Parma Heights Awarded $75,000 TLCI Grant

The Northeast Ohio Areawide Transportation Agency (NOACA) announced that the City of Parma Heights was one of only seven cities awarded a highly-competitive Transportation for Likeable Communities (TLCI) grant. The city will use the $75,000 award to conduct a “Pearl Road Complete and Green Streets Initiative” study.

“The TLCI provides funding specifically for planning studies,” explained Grace Gallucci, NOACA executive director. “This year’s round of applications was very competitive because we received requests for more than double the amount of funding available.”

TLCI grants are aimed at targeting ways to strengthen community livability and promote economic development through integrated transportation and land use planning strategies. The goal of the TLCI program, which is part of a growing national movement tagged as “Complete and Green Streets”, is to shift the focus of the main streets of a community away from a dominant cars-only model to one that reflects the “Main Street” concept where all users including bicyclists, public transportation vehicles and riders, and pedestrians of all ages and abilities, are equally welcome. Completed “Complete and Green Streets” projects have been shown to stimulate local economies, raise land values, and increase safety while having a positive environmental effect.

The awarding of this grant is a testament to our continuing vigilance to secure all funding available to address the needs of our city. Pearl Road is our Main Street. It is an historic road that existed as a business thoroughfare before Parma Heights even became a village. Then, because of the tremendous growth that occurred here during the 1950’s and ‘60’s, it evolved quickly based on the demands of the time. This study will provide all of us, residents and business owners alike, with an opportunity to re-evaluate Pearl Road and provide us with guidance on how to make it work for us and reflect today’s lifestyle.

NOACA is a transportation and environmental planning agency that represents state, county, city, village, and township officials and addresses the transportation, air quality, and water quality needs of Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain and Medina counties.  NOACA and its partners cooperatively develop and implement plans to ensure that travel throughout the region is safe, cost-effective and environmentally sound.

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Volume 6, Issue 2, Posted 2:06 PM, 02.01.2014