Mr. Mohamed Darwish
Deputy Director
ODOT
District 4
705 Oakwood Street
Ravenna,
OH 44266
RE: State Route 8 - Summit County
Dear Mr. Darwish:
As the Mayor of the Village of Boston Heights, Ohio, I write to express my concerns over the proposed State Route 8 improvement project. Contrary to the assertions set forth in the Environmental Assessment Document and Individual Section 4(f) document (SUM-8-12.72; PID# 11045) dated January 23, 2002, I, as the Mayor of the Village of Boston Heights, Ohio, am not opposed to the improvement of State Route 8 but am opposed to the design plan that ODOT and the Summit County Engineer propose.
Lack of Coordination Between Federal and State Priorities: The major funding source for this project is the federal government. The project is dependent on 80% federal funding. Throughout the assessment document, numerous references are made to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.). All conclusions reached are that the project is within NEPA guidelines because of the limited acreage which this project will affect.
The conclusions fail to consider the prior actions of the federal government and the State of Ohio. First, the federal government established the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area (now Cuyahoga Valley National Park) which claimed 1/3 of the total acreage of the Village of Boston Heights, Ohio. This is land that produces no income for the Village but is land the Village provides services to out of its general fund and road funds. While the Village appreciates the importance and significance of the Park as a resource for Northeast Oho, the financial impacts of this federal priority have been totally disregarded with respect to the additional adverse financial impacts that the proposed Route 8 project will have on the Village of Boston Heights.
The Ohio Turnpike cuts the Village of Boston Heights in half (north and south). While city water and sewer are available for development north of the turnpike, lands zoned for commercial and business use that are currently vacant are affected by wetland concerns. The property south of the turnpike is not serviced by city water or sewer and rely on wells, septic systems, and EPA approved sanitary treatment systems. These conditions hinder major development south of the turnpike.
Under the proposed project, all of the businesses located at the intersection of Boston Mills Road and Route 8 would be eliminated. Further, access to existing businesses and proposed development at Hines Hill Road and Route 8 would be limited, causing additional financial loss to the Village of Boston Heights.
Financial Impact to the Village of Boston Heights: The studv attempts to minimize the financial impact the project will have on the Village of Boston Heights and the businesses that may still be in existence following the completion of the project. Five businesses will be eliminated in the Village of Boston Heights. ODOT projects that this will result in a 14 percent revenue loss for the Village of Boston Heights (page 43, Paragraph 7). In that same calculation ODOT makes an unfounded assumption that this will not be a real revenue loss since the workers may live in the Village of Boston Heights. This assumption by ODOT demonstrates a complete lack of understanding regarding the obligation and payment of municipal income taxes. Municipal income taxes are due in the municipality where you work not where you live (unless you work in a township).
Further, the key businesses at the intersection of Hines Hill Road and Route 8 are all compatible uses that enhance the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The intersection services a golf course, a golf driving range, a restaurant, a Comfort Inn, a Holiday Inn, and a vacant hotel. These businesses depend on access and visibility for much of their support and clientele.
In considering the "Function and Aesthetics" of the proposed project, ODOT concludes as follows:
"SR 8 will change visually. It is currently a four lane roadway in a rural community. There are traffic signals at each of the four intersections between SR 303 and I-271. The proposed project will introduce overpasses, an underpass and ramps to the landscape. These bridge overpasses and ramps will change the elevation of the land surrounding SR 8. Visibility to the local landscape will be reduced. The removal of the traffic signals and reduction in congestion will reduce the amount of time spent on SR 8 and therefore the amount of time looking at the local landscape and the businesses located along SR 8." (Page 44, Paragraph 4).
I have met with the owners and representatives of the businesses located at Hines Hill Road and State Route 8. They do not disagree with ODOT's conclusions that their businesses will not be seen and will be less accessible. They do point out the harsh economic consequences that this project will have on their ongoing future.
The Holiday Inn estimates at least a 10% reduction in revenues ($600,000 to $1,000,000.00 per year). The Comfort Inn will be on a small dead end service road removed from major traffic patterns.
The Boston Heights Country Club and The Range will suffer declines in revenues.
Metropolitan Savings Bank, who owns the vacant hotel, has attempted to sell the hotel for the past 18 months. Their sales agents have informed bank and village officials that the proposed Route 8 project has been a major detriment to the sale.
Failure to Consider and Address Significant Impacts on Local Roads: The project as proposed serves one function and one function only, to move traffic from Point A to Point B. The proposed project completely disregards the impact that the project will have on local roads and highways. ODOT concludes that:
"Results of an expanded study area traffic study do indicate potential capacity constraints (LOS of C or worse) on the surrounding side roads under the Build Scenario." (Page 49, Paragraph 2).
ODOT will solve one traffic problem by creating local traffic problems. This approach does not seem logical nor does it appear to encompass good regional planning.
Access to Twinsburg Road will now be available via Olde 8 Road or Walters Road. Business traffic on these already congested neighborhood roads will be increased dramatically. Adesa (an automobile auction company and major business in the Village of Boston Heights) is located on Twinsburg Road. Automobiles are frequently transported to Adesa on trailers. Those trucks and individuals attending the auction will now further congest traffic on local roads. Further, to reduce wear and tear on local roads, the Village of Boston Heights has enacted vehicle weight limitations. The truck and trailers going to Adesa will in all likelihood exceed these weight limitations. The ODOT proposal does not consider the additional further expense that business and commercial traffic will have to the Village of Boston Heights for road repair and maintenance.
The Village of Boston Heights anticipates receiving $125,000.00 this year from its road levy to be used for street repair and maintenance. Several years ago the Village obtained a quote in excess of $500,000.00 to repave Olde Route 8. The ODOT proposal foresees the increase in traffic on local roads but fails to consider the increase in business and commercial traffic which will dramatically increase road repair and maintenance costs.
Under the ODOT proposal, the new service roads would increase land-miles of roadway that the Village would be required to repair and maintain by 10 per cent. (Page 47, Paragraph 5). No additional revenues would be provided by the federal government, state government, or county Government to cover this increased expense.
Safety Concerns: Our Police, Fire and Emergency Squad will have a much longer response time if this design is put in place. If an emergency call is received for an accident in the north lane the responder would have to go south to Route 303 and then come back north. This could result in a 4 to 5 minute delay. If an emergency call is received for an accident in the south lane the responder would have to go to Highland Road, which is approximately 4 miles north and then travel south to the emergency which would result in a 10 to 15 minute delay. I do not believe the ODOT proposal has the safety of our residents or people traveling through our community in proper perspective.
Conclusion: The ODOT proposal will require residents from Boston Heights to increase real property taxes to cover additional services and expenses that provide no benefit to them or the Village. The increase of business and commercial traffic in residential neighborhoods will decrease real property values. I think the project is poorly designed. The impact on our residents and businesses have been understated or omitted in the Environmental Assessment. The concerns of all communities regardless of their size should be considered in this type of major development.
I propose putting three lanes each way and leaving the traffic lights in place. I believe this would be less costly than building bridges and frontage roads. I believe constructing a right turn lane from Brandywine creek to Highland Road, which is three tenths of a mile, would move much of the traffic because trucks turning right onto Highland cause the major back-up of traffic.
Sincerely,
(signed...)
RAYMOND McFALL, Mayor
Village
of Boston Heights
cc: Governor Bob Taft
James
McCarthy, Summit County Executive
Gene
Esser, Summit County Engineer
Senator
Mike DeWine
Senator George
Voinovich
Congressman
Tom Sawyer
Congressman
Steve LaTourette
Congressman
Sherrod Brown
Federal
Highway Administration