Active Transportation

Cleveland Heights, University Heights, and South Euclid host Heights Regional Active Transportation Summit

On Tuesday, September 16, 2025, the Cities of Cleveland Heights, University Heights, and South Euclid hosted an Active Transportation Summit at the former Wiley Middle School in University Heights. The first hour included presentations from local experts from the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA), Cuyahoga County, Heights Bicycle Coalition, as well as the consulting team (Burton Planning Services) regarding active transportation locally, regionally, and statewide. The second hour was an open format where attendees could learn more in smaller groups, as well as meeting with representatives from each of the three (3) cities and the City of Shaker Heights. A copy of the presentation can be downloaded here.

The Heights Regional Active Transportation Plan

The Cities of Cleveland Heights, South Euclid, and University Heights were awarded a grant from Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) for the completion of an Active Transportation Plan. The Plan addresses, but is not limited to, the following:

Evaluation of existing bike/pedestrian conditions including demographics, existing plans, policies and programs, development of base maps, and set of analyses
Recommendations for an Active Transportation network, infrastructure projects, programs, and policies
List of priority infrastructure projects with routes and recommended facility types
Stakeholder and public engagement
Process for implementation, monitoring, and reporting

All three Cities adopted the plan (Cleveland Heights and University Heights in December 2024, South Euclid in January 2025). The Cities, both individually and collectively, are pursuing opportunities to implement the infrastructure, policy, and program recommendations found throughout the plan.

Download and view the Heights Regional Active Transportation Plan (PDF)

Comprehensive & Equitable Safety Action Plan (CESAP)

On January 31, 2023, the City was awarded a grant from the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) to prepare a Safety Action Plan under the Safe Streets and Roadways for all (SS4A) grant program, titled the “City of Cleveland Heights Comprehensive & Equitable Safety Action Plan” (CESAP).

The creation of the CESAP occurred through its consultant, Kimley-Horn, with extensive public engagement termed “Safe Streets 4 Cleveland Heights”, including a diverse and engaged Technical Advisory Committee (“TAC”), targeted focus groups, pop-up tables, community events, a street team, tours, surveys, and social media, leading to participation from more than 500 participants. Follow this link (https://www.safestreets4ch.com/) to learn more.

Once adopted, the CESAP will serve as a guiding document for future decisions related to safety improvements for all modes of transportation and bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and programming, with a particular intent of applying for further SS4A implementation funding.

Download and view the Comprehensive & Equitable Safety Action Plan (PDF)

Promoting Bicycling & Walking

Cleveland Heights wants more trips to be by bicycle or on foot. Trips are to nearby destinations could often be accomplished by bicycling or walking. City staff is dedicated to making Cleveland Heights more conducive to these sustainable means of transportation. Staff has been fortunate to have the support of the Heights Bicycle Coaltion, whose members are working on additional initiatives. The following paragraphs describe projects that are in the works or accomplished in the past few years.

Cedar Lee Streetscape

A $1.5 million Transportation Alternatives federal grant will help implement a 2007 planning study's recommended improvements to make Cedar Lee more bike and pedestrian friendly. Due to narrow curb-to-curb dimensions, bike lanes were not feasible, but shared-lane markings will be added on Lee Road.

Additional bike racks, two bike parking corrals and a bike repair stand are also proposed. Each bike corral replaces a parallel parking space and parks 12 bicycles. A bike repair stand supports a bike and tools tethered from metal cables facilitate repairs and adjustments. A QR code on the stand will display bicycle maintenance procedures on a smartphone.

A Cuyahoga County $1.6 million grant will pay for repaving, traffic signals, ADA-compliant curb ramps and pedestrian countdown lights, too. Mid-block crossings such as at the Main Library will receive rapid flashing beacon light fixtures that have proven to greatly increase motorists’ rates of yielding to pedestrians. Those crossings will also be provided a protective median for pedestrian comfort and safety.

Energy-efficient, pedestrian scaled LED lighting will replace the “Cobra head” high-pressure sodium streetlight fixtures. The sidewalks and roadway will be much more evenly lit while using a fraction of the electricity of the high-pressure sodium streetlights.

A $140,000 Ohio EPA grant will fund a landscaped area that captures storm water runoff from the road so it does not end up polluting the Dugway Brook watershed. CDM Smith engineers and Studio Techne architects are designing the project (PDF). Work is planned to start in spring of 2015 and finish in about 9 months.

Cedar Fairmount Streetscape

The City and the Cedar Fairmount Special Improvement District in 2009 completed a transportation planning and streetscape study that included bike friendly recommendations to construct a multi-purpose trail on the south side of Cedar Hill and install additional bike racks in the district. The trail would provide a crucial bike lane connection from the Cedar Fairmount commercial district to University Circle. The City received a $1.5 million Transportation Alternatives federal grant for the Cedar Fairmount streetscape project that includes this multi-purpose trail.

The City of Cleveland, recognizing the importance of bikeway connections, is now contributing to construction of a 10’-wide trail that will continue the Cedar Hill multi-purpose trail from the Cleveland Heights border at Ambleside Drive to the Lake to Lakes trail that connects to the Harrison Dillard, Euclid Avenue Healthline and Lakefront bikeways. Landscaping, pedestrian scaled lighting, bike parking, ADA-compliant curb ramps and decorative sidewalks will also be installed. Cedar Fairmount’s streetscape and trail construction is planned to start in the Fall of 2016.

Transportation Advisory Committee

In 2013, Cleveland Heights City Council created this ten-member committee to provide advice on matters relating to pedestrian, bicyclist and bus rider comfort. For more information please visit the Transportation & Environmental Sustainability Committee page.