Cleveland, OH
NOACA Study Details Dangers of Downtown Cleveland Streets, Paves Way for Solutions
Mark Oprea
Cyclists downtown last summer. A recent study by NOACA teased bike lanes in Cleveland’s future.
Last Friday, in a boardroom at the Northeast Ohio Area Coordinating Agency, a team of transportation consultants from Columbus detailed the culmination of three years of studies done on the streets of Downtown Cleveland.
The results, in a 45-slide presentation, clarified the area’s need for a makeover: To put roughly 80 percent of its streets on a road diet—shortening their widths. To build center medians on those like East 9th. To link bike lane pathways already in planning stages.
“You can see a little bit of a network forming, but not a lot,” Steve Thieken, a planning specialist at Burgess & Niple, the firm responsible for the study, said at last week’s meeting, according to Cleveland.com. “Compared to peer cities, many have a more completed system.”
What the end product of NOACA’s three-year Downtown Livability and Transportation Study does, besides acknowledge Downtown’s gaping lack of safe bike lane infrastructure, is two-fold.
Besides laying foreshadowing framework for the City Mobility Plan, NOACA’s downtown overlook—which cost a quarter of a million dollars—will enable the Mayor’s Office of Capital Projects, and other departments, to pinpoint and better apply for state and federal funds that could, one day, pave way for actual construction.
Which, the study pointed out, carries both elements of contemporary design and a glowing need to remake streets into safer transportation routes. Along with a meaty proposal for, say, throwing a center lane and bike path onto the four-to-six lane beast that is East 9th St., the study found that 40 percent of those surveyed regularly felt unsafe riding bikes or scooters.
NOACA’s notch in Cleveland’s pursuit of more modern street design contributes to a growing narrative for what the city itself could look like in the next decade, as more gradually come further in line under a principle becoming more obvious: we need to right the wrongs of past planning decisions.
Or, as a slide labeled “Untapped”in Friday’s presentation put it: “Many downtown streets are designed for rush hour and special event traffic, which can lead to higher vehicle speeds during non-peak hours.” In other words, infrastructure drives behavior.
“People have to remember that streets aren’t only for automobiles,” NOACA President Grace Gallucci told Scene in a call Thursday. “And that’s how you have to discuss this with people for [these plans] to make sense. And I mean, people who are driving want to be safe too.”
Burgess & Niple
Where bike lanes are—and are not—downtown, in teal, blue and pink, a slide from NOACA’s presentation last week showed.
Burgess & Niple
Where bike lanes and shortened streets could be or will be in Cleveland’s future.
And just as long as NOACA’s been developing its study—and much, much longer in Greater Cleveland lore—ideas on which Downtown streets to overhaul have been gathering.
As its study teased last Friday, those ideas are wide-ranging: six total cycle tracks on Downtown’s east side; a bike trail that runs from Public Square to Progressive Field; an East 9th Greenspace Corridor that links Downtown’s front door to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
“Oh, that’s such an unpleasant experience,” Audrey Gerlach, the VP of economic development for Downtown Cleveland, Inc., a partner in NOACA’s study, said. “I don’t want to push a stroller, or a wheelchair [down East 9th], even as an able-bodied person.”
“To me, this is definitely not an if but a when,” Gerlach added. “Consultants in town to study this is important—but we all instinctively know that East 9th is dangerous.”
As for actually making East 9th safer, and not just more aesthetically pleasing with tree lines and median refuges (resting spots in the middle of crosswalks), only City Hall itself is in the jurisdiction to bring Downtown’s streets into the 21st century.
Calley Mersmann, a senior strategist for transportation and member of the city’s Mobility Team, told Scene that the study she helped steer over the past three years has real world applications as far as bankrolling projects to enhance Downtown’s walkability. Mersmann suggested that the Mayor’s Office of Capital Projects, along with other departments, could leverage said study into grant funding from—ironically—NOACA’s own Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative. (Up to $2 million a year, though.)
“Because this plan exists,” she put it simply, “we can tap into that.”
As for the Mobility Plan, which could include a network of unified bike lanes across the city, that should be released to the public by early 2025.
NOACA’s study …
“This plan kind of took those ideas to the next step by instituting them as recommendations,” she said.
