Cuyahoga County Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health (CCBH) conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) to examine the health effects of the Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative (TLCI) planning project for key intersections of the 4-mile stretch of Euclid Avenue in Euclid, Ohio. The plan intended to produce specific recommendations for 1) pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly transportation improvements to increase safe opportunities to be active, 2) redevelopment scenarios and design guidelines for public and private improvements that promote mixed-use development, and 3) policy recommendations for creating healthy places and linkages for active living opportunities. The Euclid TLCI plan was selected for an HIA because of the strong partnerships in the city and for elevating health and equity in the city’s land use planning and decision-making processes, as well as for engaging community members in designing healthier communities. The goal of the Euclid HIA was to ensure that both health and equity considerations were integrated into the final Euclid Avenue TLCI plan. The HIA resulted in recommendations to enhance healthy food access and to develop health-promoting uses for vacant properties in the corridor in turn, informing the plan to more fully address the design guidelines. Partners for the Euclid HIA included the City of Euclid, Cuyahoga County Planning Commission, and Northeast Ohio Area Coordinating Agency, as well as local residents and city officials.