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Chagrin Boulevard detour isn't over yet
(by Sali McSherry - July 01, 2009)
Chagrin Boulevard detour isn't over yet
By SALI McSHERRY
Chagrin Boulevard is expected to reopen July 18, Moreland Hills Village Engineer Jeffrey Filarski said last week.
It originally was scheduled to open June 30, but there were delays due to utility work, he said. While it may have been more convenient at another time of the year to close the road to stabilize the slope east of Chagrin River Road and west of Bentleyville Road, the timing of the project was handled by Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co., he said. The road has been closed since April 1.
Moreland Hills opened Bentleyville Road, which normally is closed to throuth traffic, prior to the Blossom Time parade on May 24. The village also installed temporary signs pointing to Chagrin Falls at Chagrin River and South Woodland (Route 87) roads, as well as on Falls Road. Chagrin River Road has been open throughout the project. The official detour is SOM Center Road (Route 91) to Miles Road to Maple Street to South Franklin Street.
There had been concern by Chagrin Falls officials and merchants that the closing of Chagrin Boulevard would jeopardize attendance for the annual herb and flower festival and Blossom Time in May and Art by the Falls in June. But the detour didn't appear to deter participation, according to representatives from those events.
Chagrin Valley Jaycees Treasurer Andrew Hitchcock said, while it was "virtually impossible to track the number of people who attended the various events" over Blossom Time weekend, the carnival at Riverside Park was bustling. There was about the same number of runners who entered the Blossom Time Run as last year, he said.
"The weather was outstanding and trumped any hassle of travel to or parking in the village," Mr. Hitchcock said.
The Jaycees had been concerned about the impact the Chagrin Boulevard closure would have, given the speculation and conjecture "around town in the months leading up to Memorial Day that patrons would be scared off by the inconvenience of a detour," he said.
Nancy Hagg, of Your Hometown-Chagrin Falls, said the herb and flower festival generated "fantastic crowds and visitors to the village. The event was the best year ever in attendance and participation." The results of a survey showed that 71 percent of the merchants experienced increased traffic from the event, she said.
Valley Art Center Executive Director Ann Chaney said the attendance numbers were good for Art by the Falls held over the weekend of June 13 and 14. "I think it was pretty much a non-issue. However, I will be glad to have the road open again," she said.
Moreland Hills Mayor Susan C. Renda said the project has been on the agenda for years, beginning with the previous administration. The project has gone smoothly, she said, with few complaints about the inconvenience.
Moreland Hills Village Council had approved a contract with Fabrizi Trucking and Paving Co., of Valley City, for $765,582 to stabilize the slope, which had been moving and would jeopardize the roadway, Mr. Filarski said.
The project had to be done because if the road began to slide, it could have become very dangerous, much more costly and the road would be closed for much longer for serious repairs, he said.
The village received a grant for $216,393 and a 20-year zero-percent loan for $216,392, both from the Ohio Public Works Commission. Cuyahoga County will pay about $166,000 and Moreland Hills will pay the remaining costs out of its general fund.
The retaining wall is complete, Mr. Filarski said. Electricity distribution lines were down while the 400-foot sheet-pile retaining wall was built, he said. Since those lines carry a lot of power, and the electricity had to be rerouted to reach customers, the project could not have been done between mid-May and the end of September due to the peak demand for electricity during the summer months, he said. The distribution lines that were used for rerouting of electricity would not have been able to handle the load, he said.
Also, the project could not start after September because the replacement of the pavement could not be completed before winter weather ends the construction season, Mr. Filarski said.
The project had been estimated to cost about $1 million, but the cost was lower partly due to some design changes that would save money and partly due to the "good bidding environment," Mr. Filarski said. About 12 companies bid on the project, he said.
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