I would like to express my strong support for continued investment in infrastructure that makes Lakewood safer and more accessible for people of all ages and abilities.
In addition to supporting projects like the Bunts Road path, the Lakewood-Clifton connector, and intersection improvements, I’ve been volunteering with Safe Routes to School efforts, including organizing the Hike & Bike encouragement campaign. This initiative aims to help more students and families walk and bike to school—and while many express interest, real barriers remain.
Lakewood is considered a “walking district,” and yet we know that many families still opt to drive, even for relatively short trips. That tells us something: the infrastructure and conditions still don’t feel safe, comfortable, or convenient enough to support what’s technically possible. Encouragement campaigns are important, but they only work when families can actually envision themselves walking or biking—when the streets feel welcoming, crossings feel safe, and the routes are connected.
At a time when the community is weighing important decisions that could affect neighborhood schools and student travel patterns, it's essential that we double down on efforts to make walking and biking safe, appealing, and realistic options for more families. Active transportation improves health, reduces traffic, builds independence, and strengthens our community.
I urge city leaders to continue moving forward with the next phases of the Active Transportation Plan and to prioritize meaningful, visible improvements that respond to the needs of residents—especially our youngest ones. Let’s build on the progress we’ve made, and keep working toward a Lakewood where walking and biking to school is not just encouraged, but truly supported.
I am among a growing group of Lakewood residents and homeowners who oppose the multimodal path on Bunts.
As previously noted, the path is unsafe, poorly planned, and will further tax a city that is already overwhelming its safety forces.
Have you asked our police force if they can keep up with all that you are putting on their shoulders? Can they actually enforce safety measures on the path while also attempting to slow down traffic on Bunts?
It's not too late to find a better path forward for Bunts and all of Lakewood- one that is sustainable and safe.
Our petition to oppose the path on Bunts has1,000+ signatures, largely from residents of Bunts Road and owners of rentals on Bunts. We sent letters to all rental owners on Bunts to inform them of this dangerous path. The response was great.
The city's data to justify this plan is sorely lacking. Now, we’re seeing mailings full of half-truths. Where was that level of communication months ago? Where were the letters, the meetings, the transparency? Where was the call for insight by those who have lived on Bunts for decades and are familiar with its challenges?
The city’s most recent fact sheet to Bunts Road residents mentions May 7, 2024 – the day of the ONLY neighborhood meeting to inform us about the Bunts Rehab plan.
We were told of 2 choices for a path - much more than the bike lane noted in the city’s April 25 letter.
There was never an option for no path. And when we raised concerns—through petitions, letters, calls—there was silence. The city’s recent fact sheet, seems to be a marketing effort to earn support for the path.
It says 56% of respondents during the 30-day comment period last year preferred the shared-use path.
• That 56% seems to include a form letter started by cyclists. Public records show that not one person lives on Bunts.
o Some live on other Lakewood streets & in Berea, Westlake, Mayfield Heights and N Olmsted.
o A joint letter signed by the 1200 Block of residents on Bunts opposed the plans. Was that counted as one in opposition? There are 40 homes on that block.
June 6, 2024: Planning Cmsn voted for the path – 3 days before the public comment period was over.
A resident asked me recently—what is the city getting in return for forcing this on Bunts? It’s a fair question.
If we followed the money, what would we find? It looks like someone is benefiting, and it’s not the people on Bunts.
There is still time to do the honest and right thing. Respect your constituents as you were hired to do. Move it off Bunts to a safer street.
I support the city moving forward with infrastructure projects that help Lakewood be more accessible and safer for all. The Bunts Rd path, the Lakewood-Clifton connector, changes at Hilliard and Madison, crosswalk enhancements, and taking next steps related to the Active Transportation Plan all help show that city leadership is willing to do what is needed to prioritize people over cars. As a volunteer at many recent community events, I’ve had the privilege to chat with many residents who want these projects to move forward and are eagerly awaiting them to begin on other streets. The work that has been done is helping; for example, confusion at Hilliard and Madison has decreased and residents have noted how the refreshed paint around the city has caught their attention, showing that these steps (even minimal ones) are making a difference. We can’t stop here and say we are done. There’s more to do to protect our neighbors and improve their quality of life. Let’s continue to see positive progress with our infrastructure, approaches to design, and implementation of important safety features that will promote active transportation and make it safer for people to choose to do so.
