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Ohio City residents urge council to back bus lanes on West 20th/20 Fifth to improve safety and transit speed
Summary
Multiple residents told Cleveland City Council during public comment they support proposed bus lanes on West 20 Fifth, arguing parked cars and double-parking increase crashes and slow buses; speakers urged putting 'people over cars' and cited studies they said link dedicated bus lanes to fewer fatalities and injuries.
Residents and transit riders urged Cleveland City Council on Sept. 8, 2025, to prioritize bus lanes on West 20 Fifth (from Detroit to Brooklyn Center) to improve safety and speed for buses and people walking and biking.
Several speakers from Ohio City — including Edward Zajeski and Matthew Ahn — described repeated near-miss collisions with cars parked at corners and double-parked vehicles that slow buses and create hazards for pedestrians and cyclists. "It's time to pick people over cars," Edward Zajeski said during the public-comment period.
Why it matters: Speakers said the West 20 Fifth corridor carries hundreds of daily riders and that fast, reliable transit would serve families and commuters while reducing pedestrian and cyclist injuries. Several commenters argued that parking lanes create shorter sightlines at intersections and encourage risky driving; one speaker, Matthew Ahn, described being hit while cycling on the corridor and said parked cars often block drivers' views of cyclists entering traffic lanes.
Supporters also cited long-term research, saying a UCLA study of bus lanes in Los Angeles found dedicated bus lanes reduced fatalities, severe injuries and pedestrian collisions over a 14-year period. "These are the reasons that opponents are invoking right now against these bus lanes but those reasons actually support this change," Ahn said.
Opposition concerns: Speakers said some local business owners are opposing the plan and framing pedestrian safety as a reason to block bus lanes; commenters represented the safety argument as being used to preserve on-street parking. "I know there are some of the business owners that are trying to use safety and pedestrian safety to kill this project," Zajeski said. The council did not hold a vote on the bus-lane proposal during the meeting; the remarks were part of the public-comment period.
Council action and next steps: No ordinance or item related to the West 20 Fifth bus-lane proposal appeared for final action on the meeting agenda. Public comment closed and the council proceeded to communications and regular business. Advocates urged the city to move the bus-lane plan forward quickly and noted that improved transit service would also benefit local commerce and pedestrian safety.
Ending: Residents asked the council to prioritize transit riders over private parking lanes and to implement bus lanes "as quickly as possible." The council took no formal action on the item during the Sept. 8 meeting.
