SmartLane Proposal Could Ease Traffic on Cleveland’s Innerbelt

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With reconstruction of the Interstates 90/77 Central Interchange in Downtown Cleveland expected to begin next year, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has its sights set on the next phase of the massive Innerbelt project — and that next phase may include a technology that’s brand new to Northeast Ohio.

Proposed is a state-of-the-art SmartLane running westbound only along I-90 from East 55th Street to the I-77 interchange right through the heart of Cleveland for just over three miles. The goal is to reduce traffic congestion during peak rush hours in a highly-traveled corridor through downtown.

“This would not be adding a new lane to the road but changing the left shoulder into a part time lane for traffic to travel on,” said Brent Kovacs, public information officer for ODOT District 12.

SmartLanes in Ohio feature overhead signage on gantries that can digitally “open” and “close” lanes depending on traffic congestion, which is monitored via ODOT cameras installed on each sign.

Also included is the ability to change the posted speed limit to provide additional safety measures when appropriate. Variable speed limit signs may be familiar to some Northeast Ohio drivers; similar signs along I-90 in Lake County help reduce accidents in a corridor where severe weather such as snowstorms are a common occurrence.

SmartLane technology has already been deployed on I-275 outside of Cincinnati and in Columbus on I-670. The 4.5 mile-stretch of SmartLane in Columbus cost approximately $60 million in 2019.

However most of that cost went to interchange improvements, according to transportation officials. This would seem to align with the estimated $19 million cost to implement Cleveland’s SmartLane technology over a similar length of highway.

“The [construction] date is hard to predict since funding is not yet secured but our estimate is four to five years away,” said Kovacs. The project, which is eligible for Transportation Review Advisory Council (TRAC) funding, is slated to begin and finish construction in 2029 according to ODOT’s ELLIS database.

The TRAC program administers funding on a yearly basis for critical transportation infrastructure projects throughout the state using a scoring and ranking process based on traffic, safety, cost and other factors.

According to Kovacs, the buildout of the SmartLane timeline is proposed “in advance of a construction project at the Innerbelt Curve”, known as Contract Group 4 (CCG4).

That project — home to the infamous “Dead Man’s Curve” — is also expected to begin construction in 2029, although timelines are often subject to change depending on if and when they secure TRAC funding.

While the proposed SmartLane runs through the middle of the future interchange, it is unclear if the current plans for CCG4 account for the newly-proposed SmartLane or if it would have to be removed at a later date. No official renderings or plans have been released at this time.

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