The Ohio Department of Transportation and the City of Lorain are teaming up on the Oakwood Connector, an 11-foot-wide multiuse trail that would finally stitch together the South Lorain branch of the public library and Oakwood Park. The plan would permanently fold a narrow strip of parkland into the transportation corridor, and city officials are asking residents to speak up as the project moves through design. They say the park will stay open during construction and that the city and ODOT will coordinate work to keep disruptions in check.
What's planned
The Connector is laid out as an 11-foot multiuse path with short stretches of new sidewalk, ADA-compliant curb ramps and a rectangular rapid flashing beacon to improve the crossing near the park. As outlined in the TLCI materials from NOACA, the project is a low-hundreds-of-thousands-dollar build, and NOACA recommended roughly $277,139 toward the work.
How the city framed it
The City of Lorain first went after TLCI funding in 2024 to close what officials saw as a frustrating gap between the library and the park. The city's 2024 engineering report documented the application, pegged the total cost in the mid-$300,000s and initially anticipated construction in the summer of 2026, as outlined by the City of Lorain engineering report.
New details, timeline and land-use change
A recent release from the city and ODOT clarifies that the Oakwood Connector would extend beyond ODOT's existing right-of-way and into Oakwood Park, which means a formal change-of-use plat is required to permanently incorporate a strip of parkland into the transportation corridor. The release also sets a public comment deadline of April 1, 2026, and now anticipates construction beginning in July 2027 and continuing through December 2027. Officials say the contractor will be required to coordinate the schedule with ODOT and the city and that access to the park will be maintained while work is under way.
As reported by the Morning Journal, the project package calls for sidewalk installation, curb ramps and a rectangular rapid flashing beacon, and notes that the southern park entrance may be impacted during construction.
Park context and local pushback
The proposal is landing in a park that has already been through the wringer. Earlier clearing of trees tied to Oakwood Park renovations was put on hold after residents complained, a pause first reported by News 5 Cleveland. Not long after, a storm ripped through and felled or damaged many of the park's mature oaks, a loss documented by the Chronicle-Telegram. That recent history has sharpened scrutiny of any permanent land take inside Oakwood.
How to weigh in
City officials say comments on the Oakwood Connector should be directed to Veronica A. Newsome, P.E., Engineer III. She can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 440-204-2003. The city has asked that comments be received by April 1, 2026, and notes that mitigation measures such as signage and temporary construction fencing will be used to keep park users safe while work is in progress. Contact details are also listed in the City of Lorain staff directory.
