City of Cleveland, ODOT work to solve exit ramp issue after multiple cars crash into homes

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - The city of Cleveland and the Ohio Department of Transportation will work together to fix issues on the I-90 and West Boulevard exit ramp.

This after 19 News’ extensive coverage.

“I was able to contact Governor Mike DeWine and his office who’s been very receptive to the residents here and he put me in touch with ODOT,” said Brian Mooney, Ward 11 Cleveland Councilman.

“Well, this is how government works and you know I always tell people, they say they’re going to call the news and I’m like please do, that only helps me get my job done which is what happened here. I went to ODOT on my own but it took Channel 19 to help move the wheels of government and I don’t care how it gets done as long as the problems are solved,” said Mooney.

On Saturday afternoon, Sherry Heart’s home in the 3000 block of West Boulevard was hit for the fourth time. This time by a truck she says ran the red light as he came down the exit, destroyed the guardrail and then barreled into her home, taking out her porch, and causing structural damage. Heart says just minutes before the crash family members were actually sitting on the porch that was destroyed, “He could have killed a lot of people,” she said.

The dramatic crash was caught on Heart’s surveillance camera. The driver survived the crash but was pinned in the truck and had to be pulled out through the window. Heart says he just missed her gas meter.

She says along with her home being hit by cars and trucks 4 times, the guardrail that sits as a barrier in front of her home has been destroyed 43 times because of accidents. “Mentally this is too much, and how do I sell my house? Morally, how do I sell my house? I would never wish this on somebody.”

19 News reached out to ODOT last year asking about the I-90 exit ramp and West Boulevard and the problem with cars crashing into homes, at the time ODOT said they didn’t think there was a problem.

Mooney told 19 News since last year he’s had a series of meetings with ODOT to discuss what he calls a flaw in the way crews built the highway. He discovered the process to fix the problem was held up over funding.

“The solution would involve both the city doing something on their end with the street and the median but also ODOT possibly considering what I suggested told them last January which is an island which would divert traffic slightly to the left and the right as they come off the off-ramp,” he said. “It’s being taken seriously by ODOT and there’s a commitment on their part and the city’s part traffic engineering to work together to solve this problem,” said Mooney.

Mooney plans to meet with the residents on West Blvd this weekend to talk about action steps and to hear their ideas. He tells 19 News construction plans could start as early as next summer.

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