Ohio Senate Committee Hears Testimony Against Controversial I-71 Brunswick Interchange Proposal

Brunswick residents have put up signs opposing the interchange. Credit: Maria Elena Scott

Dozens of Brunswick residents this week either submitted written testimony or journeyed to Columbus to speak in person against the proposed I-71 interchange at Boston Road as the Ohio Senate Transportation Committee met Wednesday to continue its look at Senate Bill 155.

The bill, introduced by State Senator Mark Romanchuk, would repeal the portion of House Bill 23 — the Ohio State Transportation Budget — spearheaded by Representative Tom Patton requiring entrance and exit ramps at least every 4.5 miles on interstate highways in adjacent municipal corporations in different counties. While the transportation budget doesn’t name Strongsville and Brunswick by name, the border between the cities is currently the only place the requirement applies.

“In my opinion, the way this provision was put in was a deliberate move to override NOACA (the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency). This was a premeditated move on the part of the city of Strongsville. I would like to believe that those who voted on House Bill 23 were not fully aware of the impact this would have,” said Brunswick resident Sue Mazzola.

Traditionally, highway-related issues like interchanges do go through NOACA and the Department of Transportation, not state legislatures, because highways fall under federal jurisdiction. Notably, when a proposal for an I-71 interchange was submitted to these established channels, it was rejected.

Before H.B. 23 was passed last year, the Senate Transportation Committee did take the provision out of the bill. However, it was later added back in conference and the bill passed.

“As somebody who voted on the transportation bill, obviously, the bill was such a good bill that you couldn’t vote no on one thing and, trust me, I regretted it. I thought about voting no just because of this issue…We voted for the transportation bill because not voting for a transportation bill for one thing out of 3,000 that are in it, you really can’t do that in the legislative process,” said Senator William DeMora, who voiced his support for S.B. 155.

Homeowners in the affected area told Scene that many residents are retired and living on fixed incomes. Speakers at the hearing expressed concern about the housing market, interest rates and, for those whose homes will be demolished, adequate compensation from the government.

“We don’t want to lose our homes. The value of our homes have plummeted since this has taken place. If we wanted to sell our home, we’d probably have to take a 40% decrease in it,” said resident Robert Hamm, whose house would be taken through eminent domain.

A study commissioned by the city of Strongsville found that construction of the interchange would require the demolition of as many as 14 houses and the resulting interchange would do little to ease congestion.

Residents at the hearing shared concerns about road safety because an interchange would increase traffic. The winding, hilly roads already have accidents between speeding cars and residents backing out of driveways.

East Palestine also featured in some residents’ testimonies, citing the potential for an environmental disaster caused by the Buckeye Pipeline, which carries fuel under many of the neighborhood’s yards and which may be relocated to widen the road.

“If this bill does not pass, our community will be just the first. With a new microchip plant coming and countless future large scale real estate development projects coming, they will surely change the landscape of entire communities and there will be a precedent established that will allow larger municipalities to enforce their will and their governance on smaller communities,” said Brunswick city councilman Brandon Lambert, whose ward will be most directly affected by the interchange.

After the hearing, Brunswick City Council President and Vice Mayor Nick Hanek said the city would keep pushing to stop construction of the pipeline.

“We’ll do whatever it takes,” Hanek told Scene. “We’ve just got to keep beating the drum until we win.”

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