(ODOT) announced last week some changes to a safety project along a 1.7 mile stretch of Rt. 224 between Market St. and Tiffany Blvd.
      Cost of the project, according to ODOT Public Information Officer Ray Marsch is $15 million and construction is set to begin in late 2026.
      ODOT said it is “taking steps to improve safety” following a five-year study that was completed in 2017. During that period, ODOT said there were “nearly 1900 motor vehicle accidents” in which 30 per cent involved injury.
      According to Marsch, the average daily traffic count on Rt. 224 of some 34,000 vehicles a day. That would mean during the five year study period, more than 62.05 million vehicles traveled along Rt. 224, during which times only three-one thousandth of one per cent of those vehicles were involved in an accident, apparently necessitating the needs to spend $15 million.
      According to ODOT during the five year study period, there were three fatalities and a dozen bicycle and pedestrian-related crashes.
      “The primary crash types reported were rear-end (60%), left turn (14%), and sideswipe-passing (11%). These crash types are often related to congestion and left turning movements,” ODOT said., adding six intersections along the corridor are ranked in the top-50 of the Governor’s Safety Priority List.
      Many businesses along the proposed project corridor have expressed concerns the so-called safety improvements will have a negative impact; and as well, several local public officials have expressed concerns the project will “dump traffic onto nearby side streets.”
      The ODOT project will implement the following “alternatives”---
      The recommended alternative includes:
       •Add eastbound and westbound through lanes.
       •Add dedicated left and right turn lanes at intersections throughout the corridor as determined by a capacity analysis.
       •Removing signals at two intersections.
       •Reduce the number of unsignalized driveways along the corridor.
       •Limit left-turning movements.
      Marsch said ODOT plans to implement the following project changes once construction is begun, including the elimination of a concrete barrier in the middle of Rt. 224 where so-called channeling devices (plastic cones) will be installed.
      Following are the project changes:
      Market Street to Marinthana Avenue
       •Install channelizing device in the center of Route 224 in lieu of proposed concrete median to allow for eastbound left turns into Sheldon Avenue and Marinthana Avenue.
       •Convert Sheldon Ave. and Marinthana Ave. to all-in/right-out only movements.
       •Remove proposed eastbound u-turn and loon at Marinthana Ave.
      Southern Boulevard to Boardman Park
       •Allow a protected westbound left-turn phase and passenger car U-turn at U.S. Route 224/Southern Blvd. intersection to accommodate Tanglewood Dr. and the north side properties.
       •Install channelizing device in the center of Route 224 between Southern Blvd. and Tanglewood Dr.
       •Convert Tanglewood Dr. to all-in/right-out only movements.
      Shops at Boardman Park
       •Retain traffic signal at Applewood Commons.
       •Remove proposed westbound U-turn at Rt 224 and Shops at Boardman Park west drive.
       •Remove proposed eastbound U-turn at Rt. 224/Shops East/Applewood Blvd; restripe south approach for left, thru/right and update lane use signing; add protected/permissive northbound left turn phase to the traffic signal.
      South Ave. to Tiffany Blvd.
       •Remove proposed eastbound U-turn at South Ave.
       •Install channelizing device in the center of Rt. 224 in lieu of proposed concrete median.
       •Curb ramps are proposed on the northwest and southwest corners of the intersection with Tiffany Blvd, with pedestrian signal heads and crosswalk across the west approach of Rt. 224.