CLEVELAND – The Ohio Department of Transportation has indicated a possible delay in building the second Innerbelt Bridge. The impact could affect drivers who travel into and out of Cleveland.

On Tuesday, The Plain Dealer reported funding for the new bridge might not be available for 11 more years.

According to a statement from ODOT Director Jerry Wray on Monday, the state does not have the money to pay for several major road and bridge projects scheduled across the state.

Under the current plan, all traffic would be converted from the existing structure to the now-being-built westbound bridge. This first bridge is a planned for completion in 2013 and will mirror a second identical bridge that is eventually planned to house eastbound traffic. That second bridge was slated for completion in 2016.

However, Tuesday’s news could mean drivers would have to use the westbound bridge for both directions of travel. As a result, commuters could face long traffic delays, headaches the extra lanes from both structures are expected to alleviate. The Innerbelt currently handles 120,000 vehicles each day.

I reached out to ODOT headquarters in Columbus as well as their local office in Cleveland. No official reply has been given at this time.

A detail of the funding for the new Innerbelt bridge is expected to be released by an ODOT advisory council Tuesday.

Read more: http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/traffic/traffic_blogs/blog-possible-second-innerbelt-bridge-delay#ixzz1jkgLJT1O

CLEVELAND, OH – The 10th anniversary of the attacks that occurred on 9/11 will be marked by multiple organizations throughout the weekend. Other unrelated events will add to the activity and vibrancy, particularly downtown. The 9/11 Commemoration Committee, formed to manage the logistics and communications for the weekend, suggests using RTA as an alternate form of transportation or biking to get downtown.

If visitors decide to drive, they should consider using the downtown parking map created for the weekend to determine several options close to their event of choice, and should review the ODOT updates regarding possible highway detours. For the most up-to-date information regarding these events, as well as to access the parking map, ODOT link and RTA revised schedules for the weekend, visit http://www.9-11incle.com/.

The 9/11 Commemoration Committee was convened by Councilman Joe Cimperman, with the support of Mayor Frank G. Jackson, to ensure that all events, transportation and logistics are communicated for a safe and enjoyable weekend. Committee members include representatives from all organizations that are presenting events, as well as Base Cleveland Veterans Committee, Downtown Cleveland Alliance, RTA, ODOT, Positively Cleveland, the City of Cleveland, Cleveland Department of Public Safety, Cleveland City Council, and more.

9/11/11 Weekend Events

Friday, September 9, 2011

Prayer Breakfast with former Oklahoma State Senator Brooks Douglass

8- 10 am, Old Stone Church

Cleveland Classic College Readiness Fair Presented by McDonald’s & College Now

9am-1pm, Cleveland Browns Stadium

Downtown Farmer’s Market

11am-2pm, Northwest Quad of Public Square

PlayhouseSquare District Block Party & Tour

5pm – 9pm, Star Plaza, Allen Theatre, Theater District

Cleveland Classic Greek Step Show

7pm-10pm, Music Hall at Cleveland Convention Center

PlayhouseSquare Dance Showcase

7pm, Palace Theatre

PlayhouseSquare Voices

8pm, Hanna Theatre

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

6am-8:30am, Registration

7am, Sponsor Tents Open

8am, Survivor Ceremony (participants line up near Gate C starting at 7:30am)

9am, Fitness Warm-Up

9:15am, 5k Run

9:30am, 5k Walk

9:45am, 1-Mile Walk

10:30am, Awards Ceremony

10:30am, Dominion® Kids’ Dash

Noon, Wrap Up
Wolstein Center

Bike Cleveland Summit

8:30am-5pm, Windows on the River

Cleveland Classic University Hospital Tailgate

9am-2pm, Alfred Lerner Way

Exhibit: September 11: We Remember
10am-6pm, Library and Eastman Reading Garden

Sparx City Hop

11am-9pm, Various locations around Cleveland

Cleveland Classic Presented by McDonald’s

Noon Kick-Off, Cleveland Browns Stadium

Key Bank Battle of the Bands Halftime Show

Halftime, Cleveland Browns Stadium

PlayhouseSquare Spyro Gyra & Jonathan Butler

7pm, Palace Theatre

PlayhouseSquare Voices

8pm, Hanna Theatre

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Bike Cleveland Summit

8:30am-5pm, Windows on the River

9/11 Memorial Worship Service

10am-Noon, Old Stone Church

Reception

11am-11:50am, Old Stone Church

9/11/11 Events (page 3)

Sunday, September 11, 2011 (cont’d)

Soldiers & Sailors Monument

Noon-5pm, Open for tours

http://downtown.woio.com/news/community-spirit/64471-cleveland-honor-911-multiple-commemorations

Article Courtesy of WOIO 19 Action News

Below is a list of reported incidents in the area:

Weekend Closures:

E.9th Bridge: Closed Lakeside – Rt.2 7p.m. Friday – 5a.m. Monday. Parking Garage Access Maintained.

Rt.2W: Closed U.S.20 – Rt.44. 7p.m. – 10a.m. Friday and Saturday. Sr 283/535 Ent. ramps @ Rt.2w closed as well.

I-76W/I-77N: Closed Central Interchange – Kenmore Leg. 9p.m.Friday- 5a.m. Monday. Akron.

Interstate 90: No reported accidents

Interstate 71: No reported accidents

Interstate 77: No reported accidents

Interstate 480: No reported accidents

Interstate 271: : No reported accidents

Route 2: No reported accidents

Interstate 80: No reported accidents

Jennings Freeway(176):No reported accidents

Akron Accidents: No reported accidents.

