WKSU Stories

Cleveland Tries to Come Up With Creative Alternatives to Safety Barricades on Public Square

Ideastream Public Media | By Mitch Felan

Published August 27, 2017 at 11:32 AM EDT

Cleveland's Public Square had been largely a cement plaza.

The temporary barriers were added to address concerns of possible terrorist attacks.

Cleveland is working with several groups to create permanent replacements for some temporary elements in Public Square, including a series of safety measures. The original concrete Jersey barriers were placed in the square after it reopened to bus traffic -- which heightened concerns about terrorist attacks involving people plowing vehicles into the space.

Nora Romanoff is the senior project manager of LAND Studio, who is working on the project.

“They were put out as a means to allow this conversation to take place. And we want this permanent solution on the square to match the same level of design as the overall construction project had originally.”

LAND Studio will be working with the New York-based James Corner Field Operations, which designed the initial renovation of Public Square completed last year.

The security project is in its early stages.