COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has pledged $61 million in funding for 27 new traffic safety projects in numerous counties across the state.
This round of funding from the Ohio Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) Highway Safety Improvement Program includes the installation of restricted crossing U-turns, roundabouts, sidewalks and other safety measures, a news release stated.
“Safe roadways are essential to connecting people and businesses across Ohio,” DeWine said. “ With the investments made in these projects, we will help save countless lives on Ohio’s roads.”
As part of the program, 17 new roundabouts will be added in Ohio.
“Roundabouts are a proven design to reduce crashes by more than 48% and, more importantly, serious injury and deadly crashes by nearly 80% when compared to a signalized intersection,” according to ODOT. “These roundabouts are designed with large trucks and farm equipment in mind and will include a “truck apron” in the middle that allows larger vehicles to ride up over a curb as they navigate through.”
Other safety measures include a roadway reconfiguration, known as a road diet, which “seeks to reallocate the cross-section of an existing roadway to better serve all modes of travel, including walking, biking and driving,” according to ODOT.
“Our top mission is to ensure that our roadways are built to be as safe as possible,” said ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks. “The measures we’re implementing with this program further that mission not only on roadways that ODOT maintains, but those maintained by local partners too.”
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Yet here we are on State Route 232 where ODOT supervisor was overseeing a culvert install asked, where is the guard rail? The answer, never has been one. When snow plow truck goes up the road he hugs the middle because he can’t see the edge. 1 to 3 feet snd a 80 degree drop! Not exactly safe! I guess some has to die to warrant a guard rail