: Resources for the Future), http://www.rff.org/research/publications/weather-traffic-accidents-and-exposure-climatechange (Accessed November 15, 2016). 94 42 C.F.R. §7506 (c)(2).

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transportation plans (LRTPs) and TIPs conform to these goals through a process known as a conformity determination.95 Overview of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) & Attainment Status The CAA (40 C.F.R. § 50) requires the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for pollutants considered harmful to public health and the environment. U.S. EPA has created NAAQS for six criteria air pollutants. Regions that do not comply with these standards are designated as nonattainment areas. As Figure 3.8-4 illustrates, portions of Northeast Ohio are in nonattainment for the fine particulate matter (PM2.5), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and lead (Pb) NAAQS. Figure 3.8-4: Summary of Nonattainment Status for Northeast Ohio

Averaging Counties in Pollutant Level Attainment Status Time Nonattainment

Carbon Monoxide 8-hour 9 ppm N/A Maintenance (CO) 1-hour 35 ppm N/A

Rolling 3- Partial Lead (Pb) 0.15 μg/m3 Cuyahoga (Partial) month average Nonattainment Unclassifiable/ 1-hour 100 ppb N/A Nitrogen Dioxide Attainment (NO2) Unclassifiable/ Annual 53 ppb N/A Attainment Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Ozone (O3) 8-hour 70 ppb Maintenance Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, Summit Annual 12 μg/m3 Nonattainment Cuyahoga, Lorain PM2.5 Particle 24-hour 35 μg/m3 Maintenance N/A Pollution 3 PM10 24-hour 150 μg/m Maintenance N/A Sulfur Dioxide 1-hour 75 ppb Nonattainment Lake (SO2)

Efforts to Reach Attainment Status for Each Criteria Pollutant

On April 30, 2012, U.S. EPA issued the final area designations under the 2008 O3 NAAQS of 75 ppb (73 FR 16436), and the agency classified Northeast Ohio as a marginal nonattainment area. Because O3 is readily transported throughout a region, U.S. EPA classifies the entire regional airshed as the O3 nonattainment area. U.S. EPA subsequently redesignated the region to

95 FHWA, Transportation Conformity: A Basic Guide for State and Local Officials (Washington, DC: FHWA, 2010), https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/air_quality/conformity/guide/ (Accessed July 1, 2016).

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maintenance status on January 6, 2017 (82 FR 1603). On October 26, 2015, U.S. EPA strengthened the existing O3 NAAQS from 75 ppb to 70 ppb (80 FR 65291). The agency has indicated that it will likely issue area designations for the 2015 8-hour O3 NAAQS no later than October 1, 2017. This revised standard will likely place Northeast Ohio into nonattainment. On 3 January 15, 2013, U.S. EPA strengthened the annual NAAQS for PM2.5 to 12 μg/m , and it subsequently designated Cuyahoga and Lorain counties a nonattainment area (80 FR 2206). The counties have until April 15, 2021, to attain the NAAQS. Both O3 and PM2.5 are closely linked to transportation. Accordingly, the NOACA Board of Directors has recommended a number of 96 emissions control measures to the Ohio EPA for attaining the O3 and PM2.5 NAAQS. Some of the control measures included in Northeast Ohio’s State Implementation Plans (SIPs) for O3 and PM2.5 include the E-Check program, restrictions on the formulation of fuel used during summer months, and controls on the types of fuel containers permitted within the region. Major Sources of Air Pollution in Northeast Ohio There are two main types of air pollutants—primary and secondary pollutants. Primary pollutants are those that are emitted directly into the atmosphere from a given source and retain their same basic chemical form. These include CO and SO2. Secondary pollutants, in contrast, undergo a chemical change once they enter the atmosphere. O3 is a secondary pollutant; it is formed when nitrogen oxide (NOx) combines with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and oxygen in the lower atmosphere. PM2.5, in turn, can be either a primary or secondary pollutant. It can be released directly into the atmosphere from certain sources, such as coal-fired power plants and diesel vehicles, or it can form in the atmosphere from chemical reactions involving other primary pollutants, chiefly NOx and SO2. Figures 3.8-5 through 3.8-9 outline the primary sources of air pollutants in Northeast Ohio. These include key primary pollutants (CO, PM10, PM2.5, and SO2) and precursors for secondary pollutants of concern (NOx and VOCs). As the charts indicate, transportation is a significant source of several pollutants, particularly CO, NOx, PM10, and PM2.5.

96 NOACA, Final Report of the NOACA Air Quality Public Advisory Task Force on the 8-Hour Ozone SIP Options (Cleveland: NOACA, 2006), http://www.noaca.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=654 (Accessed July 1, 2016). NOACA, EAC Air Quality Subcommittee – Final Report PM2.5 SIP Recommendations (Cleveland: NOACA, 2007), http://www.noaca.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=688 (Accessed July 1, 2016).

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Figure 3.8-5: 2014 Tier-1 VOC Emissions Inventory for Northeast Ohio

Chemical & Allied Product 3.49% Manufacturing 2.78% 0.15% Fuel Combustion - Electric 1.17% 0.37% Utility Fuel Combustion - 3.40% Industrial 19.41% 43.03% Fuel Combustion - Other

Highway Vehicles 0.38% Metals Processing

Miscellaneous

Off-Highway 0.10% Other Industrial Processes

Petroleum & Related 23.62% Industries Solvent Utilization 0.92% 1.18% Storage & Transport

Waste Disposal & Recycling

Figure 3.8-6: 2014 Tier-1 PM10 Emission Inventory for Northeast Ohio

Chemical & Allied Product 0.13% 0.33% Manufacturing 4.08% 0.01% 1.72% Fuel Combustion - Electric 2.61% Utility 0.11% 2.88% Fuel Combustion - 6.62% 4.46% Industrial 2.70% Fuel Combustion - Other 1.03% Highway Vehicles

Metals Processing

Miscellaneous

Off-Highway

Other Industrial Processes

Petroleum & Related Industries Solvent Utilization

73.34% Storage & Transport

Waste Disposal & Recycling

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Figure 3.8-7: 2014 Tier-1 Primary PM2.5 Emissions Inventory for Northeast Ohio

Chemical & Allied Product 0.39% 0.84% Manufacturing 5.02% Fuel Combustion - Electric 0.03% 7.33% Utility Fuel Combustion - 0.31% 9.01% Industrial 13.57% 9.86% Fuel Combustion - Other