Hello I'm an all year round bike commuter who supports the bunts multi use path.
This path would be very useful during the winter as sidewalks don't get plowed but multi use do.
Currently being forced to ride or walk on the road because the sidewalk is packed with snow is not safe at all for all users outside of a car, this includes wheelchairs, scooters, skates, bikes, and walkers.
This multi use path ensures that it's safe to get around no matter the weather or time of year.
Also thank you for the recent reflective paint additions and flexi posts, we active commuters encourage you to keep installing and improving the safe street design.
Ideally protected bike lanes with solid bollards, curb bump outs, and continuous sidewalks that don't lower to street level which act like natural speed bumps to force inattentive drivers to pay attention and drive more safely.
I am not convinced that the Bunts Road multi use path will make it safer for.pedestrians or bikers. Those that oppose this path have presented compelling arguments that are neither misinformed or show.lack of concern for the greater good. But for those that live on Bunts.. this path is something we will have to deal with on a daily basis. Our concerns are legitimate and should be considered. This is our neighborhood.. our property values.. our ability to enter and exit our driveways.
I am once again asking you all to expedite projects and ordinances that increase bicyclist and pedestrian safety while reducing our city's reliance on personal automobiles. The active transportation plan and the bunts road multi-use path are great steps but are just the beginning. The small minority of uninformed, uneducated NIMBYs that oppose these measures are plainly motivated by selfish interests of their own convenience rather than the collective good and safety for all. Increasing safety and creating better opportunities for people to walk, bike, or roll for their everyday trips throughout Lakewood will help us to meet our climate goals, improve affordability, and help us be healthier and happier. Looking at cities around the country, places like Carmel, Indiana have completely overhauled their city with roundabouts and robust multi use paths; Today, you'd be hard pressed to find someone that would go back to the way their city was before. In the only other comment posted at time of writing, Amy herberger states that the city should focus on addressing the cause of collisions. I agree. I find it laughable that she and Jeff Dudzik lack the awareness and understanding that the primary cause of collisions is CARS and their often impatient, inattentive, inconsiderate, or impaired drivers. Everyone deserves to use our streets to get to their destination safely, regardless of their mode of transportation. Lakewood CANNOT wait any longer for safe streets. Please pass the complete streets ordinance immediately and begin work as soon as is possible on making Lakewood streets safer.
I oppose the proposed shared-use path on Bunts Road because it is a poor use of taxpayer money and fails to address the REAL safety issues on this already overburdened corridor.
Bunts is identified in the city's Active Transportation Plan as part of the High Risk Network. Crash data shows that it exceeds statewide averages for rear-end, angle, sideswipe, pedestrian, and bicycle crashes, especially at key intersections like Detroit and Franklin.
A shared-use path may sound like a safety improvement, but forcing pedestrians and cyclists to share a narrow space next to a busy roadway introduces new conflict points, (over 116) especially for students and seniors.
Shared-use paths are best suited to parks or low-volume residential streets, not high-traffic urban roads with multiple turning movements and heavy pedestrian use.
The proposed design depends heavily on visual cues like paint, flashing beacons, and signs. These are not durable safety solutions. Paint fades, signage is often ignored, maintenance will be needed daily, and none of these tools provide real safety.
Without significant changes to traffic volumes or roadway geometry, these measures will not meaningfully reduce crashes it will increase them.
Spending public funds on infrastructure that adds complexity and increases risk, without truly addressing the causes of collisions, is not an effective or responsible investment. A better use of taxpayer dollars would focus on simplifying intersections, adding more green space, and slowing vehicle speeds to enhance safety for ALL users.
If this infrastructure is built as proposed, the city will bear full liability for foreseeable injuries and fatalities resulting from its unsafe design and failure to meet the known needs of a high-risk corridor.
