Council moves engineering studies and right‑of‑way steps for Brecksville/Pleasant Valley corridor; tree‑removal change order fails

The Independence City Council on March 12 approved contracts to study and design improvements along the Brecksville Road/Pleasant Valley corridor and passed an ordinance allowing the city to secure immediate access to private property for tree removal and right‑of‑way work; a requested change order to expand a tree‑removal contract failed.

The council accepted a $50,000 proposal from GPD Group to start a Federal Highway Administration‑level study of the Pleasant Valley Road and I‑77 interchange and approved a separate, up‑to‑$50,000 engagement with DLZ for preliminary engineering to develop a dedicated westbound right‑turn lane at East Pleasant Valley and Brecksville Road. City staff said the GPD study will examine 20‑ to 30‑year traffic projections, crash history and safety, and help position the city for federal grant funding. Don, representing the engineering department, said the work is required to meet ODOT and FHWA guidelines.

Why this matters: councilmembers and staff said the corridor has experienced rising traffic and queueing that can back onto I‑77 ramps, raising safety concerns. The engineering work is intended to produce the traffic…