Cleveland City Council approves emergency ordinance for four new trail projects

The Cleveland City Council's Committee of the Whole convened on June 2, 2025, to discuss significant developments in local infrastructure, particularly focusing on a new emergency ordinance aimed at enhancing the city's trail system. The ordinance, numbered 496-2025, was introduced by Council members Bishop, Airston, and Griffin, and seeks to authorize the director of capital projects to enter into a project development agreement with the Cleveland Metropolitan Park District.

The proposed agreement will facilitate the design, construction, and use of four key trail projects within Cleveland, which are expected to improve connectivity between various neighborhoods and downtown. The trails include the Slavic Village Downtown Connector North, Morgana Run Booth Avenue Extension, Euclid Creek Greenway Extension, and the Opportunity Corridor Connector. Each of these projects is strategically located in different wards, impacting areas such as Wards 2, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, and 35.

During the meeting, Sarah Burns Meyer from Cleveland Metroparks provided an overview of the projects, highlighting their significance as critical gaps in the regional trail network. The projects are part of a broader vision outlined in the Cuyahoga Greenways plan, which aims to create a comprehensive trail system over the next 50 years. The council members expressed strong support for the initiative, emphasizing its potential to enhance community access to green spaces and promote active transportation.

In addition to the trail projects, the council also discussed an ordinance concerning the donation of sewer easements to the city of Garfield Heights for a sewer separation project at Crawford Park. This partnership is expected to yield improvements that will benefit both the park and the surrounding community.

Overall, the discussions underscored the city's commitment to improving infrastructure and enhancing the quality of life for residents through better connectivity and environmental stewardship. The council's approval of these ordinances marks a significant step forward in realizing these goals, with construction anticipated to begin in early 2026 for the trail projects.