Transportation Regionalism

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson today unveiled his vision for using Cleveland airports (Burke and Hopkins) to be an engine for economic growth in the region.

Here's part of Jay Miller's story at CrainsCleveland.com:

Mayor Jackson and his airports chief, Ricky D. Smith, told an audience of businesspeople at a luncheon at the Jones Day law firm about their plans to upgrade Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and attract mixed-use development to the land at the edges of Burke airport.

Mayor Jackson said he wants to develop 600 available acres around Hopkins into an “aerotropolis” of aviation-related businesses. As for the development at Burke, it likely would include restaurants, retailing and offices, but not any residences.

Mr. Smith said closing Burke would overburden Hopkins and would force the city to spend $1 billion for a new runway at Hopkins. He said he hopes to make Burke “a national model for mixed use and general aviation.”

The mayor also laid out a vision for what he called “transportation regionalism,” a vision to bolster the region as a major transportation hub.

The mayor's announcement comes on the heels of Continental's announced 40% expansion at Hopkins, which should lead to about 700 more jobs in Northeast Ohio. (For those of you keeping track, that's more than 1,000 jobs in two big announcements over the last month.)

Here's my take aways from listening to the airport presentation:

• The mayor's aviation plans are part of an overall economic development effort, which includes a new convention center and the Medical Mart. He's thinking strategically.
• The mayor is open to regional collaborations in the area of air service and transportation in general. But he's not interested in the city giving up control of the airport to a regional authority at this stage. He recognizes that success of Continental's expansion will require regional economic growth.
• Burke is a real asset and it's about time the region took advantage of it. Combining aviation and commercial development around Burke could dramatically change the look and feel of downtown Cleveland. The airport is underutilized, which leads some to advocate closing it. If it reaches its potential for aviation and business development, I think the calls for closing will fade.
• The mayor supports efforts to build a tech corridor, particularly in the area of health care, between Pittsburgh and Cleveland.