Phase 1 of the Downtown Transportation Improvement Project
Many of us who attended the not well publicized Public meetings to discuss The Downtown Transportation Improvement Project with the city experienced open hostility, anger and annoyance simply by asking questions.
Why?
Are we not allowed to comment, question, even criticize a project?
City administrators and employee salaries are funded by us, the Residents and Tax Payers, which means they should be working with and for us.
Phase 1 - removing Traffic Lights and Lighted Crosswalk Signals - for safety?
The city is about to start Phase 1 construction in downtown. The traffic lights and lighted crosswalk signals at Main & Maplewood and Main & Erie are to be removed, PERMANENTLY. This is a safety issue.
Those of us who live, work, drive, and walk in this Sylvania neighborhood are very concerned as there are a high level of pedestrians who cross these streets, including children, walkers, joggers, bicycles, strollers, etc. This area is especially busy with pedestrians in the Summer months because of Plummer Pool and Veterans Parks activities. There will no longer be stop lights or signaled pedestrian crosswalks. We want safe, lighted signal crosswalks when we walk to restaurants/businesses/parks in our downtown and at Erie.
City Officials at the Public Meetings stated “no pedestrian count was done”.
A Google search shows, according to ODOT a pedestrian count is indeed necessary.