Title
Traffic Safety at Ravenna Street / Stow Road Intersection and Improvement Recommendations
Brief Description: City staff would like to discuss recent crash history at the intersection of Ravenna Street and Stow Road, a 2022 Traffic Safety Study of the intersection and recommendations to improve traffic safety at the intersection.
Body
Legislative History
None.
Purpose & Explanation
After a traffic crash at the intersection of Ravenna Street and Stow Road in 2022, City staff completed a traffic safety study of the intersection. The study, attached, included an evaluation to improve the traffic safety at the intersection and identified short term solutions to bring awareness to the intersection and long-term solutions to reduce motor vehicle crashes at this location.
A summary of the study recommendations are as follows:
Short term:
- Review and evaluate 2022 motor vehicle crash reports for this location.
- Install back-plates on all vehicle signals
- Perform a current turning movement count at the location and prepare new signal timing evaluation if applicable.
Medium term:
- Prepare traffic signal modification plans to construct a radar-based dilemma zone protection system for Stow Road through approach. Bid and construct the new system. Evaluate the new system.
Long term:
- Upgrade the traffic signal to replace the span wire support system to mast arms. Connect the traffic signal to the City’s upcoming adaptive signal system for monitoring purposes.
Staff evaluated the short-term solution of installing back plates on the signals and identified that the existing span wire supported signals were too low to the ground surface to allow for the plates to be installed. Located above the signals are First Energy Power lines. Due to conflicts with the power lines, the back plates were not installed.
Given a recent crash at the intersection, staff revaluated the crash history at the intersection and the recommended improvements noted above. A summary of the last two years of crash history is attached.
Staff is reevaluating this short-term solution and has contacted First Energy to request they relocate their power lines so that the span wire can be raised allowing for the installation of the backplates. The signal timing at the intersection is also under review.
The medium-term solution would require the installation of a new controller at the intersection. Since the long-term solution also includes a new controller, along with full signal reconstruction with pole/mast arms, staff is recommending that this project move forward to detailed design and construction and is recommending applying for the project be submitted to AMATS to request grant funding from ODOT. If the project is partially grant funded by ODOT, the construction of the signal upgrades is estimated to take place in 2027-2028.
Fiscal Impact
Currently Budgeted
X Supplemental Appropriation Required (430 Fund - $817,000)
Appropriation Not Required
Recommendation
Suggested Action
Staff is looking for Council direction on how to proceed.
Submitted by,
Thomas J. Sheridan, City Manager
Bradley S. Kosco, PE, PS, City Engineer