Transportation News

Cleveland’s first railroad is history

By Ken Prendergast / October 26, 2022 October 28, 2022

On an early fall day, Sept. 30, 1847, one of the most prominent men in the fast-growing state of Ohio rolled up his sleeves and joined others in starting the construction of Cleveland’s first-ever railroad. It was a ceremonial groundbreaking not unlike those of today where dignitaries flip dirt with golden shovels to commemorate the start of some new construction project. But, in this case, Cleveland’s first village president, its first attorney and the father of the Ohio & Erie Canal had to get his hands dirty pronto or his new railroad company would lose its charter from the state — again.

It’s official: Cleveland-Dublin flights start May 19, 2023

By Ken Prendergast / September 28, 2022 October 15, 2022

With backing from Cleveland’s civic and business community, Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus has made it official today — Cleveland-Dublin nonstop flights were added to the airline’s reservation system and direct trips to Europe can now be purchased. The nonstop flights, the first to Europe from Cleveland since before the pandemic, will start Friday, May 19, 2023, according to the airline.

Greater Cleveland TOD initiative on track

By Ken Prendergast / September 6, 2022 September 6, 2022

A new initiative has started that, if successful, could reverse decades of urban sprawl, a hollowing out of Greater Cleveland’s urban core and an erosion of its transit system. Those conditions create a wide variety of problems that hurt the region’s environment, safety, economy, human health and exacerbates poverty. The new initiative would reverse that course by encouraging more pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use developments along high-frequency transit corridors in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County.

Shaker Hts, developer reach deal for ex-car dealership site

By Ken Prendergast / August 19, 2022 August 20, 2022

The City of Shaker Heights has entered into a preliminary agreement with a Columbus-based developer interested in constructing an architecturally distinctive, mixed-use building on vacant city-owned land, formerly the Qua Buick-Pontiac car dealership, across Warrensville Center Road from the existing first phase of the Van Aken District.

Campaign arrives to expand Cleveland Amtrak service

By Ken Prendergast / August 5, 2022 August 5, 2022

The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA), Downtown Cleveland Alliance (DCA) and Cleveland Neighborhood Progress (CNP) are advocating to expand Cleveland’s Amtrak service into a central passenger rail line. As the economic powerhouse of Northeast Ohio, Downtown Cleveland is home to the state’s largest jobs hub and residential downtown area, making it central to business, housing and events, and a critical access route within the region and beyond. The organizations are joining forces to seek community input and support for the initiative through a survey, running through the month of August.

Woodhill Station West starts construction

By Ken Prendergast / July 11, 2022 July 11, 2022

When the Porta-Potties show up at a new construction site, you know it’s for real. In the 9500 block of Buckeye Road in Cleveland’s Buckeye-Woodhill neighborhood, the construction equipment showed up today, too. They’re there to be a part of building the $46.4 million Woodhill Station West development that will bring 120 apartments offering modern housing and on-site amenities mostly to residents of the aging Woodhill Homes public housing complex just north of here. However 30 of the apartments will be offered to anyone who meets income guidelines.

Ohio City RTA station site ideas arrive

By Ken Prendergast / May 18, 2022 May 26, 2022

Representatives of a real estate development partnership have been making the rounds of near-west-side neighborhood block clubs to present conceptual ideas and get feedback for developing land next to the West 25th-Ohio City Red Line Station. But those same representatives caution there is no plan yet and there is no guarantee that anything will be built.

NOACA seeks Cleveland Amtrak hub

By Ken Prendergast / May 13, 2022 May 14, 2022

The director of the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA), a metropolitan planning organization, today said she intends to submit to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) multiple proposed passenger rail routes through Cleveland for inclusion in the Biden Administration’s multi-billion-dollar rail development program.

Luxury car biz may park at Great Northern Mall

By Ken Prendergast / March 25, 2022 March 26, 2022

A Canadian luxury auto dealer hopes to consolidate its local dealerships, service center, Ohio offices and hundreds of jobs at a new $60 million development at Great Northern Mall in North Olmsted.

ODOT Inner Belt plan gets city pushback

By Ken Prendergast / March 19, 2022 March 24, 2022

Yesterday, Cleveland’s City Planning Commission unanimously tabled a request by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) for consent to construct improvements to the Central Interchange, where Interstate 77 ends and connects with Interstate 90 in downtown Cleveland.