Highway Vehicles 8.68% Metals Processing

Miscellaneous

7.35% Off-Highway

Other Industrial Processes 2.83% Petroleum & Related Industries Solvent Utilization 34.79% Storage & Transport

Waste Disposal & Recycling

Figure 3.8-8: 2014 Tier-1 SO2 Emissions Inventory

Chemical & Allied Product 0.55% 1.71% 0.00% 0.17% Manufacturing 0.34% 0.35% Fuel Combustion - Electric 0.18% Utility 0.01% 0.18% Fuel Combustion - Industrial 4.03% 0.09% 7.54% Fuel Combustion - Other Highway Vehicles

Metals Processing

Miscellaneous

Off-Highway

Other Industrial Processes

Petroleum & Related Industries

Solvent Utilization

84.86% Storage & Transport

Waste Disposal & Recycling

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Figure 3.8-9: 2014 Tier-1 CO Emissions Inventory for Northeast Ohio

Chemical & Allied Product Manufacturing 0.01% 0.48% Fuel Combustion - Electric 2.32% 0.95% 10.01% Utility 0.87% Fuel Combustion - Industrial 0.08% 4.52% Fuel Combustion - Other 37.29% 3.90% Highway Vehicles

Metals Processing

Miscellaneous

Off-Highway

Other Industrial Processes

0.98% 37.48% Petroleum & Related Industries 1.12% Solvent Utilization

Storage & Transport

Waste Disposal & Recycling

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Air Quality Trends in Northeast Ohio Air pollution is connected to a host of health issues, including respiratory illnesses, stroke, heart disease, cancer, and premature death.97 According to the World Health Organization (WHO), ambient air pollution is responsible for 3.8 million deaths worldwide each year.98 The U.S. continues to bear a substantial health burden from air pollution. In 2005, air pollution accounted 99 for approximately 200,000 premature deaths per year in the U.S. During this same year, O3 and 100 PM2.5 caused an estimated 1,363 premature deaths In the Cleveland metropolitan area. Since its passage in 1970, the CAA has significantly enhanced air quality in the U.S. Through 2014, ambient concentrations of the six criteria air pollutants declined by 70% nationwide, even as VMT nearly doubled.101 This decline in pollutant concentrations has also reduced the associated health burden. U.S. EPA estimates that the 1990 CAAA prevented 160,000 premature deaths from 1990- 2010.102 Figure 3.8-10 shows the change in concentrations of the criteria air pollutants from 1990-2010 in Northeast Ohio. Air quality has improved dramatically in the region over the past few decades, directly improving public health. One recent analysis found that, since 1970, air quality improvements associated with the CAA have extended the average life expectancy of people in the Cleveland metropolitan area by 2.3 years.103 Figure 3.8-10: Change in Concentrations of Criteria Air Pollutants in Northeast Ohio, 1990-2010

Percent Change Percent Change Pollutant Type from 1990-2010 from 2000-2010 Carbon Monoxide (CO) -62% -49%

Ozone (O3) (8-hour) -13% -5%

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) -33% -5% (1-hour)2

PM10 (24-hour) -30% -24%

97 For more information on the public health effects of air pollution, consult the U.S. EPA’s Integrated Science Assessments on the criteria air pollutants: https://www.epa.gov/isa (Accessed July 1, 2016). 98 World Health Organization (WHO), Preventing disease through healthy environments: a global assessment of the burden of disease from environmental risks (Geneva: WHO, 2016), http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/204585/1/9789241565196_eng.pdf?ua=1 (Accessed July 1, 2016). 99 F. Caiazzo, A. Ashok, I.A. Waitz, S.H. Yim, and S.R. Barrett, “Air pollution and early deaths in the United States. Part I: the impact of major sectors in 2005’” Atmospheric Environment, vol. 79 (2013), 198- 208. N. Fann, A.D. Lamson, S.C. Anenberg, K. Wesson, D. Risley, and B.J. Hubbell, “Estimating the National Public Health Burden Associated with Exposure to Ambient PM2.5 and Ozone,” Risk Analysis, vol. 32, no. 1 (2013), 81-95. 100 Caiazzo, et al., 204. 101 U.S. EPA, Our Nation’s Air: Status and Trends Through 2015 (Washington, DC: U.S. EPA, 2016), https://gispub.epa.gov/air/trendsreport/2016/ (Accessed July 1, 2016). 102 U.S. EPA, Benefits and Costs of the Clean Air Act 1990-2020, the Second Prospective Study (Washington, DC: U.S. EPA, 2011), https://www.epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview/benefits-and-costs-clean- air-act-1990-2020-second-prospective-study (Accessed July 1, 2016). 103 M. Greenstone, “The Connection Between Cleaner Air and Longer Lives,” The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/25/upshot/the-connection-between-cleaner-air-and-longer- lives.html?_r=1 (Accessed July 1, 2016).

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3 PM2.5 (annual) n/a -29%

Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) 2 -72% -53% Source: (1-hour) U.S. EPA, “Air Trends,” http://www.epa.gov/airtrends/index.html (Accessed July 1, 2016). U.S. EPA reports daily air quality through its Air Quality Index (AQI), which. The AQI details how clean or polluted the air is, expressing it in a score from 0 to 500. AQI values ranging from 0 to 50 are considered “Good”; values from 51 to 100 are considered “Moderate”; and values above 101 are considered “Unhealthy,” at least for sensitive population groups. Figure 3.8-11 illustrates the long-term decline in the number of days on which air quality is considered unhealthy and a noticeable increase in the number of good air quality days. Additional emissions control measures, such as the Tier 3 Motor Vehicle Emissions and Fuel Standards (79 FR 23414), will further improve air quality and public health in Northeast Ohio over the next two decades.