I would like to express my strong support for continued investment in infrastructure that makes Lakewood safer and more accessible for people of all ages and abilities.
In addition to supporting projects like the Bunts Road path, the Lakewood-Clifton connector, and intersection improvements, I’ve been volunteering with Safe Routes to School efforts, including organizing the Hike & Bike encouragement campaign. This initiative aims to help more students and families walk and bike to school—and while many express interest, real barriers remain.
Lakewood is considered a “walking district,” and yet we know that many families still opt to drive, even for relatively short trips. That tells us something: the infrastructure and conditions still don’t feel safe, comfortable, or convenient enough to support what’s technically possible. Encouragement campaigns are important, but they only work when families can actually envision themselves walking or biking—when the streets feel welcoming, crossings feel safe, and the routes are connected.
At a time when the community is weighing important decisions that could affect neighborhood schools and student travel patterns, it's essential that we double down on efforts to make walking and biking safe, appealing, and realistic options for more families. Active transportation improves health, reduces traffic, builds independence, and strengthens our community.
I urge city leaders to continue moving forward with the next phases of the Active Transportation Plan and to prioritize meaningful, visible improvements that respond to the needs of residents—especially our youngest ones. Let’s build on the progress we’ve made, and keep working toward a Lakewood where walking and biking to school is not just encouraged, but truly supported.
I am among a growing group of Lakewood residents and homeowners who oppose the multimodal path on Bunts.
As previously noted, the path is unsafe, poorly planned, and will further tax a city that is already overwhelming its safety forces.
Have you asked our police force if they can keep up with all that you are putting on their shoulders? Can they actually enforce safety measures on the path while also attempting to slow down traffic on Bunts?
It's not too late to find a better path forward for Bunts and all of Lakewood- one that is sustainable and safe.
Our petition to oppose the path on Bunts has1,000+ signatures, largely from residents of Bunts Road and owners of rentals on Bunts. We sent letters to all rental owners on Bunts to inform them of this dangerous path. The response was great.
The city's data to justify this plan is sorely lacking. Now, we’re seeing mailings full of half-truths. Where was that level of communication months ago? Where were the letters, the meetings, the transparency? Where was the call for insight by those who have lived on Bunts for decades and are familiar with its challenges?
The city’s most recent fact sheet to Bunts Road residents mentions May 7, 2024 – the day of the ONLY neighborhood meeting to inform us about the Bunts Rehab plan.
We were told of 2 choices for a path - much more than the bike lane noted in the city’s April 25 letter.
There was never an option for no path. And when we raised concerns—through petitions, letters, calls—there was silence. The city’s recent fact sheet, seems to be a marketing effort to earn support for the path.
It says 56% of respondents during the 30-day comment period last year preferred the shared-use path.
• That 56% seems to include a form letter started by cyclists. Public records show that not one person lives on Bunts.
o Some live on other Lakewood streets & in Berea, Westlake, Mayfield Heights and N Olmsted.
o A joint letter signed by the 1200 Block of residents on Bunts opposed the plans. Was that counted as one in opposition? There are 40 homes on that block.
June 6, 2024: Planning Cmsn voted for the path – 3 days before the public comment period was over.
A resident asked me recently—what is the city getting in return for forcing this on Bunts? It’s a fair question.
If we followed the money, what would we find? It looks like someone is benefiting, and it’s not the people on Bunts.
There is still time to do the honest and right thing. Respect your constituents as you were hired to do. Move it off Bunts to a safer street.
I support the city moving forward with infrastructure projects that help Lakewood be more accessible and safer for all. The Bunts Rd path, the Lakewood-Clifton connector, changes at Hilliard and Madison, crosswalk enhancements, and taking next steps related to the Active Transportation Plan all help show that city leadership is willing to do what is needed to prioritize people over cars. As a volunteer at many recent community events, I’ve had the privilege to chat with many residents who want these projects to move forward and are eagerly awaiting them to begin on other streets. The work that has been done is helping; for example, confusion at Hilliard and Madison has decreased and residents have noted how the refreshed paint around the city has caught their attention, showing that these steps (even minimal ones) are making a difference. We can’t stop here and say we are done. There’s more to do to protect our neighbors and improve their quality of life. Let’s continue to see positive progress with our infrastructure, approaches to design, and implementation of important safety features that will promote active transportation and make it safer for people to choose to do so.
