News From NOACA

If you represent a municipality or social service agency that provides transportation services to persons with disabilities, older adults or individuals with low incomes, NOACA invites you to participate in a stakeholder workshop focused on prioritizing transportation needs for these special populations. The workshop will take place Thursday, November 29, from 10 a.m. until noon at NOACA's office: 1299 Superior Avenue in downtown Cleveland. Workshop participants will also help identify strategies for meeting the needs of service users. Results from the workshop will help NOACA develop a strategic plan for special transportation services. For more information or to register, contact NOACA transportation planner Meredith Davis.

Apply for Specialized Transportation Program Funding

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has announced the launch of the 2013 Specialized Transportation Program (Section 5310) grant proposal

Special vehicles help transport senior citizens to stores and doctors' appointments.

application process. This program provides federal funding grants to communities and human service organizations to purchase special wheelchair lift-equipped vehicles to transport the elderly and persons with disabilities. NOACA will accept applications for this funding from organizations in Cuyahoga, Lake and Lorain Counties through February 1, 2013. Organizations in Geauga and Medina Counties should submit their applications directly to ODOT.

NOACA Adopts FY 2014 Federal-Aid Transportation Improvement Priority List

The replaced Vrooman Road bridge will be built higher and out of the way of flooding.

What are the road, bridge, transit and bicycle projects scheduled for construction next year? The NOACA Governing Board recently approved a priority list of 45 projects that will receive federal funding, and could be ready to implement as soon as summer 2013. Projects on the list include major investments such as the West 73rd Street extension in Cleveland and the Vrooman Road Bridge replacement in Leroy and Perry Townships. The list also includes several road resurfacing projects, vehicle replacements for RTA and Laketran, and trail projects throughout NOACA's five counties.

Be Alert for Fine Particle Pollution Advisories

This past week, northeast Ohio experienced some unseasonably warm temperatures, and temperature inversion conditions created haze and significant fine particle

Check out the HazeCam daily for a look at Cleveland's air quality.

pollution across the region. NOACA issued a four-day air quality advisory for fine particles, noting unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups, including young children and the elderly. People with asthma, bronchitis or other respiratory conditions should also take it easy or stay indoors when fine particle pollution levels are high. Be aware that elevated fine particle levels can occur at any time of the year, unlike ground-level ozone, which is a summertime problem. Watch for air quality advisories for fine particles throughout the year, or better yet, sign up to have advisories sent directly to you.

The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) is a regional organization of local officials responsible for carrying out transportation and environmental planning under the local direction and in accordance with state and federal mandates. The NOACA area encompasses the Cleveland/Lorain-Elyria metropolitan region, which includes Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain and Medina counties.

Grace Gallucci
Executive Director

NOACA