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Council approves Lorain Road Safe Routes mid‑block crossing after removing median trees
Summary
The North Olmsted City Council voted to approve a Safe Routes to School mid‑block crossing on Lorain Road near the library, funded primarily by a $275,000 ODOT grant, after amending the landscaping plan to remove trees from the median; the final approval was unanimous.
The North Olmsted City Council on Sept. 2 approved a mid‑block Safe Routes to School (SRTS) crossing on Lorain Road near the North Olmsted Library, after amending the landscaping plan to remove trees from the median.
Councilman John Limpert, Chair of the Building, Zoning and Development Committee, said the crossing is 100% grant‑funded — primarily through a $275,000 Ohio Department of Transportation grant — and will be implemented as part of the 2026 Lorain Road repaving project. The project plan includes a pedestrian or hybrid beacon to assist schoolchildren and library visitors crossing the street.
Limpert proposed an on‑the‑floor amendment to remove trees from the median, citing visibility concerns; Councilman Shymske opposed that amendment. Mr. Upton, who briefed the committee, said some stakeholders believe trees can slow approaching vehicles and confirmed the city will include a maintenance plan for any landscaping. The amendment passed on a roll call vote of 5‑1, and the council then approved the crossing as amended by a 6‑0 vote.
The council approved the project with a condition noted earlier by the Planning Commission that roughly three‑quarters of an acre on the site be left as planting rather than parking to enhance tree canopy near the Chase Bank site adjacent to the project. The crossing will be coordinated with the 2026 paving schedule; exact construction timing and contractor procurement were not specified in the meeting record.
The council's action moves the design and grant‑funded elements forward; the city will finalize the landscaping and installation timetable as part of the repaving project process.
