Source: United States Senator for Ohio Sherrod Brown
SHAKER HEIGHTS, OH – Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) joined local leaders and business owners to discuss how investment to rebuild crumbling roads, like Lee Road in Shaker Heights, and other infrastructure would spur economic development and create jobs.
“This investment will help Ohio communities secure the resources they need for projects to improve and rebuild commercial corridors like Lee Road,” said Brown. “A project like this will unleash economic potential by repairing roads and making them more pedestrian-friendly, drawing more people in to local businesses and connecting underserved communities that have been cut off.”
Brown was joined at the event by Shaker Heights Mayor David Weiss, Akil Hameed, owner of FASS Real Estate on Lee Road, and Lisa Welsh, co-owner of Shaker Animal Hospital, a family-owned business currently expanding to a larger location on Lee Road. They spoke on what the investment would mean for the community.
“The City of Shaker Heights strongly supports the federal infrastructure bill as we make efforts to modernize our 100-year-old infrastructure,” said David Weiss, Mayor of Shaker Heights. “We are thrilled to host the Senator today in support of his efforts to pass the federal infrastructure bill and to showcase the Lee Road Corridor, where we are working closely with key stakeholders, residents, property owners, and business owners to create a multi-modal street that increases and supports small business activity, reduces carbon pollution, enhances environmental justice, and repairs the crumbling infrastructure.”
The Lee Road Corridor project in Shaker Heights would aim to create better community connectedness and more economic opportunities throughout the city.
“Reimagining the Lee Road Corridor and improving its overall aesthetic will help create a thriving area for businesses like mine,” said Akil Hameed, founder and owner of FASS Real Estate Services. “Federal investments in Lee Road will make the area more attractive, create opportunities for new development and strengthen connections with the adjacent diverse neighborhoods to build a stronger businesses community. We appreciate the partnership with the City of Shaker Heights and Senator Brown’s recognition of the need to improve our community’s infrastructure.”
“As a business owner on the Lee Road Corridor, I can attest to the need for improvements to the road and how they will help our business,” said Lisa Welsh, owner of Shaker Heights Animal Hospital. “We are expanding our veterinary hospital and moving to a new location on Lee Road. Improved traffic patterns and safety conditions for pedestrians will help with ease-of-access to the new location, which will enhance the client experience for our patients and their owners.”
In addition to funding from Senator Brown’s Bridge Investment Act and funding public transit, the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is expected to provide Ohio with $9.8 billion of formula funding to repair and replace roads and bridges.
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