Bike, Bus, Foot Commuter Enthusiasts: Your Input Needed

A year ago, the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency distributed to study how to improve bus, pedestrian and bicycle traffic between Cleveland Heights and University Circle. 

Now the city, the circle and others want the community's ideas and feedback on the current plans during two meetings scheduled for this week.

The first is at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the , and the second is at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade Oval.

After officials compile input from the two meetings, another meeting will be scheduled in September, said City Councilwoman Mary Dunbar by email.

Cleveland Heights applied for one of the grants, The Missing Links Study, with the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority and University Circle Inc. in January 2011. They received $75,000, and Cleveland Heights City Council to pay consultant Michael Baker Jr., Inc. to research how bus riders and pedestrians can have more comfortable, convenient travel. The city also contributed a 20 percent match, or $18,750, toward the study.

NOACA also gave Cleveland Heights, in conjunction with University Circle Inc. and the Heights Bicycle Coalition, $40,000 and the city again hired Michael Baker Jr., Inc. to study ways to improve roads for bicycle travelers between the city and University Circle. Cleveland Heights contributed $5,000 as well to the study, known as The Circle-Heights Bicycle Network Study.

A survey is posted on the UCI project homepage and the City of Cleveland Heights website where people can also provide feedback. For more information, contact Cleveland Heights Planning and Development Director Richard Wong at rwong@clvhts.com or Chris Bongorno at cbongorno@universitycircle.org.

Look for highlights from Tuesday's meeting Wednesday.