2026-09-23 - Transportation and Mobility Committee

00:00Yeah.

00:01>> Now, you also have systems of

00:03redundancy. Can you talk about that?

00:06>> Through the chair to the councilperson,

00:08when you say systems of are you

00:10referring to the controls themselves or

00:13>> Well, you you you're you're doing the

00:16upgrade here and the reason why you're

00:18doing a based upon what you have in

00:19front of me here now, you're doing the

00:22upgrades here, but you're you're making

00:24these improvements so that your system

00:26is more efficient and more reliable,

00:28correct?

00:29>> Through the chair to the councilperson,

00:31that's correct. Yeah.

00:32>> And one of the arguments of of making

00:34sure that you have an efficient and

00:35reliable system is Mr. Chairman to uh

00:38the assistant director is uh based upon

00:41the possibility of population increase

00:43or in terms of more usage uh here at the

00:46airport. So, can you, Mr. Chairman, um

00:49to the director or the assistant

00:50director, uh

00:51what do you anticipate in terms of your

00:54possibility of increase and cuz that's a

00:55part of the argument of of doing this so

00:59you can be more efficient and more

01:00reliable.

01:02>> Through the chair to the councilperson,

01:03again, it it's the technology component

01:05here

01:06um that it'll be a smarter system, if

01:09you will, to to help make sure that the

01:11bags are going where they need to go and

01:13that the ones that need to be checked

01:15are going to the the right area to be

01:17checked and and those kinds of things.

01:19It's all about just using the latest and

01:21greatest technology to make the system

01:23more efficient and more reliable.

01:25>> Okay. So, basically, this is when you

01:28say redundancy, you're talking about

01:30your physical servers.

01:32>> Through the chair to the councilperson,

01:34yeah.

01:34>> And um and how the system is put

01:37together. So, I guess the next question

01:39is, what do we anticipate uh in terms of

01:41our increase in terms of customers at

01:43the airport? Where are we right now in

01:45terms of annual usage and where will we

01:47be with this whole proposition in 6

01:50years from now?

01:51>> So so through the chair to the

01:53councilperson, we are

01:55uh currently at roughly 10 million

01:58annual passengers.

01:59And we are projecting in the next 5

02:03years

02:04if if things continue to to move forward

02:07with us having more capacity and and

02:09more

02:10passengers making use of those services

02:1312 million or more in the next few

02:15years. That's also one of the reasons

02:19why we need a new facility because the

02:21current baggage system has limitations

02:24because of the size of the building

02:26itself.

02:28And so these types of improvements you

02:30could consider them almost as sort of

02:32use the word a gap improvement to get us

02:35to the new facility,

02:37but these improvements to the controls

02:40should make it for should make for a

02:43more

02:44reliable environment, a more efficient

02:48process in terms of check baggage,

02:50outbound baggage while we are developing

02:53the the new facility. So

02:55you know, we expect that over the next

02:57few years will will continue to have

02:59some pain points as we have in years

03:01past as

03:02service at the airport has gotten more

03:04popular, but that really does underscore

03:06frankly the the need for us to move

03:09forward with a larger scale

03:10modernization with brand new facilities

03:13that are more appropriately sized for

03:15the amount of passengers that we have

03:17coming through today and that we

03:18envision coming through CLE in the

03:20future.

03:21>> And and Mr. Chairman, the people who are

03:23I guess the equipment company is called

03:25CTAC.

03:27>> Mr. Kramer.

03:28>> Yeah, through the chair to the council

03:29person. Yeah, that that company it's a

03:31it's actually a consortium of our

03:33airlines. They come together to form

03:36this company called CTAC.

03:37>> As as they do the chair, they actually

03:40fund the the operation and the

03:42maintenance of the baggage system as

03:44they are the ones that actually use the

03:46system itself.

03:48So they formed a consortium and so

03:51through the consortium of our airline

03:53partners, uh

03:55they have deemed this project to be

03:57necessary

03:58and are going to be be funding that

04:02through through funds that have been

04:04accumulated for use in this manner.

04:07>> I see. And so C Tech comprises of all

04:11your carriers?

04:13>> What what we would call our our

04:14signatory airline partners. Those that

04:15have the long-term agreement in place

04:17with us. Yes, sir.

