Cleveland City Council has begun reviewing a proposal to borrow up to $35 million for street, bridge and related infrastructure work. The measure does not identify which projects would receive funding, leaving project selection a key question as the proposal moves through review.
The ordinance would authorize the city to issue and sell up to $35 million in general obligation bonds designated as “Bridges and Roadways Improvement Bonds,” according to cleveland.com. Council gave the ordinance a first reading this week and referred it to the Finance, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and the directors of Finance and Law for review.
What the Bond Money Could Cover
The proposed uses span public infrastructure across the city. Proceeds could pay for bridges, sidewalks and ADA ramps, bikeways and pedestrian walkways, as well as street and roadway construction, reconstruction, paving, resurfacing and sealing, according to the same report. The list also includes retaining walls, storm drainage facilities and water lines.
Eligible work could extend to gutters, catch basins, traffic signals and signs, lighting and traffic-control equipment. The ordinance also includes tree removal and replacement in public rights of way, property or easement acquisition needed for improvements, and certain costs of issuing the bonds.
The ordinance does not name specific roads, bridges or other projects for the money. As the measure advances, residents and council members may seek more detail on how the city would prioritize work within its broad list of eligible uses.
How the Proposal Fits Other Street Funding
Cleveland’s 2024-2026 Capital Improvement Plan listed a citywide residential street resurfacing program budgeted at $4,919,616, according to the City of Cleveland. The plan does not establish whether that work overlaps with the current bond proposal. The current proposal also follows a separate council action: Cleveland City Council’s Sept. 29, 2025 meeting highlights record approval of Ord. No. 848-2025, authorizing $13.045 in general obligation bonds for streets, sidewalks and road-and-bridge infrastructure in the city right of way.
How Cleveland Would Pay It Back
Cleveland would pledge its full faith, credit and general property-taxing power to repay the bonds, according to the article. The ordinance provides for an annual direct tax on taxable property in the city while the bonds remain outstanding, with that tax reducible to the extent other available and appropriated revenues are used for repayment.
The bonds would have a maximum weighted average interest rate of 6.5%. The first principal payment would be due no later than Aug. 1, 2029, and final maturity would be no later than 16 years after issuance.
Before the bonds are finalized, the city could issue up to $35 million in bond anticipation notes. The notes would have an interest rate of no more than 6% and would mature no later than five years after issuance.
What Happens Next
The ordinance is still a proposal. If it advances through the Finance, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, it would return to City Council for additional readings and could ultimately come up for a final vote.
Separately, Ohio voters reauthorized a statewide $2.5 billion program in May 2025 to fund roads, bridges and other local infrastructure projects, according to the Associated Press. 10TV also described the measure as providing $2.5 billion for local infrastructure needs.
