Downtown Cleveland partners involved in the renovation of Public Square have announced the maintenance of traffic plan that outlines changes to traffic and transit routes during construction of the square, which will begin March 9.

During the renovation of Public Square, Ontario Street and Superior Avenue within the square will be closed to all traffic. The surrounding Public Square Roadways and Rockwell Avenue will offer access to bus traffic and local vehicular traffic only.

“The City of Cleveland has participated in an in-depth traffic analysis and worked with multiple partner agencies to produce this maintenance of traffic plan, which will go into effect on March 9and last for the duration of the project,” said City of Cleveland Chief of Regional Development Edward W. Rybka. “We recognize there will be an initial learning curve; however we believe that this traffic plan will have the smallest impact on our commuters.” 

“As Downtown continues to grow as a destination to live, work and play, improvements are being made to our infrastructure, streets and public spaces,” said President and CEO of Downtown Cleveland Alliance Joe Marinucci. “These projects will continue the momentum we are currently experiencing and create a sustainable foundation for the future of Downtown Cleveland. We’re excited to see this momentum take physical shape in the renovation of Public Square.”

During construction (March 2015 – June 2016), changes include:

• Only RTA and necessary property access around Public Square (including valet, garage access, etc.)
• Bus stops, shelters and bus layover areas reorganized to accommodate full Public Square closure
• All bus routes and transfers remain within one block of Public Square
• The HealthLine stop across from Tower City stays open

Find updated Information Packet with Map and FAQ here.

The maintenance of traffic plan was created with frequent and in-depth agency coordination from the City of Cleveland Division of Traffic Engineering, the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA), the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA).

Other projects breaking ground soon include infrastructure improvements and road resurfacing to enhance the appearance and usability of Downtown Cleveland. Careful thought has been put into alternate routes for vehicular, transit and pedestrian traffic, so that Downtown Cleveland continues to be accessible for those who live, work and visit. Downtown Cleveland Alliance (DCA)’s website, DowntownCleveland.com, will be a resource for updates on the latest construction information and closures.  

A briefing regarding all project activities is anticipated to be held on Friday, March 6, 2015. Details to follow.

The transformation of Public Square is one of several improvement projects happening across Downtown Cleveland slated for completion by June 2016.