Title
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 410.01, SCHEDULE I, “EXISTING POSTED SPEED LIMITS,” OF THE TRAFFIC CODE TO LOWER THE SPEED LIMIT FROM 45 MILES PER HOUR TO 35 MILES PER HOUR ON VALLEY VIEW ROAD BETWEEN SR 91 AND NORTH CORPORATION LIMIT; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
Brief Description: After a recent discussion with the Ohio Department of Transportation, it has been determined that the speed limit along Valley View Road from the northerly corporation line to Darrow Road (SR 91) should be lowered from 45 mph to 35 mph.
Body
Legislative History
95-234 - Designating Speed Limits, Stop Intersections, No Parking, Yield, No Left Turns, Turn onto Prohibited, Handicap Parking, 3/6/1996
05-133 - Revise Posted Speed Limit on Ravenna Street from S. Hayden to Stow Road; Sullivan Road, and Stow Road from Norton Road to N. Corp., 9/21/2005
07-29, Revise Speed Limit on Ravenna Street between Stow Road and Stone Road, 4/18/2007
10-93 - Authorize Posting of School Zone Speed Limits in WRA Area, 8/4/2010
20-153 - Revise Speed Limit on Terex Road; 12/1/2020
Purpose & Explanation
In 2019, Council asked staff to investigate if the speed limit along Valley View Road could be lowered to 35 MPH to provide a safer condition along the corridor.
Staff reviewed the Ohio Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (OMUTCD) which states "Section 4511.21 of the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) establishes statutory speed limits and prescribes how those speed limits may be altered when an engineering study determines that they do not fit the road and traffic conditions.” Staff then reviewed ORC section 4511.21 which categorizes Valley View Road as a "through highway", and assigns a prima-facie speed limit set at 35 mph.
As part of the 2019 review, staff requested input from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) on why the current posted speed limit along the Hudson section of Valley View Road is currently posted as 45 MPH, not the ORC speed of 35 mph. ODOT’s records indicate that a “Speed Revision” established a 45-mph zone between SR 91 and the Macedonia Corporation limits in 1988, before Hudson was incorporated into a City. ODOT noted that lowering the speed limit would follow the “Speed Zone Study” process. Therefore, City staff collected speed data which identified that the qualifications for the speed limit change would not be met and the 45-mph speed limit along Valley View Road remained.
This fall, based upon recent public and Council input, City staff contacted ODOT as requested by the City Manager to review the potential to lower the speed limit along Valley View Road. This recent discussion, ODOT indicated that based upon recent policy changes, that after the City became incorporated, and in accordance with ORC 4511.21, the City can change the speed limit on Valley View Road to 35 mph without any requirements from ODOT.
Legal Authority for Proposed Legislation
Pursuant to Charter Section 6.04, Contracts & Purchasing:
Competitively bid and advertised for two consecutive weeks
Joint or Cooperative Purchase Program
Professional Services
X Other
Fiscal Impact
Currently Budgeted
Supplemental Appropriation Required
X Appropriation Not Required
Does this legislation require use of an emergency clause?
X Yes
No
Recommendation
Suggested Action
The City staff recommends that the speed limit be lowered from 45 mph to 35 mph on Valley View Road between the northerly corporation line to Darrow Road (SR 91).
Submitted by,
Thomas J. Sheridan, City Manager
Bradley S. Kosco, PE, PS, City Engineer