CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A controversial project to upgrade and beautify Clifton Boulevard will not get the state money that local officials hoped for.

Ohio's Transportation Review Advisory Council doled out $70 million for new projects Tuesday in Ohio -- but not the $5.4 million that RTA officials sought for a tree-lined median in Cleveland and bus-related amenities along the boulevard's five miles through Cleveland and Lakewood.

The council, working with ODOT, decides each year what projects costing $5 million or more should be funded for engineering, design or construction over the next five years.

Two local projects scored some of the TRAC money. The second phase of Pearl Road's widening in Strongsville landed $6 million in construction money in 2013.

And a plan to widen Interstate 271 in southern Cuyahoga County gained $2.7 million for engineering and design over the next two years.

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority "is very disappointed with the decision and saddened to hear the news," spokeswoman Mary McCahon said in an e-mail. "We will continue to move the design forward and look for alternative funding opportunities."

RTA's request to the state covered the bulk of a $7.9 million plan to enhance Clifton.

Lakewood almost killed the project in February when Mayor Mike Summers announced his city could not afford its share of building a tree-lined median in Lakewood.

RTA scrambled to submit a smaller project, minus the median in Lakewood.

The project faced other challenges, including whether a median wide enough for trees could be built.

ODOT has said Clifton must have a lane wide enough for trucks on both sides of the street because it is a federal route -- even though Lakewood and Cleveland banned trucks from the street decades ago.

To make room for a median, RTA has asked ODOT if some of the car lanes could narrow below standard width.

Cleveland Councilman Jay Westbrook said he was upset that TRAC "has turned its back on a collaboration of cities and RTA that's been in the works for five years."

Westbrook said he'll huddle with city officials on what to do next. The city has money committed to repaving Clifton from the West Shoreway to the Lakewood border, but wanted to join that work with RTA's plan.