Residents urge council to oppose proposed Boston Road interchange and Howe Road closure; cite state legislation and local studies

Several Strongsville residents used the council’s public-comment period on March 3 to press elected officials to oppose a proposed interchange at Boston Road and to urge alternative local fixes instead of what they described as a disruptive, long-term regional project.

At the start of public comment, Suma Zola, identifying her address as 3440 Boston Road, said testimony had been given to the Ohio Senate Transportation Committee on sub House Bill 54 on Feb. 27 and that Mayor Perciak did not submit testimony. "In my opinion, further embarrassment was brought to the city of Strongsville," she said, adding that she and others had prepared facts for committee hearings. Zola said she had requested emails showing council knowledge and referenced a 2016 email from Anthony Bales about local interest in an interchange.

Buckley Wilford of Benbow Road told council he was disappointed the interchange had not been resolved previously and urged the city to pursue shorter-term, local improvements such as widening Howe Road rather than pursuing what he called a multiyear interchange project. "This interchange could take forever," Wilford said, adding that closing Howe Road or other long-term changes would cause local disruptions and property impacts.

Jerry Hamm, of 15728 Boston Road, said converting the end of Howe Road to a cul-de-sac would shift traffic into nearby neighborhoods and could impede emergency response. Hamm disputed statements he heard that neighboring jurisdictions supported the interchange, saying he attended meetings in Hinkley and surrounding communities and was told they opposed the project. "If you cul de sac it, you're gonna run into a lot more problems such as traffic, finding other ways to get to Boston Road," Hamm said.

Speakers referenced a traffic figure discussed at meetings — that roughly 8% of traffic continuing to Boston Road is from Brunswick — and questioned whether the interchange would meaningfully reduce congestion. Commenters also invoked local studies and requests to regional planning entities; residents asked council to prioritize local traffic fixes while the status of sub House Bill 54 and other legislative actions remains unresolved.

The comments were delivered during the public-comment portion of the March 3 meeting; council did not take a formal vote on the interchange or Howe Road during the session.