Three proposals to untangle traffic along Interstate 71 near Strongsville carry price tags between $50 million and $109 million, but none has a dollar of construction funding behind it.

The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) laid out the options at a public meeting Tuesday, Oct. 27, where more than 100 residents packed the room, WKYC first reported. The meeting also opened a 30-day public comment period. Residents can submit feedback through NOACA's study page or by emailing [email protected].

"This is a study, and that's how it's going to stay," Strongsville Mayor Tom Perciak told the crowd.

The study, conducted with the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), focuses on congestion around the I-71 and state Route 82 interchange near SouthPark Mall, along Howe Road south of the mall and on state Route 303 near I-71 in Brunswick.

The three options

Rework the Route 82 interchange. Changes where Route 82 meets I-71 and a widening of Howe Road for about 1.5 miles south. Estimated cost: $74.1 million to $109 million. NOACA called it the most expensive option and the one most likely to disrupt traffic during construction.

Build a new interchange at Drake Road. A new I-71 connection about 1.5 miles south of Route 82, plus widening Drake Road near the highway. Estimated cost: $50.4 million to $74.1 million. NOACA's analysis rated it the best-performing option for overall travel times and project costs, though it carries the highest potential for property relocations.

Build parallel roadways along I-71. An additional route directing traffic toward Howe Road south of Route 82, with improvements to Drake Road and other nearby roads. Estimated cost: $60.3 million to $88.6 million. This option requires the most land.

All three could address the corridor's main congestion problems, according to NOACA's evaluation.

Residents push back

Attendees raised concerns about what the proposals could mean for neighborhoods near the highway. One Strongsville resident, identified only as Jeffrey by WKYC, said he worries a study could eventually lead to construction and argued Strongsville should not bear the burden of a regional traffic problem.

Some interchange concepts could require property relocations, though NOACA's analysis separates those impacts from the road-widening proposals. Traffic data presented at the meeting showed 68% of Howe Road traffic heads to destinations north of Boston Road, while 32% goes south.

A previously debated interchange at Boston Road, near the Strongsville-Brunswick border, is no longer under consideration. State lawmakers repealed a 2023 requirement directing ODOT to build it and instead mandated this new study.

No funding, no timeline

NOACA is a regional planning agency that evaluates options but does not build roads or approve construction on its own. Executive Director and CEO Grace Gallucci told the audience the I-71 corridor has been studied since at least 1984.

The current study began in March 2025 with a budget of about $960,000. State law requires it to be completed by December 2026, with findings submitted to the state. That deadline does not mean construction is approved.

Perciak said Strongsville would need a major role in any decision to move forward. He emphasized the city has no money for the proposals and the study identifies no funding source.

The 30-day comment window offers residents a chance to weigh in before the study is completed. Click here for more info.