04:18>> I see. And

04:21do they each have a rep that formulates

04:25this C Tech?

04:27>> So through the chair, yes, each of our

04:29airlines has a representative

04:32that is responsible for sort of all

04:34matters operational related or real

04:36estate related, lease related. And so

04:38yes, that is correct.

04:40>> And Mr. Chairman, can you make available

04:42the listing of those people who

04:44formulate C Tech?

04:45>> We would be able to provide you with

04:47that. Yes, sir.

04:48>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Love to get

04:50that. And in conclusion, Mr. Chairman,

04:53is this lineage will be the same as with

04:56all questions I ask moving forward in

04:59future is about minority participation.

05:02And

05:03and then also

05:05having Cleveland businesses. But in this

05:07particular instance, this is strictly

05:09dealing with the

05:10the airport. So I I get it. So it'd be

05:12great to see who that is. And then also,

05:15I want to know who the minority

05:18participants are here. I see down at the

05:20bottom that you have two minority

05:22participants. Can you elaborate a little

05:23bit on who they are, Mr. Chairman? Two

05:26directors are they just simply employees

05:28or are they a part of the airlines as a

05:30representative? Do we have any

05:32minorities representing any of the

05:34carriers

05:35who formulate the C Tech that's on this

05:37board?

05:39>> Through the chair to the council person,

05:41this would be one of the employees of of

05:44the entity. I don't know who they are.

05:46>> Okay.

05:47So they're just would they be an

05:49employee or would they also be in

05:51sitting in a table as a rep?

05:53>> No, I I I believe that when we're

05:56talking about the demographics of

05:59C Tech, it may be referring to

06:02>> employees.

06:03>> employees. I don't think it would be

06:05referring necessarily to the

06:07representative of of the airlines up

06:09because those representatives can change

06:12and often do every couple of years or

06:14so.

06:15>> And then in conclusion Mr. Chairman

06:17wrapping it up, so this is a total 6.5

06:20million.

06:22I hope I'm looking at that right.

06:23>> Through the chair to the council person

06:25that that's correct.

06:26>> Okay. Approximately 6.5 million.

06:27>> And so this is a straight lead design

06:29software and that whole nine yards. Now

06:30let me ask this question in in that

06:32piece. Are we looking to expand

06:35the luggage piece or is it still the

06:37same footprint that it's always been?

06:39>> So through the chair that the system was

06:41actually replaced going on 10 years ago

06:45now,

06:47but

06:48it it can't physically expand much

06:51because of the confines of the building.

06:54And so that's where improvements in the

06:56software and the technology can help to

06:59make it more efficient and make it the

07:01best that it can be over the next few

07:03years as we're developing the new

07:05facility which will have greater

07:07capabilities certainly in

07:09Yes,

07:09>> Yes, sir.

07:10>> No further questions. Thank you Mr.

07:11Chairman.

07:11>> Thank you.

07:12>> Thank you. Are there any other questions

07:13on 924-2026

07:15>> six from the committee?

07:17>> Hearing none,

07:18924-2026

07:20stands approved. Please sign on.

07:22>> Thank you.

07:23>> As amended. Thank you, clerk. I actually

07:26made a mental note to remember that and

07:28then I got distracted. [laughter]

07:29That closes the legislative portion. A

07:32couple updates I had about the Gold Lot

07:34and Industry Day and October 7th, I

07:36think we covered along the way. Is there

07:38any other miscellaneous from the

07:39committee? Councilman Casey.

07:41>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman to

07:42the director, I have two topics I want

07:44to touch on real quick. Um one, last

07:46Friday at NOACA, it was passed for phase

07:49one of uh

07:51the doings of Brook Park, and a lot of

07:55that infrastructure that's going to be

07:56happening is over there on Sheldon Road.

07:59Has the airport been actively involved

08:03um with those conversations, in

08:06particular with NOACA, knowing that that

08:09that boondoggle is supposed to open in

08:112029, and we'll we'll still be well

08:13underway with the construction of

08:17Clevolution,

08:18um

08:19set to open in 2032.

