City traffic officials want to install a temporary solution, but Rich Engle, Hamilton Director of Engineering, said, “There are comments both in favor of and opposed to a roundabout and, likewise, there are comments both in favor of and opposed to a traffic signal.”
Tuesday’s 6 p.m. meeting in City Council Chambers at 345 High St. will be an opportunity for public input to address a safety concern at this intersection.
The first complaints about safety at the intersection were in 2021 and uncovered there was an increase in accidents. A third-party consultant was contracted and they surveyed the intersection. Results showed a crash issue on South Washington and a delay issue. In November, Hamilton’s Traffic Operations Manager Scott Hoover said, “A lot of that was due to a sight-distance issue along New London at South Washington.”
New London Road is a heavily traveled road, which is also the way toward Hamilton Badin High School. It’s also a route to get to western Butler County communities. South Washington Boulevard and Elmwood Road ― which are on opposing sides of New London Road ― are neighborhood streets.
Since the permanent solution is a couple of years away, and notification of any grant award isn’t until September, a temporary solution is needed. A traffic light appears to be the option the city is seeking.
While it’s encouraged people attend the meeting, those who are unable to attend can still voice their comments or opinions by emailing trafficengineering@hamilton-oh.gov.
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