BIKING IN BOARDMAN Road less dangerously traveled

The new berm will soon be finished.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- Those walking or biking along a stretch of U.S. Route 224 have a township teenager to thank for a safety upgrade that could save lives and reduce injuries.
For Mike Cuccarese, it all started with a bike ride down the south side of the western half of the busy U.S. Route 224 corridor. The then 16-year-old Boardman High School student found the section between the bridges near the Mill Creek Park walking and bike path dangerous.
"I found it unsafe riding along this stretch where I have to go through the grass to prevent riding in 40- to 50-mile-per-hour traffic with no shoulder for protection. The grass has many hidden dangers like glass, ruts and other obstacles that can be harmful to cyclists and walkers," he said.
Cuccarese, who works at a township cycle shop and is an avid cyclist, first proposed a bikeway, but learned the property in question was part of Mill Creek Park's preserved wetlands. He revamped the plan to create a berm alongside the road for cyclists and later presented it to local and state officials. Cuccarese, a member of Eagle Scouts Troop 25 in Canfield, started the work as part of an Eagle Scouts project.
Soon to be finished
After more than a year of making phone calls, Cuccarese, now a high school senior, will soon see the completion of Eagle Pass -- the area where the berm has been installed.
The new 800-foot berm, which is along the south edge of 224 across from the Mill Creek Park east golf hike/bike trail, is an extension of an existing berm.
According to John Chizmar, ODOT technical support engineer, the project's cost is about $30,000. He said a grant from a state fund for safety and congestion concerns was used.
"He [Cuccarese] planted the seed in my head. I drove down that road many times kind of with blinders on and didn't see that as a point of congestion," he said. "We would not have done this if there was no benefit to the public."
Township officials said the area will also include plants and a bench so cyclists can rest. There may also be a plaque designating the area, but Cuccarese said he just wants bikers to be safe from traffic.
jgoodwin@vindy.com