Many students at CFHS cross the North Main Street Bridge on their way to school, but they might have to find a new route in the coming years. 

For many years the bridge in town has been in deficit and needed repair. Since 2015, the Cuyahoga Department of Public Works has done some preliminary planning for fixing the bridge. 

According to transportation.ohio.gov, there are three alternatives for how they can go about repairing the bridge. 

The first option is to fix up the existing bridge, replace the sidewalk and support the structure. The second option is to install a new system inside the arches. The third option is to replace the existing structure with a new similar structure. 

An alternative evaluation report had been conducted and it concluded that the second alternative was recommended as it was seen as slightly better than the other two repair alternatives. 

The bridge repair was put out for sale, but it only received one bid which was twice the available funding from the county. 

Due to the lack of funding, Cuyahoga county wishes to fall back on the first alternative. If this goes through then the bridge will be unable to be driven over for at least a year, perhaps even 2.

CFHS junior Dylan Babic believes that this could be an overall negative event for the town as a whole. 

“I am very disappointed that the bridge is potentially getting shut down due to the fact that I pass over it nearly everyday. I worry that people who live on the other side of the bridge will be caught in a conundrum getting to school. I wonder if many will find it more difficult to traverse to the other side of town,” said Babic. 

Many students have to travel over the bridge in order to get to school so this could cause many late arrivals for students that will not be used to going a longer route.
While many students find the problem to be a nuisance, many other students believe that it is necessary to ensure the safety of the townsfolk. 

CFHS junior Charlie Busby thinks the rehabilitation of the bridge is necessary. 

“Although many may find it annoying or something like that, it is completely necessary to make sure everyone is safe and they have been talking about this for a long time now,” said Busby. 

The bridge has needed repair or replacement for a few years now and at some point it will have to be replaced. 

Junior Liam Butler also believes that the bridge repair is necessary. 

“I’ve been hearing all about this recently and I just think they should get it out of the way,” said Butler. 

Many people are also worried about the effect it may have on the businesses of Chagrin Falls. The road being blocked off may prevent people from out of town from wanting to visit. 

“Businesses like the popcorn shop will surely suffer from a financial decline due to this closure, and I worry that chagrin will lose one of its most popular, historical local businesses,” said Babic.