Figure 3.8-11: Number of Ozone Exceedance Days in Northeast Ohio, 1995-2015 Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor 250

200

150

Days 100

Year

AQI Category Good AQI Category Moderate AQI Category Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups AQI Category Unhealthy AQI Category Very Unhealthy AQI Category Hazardous

Connection between Transportation Choice, Mobile Emissions and Public Health

According to U.S. EPA, mobile sources account for 65% and 59% of CO and NOx, respectively, nationwide.104 Emissions from vehicles, also known as traffic-related air pollution (TRAP), are extremely harmful to humans. Accordingly, transportation choice directly affects mobile emissions and public health. This connection is particularly salient in the NOACA region, where 82.5% of commuters drive alone to work, far higher than the national average (76.4%).105 Promoting alternatives to single-occupancy vehicles (SOVs) can improve air quality and benefit public health. A 2012 study, for instance, found that promoting bicycling for trips under 2.5 miles in Northeast Ohio would reduce PM2.5 levels, prevent 42 premature deaths each year, and generate more than

104 U.S. EPA, Our Nation’s Air. 105 U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.

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$300 million in total benefits.106 By making investments to enhance transportation choice for Northeast Ohio residents, NOACA continues to improve air quality and enhance overall quality of life, consistent with federal requirements. Water Quality Existing Conditions and Trends In 1972, the United States Congress amended the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1948, which was the first major federal law to address water pollution. As amended in 1972, the law became commonly known as the Clean Water Act (CWA)107. The 1972 amendments established the basic structure for regulating pollutant discharges into the water of the United States. The amendments also gave the EPA the authority to implement pollution control programs such as setting wastewater standards for industries. The CWA amendments also required EPA to set and maintain water quality standards for all contaminants in surface waters. The CWA amendments made it unlawful for any person to discharge any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters, unless a permit was obtained under its provisions. The CWA, as amended, provided funding for the construction of sewage treatment plants under its construction grants program. Finally, the amendments recognized the need for planning to address critical water quality problems associated with nonpoint source pollution. The CWA was subsequently amended and modified some of the earlier CWA provisions. Revisions in 1981 streamlined the municipal construction grants process, improving the capabilities of treatment plants built under the program. Changes in 1987 phased out the construction grants program, replacing it with the State Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund, more commonly known as the Clean Water State Revolving Fund; a new funding strategy addressed water quality needs by building on EPA-state partnerships. Over the years, many other laws have changed parts of the Clean Water Act. Title I of the Great Lakes Critical Programs Act of 1990, for example, put into place parts of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement of 1978, signed by the U.S. and Canada, where the two nations agreed to reduce certain toxic pollutants in the Great Lakes. That law required EPA to establish water quality criteria for the Great Lakes addressing 29 toxic pollutants with maximum levels that are safe for humans, wildlife, and aquatic life and to help the states implement the criteria on specific schedules.108 Overview of Water Quality Standards & Requirements The federal Water Quality Standards Regulations establish the requirements for states and tribes to review, revise, and adopt water quality standards.109 They also establish the procedures for EPA to review, approve, disapprove, and promulgate water quality standards pursuant to section 303 (c) of the Clean Water Act. State Authority110 States are responsible for reviewing, establishing, and revising water quality standards. As recognized by section 510 of the Clean Water Act, states may develop water quality standards more stringent than required by this regulation. Consistent with section 101(g) and 518(a) of the Clean Water Act, water quality standards shall not be construed to supersede or abrogate rights to quantities of water.

106 M.L.Grabow, S.N. Spak, T. Holloway, B. Stone, Jr., A.C., Mednick, and J.A. Patz, “Air Quality and Exercise-Related Health Benefits from Reduced Car Travel in the Midwestern United States,” Environmental Health Perspectives, vol. 120, no. 1 (2012), 68-76. 107 33 U.S.C. §1251 et seq. (1972). 108 https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/history-clean-water-act. 109 40 CFR 131. 110 40 CFR 131§131.4.

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Ohio Water Quality Standards Water quality in Ohio is constantly threatened by many different sources and types of pollution. Under the Clean Water Act, every state must adopt water quality standards to protect, maintain, and improve the quality of the nation's surface waters. These standards represent a level of water quality that will support the goal of "swimmable/fishable" waters. Water quality standards are ambient standards as opposed to discharge-type standards. These ambient standards, through a process of back calculation procedures known as total maximum daily loads or wasteload allocations, form the basis of water quality based permit limitations that regulate the discharge of pollutants into surface waters under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. Ohio's water quality standards, set forth in Chapter 3745-1 of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC), include four major components: 1) beneficial use designations, 2) narrative "free froms" (which identify conditions all surface waters are to be free from), 3) numeric criteria, and 4) antidegradation provisions. Beneficial use designations describe existing or potential uses of water bodies .111 They take into consideration the use and value of water for public water supplies; protection and propagation of aquatic life; recreation in and on the water; and agricultural, industrial, and other purposes. Ohio EPA assigns beneficial use designations to water bodies in the state. There may be more than one use designation assigned to a water body. Examples of beneficial use designations include public water supply, primary contact recreation, and aquatic life uses (warmwater habitat, exceptional warmwater habitat, etc.). Narrative "free froms" are general water quality criteria that apply to all surface waters.112 These criteria state that all waters shall be free from sludge; floating debris; oil and scum; color- and odor-producing materials; substances that are harmful to human, animal, or aquatic life; and nutrients in concentrations that may cause algal blooms. Numeric criteria are estimations of concentrations of chemicals and degree of aquatic life toxicity allowable in a water body without adversely impacting its beneficial uses. Although numeric criteria are applied to water bodies, they primarily are used to regulate dischargers through NPDES permits. Numeric criteria consist of chemical criteria, whole effluent toxicity levels, and biological criteria.113 Ohio EPA’s antidegradation provisions describe the conditions under which water quality may be lowered in surface waters. Existing beneficial uses must be maintained and protected. Further, water quality better than that needed to protect existing beneficial uses must be maintained unless lower quality is deemed necessary to allow important economic or social development (existing beneficial uses must still be protected).114 Additionally, Ohio EPA’s The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program, established under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act, focuses on identifying and restoring polluted rivers, streams, lakes, and other surface bodies of water. TMDLs are prepared for waters identified as impaired on the 303(d) list in the biennial Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report (also called the Integrated Report).115

111 Ohio Administrative Code Rules 3745-1-08 to 3745-1-32. 112 Ohio Administrative Code Rule 3745-1-04. 113 Ohio Administrative Code Rule 3745-1 (chemical); Rule 3745-1-07 Paragraph (C), Rule 3745-2-09 and Rule 3745-33-07 Paragraph (B) (toxicity); and Rule 3745-1-07 Paragraph (A)(6) (biological). 114 Ohio Administrative Code Rules 3745-1-05 and 3745-1-54 and Antidegradation User’s Guide 2003. 115 Ohio EPA, 2016 Integrated Report, http://www.epa.ohio.gov/dsw/tmdl/ohiointegratedreport.aspx.

