The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is excited to share that construction work on the third and final section of the Opportunity Corridor Opportunity Corridor Project (OC3) is underway. Starting May 29, 2019 construction crews working on Section 3 will be closing I-490 between East 55th Street and I-77 for two years. Traffic will be detoured via Woodland orCarnegie avenues to access East 55th Street. Specific detours are as follows:

I-77 northbound detour to East 55th Street northbound: • Exit at East 22nd Street / East 14th Street • Keep left onto East 14th Street • Keep right onto East 18th Street • Turn right on Carnegie Avenue to East 55th Street

I-77 northbound detour to East 55th Street southbound: • Exit at Woodland Avenue / East 30th Street • Keep right onto Woodland Avenue to East 55th Street

I-77 southbound detour to East 55th Street: • Exit at Woodland Avenue / East 30th Street • Keep left onto Woodland Avenue to East 55th Street East 55th Street detour to I-490 westbound: • West on Woodland Avenue to East 30th Street • Keep left and merge onto Orange Avenue • Keep right, merge onto I-77 southbound to I-490

The Opportunity Corridor Section 3 (OC3) Project team is working with localmedia partners to help increase awareness of the I-490 closure in May. In support of that effort,

billboards (pictured left) were installed early spring throughout the community reminding residents and commuters of the I-490 closure. The billboards are designed to provide line-of-sight coverage to both pedestrian andvehicular traffic. The units will remain up through the month of May. Local radio stations will also feature the I-490 closure on-air as well as digital media platforms.

Radio coverage include Adult Contemporary, Jazz,Classic Rock, Talk/News, R&B, Hip-Hop, Retro, Sports, Gospel and Country. The mix of music genres willeffectively reach a diverse target audience asrepresented by the community. In addition, on-air radio interviews are planned with ODOT and OC3 representatives. Radio stations are also providing additional exposure by

sending out emails to theirlistening base, and distributing I-490 closure magnets and promo flyers at station events. ■

Opt-in forOpportunity Corridor

and the opportunities it provides

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I-77 / I-490 Detourto E. 55th Street

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SPRING 2019 VOLUME 9

92.3FM Radio Remote Featuring I-490 Closure Flyers at Indians Opener

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I-490 Planned Closure Between East 55TH Street and I-77

OC3 Taking It To The Streets and Airwaves

OC3 Connecting with the CommunityThe Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Kokosing Design-Build Team had the opportunity of sharing information on the Opportunity Corridor Project (OC3) on Thursday, February 28, 2019 at Elizabeth Baptist Church (EBC Campus) located at 6114 Francis Avenue in Slavic Village. Elizabeth Baptist Church has been in thecommunity 100 years, and is located in the heart of OC3, just east of East 55th Street.The OC3 community meeting at Elizabeth Baptist Church was well attended byparishioners and residents. Pastor Richard M. Gibson welcomed attendees, and thestanding room only crowd received a detailed OC3 presentation covering demolition to project completion. Attendees represented a mix of culture and diversity, reflective ofthe community it serves. Following the presentation, attendees participated in aninformative question and answer session. ■

American Center For Economic EqualityChanging LivesAmerican Center forEconomic Equality (ACEE) offers a freepre-apprenticeshipprogram that prepares young men and women to enter the 4-5 year union apprenticeship, which upon completion they can become journeymenoperators, carpenters, electricians, pipefitters, plumbers, ironworkers, bricklayers, roofers,cement finishers, union laborers, elevator installers, pile drivers, andmillwrights, and more.

Similar to others industries, the construction and union world has a long history of exclusion. Fast forward to 2019 Cleveland, times

are a changing thanks in part to the dedication and tenacity of local leaders like Norm Edwards. Norm Edwards is the President of American Center for Economic Equality, and has devoted over 20 years of fighting for diversity and inclusion in the construction industry. Norm takes pride in seeing real-life changes like that of Andre Johnson, who will become ajourneyman this fall. Norm says “achieving the status of journeyman impacts every aspect of their lives, especially financially and holistically” (see story to the right). ■

Norman Edwards andCongresswoman Marcia Fudge

The Northeast Ohio Hispanic Chamber Of CommerceThe Northeast Ohio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (NEOHCC) recently hosted the 2019 Construction Opportunity Fair along with sponsor Artessa Building Group, LLC a member of the Kokosing Design-Build Team and Diversity and Inclusion Outreach. The event was designed to increase minority participation in the construction industry and meet workforce demands on major construction projects. The event brought together developers, bonding agents,prime/general contractors, business owners, and financial institutions for meaningful networking. Attendees alsoparticipated in a panel discussion focusing on issues concerning minorities businesses, available support servicesand requirements needed to procure public and private contracts. ■

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The Journey to JourneymanAndre Johnson grew up and still resides with his family in Cleveland’s Mount Pleasant neighborhood. Andre is in his fourth year of the 4-year unionapprenticeship and this fall will be a licensed journeyman. Andre credits his road to success to the staff at Richfield Training Center, and fellow worksite operators that share their knowledge and experience.

Andre’s testimonial says it best, “I operated a front-end loader being my favorite piece of equipment and also a skid steer. It was a great experience to work on such a community changing project that will provide so much to so many different people. My future goals are to keep learning as much as I can to perfect my craft

and to become the best operator Godallows me to be andmaybe one day, I can pass my knowledge on to my son with hopes ofentrepreneurship for him”. Thanks to people likeAndre and Norm, thestigma that has dogged minority hiring andcontracting opportunities in the construction industry is improving. Andre is a husband and father of 5 children, and as ajourneyman will be able to provide financial security and stability for his family. ■

Andre Johnson,soon to be Journeyman

Elizabeth Baptist Church OC3 Community Meeting

FREE CareerDevelopmentWorkshopsThe Opportunity CorridorSection 3 Project (OC3) is excited to announce the FREE Career Development Workshop Series; Creating Opportunity & Improving Your Job Skills. The WorkforceDevelopment series is acommunity initiative by the Kokosing Design-Build team with Wyatt Brownlee, the Diversity and Inclusion Outreach Consultant for OC3. The workshops aredesigned to provide communityresidents with the necessary job preparedness skills that areessential in today’s competitive job market. The job-readiness series will cover resume writing, interviewing techniques, career planning and execution, effective communications, leadership/life skills, along with team building and networking strategies.