Hello I'm an all year round bike commuter who supports the bunts multi use path.
This path would be very useful during the winter as sidewalks don't get plowed but multi use do.
Currently being forced to ride or walk on the road because the sidewalk is packed with snow is not safe at all for all users outside of a car, this includes wheelchairs, scooters, skates, bikes, and walkers.
This multi use path ensures that it's safe to get around no matter the weather or time of year.
Also thank you for the recent reflective paint additions and flexi posts, we active commuters encourage you to keep installing and improving the safe street design.
Ideally protected bike lanes with solid bollards, curb bump outs, and continuous sidewalks that don't lower to street level which act like natural speed bumps to force inattentive drivers to pay attention and drive more safely.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
I am not convinced that the Bunts Road multi use path will make it safer for.pedestrians or bikers. Those that oppose this path have presented compelling arguments that are neither misinformed or show.lack of concern for the greater good. But for those that live on Bunts.. this path is something we will have to deal with on a daily basis. Our concerns are legitimate and should be considered. This is our neighborhood.. our property values.. our ability to enter and exit our driveways.
I am once again asking you all to expedite projects and ordinances that increase bicyclist and pedestrian safety while reducing our city's reliance on personal automobiles. The active transportation plan and the bunts road multi-use path are great steps but are just the beginning. The small minority of uninformed, uneducated NIMBYs that oppose these measures are plainly motivated by selfish interests of their own convenience rather than the collective good and safety for all. Increasing safety and creating better opportunities for people to walk, bike, or roll for their everyday trips throughout Lakewood will help us to meet our climate goals, improve affordability, and help us be healthier and happier. Looking at cities around the country, places like Carmel, Indiana have completely overhauled their city with roundabouts and robust multi use paths; Today, you'd be hard pressed to find someone that would go back to the way their city was before. In the only other comment posted at time of writing, Amy herberger states that the city should focus on addressing the cause of collisions. I agree. I find it laughable that she and Jeff Dudzik lack the awareness and understanding that the primary cause of collisions is CARS and their often impatient, inattentive, inconsiderate, or impaired drivers. Everyone deserves to use our streets to get to their destination safely, regardless of their mode of transportation. Lakewood CANNOT wait any longer for safe streets. Please pass the complete streets ordinance immediately and begin work as soon as is possible on making Lakewood streets safer.
I oppose the proposed shared-use path on Bunts Road because it is a poor use of taxpayer money and fails to address the REAL safety issues on this already overburdened corridor.
Bunts is identified in the city's Active Transportation Plan as part of the High Risk Network. Crash data shows that it exceeds statewide averages for rear-end, angle, sideswipe, pedestrian, and bicycle crashes, especially at key intersections like Detroit and Franklin.
A shared-use path may sound like a safety improvement, but forcing pedestrians and cyclists to share a narrow space next to a busy roadway introduces new conflict points, (over 116) especially for students and seniors.
Shared-use paths are best suited to parks or low-volume residential streets, not high-traffic urban roads with multiple turning movements and heavy pedestrian use.
The proposed design depends heavily on visual cues like paint, flashing beacons, and signs. These are not durable safety solutions. Paint fades, signage is often ignored, maintenance will be needed daily, and none of these tools provide real safety.
Without significant changes to traffic volumes or roadway geometry, these measures will not meaningfully reduce crashes it will increase them.
Spending public funds on infrastructure that adds complexity and increases risk, without truly addressing the causes of collisions, is not an effective or responsible investment. A better use of taxpayer dollars would focus on simplifying intersections, adding more green space, and slowing vehicle speeds to enhance safety for ALL users.
If this infrastructure is built as proposed, the city will bear full liability for foreseeable injuries and fatalities resulting from its unsafe design and failure to meet the known needs of a high-risk corridor.