Governor Mike DeWine (R) and the Ohio Department of Transportation recently unveiled $73.8 million worth of investment into more than two dozen traffic safety projects statewide aimed at reducing the risk of crashes on Ohio’s roads.
[Above photo by Ohio DOT]
That funding – from Ohio DOT’s Highway Safety Improvement Program – will cover the various phases of project development, right of way, and construction of 25 projects in 19 counties statewide between state fiscal years 2024 and 2029.
“Since 2019, we’ve worked to grow this program into one of the largest traffic safety programs in the country,” said Gov. DeWine in a statement. “Every project that receives funding will be constructed in a manner that puts the safety of those traveling Ohio’s roads at the forefront.”
Many of the projects receiving funding are focused on improving the safety of intersections, including 16 projects that will install crash-reducing roundabouts, Ohio DOT said.
The agency noted that studies by the Federal Highway Administration show that roundabouts reduce overall crashes by 44 percent and serious injury and deadly crashes by nearly 90 percent at two-way stop intersections. When roundabouts replace a traffic signal, studies show a 48 percent reduction in crashes and a nearly 80 percent drop in serious injury and deadly crashes, Ohio DOT said.
“When we introduce roundabouts for the first time, folks are generally skeptical. However, as time goes by, they see the benefits of safety and improved traffic flow,” noted Ohio DOT Director Jack Marchbanks.
The project list also includes the conversion of two intersections to a reduced collision U-turn, also known as an RCUT. These non-traditional intersections allow for more efficient movement of traffic, reducing the number and severity of crashes, Ohio DOT said.
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