Her colleague, and active transportation planner, Sarah Davis agreed. “It’s helpful to have that zoomed in perspective as we’re going into this citywide,” Davis said. “And to be able to focus in more specifically. That this is out there, and people are thinking about it.”
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We’re closing out another year as a species here, and it’s one last chance to send a thought to someone before we start the new calendar. Today’s cards all come from around 1910 (give or take a year or two) and, as with our recent Christmas card offerings, we did hold back a few that were definitely from the New-Year’s-time of their year, but maybe not quite as jolly in the sentiment. We do have a lot of embossed cards, which are personal faves, here in the archives.
Card Front: A very wintery-looking bell tower where the numbers on the clock have been replaced with “Happy New Year” and (potentially) a Freemason’s symbol in the center. A holly branch is over the top of the picture, and the border is gold and lightly embossed.
Card Back:
Written Text:
Wishing you a Happy and Prosperous New Year. Marie
New Year Greetings (ca 1907)Postmark: DEC 23 1907 5PMCard Front: A girl crouched down next to and looking at another girl standing on a fancy chair, looking at herself in the mirror (reflecting on the previous year?)
Card Back:
Written Text:
Dear Friend, I wish you and Mother and Sister a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Shall give a friend of ours a letter of introduction. Mrs. E Simmons
A Happy New Year (ca 1900s)Postmark: (Not Mailed / Likely Hand Delivered)Card Front: “A Happy New Year” in stylized text across the top, some holly with an inset of an older photo postcard over it with the text “CLEVELAND,O. Public Square” written on the inset card.
Card Back:
Written Text:
Dear Mamma, May all the good things come to you in the New Year just coming. Gay.
Wishing You a Happy New Year (ca 1908)Postmark: DEC 31 1908 1PMCard Front: A depiction of the handoff of old year to new, from Father Time to baby New Year. The text “Wishing you a happy New Year” is written in gold cursive at the top, and a giant block with “January 1” is in the bottom center so that there can be no confusion.
Card Back:
Written Text:
A Happy New Year to all. From Lydia.
To Wish You a Happy New Year (ca 1908)Postmark: DEC 26 1910 11PMCard Front: A holiday-styled book, opened to the middle with ribbon to mark the page, with a painting of a house by some water in the winter on the left, and “To Wish you a Happy New Year” written on the right page; some holly underneath on the right.
Card Back:
Written Text:
Dear Agnes, we received the postals, and certainly were delighted to hear from you all. I often spoke about you, but did not know your address. Wishing you a Happy New Year and hoping to hear from you often. I remain your friend, Julia
A Happy New Year (ca 1909)Postmark: DEC 30 1909 2:30PMCard Front: a border of lumpy snow, with the text “A Happy New Year” written in icy/snowy-style lettering across the top, with a mill near a creek in the winter.
Card Back:
Written Text:
Happy New Year to you and all the folks. Pearl
Pearl says it best here: Happy New Year to you and everyone out there. May 2026 bring us all the good news fit to report on the rest of the site, we’ll still be here in the Archives looking for new concepts!
CLEVELAND — There are more than half a million people in Ohio who do not have health insurance.
Ohio has 59 free and charitable clinics and pharmacies that provide essential care for the uninsured. They’re supported by the Charitable Healthcare Network, and this month, CHN is celebrating the care they provide to patients in 86 of the state’s 88 counties.
Salaam Clinic is one of several clinics in Cleveland. They see hundreds of patients a year. Shafeeq Sabir is one of those patients.
“The opportunity is there for me to see a doctor, a physician, without having to worry about a cost factor,” said Sabir.
Sabir has insurance but said he has a copay, and he’s on a fixed income. Salaam Clinic takes in uninsured, underinsured and those who cannot afford care.
“Sometimes I can’t afford the copay, so I would prefer to come here for an exam before I go and see my primary physician,” said Sabir.
Salaam Clinic is part of the Charitable Healthcare Network. The network is celebrating Free Clinic Appreciation Month this December.
The network is Ohio’s statewide system that supports free and charitable clinics. Jason Koma is CHN’s Executive Director. He said the network’s 59 clinics provide high-quality health care to those who need it.
