Cleveland looks to give bicycle riders more room on the roads, make streets greener

CLEVELAND - Cleveland City Council held a joint committee hearing on Monday to look into the future of its roads. In a new strategy called "complete and green streets," the city would ensure when streets are to be overhauled or new streets developed they would meet certain criteria. 

To be "green," streets would have to be more environmentally friendly, better able to handle the run-off from rain, as well as have improved lighting. In order to be "complete," roadways would include bike lanes and wheelchair ramps. 

"Right now, as a biker, I'll shift," Cleveland resident Amy Compton said. "If I feel unsafe on the road, I'll shift onto the sidewalk for a bit."

"So what this legislation does is it sets a guide that every time the city fixes a road, they are also going to fix these other things," Ward 3 City Councilman Joe Cimperman said. "There are going to make it easier for people to bicycle, people to walk, people to jog, people to use strollers or for people in wheelchairs."

The legislation is expected to pass by the committee members when it goes before them for a vote as early as Aug. 17.

"The whole street of Euclid is a little bit confusing so like people that come from out of town... the bus lanes are a little bit confusing," Ward 15 City Councilman Matt Zone said.