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| West Shoreway (OH 2) | |
|---|---|
| Name | West Shoreway (OH 2) |
| Route | Ohio State Route 2 |
| Direction a | West |
| Direction b | East |
West Shoreway (OH 2) is a segment of Ohio State Route 2 running along the lakefront of Cleveland, Ohio, providing an arterial connection between waterfront neighborhoods and regional highways. The corridor links to Interstate 90, Interstate 71, and the Ohio Turnpike, and it interfaces with waterfront destinations such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Playhouse Square, and the Great Lakes Science Center. The route serves commuters, freight traffic to the Port of Cleveland, and visitors bound for cultural institutions like the Cleveland Museum of Art and sports venues including Progressive Field and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
The roadway runs adjacent to the southern shore of Lake Erie through Cleveland neighborhoods including Edgewater, Ohio City, and the Downtown Cleveland waterfront, connecting to arterial streets such as West 25th Street, Clifton Boulevard, and Lorain Avenue. Eastbound and westbound lanes meet ramps that link to ramps for U.S. Route 6 and U.S. Route 20, and the corridor crosses over or parallels rail lines operated by Norfolk Southern Railway and CSX Transportation that serve the Cleveland Harbor complex. The alignment passes under structures associated with the Hope Memorial Bridge approaches and skirts properties administered by the Cleveland Metroparks, including access points to Edgewater Park and the Lakefront Reservation. Transit interfaces include proximity to stations of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority and bus routes serving Public Square and the Cleveland Clinic campus.
The lakefront roadway emerged from early 20th-century harbor improvement projects associated with engineers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and planners influenced by the City Beautiful movement. Postwar expansions paralleled regional freeway development like Interstate 90 and were influenced by studies from the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission and architects connected to the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative. Mid-century modifications reflected priorities similar to other urban expressways such as the Embarcadero Freeway in San Francisco and the Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattle, spurring debates among officials from the Ohio Department of Transportation and preservationists associated with the Cleveland Landmarks Commission. Recent decades saw initiatives tied to the Cleveland Foundation, philanthropic partners such as the George Gund Foundation, and civic groups including Cleveland Tomorrow to repurpose waterfront infrastructure for public access.
Key junctions include connections with Interstate 90 near the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport approach corridor, intersections with U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6 near industrial zones serving the Port of Cleveland, and ramps feeding downtown via Erieside Avenue and Ontario Street. Interchanges provide access to the West 3rd Street entertainment district, the Cuyahoga County Courthouse area, and cross-streets like Detroit Avenue and Superior Avenue that lead to civic anchors such as Cleveland State University and the Cleveland Public Library. Freight connectors link to terminals operated by the Great Lakes Towing Company and facilities owned by Conrail-successor entities that coordinate with the Federal Highway Administration on freight movement.
Traffic volumes reflect mixed commuter, tourist, and industrial patterns, with peak flows linked to events at FirstEnergy Stadium and concerts at Nautica Pavilion. The corridor supports commercial vehicles serving the Cleveland Bulk Terminal and seasonal recreational traffic to destinations including Edgewater Beach and marinas near the Cleveland Yacht Club. Traffic studies by consultants working with the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency and modeling performed for the Federal Transit Administration have evaluated multimodal demand, including bicycle and pedestrian counts tied to proposals from advocacy groups such as Ohio City Bicycle Co-op and regional chapters of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.
Proposals have ranged from retaining expressway characteristics to converting portions into boulevard or parkland, echoing transformations like the removal of the Embarcadero Freeway after the Loma Prieta earthquake and the replacement of the Cheonggyecheon elevated highway in Seoul. Stakeholders included the Cleveland City Council, the Ohio Department of Transportation, neighborhood organizations such as the Cudell Improvement, Inc., and developers associated with the Flats East Bank and Burnham Square projects. Funding discussions have invoked the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century and later federal grant programs administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation and have drawn commentary from journalists at the Plain Dealer and analysts from the Brookings Institution. Environmental reviews coordinated with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency addressed shoreline impacts, stormwater management tied to Great Lakes Restoration Initiative priorities, and historic preservation concerns raised by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The corridor frames access to landmarks such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Great Lakes Science Center, and the historic West Side Market in Ohio City, while bordering neighborhoods including Tremont, Detroit-Shoreway, and Gordon Square. Cultural institutions along or near the route encompass Playhouse Square, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, with recreational nodes at Edgewater Park and the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo farther inland. Economic anchors include the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, and corporate offices of firms like KeyBank and Progressive Corporation that contribute commuter traffic to the corridor. Preservation sites and adaptive-reuse projects in adjoining districts reference work by local firms and national entities such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation and regional partners like the Cleveland Restoration Society.
Category:Roads in Ohio