CUY-69-8.57 Hilliard Road Bridge Improvement (PID 109594)
CUY-69-8.57 Hilliard Road Bridge Improvement (PID 109594)
Thank you for your participation!
The second virtual public open house was held from December 15 - January 15, 2022. The purpose of the second open house was to announce the selection of the replacement bridge type and other project updates.
After the comment period closed on January 15th, the project team reviewed all of the comments received and provided responses (see the sidebar of this webpage under "Documents" to download and view the summary of public comments received and project team responses).
Public Involvement Background
Cuyahoga County Department of Public Works (CCDPW) evaluated four alternatives to improve the existing Hilliard Road Bridge over the Rocky River (SFN 1830147). Due to its poor physical condition and increasingly rapid deterioration, the steering committee recommended that removing the existing bridge and replacing it with a new bridge in the same location is the safest and most cost-effective alternative that satisfies the purpose of the project.
The first public meeting "open house" was held from February 1 - March 1, 2021 and presented a variety of alternatives and bridge structure types for the replacement of the Hilliard Road Bridge. After the comment period closed on March 1st, the project team reviewed all of the comments received (see the sidebar of this webpage under "Documents" to download and view the summary of public comments received) and selected a replacement bridge-type as well as updates to the surrounding bridge approaches and roadways.
Purpose of Virtual Public Open House #2
The purpose of the second virtual public open house is to present the selected bridge structure type and other updates for public feedback.
Additionally, public input is needed because the bridge is a concrete arch structure that has been determined to be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Because of the structure's historic significance, CCDPW is seeking consulting parties for the replacement of the bridge moving forward in the project development process. Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 requires Federal agencies to consider the effects of their actions on historic properties. The NHPA created the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), primarily to ensure Federal agencies consider historic preservation concerns throughout project planning. Section 106, the implementing regulations of the NHPA codified at 36 CFR Part 800, requires the Federal agency official to consult with other parties with an interest in the effects on historic properties. Section 106 defines other parties as Consulting Parties. The Section 106 process, used by ODOT for projects like this one, seeks to incorporate historic preservation values into project planning through consultation with the agency official and Consulting Parties.
How can I participate/provide comments?
The comment period for this project is closed. However, project information is still available to view by advancing through the blue tabs below. The tab names can either be clicked or you can press the green Continue button at the bottom of the page to advance to the next.
History
The Hilliard Road Bridge (Bridge 08.57 - SFN 830147) was originally constructed in 1925 and carries four lanes of traffic over the Rocky River, Valley Parkway, and Cleveland Metroparks all-purpose trail between the Cities of Lakewood and Rocky River in Cuyahoga County, Ohio (See Figure 1). 
The project is within the Cleveland Metroparks Rocky River Reservation. The bridge is a multiple span open-spandrel reinforced concrete arch structure that is included on ODOT’s Historic Bridge Inventory and is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).
A bridge inspection was conducted in December of 2013. Based on the results of this inspection, a Feasibility Study was prepared in 2015 that recommended rehabilitation of the historic bridge.
A follow-up inspection in 2018 revealed deterioration proceeding at an increasingly rapid pace, resulting in a reconsideration of alternatives and the previously recommended “rehabilitation” of the bridge. This new condition required the bridge to be further examined to confirm that it could handle heavy trucks and emergency vehicle loads. The updated analysis determined that the bridge in its current condition requires restrictions on specific heavy trucks and certain heavy emergency vehicles. The required action to load post the bridge has prioritized this improvement project.
After reevaluating the alternatives, it was recommended that removing the existing bridge and replacing it with a new bridge in the same location is the safest and most cost-effective alternative that satisfies the purpose of the project.
You can learn more about this evaluation and recommendation by watching the video in the next tab.
Purpose & Need
The bridge is in poor physical condition, with concrete debris falling from the structure. The purpose and need of this project undertaking is to provide a structurally sound and safe bridge crossing to accommodate unrestricted vehicular and pedestrian traffic on the bridge, as well as park visitors under the bridge.
Bridge Components
(Click image to enlarge)
Schedule