Interstate-76: No reported accidents

article courtesy of Newsnet5.com

Below is a list of reported incidents in the area:

Interstate 90 West: Now 2 lanes between I-77 – E.9th (Innerbelt construction)

Interstate 71: No reported accidents

Interstate 77N: Ramp to I-90E now 2 lanes.

Interstate 480: No reported accidents

Interstate 271: : No reported accidents

Route 2: No reported accidents

Interstate 80: No reported accidents

Jennings Freeway(176):No reported accidents

Akron Accidents: No reported accidents.

Interstate-76E: Will reopen by 5a.m.. Was closed over the weekend between Kenmore-Central Interchange due to construction

article courtesy of ZNewsnet5.com

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority is now offering status alerts for riders of its rail system.

RTA is calling the pilot service “Commuter Alerts.” It’s only available for Rapid rail riders at this point, but may be expanded to include other RTA services in the future.

Riders can sign up for either e-mail or text alerts at RTA’s website, and they’ll receive notifications when there is 10-minute or more disruption in the schedule that would impact the Red, Green, Blue or Waterfront lines. Other unusual circumstances may warrant an alert message as well, RTA said.

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority is now offering status alerts for riders of its rail system.

RTA is calling the pilot service “Commuter Alerts.” It’s only available for Rapid rail riders at this point, but may be expanded to include other RTA services in the future.

Riders can sign up for either e-mail or text alerts at RTA’s website, and they’ll receive notifications when there is 10-minute or more disruption in the schedule that would impact the Red, Green, Blue or Waterfront lines. Other unusual circumstances may warrant an alert message as well, RTA said.

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article courtesy of Newsnet5.com

Nearly 90 American universities, from New York University to the University of Alaska-Anchorage, offer some form of campus bike program, according to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

Programs have launched or will launch this year at a wide range of universities, including Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville; John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio; the University of Cincinnati; Coastal Carolina University in Conway, S.C.; Samford University in Birmingham, Ala.; Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J.; and North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C.

“The demand is coming from students,” says Jeremy Friedman, manager of sustainability initiatives at New York University. This summer, NYU kicked off a pilot bike share program with a fleet of 30 bikes available for free checkout from the front desks of many residence halls.

Fueling the demand are the public embrace of biking culture, new miles of bike lanes and the economic recession that has many tightening their spending, Friedman says.

Nearly 90 American universities, from New York University to the University of Alaska-Anchorage, offer some form of campus bike program, according to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

Programs have launched or will launch this year at a wide range of universities, including Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville; John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio; the University of Cincinnati; Coastal Carolina University in Conway, S.C.; Samford University in Birmingham, Ala.; Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J.; and North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C.

“The demand is coming from students,” says Jeremy Friedman, manager of sustainability initiatives at New York University. This summer, NYU kicked off a pilot bike share program with a fleet of 30 bikes available for free checkout from the front desks of many residence halls.

Fueling the demand are the public embrace of biking culture, new miles of bike lanes and the economic recession that has many tightening their spending, Friedman says.

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article courtesy of USAToday.com

A truck spilled hydrochloric acid on the Ohio Turnpike Tuesday night, shutting down lanes near Interstate-480 in Streetsboro. The accident occurred in the westbound lanes, but police initially shut down both directions of the Turnpike because crews needed to clean up 39,000 gallons of the acid.

Ohio State Troopers have opened the eastbound lanes, and one lane to traffic is open in the westbound lanes. Wednesday morning rush hour is likely to be affected by the clean up efforts.

Troopers say the driver hauling the acid fell asleep and flipped the truck off the road near the I-480 and I-80 interchange.

The crash happened just after 11:00pm Tuesday night.

Police evacuated 20 homes nearby as a precaution.

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article courtesy of Newsnet5.com

Your survival could depend on your ability to turn two knobs, pull down an overhead panel and separate two sliding doors.

Perhaps nobody appreciates that more than the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, which offered a demonstration of train car evacuation procedures Tuesday at Tower City Center in light of the August 6 fire on one of the agency’s Red Line trains as it was leaving the West 65th Street station.

Some 27 passengers of an estimated 80 to 100 people aboard the train were taken to four different hospitals and treated for minor injuries, mostly smoke inhalation, according to RTA.

Passengers said the emergency exit doors did not open and some kicked out the train’s Plexiglass windows to escape.

RTA believes the fire was sparked by an electrical malfunction, possibly failure of a line breaker, which acts as the train’s main circuit breaker, according to Mary McCahon, media relations manager.

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article courtesy of ThePlainDealer.com

About 15 people were injured Friday during a fire on a Regional Transit Authority train car.

A spokeswoman for RTA said there were about 75 people on the train when the fire broke out just after noon at West 65th Street and Lorain Avenue.

Those injured were transported to local hospitals with minor injuries.

RTA does not know how the fire started. The company has turned off the power to determine the cause.

All the trains are shut down between the Triskett Station to East 55th Street.

There are shuttle buses taking passengers from the downed rail lines.

All trains going west from Triskett are running, all trains going east from 55th Street are running as well. 

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article courtesy of Newsnet5.com

In a united front, Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson was joined by US Congressman Dennis Kucinich, US and Cleveland Council President Martin Sweeney to talk about what the merger of United and Continental Airlines means to Cleveland.

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article couteesy of WKYC.com