Council approved a resolution authorizing City Manager Larry Lester to enter into a professional services agreement with Verdantas (formerly CT Consultants) for engineering design services for signal safety improvements along Ohio 63.
The city received a design proposal from Verdantas for “critical safety improvements” to three signalized intersections along Ohio 63, according to city documents.
The improvements are based on recommendations from the corridor study completed in January by Burgess and Niple.
Project locations are Ohio 63 at Lawton Avenue, Ohio 63 at Main Street and Ohio 63 at Britton Lane.
The proposed safety improvements at the three intersections include: installation of supplemental near-side signal heads for eastbound and westbound high-speed approaches along Ohio 63; addition of back plates on vehicular signal heads for minor street approaches; and restriction of northbound and southbound right turns on red to enhance safety for slow-moving turning vehicles facing high-speed traffic, according to city documents.
The total project cost is $167,210 with the city responsible for the $26,500 engineering design fee with a grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation covering the remaining $140,710.
Funk called the city’s portion of the project “a small price to pay” for potentially reducing the number of crashes at the three intersections.
Despite the safety measures from the city, Funk said no amount of signs can stop drivers from texting and driving or driving impaired.
Controversial ordinance tabled
Two weeks after nine Monroe residents voiced their concerns about an ordinance that would adopt an amendment to the Tall Oaks Planned Unit Development, three residents expressed their concerns during Tuesday night’s city council meeting.
After hearing their concerns, and since Vice Mayor Christina McElfresh was excused from the meeting and council member Tom Hagedorn abstained from voting because he lives nears the development, council voted to table the ordinance.
Funk said it was important to have as many council members present as possible before a vote was taken. He hopes council votes at its next meeting on July 8.
The residents have questioned why there were certain standards since 2006 when they built their homes in the Tall Oaks subdivision off Ohio 4 and why the developer wants the city to change the PUD.
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