TIMBERLAKE, Ohio — A small Northeast Ohio town is getting a big grant to make some long-sought safety upgrades. The state recently awarded the village of Timberlake $1.1 million to install sidewalks on Lakeshore Boulevard.
“It’s a long time coming,” said Kenneth Zalar, who lives on the busy street on the village’s southern border.
The retired police officer and grandfather of three has lived in Timberlake for nearly 40 years. He said he’s had numerous close calls with traffic and has been calling for a sidewalk for years.
“You can’t enjoy the park or let [the kids] ride their bikes or play on the playground because you have to go down Lakeshore Boulevard to get there,” Zalar said. “I was an avid bike rider. I got hit twice on Lakeshore.”
Less than a mile of Lakeshore Blvd, also known as State Route 283, makes up Timberlake’s southern boundary with Eastlake. Segments of the south side of the road have sidewalks. But some Timberlake residents say there are no safe crossings, especially for children and those with mobility challenges.
“It’s quite scary to be out there, especially if you’re walking or putting your trash cans out. You’ve got to be very, very careful,” said Timberlake village council member Ryan Konrad. “My daughter always wants to get the mail. I let her and hold her hand and stuff. But as a parent, there’s that fear. It doesn’t take much to cross over that little white line. It’s just a white line, it’s not a barrier.”
Neighbors’ worries and Konrad’s concerns for his family’s safety inspired him to seek assistance from state and local partners.
“It truly was all levels of government working together for a common goal to improve the safety and connectivity of Timberlake,” he said.
With help from ODOT District 12, local state representatives and partners at Laketran, Timberlake was selected to receive $1,136,793 in funding from ODOT’s Highway Safety Improvement Program. Laketran will cover a required local funding match.
The money will fund sidewalk installation and crossing improvements to three transit stops on Lakeshore Blvd.
The grant is the largest the village of 629 residents has ever received and is double Timberlake’s annual operating budget.
“Our tax base isn’t huge and there would be no way possible to ever pull off this type of improvement (on our own),” Konrad said.
Some residents have criticized the project, saying it won’t benefit the majority of the village.
“I won’t use it. And I don’t think very many people will. We use the streets that we have in Timberlake here,” said Ron Kahoun, who lives on the corner of Lakeshore and a smaller side street.
He doesn’t believe a sidewalk should be a top priority. Konrad disagreed, saying it would improve safety and connectivity for the village.
“We have to remember that this is about safety and the well-being of the residents that do live here and the ones who do want to use it,” he said. “I think it will connect the community, bring people together.”
“It’s very dangerous,” Zalar added. “That’s why we need the sidewalks, so we have a buffer, so we can be safe.”
A planning phase for the project will begin later this year. Konrad said it will likely take several more years for the sidewalks and crossings to be fully operational.