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A TMDL is a written, quantitative assessment of water quality problems in a body of water and contributing sources of pollution. It specifies the amount a pollutant needs to be reduced to meet water quality standards (WQS), allocates pollutant load reductions, and provides the basis for taking actions needed to restore a body of water. Information about TMDLs and water quality monitoring are organized by large watersheds. The TMDL status of Ohio watersheds is shown in Figure 3.8-12. http://wwwapp.epa.ohio.gov/dsw/gis/tmdl/TMDL_status_June2011.pdf Ohio EPA’s 2016 Integrated Report Summary The Integrated Report indicates the general condition of Ohio's waters and identifies waters that do not meet water quality goals. The report satisfies the Clean Water Act requirements for both Section 305(b) for biennial reports on the condition of the state's waters and Section 303(d) for a prioritized list of impaired waters. Human Health Use (Fish Tissue) Fish tissue data have been assessed in nearly every major (eight-digit) hydrologic unit in Ohio. About one-third of monitored watershed assessment units and more than half of monitored lakes were unimpaired for human health use. PCB contamination, primarily a result of historic industrial sources and old landfill discharges, is the cause of most of the human health use impairments. Mercury is the second leading cause of human health use impairments after PCBs. Recreational Use For Lake Erie public beaches, the frequency of swimming advisories varies widely, ranging from 0% at Kelley’s Island State Park beach to more than 40% at Edson, Euclid, Lakeshore, Lakeview, and Villa Angela beaches. Generally, beaches located near population centers tend to have the most problems. For inland streams, bacteria levels were low in about one in 10 watersheds. About three in 10 watersheds had high levels of bacteria. The remaining six in 10 did not have enough data for evaluation. Ohio’s 23 large rivers fare somewhat better, with about 20% having relatively low bacteria levels and 20% showing higher levels of bacteria. About 60% did not have enough data collected in the past five years to evaluate. High bacteria levels are often observed during periods of higher stream flows associated with heavy rains.

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Figure 3.8-12: Ohio Total Maximum Daily Load Program Progress

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Aquatic Life Use The upward trend in full attainment of the aquatic life use in both watersheds and larger streams continues. In general, large rivers in Ohio meet aquatic life use goals at a much higher percentage than smaller streams. Figures 3.8-13-3.8-17: Northeast Ohio List of Impaired Waters Ohio EPA assesses all subwatersheds in the state for aquatic life use attainment. Tables 3.8-13 through 3.8-17 summarize, by county, each subwatershed’s (HUC12) aquatic life use designation and current attainment status.116 Ohio EPA assigns the following designations or combinations of designations based upon natural stream conditions.

WWH Warm Water Habitat CWH Cold Water Habitat EWH Exceptional Warmwater Habitat MWH Modified Warmwater Habitat SSH Seasonal Salmonoid Habitat LRW Limited Resource Water

Figure 3.8-18: Aquatic Life Use Attainment Watershed Aquatic Use Attainment Status Ohio EPA assesses all subwatersheds in the state for water quality for aquatic life use attainment. Figure 3.8-9 depicts the status of each subwatershed.117 All subwatersheds below are present in NOACA’s five-county area, although some watersheds extend beyond the NOACA boundary.

116 Ohio EPA, 2016 Integrated Report, http://www.epa.ohio.gov/dsw/tmdl/ohiointegratedreport.aspx. 117 Ohio EPA, 2016 Integrated Report, http://www.epa.ohio.gov/dsw/tmdl/ohiointegratedreport.aspx.

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Figure 3.8-13: Cuyahoga County of List of Impaired Waters

TMDL Attainment Status Watershed Map # Subwatershed Name HUC12 ALU Designation Year Full Partial Non Score

3 Heider Ditch Frontal Lake Erie 41100010603 2008 WWH x x 0 7 French Creek 41100010601 2008 WWH x x x 33.3

15 Willow Creek 41100010403 2008 WWH x 0

16 Plum Creek 41100010107 WWH x 0

17 Cossett Creek West Branch Rocky River 41100010106 WWH x x 80

25 Headwater Aurora Branch 41100030302 2007 CWH, WWH x x 51.5

33 Headwaters East Branch Rocky River 41100010201 WWH x 100

46 Boston Run Cuyahoga River 41100020405 2003 CWH, WWH x x 77.8

47 Furnace Run 41100020403 2003 WWH x x 87.5

48 Willow Lake Cuyahoga River 41100020505 2003 CWH, WWH x 50

49 Headwaters Chippewa Creek 41100020503 2003 WWH 33.3

50 Baldwin Creek East Branch Rocky River 41100010202 WWH x x x 86.1

51 Baker Creek West Branch Rocky River 41100010108 WWH x x x 66.7

52 Cahoon Creek Frontal Lake Erie 41100010204 WWH x x 0

53 City of Cleveland Cuyahoga River 41100020605 2003 Unknown Null

54 Rocky River 41100010203 WWH, MWH-C x x x 76.5

55 Big Creek 41100020603 2003 WWH, LRW x x 0 56 Cuyahoga Heights Cuyahoga River 41100020604 2003 WWH x x x 12.5

57 Village of Independence Cuyahoga River 41100020602 2003 WWH 33.3

58 Mill Creek 41100020601 2003 WWH x x 20

59 Doan Brook Frontal Lake Erie 41100030504 WWH x 0

60 Euclid Creek 41100030503 WWH x x x 0

61 Griswold Creek Chagrin River 41100030402 CWH, WWH x x x 48.9

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TMDL Attainment Status Watershed Map # Subwatershed Name HUC12 ALU Designation Year Full Partial Non Score

62 Town of Twinsburg Tinkers Creek 41100020504 WWH, LRW x x x 13.6

63 Brandywine Creek 41100020404 2003 WWH 62.5

64 Pond Brook 41100020501 WWH, MWH-C x x x 50 CWH, EWH, WWH, 65 McFarland Creek Aurora Branch 41100030303 2007 x x 70.9 WWH/SSH 76 Beaver Creek Chagrin River 41100030304 2007 CWH, WWH x x x 89.6 91 Boston Run Cuyahoga River 041100030502 Unknown Null