08:22>> I do the chair to the councilman. And

08:23the answer is is yes. Uh Dennis um

08:27Assistant Director Kramer

08:28uh has been very involved uh actually

08:30and and engaged with the with this body

08:32in this process, and he can speak to it

08:34further.

08:34>> Through the chair to the councilperson,

08:36yeah, we we are regularly meeting with

08:39the stadium team uh

08:41to just make sure we understand exactly

08:43what their plans are, exactly and they

08:44understand exactly what our plans are,

08:46um and coordinating all the the roadway

08:48work that's going to be happening for

08:50our program and for theirs, to make sure

08:52that um we're not doing something in

08:54conflict with each other.

08:56>> All right. And then, Mr. Chairman, to

08:57the director, NOACA tells us that during

09:00an event, the average extended travel

09:04time to get to the airport is 30

09:07seconds.

09:08Okay?

09:10Do you concur with that?

09:14>> Through the chair to the councilperson,

09:16I understand this is due to extensive

09:19analysis on their part,

09:21but Mr. Kramer uh can provide further

09:24context on on that from our perspective.

09:27>> Through the chair to the councilperson,

09:28we haven't done any kind of our own any

09:31of our own detailed modeling of of the

09:33traffic or in the the so we can't say

09:36that we have any data to dispute what

09:39they've shared. And so to this point, um

09:42we are in agreement until we get into

09:44more detailed design of our roadway

09:45network.

09:46>> Uh Mr. Chairman, to Assistant Director

09:49Kramer, I suggest you do that because

09:51that's the story that's going around is

09:53that the people who are traveling to the

09:55airport during a peak game event,

09:59the additional time to get to the

10:01airport is only going to be 30 seconds.

10:04You can take all the data you want,

10:08throw it into any cloud you want, and

10:10show me any little nice little

10:11presentation, but there's no way in

10:14God's green earth the extra travel time

10:16getting to the airport during an event

10:18is going to be 30 seconds.

10:20>> Through the chair. So So that will be

10:22work forthcoming for us uh as we're

10:25coming to a finalization around the

10:27roadway improvements that we need to

10:29support the terminal program. So So that

10:31will be uh in the sort of the nearer

10:33term

10:34um in in our efforts for planning for

10:37the program.

10:37>> All right. And then one more question on

10:39this topic. There has been no discussion

10:41or no agreement with anybody outside the

10:45city of Cleveland um for any type of

10:49agreement for parking

10:52at the airport or on any airport land

10:56for any event or non-airport function.

11:00>> Through the chair to the councilperson,

11:03uh

11:04parking on airport

11:07uh through our facilities or through any

11:11leased facilities,

11:12not aware of any of those agreements

11:14that um have been have been reached or

11:16finalized. No, sir.

11:17>> Okay. So there's been no Nobody's came

11:20come to you

11:22for

11:24the topic or conversation about any type

11:26of parking at Cleveland Hopkins or on

11:29any of the the airport property

11:33um

11:34in regards to to parking for non-airport

11:37functions.

11:38>> Through the chair, that's correct.

11:39>> Okay. And then my second topic I want to

11:42touch on is somebody's doing a a very

11:44good job um

11:46with social media.

11:47>> Uh I had a I'm sorry. I had a feeling

11:49where you were going as I turned around

11:51to Megan O'Connell on my team.

11:54>> to me there's three there's there's

11:55three portions of

11:57uh

11:58port control, right? There's the harbor,

12:00there's Burke, and there's there's

12:01Hopkins. We're doing a good job with

12:03Hopkins. What is the plan for the good

12:06social media and telling everybody how

12:08wonderful the port and Burke are through

12:11your social media

12:13um

12:14endeavor, encounter, whatever you guys

12:16want to do. I know it keeps popping up

12:17on my feed.

12:18>> Sure.

12:19So, uh through the through the chair to

12:21the councilperson, I would say that is

12:23evolving. I think as as the the future

12:26of Burke becomes more clear,

12:28um we will devise a a strategy around

12:32how to how to approach it.

12:34Um and otherwise the the harbors

12:38um

12:39we as we have that as more of a

12:41third-party that manages that for us, we

12:43don't tend to do a lot of promotion

12:45around the harbors themselves. There may

12:47be opportunities though where we could

12:49consider doing that going forward.