The workshops are facilitated by Maurice Stevens, OC3 Workforce Development Specialist, and sessions are planned for 2019. Workshops are expected to place daily, Monday through Thursday from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. and will run three consecutive weeks. There are no weekend workshops (Friday, Saturday or Sunday).

Registration will be required by contacting Maurice Stevens, Workforce Development Specialist for OC3 at 330-687-6129. Parking is free and refreshments will be available. Veterans and re-entry residents are welcome. ■

Stay tuned for future OC3 workshop updates. ■

Subcontractors Starting Out StrongThe Opportunity Corridor Section 3 (OC3) is starting to bring subcontractors on site to jump start this project.Vermillion Tree Service was here in the beginning of the year, and cleared the path of OC3. The project really started coming to life once this local company cleared the trees and improvedvisibility. ■

Great Lakes Pipeline Services will be around the OC3 project cleaning and videotaping the sewers. Prior to construction starting, the drainage systems must be inspected toensure it can handle a change of runoff pattern due to construction. Great Lakes Pipeline Services is a subcontractor toIndependence Excavating and is a localcontractor to the Greater Cleveland area. ■

National Engineering & Architectural Services (NEAS) provided services this winter and will continue to come out throughout the beginning project phases. The contractor is helping locate existing utilities, identify soil type and classification, and confirming no unknown utilities in way of newly designed structures. In this photo NEAS was called out to confirm thelocation of a 72” box culvert more than 20 feet below ground. They were able to locate the box, allowing the design team to ensure the piers of the bridge would not interfere with the box culvert. NEAS is also a local contractor to Cuyahoga County. ■

Helping Students Build For The FutureJob Corps Career Transition Readiness professional SeanSingleton, whose primary responsibility is helping at-risk kids ages 16-24 get back on track, noticed flyers in hisneighborhood advertising Career Awareness Sessions. Sean sprang into action.

Sean recognized that these sessions align with Job Corpsmission. Job Corps is a national program administered by the United States Department of Labor that offers free-of-charge education and vocational training to young men and women.

“The workshop was eye-opening. We learned about the large number of diverse construction jobs available to us as part of the Opportunity Corridor Project. These kids got a clearer idea about how the construction industry works, including the amount of money they could eventually earn. They also received realisticguidance in terms of preparation to get into the construction field and theimportance of setting goals and creating a realistic plan to achieve those goals,” said Sean. Sean is confident the Career Awareness Session tips for getting a job, and preparing for an interview have given his students, and others, an important new skill set. ■

Sean Singleton

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OC3 subcontractor Vermillion Tree Service

OC3 subcontractor Great Lakes Pipeline Services

National Engineering &Architectural Services

HOW TO STAY IN TOUCH

VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT

OpportunityCorridor.Transportation.Ohio.govYou can subscribe to our email list on our homepage

EMAIL US

D12.Public.Information@Dot.Ohio.gov

CALL

216.584.2007

YOU CAN FIND ODOT ON

@District12Cleveland

YOU CAN FOLLOW ODOT ON

@ODOT_Cleveland

Stay in the Loop As Opportunity Corridor Section 3 (OC3) begins in 2019, the Opportunity Corridor Inclusion AdvisoryCommittee (OCIAC) will continue to keep the community informed of the OC3’s progress. Comprised of a diverse group of government officials, corporate andcommunity members, residents and stakeholders the Committee meets monthly. It works with entities who have close ties and interests with the Opportunity Corridor while

supporting its diversity and inclusion efforts. Mostmeetings are held from 1:30–3 p.m. the third Wednesday of each month. Starting in 2019, all meetings will be held at the Friendly Inn, 2386 Unwin Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44104.

REMAINING MEETING DATES AND TIMES FOR 2019:May 15 (1:30p - 3p), July 17 (3:30p - 5p), Aug 21 (1:30p - 3p)Sept 18 (1:30p - 3p), Oct 16 (3:30p - 5p), Dec 18 (1:30p - 3p)

Note: The Committee does not meet in June or November

Tamela Bridget (aka KoKo Brown) joined the Cleveland Kokosing Construction Company family in July 2018 as the Project Administrator. Tamela grew up on the southeast side of Cleveland and still resides in the Buckeye area with her family. Tamela is well known in the community through her many years with Radio One (WZAK/WENZ/WJMO) as part of the Promotional street team, and the station’s Director of First Impressions, as receptionist. She is passionate about the well-being and sustainability of her community. “I enjoy my position with the Kokosing family, and I’m very happy the Opportunity Corridor is finally happening. As a longtime resident of the community I feel OC will help to bridge the gap in what has been for many years as an underserved area in City of Cleveland”, shared Tamela.

Tamela’s daughter Briante recently joined the Kokosing Construction team working directly with Wyatt Brownlee, the Diversity and Inclusion Outreach Consultant for OC3. Briante is a graduate of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s John Hay Campus, known for its excellence in academics and arts, and located in the heart of OC3. ■

Tamela and Briante Bridget

5500 TransporTaTion Boulevard

Garfield HeiGHTs, oH 44125

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Mother & Daughter Success In The Community