The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
New traffic plan for Browns games defended by city
The News-Herald and The Morning Journal published an opinion column online Oct. 8 about recently implemented changes to traffic flow and accompanying street closures on days the Cleveland Browns have home games at FirstEnergy Stadium.
The changes were ordered by the city of Cleveland and drawn up with input from the Browns.
They were first enforced for the Oct. 1 game against Cincinnati and were in place again for the Oct. 8 home game against the New York Jets.
For 1 p.m. games, the plan includes: closure of the eastbound Route 2 exit ramp to East Ninth at 10:30 a.m.; beginning at 11:30 a.m., traffic on westbound Route 2 will be exited at South Marginal/East 26th Street; closures at noon of the westbound Route 2 exits and East Ninth Street and West Third Street; closure of East Ninth Street northbound from Lakeside Avenue; and closure of West Third Street northbound from Lakeside Avenue.
After publication of that opinion column, questions about the new traffic plan were submitted to Dan Williams, media director in the office of Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson.
Here are some of those questions and answers:
Q
Who decided this plan would be implemented? A The traffic plan is a collaborative effort between the city of Cleveland and the Cleveland Browns.
Q
Was its implementation pursuant to feedback from Cleveland Police Department officers who work the streets around FirstEnergy Stadium? If not, who decided traffic patterns needed to be drastically altered beginning with the Oct. 1 game?
A
Yes, the plan we implemented was a collaborative effort between the city of Cleveland Division of Police and the Cleveland Browns organization.
Q
What is the rationale for early closures of the Shoreway approaches and specified stretches of East Ninth, West Third and West Ninth?
A
The reason for early closure is to separate the heavy pedestrian movements along the routes described from the vehicular traffic.
Q
Was any thought given to how early closures would impact the vehicles and fans/passengers headed to the Port Authority lots north and west of the stadium, where virtually all spaces are pre-paid?
A
Yes, which is why the Browns sent notification to all pass holders on how and where to gain access to these lots after the closures were set in place. Q Is it possible to establish one route for vehicles with pre-paid passes beyond the noon deadline?
A
This plan, in its current form, is not negotiable. The route and times were established for the safety and security of the fans, staff and all those working to make the fan experience one that is safe and enjoyable.
Editor’s note: Williams said the plan provides for access to the north and west parking areas after the noon closures. Parking pass holders can access the lots by exiting Route 2 at East 55th and proceeding west on North Marginal to East Ninth Street. Passes must be displayed or shown to traffic police at East Ninth for the vehicle to be cleared to proceed.
Q
Before implementing these changes, was any consideration given to where those vehicles, in the many hundreds if not thousands, would go after being turned away from their usual ingress roads?
A
Yes, the route is to take East 55th exit from Route 2 to the North Marginal, and then to East Ninth if you are a pass-holder entering after 1200 hrs. (noon). In addition, signs were emplaced (sic) and officers assigned at major intersections to identify the alternate routes. What would be extremely helpful as an outcome from this set of responses is for your readers to understand that coming early is critical to making their game-day experience much more enjoyable.
Q
The press release announcing the traffic pattern changes was dated Sept. 27. Why weren’t they in place for the Sept. 10 home opener vs. Pittsburgh, a game that produced by far the largest crowd and vehicle load so far this season? Did something happen on Sept. 10 that set the wheels in motion to implement the revised traffic plan for game days?
A
Our less restrictive traffic plan was set in place for the opener but did not achieve the goal of separating vehicles from pedestrians as effectively as desired.