Addressing Concerns About The Bunts Road Project

Concern: Trees will be removed on Bunts for the Shared-Use Path.

Response: The Bunts Road Project is primarily a roadway replacement project with complete water and sewer improvements. The sewer improvements are required by Lakewood’s agreement with the Federal Government.

Unfortunately, to install the new sewer line, trees must be removed on the west side of Bunts Road. This new sewer line requires an increase in the number of storm drains to accommodate storm water and meet current roadway design standards. Additionally, the installation of new water mains, gas lines, and other improvements may necessitate tree removal on both sides of the street.

For every project, the City of Lakewood goes to great lengths to preserve and protect trees, and is committed to maintaining and growing our urban canopy.

 

Concern: Tree lawns will be non-existent, or too narrow to sustain trees.

Response: Upon completion of the project, tree lawns between Lakewood Heights Blvd. and Merl Ave. will be 6.5 to 7.5 feet wide, and between 11.5 to 12.5 feet wide from Merl Ave. to Clifton Blvd. All tree lawns will be able to support medium- to large-sized trees. The City plans to replace every tree that is removed, and plant additional trees throughout the Bunts Road corridor.

For this and every tree planting, our Forestry team members use their expertise to plant the right tree in the right place.

 

Concern: The shared-use path does not follow the guidelines set by local and state authorities.

Response: The shared-use path does follow the guidelines outlined in ODOT’s Multimodal Design Guide:

• The path will feature a buffer on either side of at least 12 inches.
• The path will be 10 feet wide, which matches the width of the paths used in the Cleveland Metroparks and on Detroit Avenue between Graber Ave. and Valley Parkway. A 10-foot width is within the Multimodal Design Guide specifications for shared-use paths in constrained environments.
• The path cross-slope meets pedestrian accessibility guidelines, which is a maximum of 1.56 percent.
• With an average daily traffic count of 7,800, Bunts Road qualifies as a “high-volume street” per the ODOT Traffic Engineering Manual. The FHWA’s Bikeway Selection Guide recommends shared use paths for roadways with this level of volume (see chart below).

 

Concern: The removal of trees and green space will contribute to air pollution, higher localized temperatures, and loss of green space.

Response: These concerns are addressed below:

• Air Pollution: the shared-use path encourages alternative modes of transportation such as walking and biking to reduce air pollution. The PAHs and benzene in asphalt are short-term effects as a result of the improvements during construction. Further, the 6% decreased asphalt pavement area will reduce the overall health risks versus what is currently in place.
• Higher Localized Temperatures: The increase in permeable area (22.5% upon completion versus 17.5% before construction) will reduce storm water run-off and heat island effects.
• Green Space: The amount of green space will remain virtually the same with the addition of more trees and less impervious area thanks to the addition of permeable pavers and reduction in impervious pavement.