Cleveland Heights committee reviews Comprehensive Equitable Safety Action Plan, eyes grants and quick-build demonstrations

The City of Cleveland Heights Public Safety and Health Committee examined the Comprehensive Equitable Safety Action Plan (CESAP) at its March 18 meeting, with Director Zemp and staff member Ken presenting the plan’s findings, priorities and funding strategy.

The plan, funded through the Safe Streets for All program associated with the INJA passed in 2021, received an initial $200,000 grant in February 2022 to develop a holistic strategy to prevent roadway fatalities and serious injuries. Staff told the committee the safety analysis reviewed crash data from February 2014 through February 2023 and identified more than 7,000 recorded crashes in that period, including 20 fatalities; 11 of those deaths occurred in the last three years of the study period.

Committee members heard that the plan identified geographic crash clusters near Taylor and Mayfield by City Hall, north of Monticello in the Noble neighborhood, and in the Cedar-Lee district. Pedestrian crash concentrations were noted in the Seely, South Noble, Coventry and Cedar-Fairmount areas, which are near Blackberry School.

Ken described the engagement process and governance for the plan: a technical advisory committee (TAC) met monthly and included internal staff,…