“We are the backbone of the safety net of health care in the state of Ohio,” said Koma.
More than 60,000 patients were seen at one of the network’s facilities from Jan. to Sept. 2025. In 2024, the clinics saw nearly 80,000 patients.
The network’s clinics offer a wide range of services including primary care, specialty, dental, vision, behavioral health, social services, pharmacy, education, prescriptions, tests and insurance enrollment. In 2024, CHN’s clinics provided $224 million worth of services to patients all over the state. The network is supported by funds from the Ohio Department of Health and the state budget.
The Ohio Department of Health said this in a statement.
“Free clinics are an integral part of the healthcare system in Ohio, which is why the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) financially supports healthcare services to patients who lack the funds or insurance coverage to pay for vital health services.
ODH support comes through the Uninsured Care Fund, a general revenue fund line item used to support free and charitable clinics providing medical and dental care at free or reduced costs to uninsured and underinsured Ohioans. These funds pay for primary healthcare services to any uninsured person who gets healthcare services at a free clinic in Ohio.”
Every fiscal year, CHN gets $1.75 million to support the individual clinics around the state.
Salaam Clinic receives funding from several sources, including CHN. Dr. Syed Shoaib Shah is the CEO of the Salaam Clinic.
“Year over year it takes about $230,000 to run the clinic,” said Shah. “We have a part time nurse practitioner on staff as well as an administrative assistant and then includes all the supplies, all that lets us run all the mobile clinics, all the pop-up clinics that we do around the city.”
However, the clinic doesn’t always get the full amount, and the clinic is looking at other options, including private donations.
“Without the Charitable Healthcare Network in our clinics, these folks would have nowhere else to go,” said Koma. “Probably ending up in the emergency room and getting sicker and sicker and sicker.”
According to UnitedHealthcare, the average emergency room visit costs $1700, but the cost depends on the services and care provided. Shah said clinics can be the first stop to getting healthy.
“We make sure every patient leaves with a roadmap and they know where they’re going, what they’re doing, and they have the referrals and check,” said Shah.
Shah said clinics like his are saving lives. He said that even though they are seeing more patients and expect to see even more patients; he wants the community to know the clinic is here for them.
“Hospitals are closing their outpatient centers because they can’t afford the care that they’re giving to the uninsured population,” said Shah.
In 2024, Salaam Clinic saw around 700 patients. This year, the number doubled to nearly 1400 patients seen. With rising healthcare costs, Shah said the number will continue to rise, but they are happy to serve the community.
“We expect to see more patients that are underinsured and uninsured, but they cannot afford care,” said Shah.
Sabir said he’s grateful for Salaam Clinic and he tells everyone he knows about the clinic.
“An opportunity of this service and that really has just gives me a better feeling consciously in my thinking and in my health, and I just feel much, much better about my life,” said Sabir.
To become a patient of Salaam Clinic, first call them at (216) 243-7924. From there, the staff will recommend next steps and provide resources. If you would like to visit the clinic, appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome.
Saleem Clinic in Midtown, at 7401 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44103, is open on Sundays from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Their Solon location at Chagrin Valley Islamic Center at 6909 Liberty Rd. is open every last Friday of the month, 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. They also do pop-up and mobile clinics.
Salaam Clinic has a multilingual staff who speak French, Arabic, Swahili, South Asian languages, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi.
Salaam Clinic, along with the other clinics in the network, are nonprofit clinics with paid and volunteer employees.
The clinics accept monetary donations, and for every dollar donated to the Charitable Healthcare Network, it provides $13 worth of healthcare.
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The Cleveland Police First District Detective Bureau is investigating a shooting that left a 24-year-old man hospitalized Friday evening.
According to the Cleveland Police, at around 10:20 p.m., officers responded to the 4100 block of Brookside Boulevard for reports of a man shot.
When officers arrived, they found a 24-year-old man with a gunshot wound and immediately began rendering aid. Cleveland EMS arrived shortly after and took him to a local hospital.
Police told 19 News that there are no arrests at this time and the shooting remains under investigation.
This is a developing story. Return to 19 News for updates.
Copyright 2025 WOIO. All rights reserved.
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