City News
From Your Cleveland Heights City Government
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Day 3, May 3, 2023
Today’s Air Quality Awareness Week theme is “Air Quality and Transportation.”
Air quality and transportation are closely linked because, according to the U.S. EPA, mobile sources such as cars, trucks, and motorcycles make up the majority of emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), nationwide.
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Poor air quality from vehicle emissions is a major health threat | |
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Chemical reactions between nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds in the presence of sunlight create ground-level or “bad” ozone, which is the main ingredient in smog. Breathing ozone can:
- Make it more difficult to breathe deeply and vigorously;
- Cause shortness of breath and pain when taking a deep breath;
- Cause coughing and sore or scratchy throat;
- Inflame and damage the airways;
- Aggravate lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis;
- Increase the frequency of asthma attacks;
- Make the lungs more susceptible to infection;
- Continue to damage the lungs even when the symptoms have disappeared; and
- Cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
People living near major roadways appear to have higher occurrences and severity of health problems associated with emissions from cars, trucks, and other vehicles.
Children, older adults, people with cardiopulmonary conditions, and people in less wealthy neighborhoods exposed to air pollutants near roadways are at higher risk for:
- Higher rates of asthma onset and aggravation
- Cardiovascular disease
- Impaired lung development in children
- Pre-term and low-birthweight infants
- Childhood leukemia and
- Premature death
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Cleveland Heights Works for Healthier Transportation and Air | |
The City of Cleveland Heights is working to address this health threat by shifting to a hybrid/electric fleet of vehicles and by expanding transportation choices for its residents.
Cleveland Heights reduced its emission by 20% between 2010 and 2017. In 2021, the city took the “Ohio 30-by-30 pledge” to reduce its carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions by another 30% by 2030.
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Shifting Away from Internal Combustion Engines
Earlier this year, the city bought a mini-fleet of six Chevy Bolts at a lower-than-expected price for use by its housing inspectors and secured four hybrid interceptor police vehicles. The city will also soon install electric vehicle chargers behind City Hall.
| Mayor Seren talks about how sustainable vehicles save the city money | Creating More Sustainable Transportation Options | |
Last month, the City of Cleveland Heights was honored by Vibrant NEO as the 2022 Vibrant NEO Regional Champion “Increase Transportation Choice” award winner for its nationally recognized Complete and Green Streets Policy/Vision Zero Ordinance. The city's Complete and Green Streets policy describes the City’s commitment to the comfort and safety of all users of our streets, with special attention to the least mobile and most vulnerable. initiatives include bike parking racks, bike repair stations, curb ramp installations, and pedestrian and bicyclist amenities at Cedar Lee, Cedar Fairmount, Coventry, Cedar Taylor, North Park, Edgehill at Overlook, and Noble.
| This summer, the city will begin implementation of the Compton Greenway Project to create a safe and connected greenway for bicyclists and pedestrians linking the neighborhood to Cain Park. This summer’s scheduled work will focus on installing mini traffic circles at the intersections of Beachwood, Altamont, Desota, and Berkeley and a multi-use path connecting Compton. | Watch a video about Neighborhood Greenways from the Portland Bureau of Transportation | |
The Compton Greenway Project is part of a larger Heights Regional Neighborhood Greenway Project, an effort in partnership with University Heights and South Euclid that will help create a unified network of “bicycle boulevards” connecting neighborhoods to employment centers, transit, and existing parks and green spaces.
In October 2022, the three-city partnership for grant funding, which, If funded, would make the Heights Regional Neighborhood Greenway Project the pilot effort for the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission’s Greenways Network, “a blueprint for linking neighborhoods, parks, Lake Erie, the Cuyahoga River, and public transit through a comprehensive countywide network of trails that are safe and welcoming for people of all ages and abilities.”
| Use Gohio Commute for Better Commutes | Gohio Commute is a service funded and operated by members of the Ohio Association of Regional Councils that helps commuters all across the state explore their commute options. By visiting and registering with Gohio, you can find smarter, more sustainable ways to commute to and from work or school, including carpools, van pools, transit, walking, and bicycling. |
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Take the Gohio 2023 CAR(bon) FREE Challenge!
(to win prizes and reduce carbon emissions)
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If you register with Gohio Commute, you can participate in the CAR(bon) FREE Challenge by commuting car-free—or at least single-occupancy-vehicle (SOV) free. You can record up to four non-car (SOV) destination trips per day throughout the month of May.
Random prizes will be awarded each week, and prizes will be awarded to the first, second, and third-place finishers. Because May is National Bike Month, biking and other carbon-free trips (walking, teleworking, e-scooters) will earn extra points toward these prizes.
According to Gohio Commute, “With gas prices around $4 per gallon, now is a great time to leave the car at home, save money and improve air quality. If the average Gohio Commute user took a carbon-free mode just one day per week during May, they could save nearly $30 and more than 140 pounds of CO2!”
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Thank you to everyone who signed up for the Cleveland Heights Lawnmower Exchange!!
We opened applications for the lawnmower exchange at 6:00 pm today and reached capacity for possible selectees at 6:09 pm. People seem to be pretty excited about the program!
View previous Air Quality Awareness Week emails
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