A new multipurpose trail in Cuyahoga County is officially underway to bring safer bike and walking paths between the cities of Lakewood and Rocky River.
The $11 million project will bring an 11-foot-wide multimodal path from the Lake Road and Linda Street intersection in Rocky River to the intersection of Webb Road and Clifton Boulevard in Lakewood.
Once completed, the connector will feature traffic-calming measures including a roundabout at the Lake Road and Clifton Road intersection, along with improved crosswalks, new lighting and updated landscaping. The roadway will go from four lanes to two in order to accommodate the path.
This connector is more than an infrastructure project, Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne said at the groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday.
"I remember a family member friend, a young guy, went to school right here in Lakewood, had an accident on this bridge, on his bicycle," Ronayne said. "I thought, as we were planning this project, this is going to improve every kid's life with a safer environment to bike between and walk between the communities of Lakewood and Rocky River."
The connector will provide residents with safer ways to get around what he called the "most complicated patch" of bikeway along Lake Erie without relying on a personal vehicle.
Lakewood resident and Cindy Einhouse said she knows about the difficulties of cycling in the area firsthand.
"This particular stretch is a little scary," Einhouse said. "The sidewalks are narrow, the curbs are so high that if you encounter somebody coming the other way ... you really have to stop and hug the side, you know, the rail, to let a person with a stroller come by."
Many cyclists will ride their bikes in any conditions, Einhouse said, but she hopes the addition of the multiuse path will boost the cities' walkability and encourage community engagement.
The project was designed to better connect the west side of the county, Lakewood Mayor Meghan George said, and help boost navigability without relying on a personal vehicle.
"It will serve those who travel through and visit our sister cities," George said. "The connector will make it easier and more enjoyable for residents, families, and visitors to walk, run, cycle, roller blade, and just generally move through our communities."