12:51>> for nothing else, um

12:52maybe we should look at just doing

12:55educational pieces then, right? I mean,

12:57there's nothing wrong with telling

12:59people how much economic development the

13:01harbor brings in or or just, you know,

13:05whatever. Same with Burke, right? It it

13:08wouldn't hurt to let people know that

13:09the Women's Aviation Museum is down

13:11there, right? Just something to keep

13:14promoting uh

13:15uh

13:16the ports, port control, and the city.

13:19You're doing a great job with Hopkins,

13:21right? A A number one good thing.

13:24Followed the story of the guy who felt

13:26he had to propose to somebody cuz of

13:29social media, whatever that however that

13:31went, right? Um but we still have the

13:33the port and Burke. So, I think we

13:35should put just as much time into the

13:37other three assets that we own as we are

13:39doing Hopkins.

13:39>> Through the chair, note taken,

13:40appreciate the comment. Thank you.

13:42>> Thank you. Is there other miscellaneous

13:44>> Mr. Chairman.

13:45>> Yes, Councilman Jones.

13:45>> Uh just for clarification because

13:47sometimes you have to lay the

13:48foundation. Uh when uh my colleague uh

13:52Brian Casey talked about 30 seconds, the

13:55only thing that was in my mind it was a

13:5730 seconds to the the the stoplight

14:01getting to the drop-off center right

14:04there at the airport

14:06or is it or was it 30 minutes? I mean,

14:08what what are we talking about this

14:10study and and if if you could lend some

14:12clarification on what that meant.

14:14>> Uh through the chair to the

14:15councilperson, that that was a Noaca

14:16study based on their traffic modeling

14:19work that they do. And my understanding

14:23of it, I'm I'm not Noaca, this is not my

14:25data. So, um but from, you know, getting

14:28from some point off airport to some

14:32point on airport uh added an addition

14:35and a game day event added an additional

14:3730 seconds to the

14:38>> don't know from where to where.

14:40>> I'm sorry?

14:40>> We don't know from where to where.

14:42>> Uh

14:43it may be in the information that they

14:44shared. I I'd have to go back and look.

14:47>> Through the chair, I mean, one one

14:48thought,

14:49maybe there's an opportunity to

14:52have some sort of

14:53>> can haul them in. Uh

14:56>> [laughter]

14:56>> I I will say I will Yeah, I will say

14:58Councilman Jones, um one, you save 30

15:01seconds if you speed on the way to the

15:03airport it all evens out, right? Um the

15:05what what they've done and then what

15:07they've presented at Noaca board

15:08meetings is essentially like what is a

15:10typical day traffic in the area around

15:13the airport and what would traffic look

15:15like on like a Thursday evening game,

15:18not looking at Sundays cuz traffic's

15:20going to be lighter on a Sunday, but

15:21they're saying yeah, like if you're

15:22coming from like Elyria to go to the

15:26airport, you got to get off 480 at

15:28Greaten Road and then come down Brook

15:29Park, you know, that that's there's not

15:31direct highway access.

15:33Uh magically, it'll only be 30 seconds

15:36of difference as thousands of people are

15:39doing that same movement because they're

15:41going to uh the game. And I I will say

15:45thank you, Councilman Cazy, something we

15:46should flag now and come up with a plan

15:49for it. Yeah.

15:49>> Um

15:51as as as people

15:54look for opportunities to not pay $300

15:58to park and find out they can't

16:00tailgate, uh I I don't want our airport

16:03parking to become a a cheap alternative

16:07and then you can take the train, go

16:09backwards, and and go up there. So, I

16:10think we do need to make sure that we

16:12have plans in place to make sure that

16:13the airport's operations are not being

16:17adversely impacted in a variety of ways

16:19by something happening in the next

16:21couple days.

16:21>> Agreed, Mr. Chair. We have that very

16:22much on our minds in our planning

16:23effort. Thank you.

16:25>> All right. Any other miscellaneous from

16:26the committee?

16:28Hearing none, uh this meeting is

16:30adjourned. Thank you, colleagues,

16:32and uh we will see each other soon.

16:34>> All right.

17:02>> [music]

17:09[music]

17:16[music]

17:22[music]

17:36>> Mhm.