Cleveland City Hall manages Cleveland as it is. As does the county. As does the state.
The decisions made — on transit, airport infrastructure, bike lanes, and lakefront land — reflect an administration that prioritizes the present over planning for the future. This is the main issue.
Other cities facing similar challenges — population loss, aging infrastructure, car dependency — have used infrastructure investment as a tool for transformation. Pittsburgh rebuilt its waterfront. Indianapolis rebuilt its downtown. Cleveland rebuilt its convention center and waited for a vision that never came.
What a Vision Looks Like
- A 20-year transit plan tied to land use, not just bus schedules
- Infrastructure decisions made in public, with public input, before contracts are signed
- Metrics that measure quality of life, not just bond ratings