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Figure 3.8-14: Geauga County of List of Impaired Waters

TMDL Attainment Status Watershed Map # Subwatershed Name HUC12 ALU Designation Year Full Partial Non Score 61 Griswold Creek Chagrin River 041100030402 2007 CWH, WWH x x x 48.9 64 Pond Brook 041100020501 WWH, MWH-C x x x 50 CWH, EWH, WWH, 65 McFarland Creek Aurora Branch 041100030303 2007 x x 70.9 WWH/SSH 66 Headwaters Aurora Branch 041100030302 2007 CWH, WWH x x 51.5 67 Lake Rockwell Cuyahoga River 041100020203 2000 WWH x 87.5 68 Black Brook 041100020105 2004 WWH 100 69 Headwaters Eagle Creek 050301030401 2011 CWH, WWH x x 66.7 70 Camp Creek Eagle Creek 050301030403 2011 CWH, WWH x x 87.5 71 Tinkers Creek 050301030404 2011 WWH x x 0 72 Headwaters Grand River 041100040102 2013 CWH, EWH, WWH x x 66.7 73 Sawyer Brook Cuyahoga River 041100020106 2004 WWH 25 74 Ladue Reservoir Bridge Creek 041100020104 2004 WWH 16.7 75 Silver Creek 041100030301 2007 CWH, WWH x 100 76 Beaver Creek Chagrin River 041100030304 2007 CWH, WWH x x x 89.6 77 West Branch Cuyahoga 041100020102 2004 WWH 62.5 East Branch Reservoir East Branch 78 041100020101 2004 WWH 66.7 Cuyahoga River 79 Tare Creek Cuyahoga River 041100020103 2004 WWH 0 80 Swine Creek 041100040106 2013 CWH, WWH x 100 81 Mill Creek Grand River 041100040303 2013 CWH, WWH x x 83.3 82 Phelps Creek 041100040301 2013 CWH, WWH x x 83.3 83 Hoskins Creek 041100040302 2013 CWH, WWH x x 66.7

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TMDL Attainment Status Watershed Map # Subwatershed Name HUC12 ALU Designation Year Full Partial Non Score 84 Mud Creek 041100040304 2013 CWH, WWH x x 66.7 85 Bronson Creek Grand River 041100040502 2013 CWH, EWH, WWH x x 58.3 86 Mill Creek 041100040602 2012 CWH, WWH 100 87 Talcott Creek Grand River 041100040605 2012 CWH Null 88 Paine Creek 041100040604 2012 EWH, CWH, WWH 58.4 89 Big Creek 041100040606 2012 CWH, WWH 61.4 90 East Branch Chagrin River 041100030401 2007 EWH/CWH, CWH x x 60.7

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Figure 3.8-15: Lake County of List of Impaired Waters

TMDL Attainment Status Watershed Map # Subwatershed Name HUC12 ALU Designation Year Full Partial Non Score 60 Euclid Creek 041100030503 WWH x x x 0 61 Griswold Creek Chagrin River 041100030402 2007 CWH, WWH x x x 48.9 86 Mill Creek 041100040602 2012 CWH, WWH 100 87 Talcott Creek Grand River 041100040605 2012 CWH Null 88 Paine Creek 041100040604 2012 EWH, CWH, WWH 58.4 89 Big Creek 041100040606 2012 CWH, WWH 61.4 90 East Branch Chagrin River 041100030401 2007 EWH/CWH, CWH x x 60.7 91 City of Euclid Frontal Lake Erie 041100030502 Unknown Null 92 Town of Willoughby Chagrin River 041100030403 2007 WWH x x 83.3 93 Marsh Creek Frontal Lake Erie 004110030501 Unknown Null 94 Red Creek Grand River 041100040607 2012 WWH 0 95 McKinley Creek Frontal Lake Erie 041100030204 WWH 54 96 Arcola Creek 041100030203 WWH 54 97 Village of Mechanicsville Grand River 041100040603 2012 Unknown Null

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Figure 3.8-16: Lorain County of List of Impaired Waters Attainment Status Watershed Map # Subwatershed Name HUC12 TMDL Year ALU Designation Full Partial Non Score 1 Sugar Creek Frontal Lake Erie 041000120301 2005 WWH 50 2 Vermillion River Mouth 041000120204 WWH 75 3 Quarry Creek Frontal Lake Erie 041100010703 WWH Null 4 Beaver Creek Mouth 041100010702 WWH 50 5 Black River 041100010602 2008 WWH x x 90 6 Heider Ditch Frontal Lake Erie 041100010603 2008 WWH x x 0 7 French Creek 041100010601 2008 WWH x x x 33.3 8 Town of Wakeman Vermillion 000410001203 WWH 58.4 9 East Fork Vermillion 041000120202 WWH x x 70 10 Beaver Creek Headwaters 041100010701 WWH Null 11 Plum Creek 041100010505 2008 WWH x x 0 12 Middle West Branch Black River 041100010504 2008 WWH x x 0 13 Lower West Branch Black River 041100010506 2008 WWH x x x 37.5 14 Jackson Ditch East Branch Black River 041100010404 2008 WWH x x x 55 15 Willow Creek 041100010403 2008 WWH x 0 16 Plum Creek 041100010107 WWH x 0 17 Cosset Creek West Branch Rocky River 041100010106 WWH x x 80 18 Salt Creek East Branch Black River 041100010402 WWH x x x 50 19 Wellington Creek 041100010503 2008 WWH x x 0 20 Charlemont Creek 041100010501 2008 WWH x x 0 21 Upper West Branch Black River 041100010502 2008 WWH x x 25 22 East Branch Vermillion River 041000120201 WWH 25 23 Town of Litchfield East Branch Black River 041100010401 2008 WWH x 100

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Attainment Status Watershed Map # Subwatershed Name HUC12 TMDL Year ALU Designation Full Partial Non Score 24 Coon Creek East Branch Black River 041100010303 2008 WWH x x 83.3 51 Baker Creek West Branch Rocky River 041100010108 WWH x x x 66.7 52 Cahoon Creek Frontal Lake Erie 041100010204 WWH x x 0

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Figure 3.8-17: Medina County of List of Impaired Waters

