CLEVELAND — Another wreck occurred Friday morning along Dead Man’s Curve, this time in the westbound lanes of I-90. It’s part of a troubling trend on the treacherous stretch of highway.
Earlier this week, the Cleveland Fire Department reported responding to an average of 10 accident calls per day along the eastbound lanes of the curve.
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Dead Man’s Curve has become more than just a dangerous stretch of highway—it’s a part of Cleveland’s identity.
Chris Bassitt, the general manager of Goldhorn Brewery, says the brewery's IPA, named after the infamous curve, is one of its best-selling beers.
Bassitt said the name alone draws customers.
“I get people all the time that will come say, ‘Hey, I tried this at such and such bar… only grabbed it because of the name.’ It stands out to Cleveland people right away,” he said.
The curve has also inspired local businesses like Cleveland Clothing Company, whose Owner Mike Kubinski compares its cultural significance to landmarks like Tower City and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
“I've heard it since I was very little. It's a part of our daily lives here in Cleveland,” Kubinski said.
The company’s “Dead Man’s Curve” shirts, which feature various car-themed designs and taglines, have remained popular since the store opened in 2008.
Dead Man’s Curve has been a hazard since it opened in 1962.
“If you can imagine back then, the speed limit was 50 mph, not the 35 mph it is now,” said Jim Sweeney, author of What’s the Deal with Dead Man’s Curve and Other Really Good Questions About Cleveland.
Sweeney explained that when the highway first opened, it lacked critical safety features like banking, rumble strips, and adequate signage.
“And so accidents started right away, and it acquired the nickname Dead Man's Curve within a year or two of opening,” he said.
The sharp 90-degree turn was a result of design compromises. Plans to use land north of the Shoreway were thwarted when the city refused to sell property tied to Burke Lakefront Airport. By the time the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) revisited the design, it was too late to make significant changes.
While Dead Man’s Curve has seen countless accidents and fatalities over the decades, there may be hope for improvement.
At the end of the month, ODOT plans to award a consultant firm to study the curve as part of the Innerbelt Modernization Plan. It was awarded $20 million by the state to do it.
“The study is gonna take a couple years and then plan development takes a couple of years. Then securing funding takes a couple of years,” said ODOT spokesperson Brent Kovacs. “In the perfect world, sure, in the 10 to 15-year time frame may be feasible, but it's just hard to say 'cause there's so many unknowns right now.”
While efforts to make the curve safer are underway, one thing remains certain: its nickname will likely endure.
“It could be straight as an arrow and people would still call it Dead Man's Curve,” said Bassitt.
