Proposal would shift Metroparks trail crossing at Brecksville Road to safer location

by Kathleen Steele Gaivin

Feb.16 city council meeting

Brecksville City Council authorized the mayor to enter into a funding commitment agreement with the Board of Park Commissioners of the Cleveland Metropolitan Park District, seeking funding to improve the intersection of Brecksville Road at the Valley Parkway crossing.

“Ever since the trail was put in, the Metropark has been working with NOACA [Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency] looking for funding and looking for a safer way to cross. At the current location they have people crossing, it’s five lanes because of the turn lane. If you get halfway across there’s no place to dock except for that two-foot dock, which is obviously not safe,” City Engineer Gerald Wise said.

The proposal would move the trail crossing within the city’s right-of-way about 150 feet south on Brecksville Road where hikers and bikers can cross safely with push-button signals to stop traffic. The city of Brecksville is committing to spend up to $15,000 toward the project.

“We’re hoping that with the additional signals that will be there, it will be a safer crossing that it is now,” Mayor Jerry Hruby said.

May 4 election

Voters will have a single citywide issue to decide on the May 4 ballot regarding the Sherwin Williams Company’s request for rezoning a parcel from residential to mix-use as it is on the rest of the property. The parcel was bought in addition to the original Veterans Administration property.

Police chief retirement

Police Chief William Goodrich will retire effective May 3 after almost 33 years with the Brecksville Police Department, according to Mayor Hruby. Goodrich joined the department during the mayor’s first year in office, he said.

Bill has served our community during that time well. He’s done an outstanding job as our DARE officer for years. He took on the responsibilities of becoming a canine officer for a period of time. . . He rose through the ranks, became a sergeant and then when the opportunity came for him to test for chief, there was no question that Bill was by far the best candidate for chief,” the mayor said.

Bicycle/pedestrian presentation

Residents Maggie Stumpfl and Janet Popielski presented a bicycle and pedestrian plan for the city that they said would eliminate bicycle and pedestrian crashes by providing safe access to parks and nature, as well as connecting the community in other ways.

“Prioritizing the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians gets to the heart of what we value most in Brecksville,” Stumpfl said.

She added, “Having a safe way for bicyclists and pedestrians to move about town is also good for business. It’s good for people patronizing the businesses. … It also increases property values.”

According to the city of Brecksville’s 2019 Master Plan Survey, almost 70 percent of the respondents stated that they would walk or bike more if there were more sidewalks and trails.

“Brecksville residents absolutely love these types of activities,” Popielski said.

A priority, according to Stumpfl and Popielski, should be sidewalks on both sides of Mill Road to allow a safe venue for students to walk to school. Once priorities are formed for bicycle and pedestrian traffic infrastructure, the duo suggested reaching out to local businesses such as Sherwin Williams and Lubrizol and incorporating connectivity to Valor Acres, the Central School property and the new elementary school at Blossom Hill.  They also suggested possible sources for funding assistance, such as the Safe Routes to School program through the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Appointments

Council approved the following independent contractor agreements for 2021: Geoffrey Thatcher, community youth soccer director; Margaret English, BTBA Brecksville Travel Baseball Association president and liaison to the Brecksville Recreation Department; and Tom English, Youth Baseball and Softball League director for the Brecksville Recreation Department.

In other business, city council approved hiring CRS Metalworx to install the Brecksville police station generator exhaust extension at a cost of $24,999.

Council also approved spending $8,496 for D&R Commercial Flooring to supply and install replacement vinyl floor tile for the top floor at 8997 Highland Dr., the former Center for the Arts building. ∞