The contract between the city and Burgess & Niple, Inc. calls for the study along Ohio 63 from Britton Lane to Lawton Avenue.
The corridor study will evaluate the safety, traffic operations, and development impact to the intersections and the existing signalized Main Street/Cincinnati-Dayton Road and East Avenue intersections and a T-intersection point of permissible access point planned 2,000 feet to the west of Lawton Avenue to serve the large undeveloped tract of land, according to city documents.
The study will evaluate whether the location of this access point is ideally located.
McElfresh said the primary concern for embarking on this study is the long-term safety and operation of the Ohio 63 and Main Street/Cincinnati-Dayton Road intersection, the site of high severity rate with major injury and fatal crashes occurring. There was a double fatal crash at Ohio 63 and Main Street in May 2021..
She hopes the study shows how to minimize accidents along that section of Ohio 63.
“Something isn’t working right,” she said.
Paul Goodhue, consultant city engineer, said the Ohio 63/Main Street intersection operates poorly with significant traffic delays on key turning movements. His hope is the study highlights the patterns of crashes at those intersections and provides a “road map to move it forward.”
Once the study in complete, probably later this year, Goodhue said the results may show that the city can apply for crash funding that will provide long-term solutions.
McElfresh said with Monroe’s growing population — from 7,133 in 2000 to 15,412 in 2020, according to the latest census — the city needs to find a solution because traffic issues will only multiply.
This study will take a holistic approach at the corridor’s operations and safety to propose a long-term solution coupled with any additional short term safety countermeasures, according to city documents.
The contract is for $59,994 which is under the $60,000 budgeted for this study in the 2024 budget, according to city documents. The city has conducted a speed study, crash analysis and signal modifications to the left turn movements on Ohio 63 at the Main Street intersection.
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