Rep. Dell'Aquila Calls for Legislative Action after NOACA Votes to Support Bills to Repeal Mandated I-71 Interchange at Boston Road

COLUMBUS – State Rep.Richard Dell’Aquila (D-Seven Hills) today is calling for support of House Bill (HB) 276 to repeal the requirement to build an interchange on I-71 between Brunswick and Strongsville at Boston Road. The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) board passed a resolution to support the bill (and a companion Senate Bill 155) in December, but neither bill has yet been passed in their respective chambers.

Testimony of several residents before the House Economic and Workforce Development Committee, on which Rep. Dell'Aquila serves, raised numerous issues regarding the proposed interchange that would negatively impact the City of North Royalton and other communities in House District 15 if construction proceeds.

“I am concerned by testimony before our committee regarding this interchange construction, including along Boston Road, a rural two-lane, hilly road in a residential area that would be widened to four lanes. This proposal would negatively impact the area by the demolition of several homes and a dramatic increase in vehicular traffic. There would also be a requirement to relocate a large jet fuel pipeline to complete the project," said Rep. Dell’Aquila.

“There is a reason NOACA and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) are tasked with these difficult decisions – decision-making that could uproot families’ homes and jeopardize both the traffic and transportation infrastructure of local communities," Rep. Dell'Aquila continued. "I thank Representatives Melanie Miller and Sharon Ray, for bringing this matter to our attention, as well as Senator Mark Romanchuk, for his work on the companion Senate bill."

A provision in the Ohio State Transportation Budget required entrance and exit ramps at a minimum of every 4.5 miles on interstate highways and has since only been enforced on I-71 and Boston Road, at the Strongsville and Brunswick border.