A package of road improvements proposed by Brook Park near the site of the Browns’ new stadium “received the signoff Friday from a regional planning committee that previously put things on hold for more study,” according to Rich Exner of the Cleveland PLAIN DEALER. The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency planning committee heard results of updated traffic studies from its staff that “predict little impact on airport traffic and what are deemed acceptable delays to get in and out of the stadium site.” Final approval “could come from the full board of the five-county agency as soon as March 13.” NOACA “must sign off on major road improvements in the region,” but approval from the planning committee was “delayed in October, following a discussion calling into question whether enough study had been done.” A pedestrian bridge is “tentatively planned over Engle Road to accommodate off-site parking in commercial areas northeast of the stadium site.” More than 5,000 vehicles are “expected to park off-site for big events, in addition to 12,000 on the property being developed by HSG.” Brook Park is seeking $70M “for the work from the Ohio Department of Transportation.” Another $12M is being “covered by the Browns-affiliated Haslam Sports Group.” Groundbreaking for the stadium is “expected this spring” (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 1/30).
