CLEVELAND — Cleveland Metroparks reached a milestone Monday in its goal to help close a critical transportation gap on the city's east side.
On Monday, Cleveland Metroparks held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the initial phases of the Euclid Creek Greenway. The multi-phase trail project seeks to "improve connections to the lakefront and park access on the east side of Cleveland."
“The multi-phased Euclid Creek Greenway is part of our goal to improve park access and trail connections on Cleveland’s east side,” said Cleveland Metroparks CEO Brian M. Zimmerman in a statement. “Once complete, the entire Euclid Creek Greenway will contain more than two miles of all purpose trail in the cities of Cleveland and Euclid, connecting more than 36,000 nearby residents to parks, jobs, schools, businesses and Lake Erie.”
As of Monday, you can start exploring the initial phases of the Euclid Creek Greenway. This includes a half-mile all-purpose trail connection from the intersection of Euclid Creek Parkway and Highland Road to Euclid Avenue. You can also enjoy a nearly half-mile all-purpose trail connection on the site of the former Euclid Central Middle School from Euclid Avenue to Chardon Road on its way to the lakefront.
Metroparks leaders say the completed portions of the trail will also improve safety at the Highland Road entrance to Euclid Creek Reservation with new traffic and pedestrian signals in the city of Euclid.
In 2021, Cleveland Metroparks was awarded $950,000 in federal funding, part of the 'Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity' (RAISE) grants program, to advance four transportation projects on Cleveland's east side. One of those projects was the Euclid Creek Greenway Extension, with the goal of an additional one and a half miles of trails through Cleveland neighborhoods to link up with the lakefront.
An additional $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding was approved for the Euclid Creek Greenway earlier this year by Cleveland City Council as part of Mayor Justin Bibb's "Waterfront Activation Fund" projects.
Metroparks officials say construction funding has been awarded for a third phase of the all-purpose trail along Chardon Road from the former middle school to St. Clair Avenue and additional funding will be sought to complete the connection to Euclid Beach, Villa Angela and Wildwood parks within Collinwood.
Cleveland Metroparks had held several public meetings this fall to engage the community in the potential alignment of the Euclid Creek Greenway Extension. The next meeting is planned for Thursday, December 7 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Collinwood Recreation Center.
Read more about the Euclid Creek Greenway here.