TMDL Attainment Status Watershed Map # Subwatershed Name HUC12 ALU Designation Year Full Partial Non Score 15 Willow Creek 041100010403 2008 WWH x 0 16 Plum Creek 041100010107 Underway WWH x 0 17 Cossett Creek West Branch Rocky River 041100010106 Underway WWH x x 80 18 Salt Creek East Branch Black River 041100010402 2008 WWH x x x 50 Town of Litchfield East Branch Black 23 041100010401 2008 WWH x 100 River 24 Coon Creek East Branch Black River 041100010303 2008 CWH, WWH x x 83.3 Headwaters West Fork East Branch 25 041100010302 2008 WWH x x 58.3 Black River 26 Upper Muddy Fork Mohican River 050400020501 Underway WWH x x 50 27 Cedar Run Killbuck Creek 050400030504 Underway CWH, WWH x 100 28 Little Killbuck Creek Killbuck Creek 050400030502 Underway WWH x x 33.3 29 East Fork East Branch Black River 041100010301 2008 WWH x x 20 30 Mallet Creek 041100010104 Underway WWH x 100 31 City of Medina West Branch Rocky River 041100010105 Underway WWH x 100 32 Plum Creek 041100010101 Underway WWH x x 33.3 33 Headwaters East Branch Rocky River 041100010201 Underway WWH x 100 34 North Branch West Branch Rocky River 041100010102 Underway WWH x x 83.3 35 Yellow Creek 041100020402 2003 WWH x x x 70 36 Wolf Creek 050400010104 2009 WWH, MWH-C x x 70 37 Headwaters West Branch Rocky River 041100010103 Underway WWH x x 50 38 Headwater Chippewa Creek 050400010201 2009 WWH x x 0 39 Hubbard Creek Chippewa Creek 050400010202 2009 WWH, MWH-C 75

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TMDL Attainment Status Watershed Map # Subwatershed Name HUC12 ALU Designation Year Full Partial Non Score 40 Headwaters Killbuck Creek 050400030501 Underway WWH x 100 41 Tommy Run Chippewa Creek 050400010205 2009 WWH, MWH-C 50 42 River Styx 050400010204 2009 WWH, MWH-C 50 43 Silver Creek Chippewa Creek 050400010207 2009 WWH, MWH-C 50 44 Hudson Run 050400010103 2009 WWH 33.3 45 Pigeon Creek 050400010102 2009 MWH-C 0 50 Baldwin Creek East Branch Rocky River 041100010202 Underway WWH x x x 86.1 51 Baker Creek West Branch Rocky River 041100010108 Underway WWH x x x 66.7

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Figure 3.8-18: Aquatic Life Use Attainment118

118 Ohio EPA, 2016 Integrated Report, http://www.epa.ohio.gov/dsw/tmdl/ohiointegratedreport.aspx.

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Northeast Ohio Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Status Ohio developed a 12-step project-management-based TMDL process to accomplish TMDLs (see Figure 3.8-19). The process builds on existing monitoring, modeling, permitting, and grant programs in an attempt to establish a cycle of continuous improvement of the water quality in Ohio’s watersheds. The process, which seeks public involvement in problem solving and decision making, contains four broad, overlapping phases: • Assess waterbody health: biological, chemical, habitat • Develop a restoration target and a viable scenario • Implement the solution: inside/outside Ohio EPA • Validate to monitor progress: delist or relist Figure 3.8-19: Ohio EPA’s TMDL Project Process

Figure 3.8-20 provides an overview of the major watersheds in Northeast Ohio. The table summarizes the types and percentages of land use (according to Ohio EPA’s TMDL reports), associated water quality problems, and the resulting recommendations approved in the US EPA-approved TMDL reports.

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Figure 3.8-20: TMDL Status Summary for Northeast Ohio’s Watersheds Northeast Ohio Watersheds: Water Quality Problems & TMDL Recommendations Watershed Counties Watershed Land Use Water Quality TMDL Recommendations Problems Black River Ashland, 44% row crop, 25% Mainstem: Bacteria, Restoring stream habitats in Huron, deciduous forest, 16% Dissolved Oxygen agricultural areas; eliminate Medina, residential, and 8% (DO) pervasive bacteria problems; Cuyahoga pasture119 reduce impacts from permitted East Branch: and Lorain dischargers; and manage storm Phosphorus, water quantity and quality in Nitrogen, Bacteria, developing areas120 Total Suspended Solids (TSS), DO West Branch: Phosphorus, Nitrogen, Bacteria, TSS, DO Rocky River Lorain, 34.5% deciduous forest, Potentially Bacteria Draft TMDL, New TMDL in Cuyahoga 24.5% pasture/hay, 15% process

and Medina low-intensity residential, 13.85% row crops, 3.82% commercial/ industrial/transportation, 8.53% other (e.g., grasses, wetlands, forest, open water, etc.) Plum Creek, Lorain, 18.5% developed, Phosphorus, Nitrogen Address nonpoint sources of Rocky River Cuyahoga 22.8% forest, 15.8% nutrients (e.g., failing home and Medina grass/pastures, 33.40 sewage treatment systems row crops, 9.4% [HSTS], elimination of illicit others121 discharges, construction site sediment/erosion controls, post- construction storm water management, public education, pollution prevention at municipal operations). Improve habitat conditions (e.g., streambank stabilization, adopt riparian buffers/setbacks). Address agricultural impacts with nutrient management plans, riparian buffers, etc.

119 http://www.epa.state.oh.us/portals/35/tmdl/BlackRiverTMDL_final_may08_wo_app.pdf. 120 http://www.epa.state.oh.us/portals/35/tmdl/BlackRiverTMDL_final_may08_wo_app.pdf. 121 http://wwwapp.epa.ohio.gov/gis/mapportal/IR2016.html.

