On Friday morning, a school bus from the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) was involved in a traffic accident on one of the busiest sections of the I-71 highway, causing significant delays for morning commuters. The incident, which occurred before 7:30 a.m., coincided with rush hour and led to the complete closure of several lanes near the Innerbelt Bridge, — confirmed district spokesperson Janice Edwards.
According to preliminary reports, the bus collided with the rear of another vehicle at the junction of I-71 and I-90 — an area where even minor incidents have a domino effect, instantly slowing traffic in the city center. Despite the force of the impact and the morning traffic congestion, no students were in the bus at the time of the accident, and no one was injured.
"We are grateful that the situation did not turn into a tragedy, — said Edwards. — Our drivers undergo regular safety training, and the fact that everyone remained unharmed reflects the effectiveness of these measures".
Emergency services promptly arrived at the scene. All lanes on I-71 near the Innerbelt Bridge were temporarily closed, and traffic on I-90 was also partially halted due to restrictions at the interchange with I-71. By 9 a.m., according to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), traffic was restored on most lanes, although residual congestion persisted for another hour.
This incident serves as a reminder of the vulnerability of urban infrastructure to unexpected disruptions, even if they do not cause physical injuries. According to CMSD representatives, the bus was on a standard route and was heading for maintenance after the morning shift. The driver followed all protocols after the incident, including activating emergency signals and notifying dispatch services.
However, the incident has already sparked a new wave of discussion in the municipality regarding the feasibility of expanding traffic monitoring systems on key Cleveland highways — especially in high-traffic intersection zones near school routes.
“Every morning, thousands of parents rely on the safe delivery of their children to school. Such cases remind us of the importance of investing in fleet upgrades, infrastructure, and early response systems,” — said one city council member who chose to remain anonymous due to the ongoing investigation.
While the technical inspection of the bus is ongoing, CMSD has promised to publicly release the findings following an internal assessment. The district’s press service also noted that other school routes remain unchanged, and bus services are operating as scheduled.
