News Release
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) District 9 invites the public to a meeting regarding a planned safety improvement project at the intersection of SR 32 and SR 247 in Adams County.
About the Project
ODOT proposes to replace the existing signalized intersection with a Reduced Collision U-Turn (RCUT). This would prohibit traffic from turning left or driving straight across SR 32 while on SR 247. Instead, drivers would turn right and complete a legal U-turn at a nearby crossover. The RCUT is expected to reduce rear end and angle crashes observed at this intersection. Additionally, based upon the high percentage of injury crashes, ODOT proposes to close the access to Tranquility Pike from SR 32 by removing the access entirely. To aid in large truck access to Tranquility Pike, a new connection to Burnt Cabin Road will be created north of SR 32 in Village of Seaman. Construction would begin in 2028.
Background
The SR 32/247 and SR 32/Tranquility Pike intersections have a history of crashes. During a five-year period from 2019 through 2023, there were 10 crashes at Tranquility Pike and nine crashes at SR 32/247. For the intersections combined, about 80% of the 19 crashes resulted in injuries and included one fatality. Most crashes were rear end and angle crashes. RCUTs are designed to minimize conflict points and simplify decision making for drivers on busy high-speed corridors. They accomplish this by forcing drivers to focus on one direction of traffic at a time, which helps reduce high-impact crashes.
Why RCUTs?
In addition to allowing for more efficient movement of traffic, RCUT intersections can reduce the total number of conflicts points by up to 50 percent, therefore limiting collision opportunities and, typically, the severity of such collisions. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has deemed RCUTs a proven safety countermeasure.
Public Meeting
A public meeting open house will be held on Tuesday, June 30, from 4 – 6 p.m. at the Seaman Community Building, 17806 OH 247, Seaman, Ohio 45679. There will be no formal presentation, as this is an open house public meeting.
Comment Submission
Comments can be submitted via the project website, email, phone, or mail until July 30, 2026:
Tom Barnitz, P.E.
650 Eastern Avenue Chillicothe, Ohio 43601
(740) 774-8877
ODOT values public participation and encourages feedback regardless of race, color, sex, age, national origin, or disability. For those unable to access the meeting, additional information can be obtained by contacting Tom Barnitz.