Westbound traffic on 20th Street, near left, approaches waiting southbound traffic on Keith Street in Cleveland, Tenn. The city is seeking a TDOT grant to create an improved bike and pedestrian crossing at the intersection. Keith Street is also known as U.S. Highway 11.CLEVELAND, Tenn. - Cleveland planners have recommended the city seek a Tennessee Department of Transportation multimodal grant to fund a pedestrian and bicycle crossing near the 20th Street intersection with Keith Street, which forms part of the Highway 11 corridor.
If it succeeds, the city could receive up to $1 million for the project, said Greg Thomas, Cleveland planning director and Cleveland Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization coordinator. The grant requires a 5 percent local government match.
The proposed Keith Street crossing at 20th Street is part of a larger vision to improve pedestrian and bicycle access along the intersecting Keith Street and 25th Street/State Route 60 corridors and the neighborhoods located southwest of the major intersection, Thomas stated in an email.
"The crossing at 20th Street would involve installation of pedestrian signals and a crosswalk," he said. "It will be important to link the path from Peerless Road [which intersects 25th Street to the west] to the 20th Street crossing utilizing cross streets south of 25th Street where designing safe bicycle and pedestrian access would be difficult."
Planners also discussed the possibility of incorporating an underground crossing.
The proposed crossing would create direct access to the city's greenway and make a connection to the Handi-Park by George R. Stuart Elementary School, which is located near the 20th Street intersection, Thomas said.
Bicyclists and pedestrians from the large residential area centered on the elementary school would have safer access to the greenway and downtown, planners said in a recent memo.
Planners also have discussed the need for sidewalk extensions, multipurpose pathways and bus shelter spaces along a stretch of 25th Street, just west of its intersection with Keith Street.
Lots of pedestrian and bicycle traffic occurs at the Peerless Road and Georgetown Road intersection at 25th Street, and "we may have some bike-ped accident data to support a project," said Scott Medlin, TDOT project manager.
Tad Bacon, traffic coordinator for Cleveland Utilities, said a study may be in order to determine whether to install a new traffic signal on 25th Street in the vicinity of Vista Drive and Little Street.
North-south pedestrian crossings near fast-food restaurants in the area are a concern, as is visiting bus traffic, Bacon said.
"Accidents occur in this area," he said. "The location provides correct spacing for a future traffic signal and should be studied."
Thomas said planners want community input "to develop and refine plans" for the overall system.
"The major opportunity will come in the development of the MPO's 2040 Regional Transportation Plan between now and May 2016," he said.
Paul Leach is based in Cleveland. Email him at paul.leach.press@gmail.com.