Franklin Boulevard
For many years, we heard concerns from neighbors about traffic speeds on West Franklin Boulevard. In 2018 and 2019, we worked with the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) to identify traffic calming interventions. After securing funding, we worked with the community to design the project. Construction wrapped up in 2023.
In 2026, we released a report on the impacts of the project - speeding and vehicle volumes are significantly reduced.
Design
We replaced traffic signals with mini-roundabouts at 6 intersections and added a seventh mini-roundabout at an unsignalized intersection. Mini-roundabouts fit within an existing intersection where they slow traffic by forcing a turning movement around a central circle. They are proven to reduce crashes, and can improve air quality by reducing idling at traffic signals and stop signs.
The mini-roundabouts on Franklin are traversable, which means that they are designed so large vehicles can drive over them to take left turns. This allows them to accommodate school buses, emergency vehicles, RTA buses during detours, and service vehicles.
We also added ladder style high visibility crosswalks, adjusted the curb radii at some intersections to slow turning speeds, and added Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at some locations.
Updates
In 2026, we released a report on the impacts of the project - speeding and vehicle volumes are significantly reduced. With the report, we also launched a survey for residents to give feedback on the project.
We held a public meeting with neighbors and stakeholders before construction started in 2022.
In early 2022, we received outreach from residents with both support for and concerns about the plans for the W. Franklin rehabilitation project. After thorough review, the City elected to move forward with roadway construction. Letters from the Director of the Mayor's Office of Capital Projects and Councilwoman Jenny Spencer document the project review.
The preliminary design for Franklin Boulevard was shared online in April 2021. The comments received on the preliminary design helped shape the detailed design.
We hosted a Public Information Update Meeting on July 29, 2021 to share design updates based on public input.
In 2017 and 2018, we worked with the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) and the Detroit Shoreway and Ohio City neighborhoods engaged in a comprehensive planning process to understand Franklin’s crash and speed dynamics and make recommendations to calm traffic, improve safety, and increase bicyclist and pedestrian comfort along the corridor. This planning process was the result of years of resident advocacy and agency partnerships, including technical planning assistance from NOACA staff. Through surveys, meetings, mailings, corridor signage, emails, social media, and news coverage, hundreds of residents and other corridor users were engaged to inform the recommendations in the Franklin Traffic Calming Transportation for Liveable Communities Initiative (TLCI) plan. Although some adjustments from the TLCI plan are necessary as the design advances from conceptual to engineering design standards, many of the plan recommendations are incorporated in the project designs presented on this website, including replacing traffic signals with neighborhood traffic circles, adding high visibility crosswalks and rectangular rapid flashing beacons, and using no parking zones to define the roadway and shorten pedestrian crossing distances.
Archive: FAQs
The Frequently Asked Questions below were received and answered during the design and construction process between 2020 and 2023.
- Design Complete: August 2021
- Construction Contract Award: March 21, 2022
- Construction To Begin: May 2022
- Construction Complete: August 2023
- $2,354,609 – Federal Funds
- $750,670 – City Road and Bridge Bonds
- $330,000 – TLCI Funds
Most of the work for this project will occur within the existing pavement, between the curb lines. The only locations where work will be performed within the tree lawn is to install new curb ramps, curb extensions, or to replace existing deficient curb ramps. New curb ramp locations will be selected to avoid healthy trees, and the contractor will be instructed to protect existing trees. The City’s Urban Forester has been consulted and their recommendations will be followed to minimize impact on existing trees. At this time, we do not anticipate any loss of trees along the corridor associated with this project. When the detailed design (Stage 3) is complete, we will provide an update if this changes.
All of the enhanced crosswalk locations proposed in the Franklin Traffic Calming TLCI will receive high-visibility markings, signage, and curb extensions or delineators where possible. In the detailed design, an additional enhanced crosswalk will be provided near West 80th Street based on public request. Single crosswalks instead of double are proposed at West 44th, West 32nd and West 29th to prioritize pedestrian movements and to match the locations of proposed RRFBs.
The city has used RRFBs in residential neighborhoods at several school crossings with higher car traffic than what would be expected on a typical residential street. Examples include Halle School, Fullerton School, Harvey Rice School, and Alfred Benesch School.
Curb extensions enhance pedestrian safety by calming traffic and shortening crossing distance, but can impact existing underground utilities, street drainage patterns, and adjoining mature trees. The design team has evaluated the locations of the curb extensions proposed in the Franklin Traffic Calming TLCI, and is able to incorporate them in the following locations:
- The project will include physical curb extensions/relocation at West 85th, West 57th, West 44th and West 29th
- The project will delineate the remaining curb extension locations with flexible delineators.
Additionally, curb extensions on Franklin on either side of W. 65th Street are currently being installed as part of the W. 65th Street Rehabilitation project due to recommendations in the Franklin Traffic Calming TLCI plan.
Bike lanes were not recommended in the Franklin Traffic Calming TLCI and are not being considered for this project. The project implements traffic calming measures to slow down traffic and enhance bicyclist safety, and the removal of on-street parking beyond what is required for the mini-roundabouts has not been part of the public discussion.
Raised, reflective pavement markings will be installed around the edge of the center islands and along the approaches of the splitter islands to maximize visibility. Additional vertical elements in the mini-roundabout splitter islands and/or central islands, such as flexible delineators, are being investigated and are dependent on turning movement paths for large vehicles and maintenance considerations.
Pedestrian crossing signs will be installed at all crosswalk locations, including the mini roundabout intersections alerting drivers to slow down.
The need for the central circle to be traversable does not depend on truck traffic volume. It is needed to allow the large vehicles that regularly service the neighborhood, such as school buses, delivery trucks, ambulances, fire trucks, and waste disposal vehicles, to safely make left turns.
The mini-roundabouts are traffic calming measures and are designed to slow the traffic making it safe for drivers, bicycles and pedestrians. The mini-roundabouts have been designed with geometric features that slow all vehicles down, regardless of the posted speed limits on the roadway. Entering traffic is slowed down and deflected to the right into an appropriate curved path along the circulating roadway and around the central island.
The ambulances will encounter less conflict points at the mini-roundabouts, making it easier to find a safe, clear path around other vehicles. The traversable nature of the mini-roundabout centers allows ambulances to mount them if needed.
A curb extension will be added on West 44th to slow down turning vehicles, and the new enhanced single crosswalk will be supplemented with RRFBs.
The City has collected data pre-construction, and will compare it to data collected after construction. This data will help evaluate:
- Impact on maximum travel speeds through previously signalized intersections
- Overall impact on vehicular speeds along the corridor