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As a Browns Stadium deal looms, Cleveland is revving up its lakefront planning.

Driving the news: City officials and private partners are hosting community visioning meetings this week to gather feedback on the North Coast Connector plan, which envisions a land bridge connecting downtown to the lakefront. 

Also being discussed is the larger North Coast Master Plan, which will create a blueprint for broader lakefront development.

Why it matters: The Cleveland Shoreway creates a physical and psychological barrier between downtown and prime harbor amenities: Browns Stadium, Great Lakes Science Center, the Rock Hall and the lake itself.

Mayor Justin Bibb wants improved lakefront access to be a centerpiece of his legacy.

What they're saying: "For far too long, we've turned our backs on this incredible resource, which should serve as a source of pride and enjoyment for residents, as well as be accessible to people of all ages and abilities," Bibb said in a statement last year.

State of play: The project team has narrowed plans down to two land bridge options, they said at a Tuesday evening meeting.

One option is to construct a bridge over the existing Shoreway; the other is to construct a bridge over the Shoreway, while converting a stretch of the Shoreway into a boulevard, with slower speeds, multimodal infrastructure and commercial development.

By the numbers: Bibb has proposed spending $3 million in federal pandemic dollars on engineering and design work.

What's next: The final visioning meeting will be held virtually today at noon.

Land bridge to the lakefront coming into focus

At community meetings, planners say they've narrowed options down to two.

Image of script Cleveland sign with Rock Hall and Cleveland skyline in the background

Lakefront photo opp. Photo: Destination Cleveland/Courtesy of Erik Drost

As a Browns Stadium deal looms, Cleveland is revving up its lakefront planning.Driving the news: City officials and private partners are hosting community visioning meetings this week to gather feedback on <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the North Coast Connector plan" data-vars-click-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j90L3fiHt5g" data-vars-content-id="da7bc3a4-e41d-4f71-b9f4-76375ea99bd3" data-vars-headline="Land bridge to the lakefront coming into focus" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j90L3fiHt5g" target="_blank">the North Coast Connector plan</a>, which envisions a land bridge connecting downtown to the lakefront.

Development

Land bridge to the lakefront coming into focus