BROOK PARK, Ohio (WJW) – The FOX 8 I-Team has found plans taking another step forward to help handle traffic around the site of a dome for the Cleveland Browns.
This comes one day after the state suddenly approved a permit to build near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
On Thursday, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) reversed itself and approved a permit for the Browns.
On Friday, a local transportation group considered plans for traffic projects around the dome site. The group approved the plans for the next step of review.
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A new traffic study outlines more than $70 million worth of projects needed, including widening of some roads.
The study included a look at what might happen with traffic when there would be events at the dome on a weekday or a weekend.
A consultant for the Browns told the Northeast Ohio Area Coordinating Agency (NOACA) you should not see gridlock around the airport.
“I-71 remains uncongested both north and south as well as 237,” he predicted.
“There’s improvements that need to happen,” Brook Park Mayor Ed Orcutt told the I-Team. “Those improvements are necessary to happen so that we do not have traffic jams, issues with people getting into and out of the airport.”
Mayor Orcutt said the city has been planning for added traffic and buying property for extra parking near the site of the dome.
“We know it’s going to bring more people, so we have to think big about what may happen when we have that big event there,” he added.
Again, the Browns now have approval to build near the airport.
The state had said no. The city of Cleveland had claimed a dome would be so big, it would be a danger for air traffic. But, the FAA had determined there’d be no hazard and a state consultant agreed.
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Wednesday, we challenged Bryant Francis, the airport director.
“If the FAA is saying it’s OK, why is Cleveland saying it’s not?” we asked.
“I understand the question. I would suggest you contact the FAA,” Francis said.
“But, listening to you, what you’re saying is your view is better than the experienced people who did this long study?” we also asked the director.
“It’s not what I said. What I said is, it’s my responsibility to look out for the protection and safety of everything and everyone that uses Hopkins Airport. So, that’s the position that I’ve taken,” he responded.
Behind all of this, the Browns are still battling the city of Cleveland in court over moving from the current stadium on the lakefront.
But, ODOT now considers the question about building a dome near the airport to be settled.
Brook Park has asked for state money to pay for the traffic projects in the area. The state may not make a decision on that for months.
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