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Northeast Ohio Watersheds: Water Quality Problems & TMDL Recommendations Watershed Counties Watershed Land Use Water Quality TMDL Recommendations Problems Upper Geauga 44% deciduous forest, Phosphorus, Nitrogen NPDES permit limits. Phase II Cuyahoga and 26% pasture/hay, 11% storm water management plan Portage row crop, 7% woody implementation. Riparian wetlands, 3.67% open protection measures. water, 2.77% emergent Inspection, maintenance, herbaceous wetlands, proper operation of HSTSs and 1.67 low intensity commercial systems. Wetland residential, 4% other122 protection, parks and natural areas, easements. Middle Portage, Urban development, Phosphorus, Monitoring and permitting of all Cuyahoga Summit agriculture, forest and Ammonia, TSS, DO, outfalls to the Twin Lakes outlet and Stark wetland areas123 Flow including Akron WTP outfall 001 and 002 Lower Cuyahoga, Densely populated and Phosphorus, Modifications of Kent Cuyahoga Summit industrialized urban area Nitrogen, Habitat, (completed 2005) and removal and Bacteria, DO of Munroe Falls Dam Portage (completed 2007) Chagrin Portage, 64.6% deciduous forest, Phosphorus, Phase II storm water Geauga, 16.6% residential, 7.6% Nitrogen, Habitat, management plan Cuyahoga crop, 4.6% commercial/ Bacteria, TSS implementation. Preservation, and Lake industrial/transportation, restoration and enhancement of 6.4% other (e.g., grass, wetlands. Adoption of riparian, woody wetlands, open wetland and headwaters water, etc.)124 protection regulations. Upstream damn removal. Proper operation and maintenance of HSTSs. Upper Grand Ashtabula 41.5% forest, 36.1% Phosphorus, Reduce NPDES permit limits. cultivated crops and Nitrogen, Ammonia, Address nonpoint sources of Geauga pasture lands, 8.9% Habitat, Bacteria, pollution related to direct habitat Portage wetlands, 6.3 % TSS alterations; riparian and stream developed land and restoration, dam removal. Trumbull 7.2% other125 Address failing HSTSs with operation and maintenance programs. Implementation of agricultural best management practices (BMPs).

122 http://www.epa.state.oh.us/portals/35/tmdl/upCuy_final_090304.pdf. 123 http://www.epa.state.oh.us/portals/35/tmdl/MidCuyFinalTMDL.pdf. 124 http://www.epa.state.oh.us/portals/35/tmdl/ChagrinRiverTMDL_final_may07.pdf. 125 http://www.epa.state.oh.us/Portals/35/tmdl/GrandUpper_TMDLReport_Final.pdf.

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Northeast Ohio Watersheds: Water Quality Problems & TMDL Recommendations Watershed Counties Watershed Land Use Water Quality TMDL Recommendations Problems Lower Grand Lake, 43% deciduous forests, Phosphorus, Reduce impervious surface 21% cultivated crops, Bacteria, Flow coverage and protect/restore Ashtabula 8% pasture/hay, 8% riparian buffer vegetation. and developed open water, Additional phosphorus Geauga 7% low intensity reductions from point sources. development, 4% Control storm water runoff grasses, 3% woody through the implementation of wetland, and 6% other storm water management (e.g., open water, plans. Proper operation and shrub/scrub, etc.) maintenance of HSTSs. Lake Erie Subwater- Primarily urbanized, TMDL Not Started TMDL Not Started Tributaries – sheds that impervious surfaces Beaver, drain Euclid, directly to Quarry, Lake Erie Cahoon and Marsh Creeks, Heider Ditch, Doan Brook

Managing Development in Floodplains The U.S. Congress established the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in 1968, which is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The intent of the NFIP is to minimize future flood damage, regulate short-term impacts that can be associated with development and modifications of floodplains, and provide property owners with flood insurance protection at a reasonable cost while preserving the natural and beneficial values served by floodplains. The NFIP assists communities by requiring that they adopt and administer local flood plain management measures. This effort is intended to protect lives and new construction from future flooding.

All transportation projects must avoid increasing base flood (100-year flood) elevations when developing in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs)/regulated floodplain zones delineated on FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Managing Impacts to Historical and Cultural Resources In the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA), Congress established a comprehensive program to preserve the historical and cultural foundations of the nation as a living part of community life. Section 106 of the NHPA is crucial to that program because it requires consideration of historic preservation in the multitude of projects with federal involvement that take place across the country. Section 106 requires federal agencies to consider the effects of projects they carry out, approve, or fund on historic properties. Additionally, federal agencies must provide the public an opportunity to comment on such projects prior to the agency’s decision on them.

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Section 106 review encourages, but does not mandate, preservation. Sometimes there is no way for a needed project to proceed without harming historic properties. Section 106 review does ensure that preservation values are factored into federal agency planning and decisions. Section 106 requires federal agencies to consider their responsibility for the consequences of the projects they carry out, approve, or fund on historic properties and be publicly accountable for their decisions. In Ohio, historical and cultural resources include important archeology sites, history and architecture, historic bridges, and scenic byways. Managing Impacts to Publically Owned Resources Section 4(f) of the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) Act protects publicly owned parks, recreation areas, wildlife and waterfowl refuges, and public or privately owned historic sites from adverse impacts resulting from the construction of transportation facilities funded by the USDOT.126 Section 6(f) Section 6(f) of the Land and Water Conservation Act applies to the conversion of certain recreation lands to non-recreational purposes. The act applies to recreation lands that have received Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) money. Any land conversions on property that has received LWCF money must be approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior– National Park Service (FHWA, 1987). Section 6(f) also requires that any applicable land converted to non-recreational uses must be replaced with land of equal or greater value, location, and usefulness. Managing Ecological Resources, Noise, and Other Environmental Impacts Ecological Resources Several laws and rules (including NEPA, Endangered Species Act, Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, and the Clean Water Act) require that all proposed federally funded projects undergo studies to determine the degree and effect of impacts resulting from projects on the natural environment. More specifically, they require analysis of the impacts on the natural environment with emphasis on certain special areas of concern, particularly endangered species, streams and wetlands, and surrounding terrestrial environments. For projects involved in stream work, wetlands, or significant amounts of new right-of-way, ecological surveys are performed to inventory the resources in the vicinity of the proposed project. These data are summarized in an ODOT Ecological Survey Report for each project. This report contains ecological analyses of water quality, aquatic ecosystems, endangered species, wetlands, and terrestrial ecosystems. Some projects may require additional separate reports for specific resources, such as mussel surveys, endangered species surveys, biological assessments, coastal consistency, and others. The Ecological Survey Report and any other resource-specific reports are used to coordinate the project impacts with the resource agencies in order to solicit comments and approvals. The coordination effort and any subsequent environmental commitments are included in the NEPA document. Environmental commitments made from ecological coordination may be carried forward in the form of plan notes, avoidance and minimization measures, species surveys, and/or compensatory mitigation or conservation measures.127

126https://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Planning/Environment/NEPA_policy_issues/4F_6F/Pages/defau lt.aspx. 127 http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Planning/Environment/NEPA_policy_issues/NOISE/Pages/default.as px.

