North Coast Connector

City of Cleveland - Mayor's Office of Capital Projects has issued request for proposal design-build - draft.

Project Overview The North Coast Connector will bridge the divide that has separated Cleveland’s city center from Lake Erie for generations—making the lakefront more accessible for residents and visitors while unlocking substantial economic development potential along one of the nation’s most promising urban waterfronts. The North Coast Connector is a proposed land bridge connecting the downtown to the lakefront. It will span over the railroad tracks and the Shoreway (State Route 2) to restore access and repair more than a century-old divide, opening up new land for community gatherings and future economic development. State Route 2 will be converted from a limited access freeway to a safer lower-speed local boulevard. The North Coast Connector will advance through multiple phases. Phase 1 refers to the first construction package, which includes the Shoreway conversion from approximately West 9th Street to east of East 9th Street, and associated infrastructure improvements, including the land bridge. Phase 2 will run from east of East 9th Street to the Innerbelt Curve and will advance once the city obtains construction funding. The first construction package includes the Shoreway conversion to a boulevard between West 9th Street and east of East 9th Street, construction of a Land Bridge, W. 3rd Street Bridge improvements, dedicated Port access, demolition work, retaining walls, sidewalks, multi-use paths, and related infrastructure needed before later project elements can move forward. The City is currently coordinating NEPA approval, identifying major utility relocations, identifying necessary ROW parcels, acquiring key permits, and preparing a financial plan, which includes FHWA funding. The North Coast Connector is poised to create significant opportunities for businesses located in Cleveland, Northeast Ohio, and across the United States. Proposed Procurement Approach The City anticipates delivering the Project under a Progressive Design-Build (PDB) procurement model (subject to change at the City’s discretion). Industry Forum Event The City will be holding an industry forum event on 28 October 2026 at 9.00am EST at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, followed by one-on-one meetings (by request) with interested design build teams with experience delivering comparable projects in the role of prime. The purpose of this event is to provide interested industry participants with an opportunity to: learn more about the Project and the proposed schedule; provide an opportunity for interested industry participants and small businesses to connect; and provide an opportunity for interested prime contractors to meet with the City to provide feedback on the proposed delivery approach. Click here to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/north-coast-connector-industry-forum-tickets-2001391763641?utm_experiment=test_share_listing&aff=ebdsshios Request for One-on-One Meeting with the City Interested prime contractors must complete and submit the form requesting a meeting by 9 October 2026 at 5pm EST. The City will notify respondents of the allocated meeting time if your request for a meeting has been accepted. Please note the City will only be accepting requests from qualified primes that have relevant design-build experience on comparable projects. While attending the industry forum and participating in a one-on-one meeting are not prerequisites for participating in the procurement process, interested prime firms are strongly encouraged to participate. Click here to request a one-on-one meeting: https://clevelandnorthcoast.com/projects/north-coast-connector Reference Information Reference information and Project updates are available on the Project Website: https://clevelandnorthcoast.com/projects/north-coast-connector The City will use the OpenGov portal: https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/clevelandoh for procurement-related activities, such as release of the procurement documents and for procurement submissions. More information will be provided as it becomes available. City of Cleveland Project Manager The contact person for this procurement is: Paul Hornyak Project Manager 601 Lakeside Ave E. Cleveland Ohio, 44114 Phone: 216-420-8732 Email: phornyak@clevelandohio.gov

Responses are due December 31, 2026 at 12:00 AM EST.

A non-mandatory pre-proposal conference is scheduled for October 28, 2026 at 9:00 AM EDT at Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, Ballroom C.

Commodity categories: Concrete And Metal Products, Culverts, Pilings, Septic Tanks, Accessories And Supplies; Defense System And Homeland Security Equipment, Weapons And Accessories; Eighteenth (18Th) Century Reproduction Goods; Electrical Cables And Wires (Not Electronic); Communications/Telecommunications Cable and Wire; Control Cables and Wires, Solid and Stranded, Single and Multiconductor (Up to 600V, for use in Boiler Controls, Fire Alarms, Motors, etc.); Electrical Equipment And Supplies (Except Cable And Wire); Conduit, Steel.

Contact: Steven Decker, Deputy Commissioner (sdecker@clevelandohio.gov, (216) 664-2624).

The full solicitation document, addenda and the question-and-answer thread are on the agency's OpenGov portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/clevelandoh/projects/310813. Responses are submitted electronically there, and a free vendor account is required before you can upload one.