Kucinich: Plan to Speed Innerbelt Construction "A Good Start"

Press Release

Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today expressed appreciation for the Ohio Department of Transportation's (ODOT) decision to speed the construction of the second phase of the Innerbelt Bridge replacement, but said that more must be done to protect the sensitive economic interests of the City of Cleveland.

"I appreciate Director Jerry Wray and the Ohio Department of Transportation for working with representatives from the Cleveland area to find a way to advance construction timelines to replace the aging Innerbelt Bridge. This new timeline demonstrates that ODOT recognizes the importance of the Innerbelt Bridge to the economic interests of the city," said Kucinich.

The current I-90 Innerbelt Bridge was built in 1959 and is now in dire need of replacement. It connects downtown Cleveland to the City's Westside. The State of Ohio had planned on replacing the current bridge with two bridges, each carrying one-way traffic. One bridge is currently under construction. Originally planned for completion in 2016, an ODOT advisory board delayed plans in January 2012 to begin construction of the second bridge until 2023. After heavy pressure from the Cleveland area delegation, ODOT found additional funds and rescheduled the second bridge to begin construction in 2016 with an expected completion in 2019.

"The Innerbelt Bridge is critical to the economic development of the City of Cleveland. Allowing Westside Clevelanders access to downtown shops and events, as well as providing safe transportation links to our nation's highway system is necessary for the continued growth of our city. While I appreciate efforts to speed construction, we must do more. We must not allow any delay that could hamper the growth of our region. We will continue to push ODOT to complete the Innerbelt project in its original timeline," said Kucinich.

Source