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Noise Noise is considered unwanted sound, particularly when the sound causes annoyance. Noise comes from many sources. One of the most significant sources is from transportation, particularly traffic noise. Highway noise comes from three sources: the engine, the exhaust, and the interaction of the tires and pavement. Once typical highway speeds are reached, the predominate noise from light trucks and cars is from the tire/pavement interaction. Heavy trucks produce a high volume of noise from all three sources even at high speeds. Mitigating transportation noise in the environment is important for the health and welfare of the surrounding community. Numerous studies have demonstrated the effect of noise on the health of those suffering under its impact. Effects ranging from hearing loss to cardiac arrest have been linked to noise. Prolonged exposure to noise in excess of 75 deciBels Adjusted (dBA) may initiate hearing loss. Noise may also negatively affect the quality of life of those who must live with it. Loss of sleep and the inability to hold conversations are frequent complaints. Helping to alleviate these negative impacts is the objective of noise abatement.128 Other Mitigation Transportation projects should strives to avoid, to the fullest extent practicable, any activity that adversely affects natural resources during the design, construction, or maintenance of the state transportation system. In the event that impacts to important natural resources are unavoidable, project sponsors should consider a wide variety of mitigation strategies, which always begin with evaluation of on-site mitigation opportunities within the project work area. Once the on-site resources within the project area are exhausted, the search for mitigation shifts to opportunities further from the project impact, but within the same subwatershed. Mitigation may include banking, habitat creation, restoration, and/or preservation of stream, wetland, and other natural resources. Performance Measures and Targets Protect the Region’s Soil, Air, Water and Ecologically Sensitive Areas NOACA must ensure that its transportation planning protects and enhances the natural, as well as human, environment in Northeast Ohio. To ensure that the region’s key natural resources, including soil, air, water, and ecologically sensitive areas (e.g., wetlands) are protected for current and future generations, NOACA will take the following actions, in accordance with our regional strategic plan and the Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium (NEOSCC). 1. Provide funding priority and other preferences within project scoring criteria to projects that preserve agricultural lands; open space; and important habitat areas, woodlands, and wetlands. 2. Provide funding priority and other preferences within project scoring criteria to projects that integrate the control of stormwater, protection and improvement of water quality, and control of development in floodplains, riparian areas, and wetlands.

128 http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Planning/Environment/Ecological_Resources_Permits/Ecology/Page s/default.aspx.

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Expand the Region’s Parks and Open Space Network Currently, just 7% of Northeast Ohio is set aside as preserved public open space, significantly less than the 10-15% recommended for the region.129 Historically, the expansion of residential and commercial development—and the transportation infrastructure required to support it—has reduced the amount of open space remaining in the region. Potential conflicts between open space and transportation infrastructure most notably came to a head during the 1960s, when proposed freeway projects into Cleveland Heights and Shaker Heights threatened the Shaker Lakes. To minimize these conflicts and enhance Northeast Ohio’s transportation system, while promoting the expansion of parkland and open space, NOACA will provide funding priority and other preferences within project scoring criteria to projects that enhance the public’s access to and enjoyment of the region’s parks, cultural assets, and recreational activities. Promote Investment in the Region’s Established Communities As discussed earlier, Northeast Ohio’s population has remained relatively constant over the past five decades, even as residential and commercial development has expanded. This outward movement has placed additional stress on natural resources and sensitive ecosystems. Accordingly, NOACA will take the following actions, in accordance with the agency’s regional strategic plan and NEOSCC. 1. Provide funding priority and other preferences within project scoring criteria to projects that preserve or maintain existing infrastructure. 2. Provide funding priority and other preferences within project scoring criteria to projects that promote the redevelopment of declining and abandoned areas. • reduce energy use and improve air quality • reduce greenhouse gas emissions • reduce reliance on auto travel, particularly single-occupant vehicles (SOVs) Promote Shift to Nonmotorized Modes and Reduce Transportation-Related GHG Emissions Transportation is now the leading source of GHG emissions in the United States and will remain so in the short term, as electricity generation continues to shift away from fossil fuels. In the NOACA region, light-duty vehicles (which include passenger cars and light-duty trucks) are responsible for 80.3% of total on-road GHG emissions, as illustrated in Figure 3.8-21. This share is significantly higher than the national average (71.9%).130 Additionally, the share of single-occupant vehicle (SOV) travel in the region (82.3%) remains well above the national average (76.4%). These numbers illustrate that, by investing in projects and programs that promote shifting residents out of SOVs and into alternative transportation modes, NOACA will also reduce GHG emissions and enhance air quality.

129 Western Reserve Land Conservancy, Common Ground The land protection report for northern Ohio (Cleveland: Western Reserve Land Conservancy, 2012), http://www.wrlandconservancy.org/pdf/REGIONALLANDPROTECTIONREPORT-FINAL_001.pdf. 130 U.S. EPA, Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions, 2-28-2-29.

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Figure 3.8-21: Northeast Ohio On-Road GHG Emissions by Vehicle Type

2015 GHG % 2015 GHG % 2015 Vehicle Vehicle Type Emissions Emissions1 Population (MTCO2e) Light-Duty Vehicles 12,124,513 80.3% 93%  Passenger Cars 5,354,718 33.5% 50.6%  Light-Duty Trucks 7,065,437 46.8% 42.4% Motorcycles 51,538 0.3% 3.1% Buses 82,743 0.6% 0.2% Medium- and Heavy-Duty Trucks 2,842,351 18.8% 3.6% Source: NOACA estimates using MOVES2014a.

Increase Regional Resilience to Natural Disasters Climate change is just one factor that affects the type, number, and severity of disasters. Other variables include development patterns, physical infrastructure, the economic value of assets in harm’s way, and the social and economic vulnerability of people who live in disaster-prone areas. Just as taking steps to reduce GHG emissions can help mitigate the risk of climate change, so, too, can addressing these other variables reduce the risk and effects of disasters in Northeast Ohio. NOACA will focus not only on designing a transportation system that reduces the burden of climate change and mitigates additional disaster risks, but also by accounting for climate change and disaster resiliency when planning transportation projects in the region.

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