By Mark Carpenter
People’s Defender
The new ways of relaying information to the public is definitely not the same as the old ways of relaying information to the public. The latest public meeting that was not what people maybe expected as a public meeting was held at the Seaman Community Building on June 30 concerning the proposed improvement project involving the intersection of State Rte. 32 and State Rte. 247 plus Tranquility Pike. Much like the recent Amazon data center meeting in Manchester, an expected question and answer time with officials from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) was not the format. Instead, there were various displays set up around the building, each manned by ODOT project team representatives, where concerned residents could move around and pose their questions at each stop. Though it may not have been what people expected, there at least was the opportunity to talk to officials and give opinions and feedback.
One rumor circulating at the meeting was that the idea for this project had come from a request from the Ohio State Highway Patrol and in information distributed at the June 30 meeting, the purpose of the intersection improvement is to eliminate or reduce serious crashes that have been observed at that particular location. Over a five-year period (2021-2025), there have been 28 crashes at the SR 32 and SR 247 intersection. Of those, 29% have resulted in injuries but no fatalities have occurred in the past five years.
Overall, according to ODOT, the project will consist of replacing the existing signalized intersection with an RCUT intersection. A Restricted Crossing U-Turn (RCUT) is described as a relatively new intersection design that has been proven to enhance safety at intersections along busy, multi-lane divided highways. In a RCUT, side street (minor cross street) traffic is prohibited from turning left or traveling straight through the main intersection. Instead, all motorists on the side street are forced to turn right . Once all side street motorists have turned right, they are immediately given an opportunity to make a U-turn, effectively replacing the original left turn. Motorists on the main street continue through the intersection, turn right or turn left as they would at a conventional intersection.
The sum of all that explanation , if approved, will result in the following:
• Existing traffic signal being removed
• All traffic approaching SR 32 from SR 247 will be forced to go right
Comments on this proposal can be submitted via the project website, email, phone, or mail until July 30:
Tom Barnitz, P.E.
650 Eastern Avenue, Chillicothe, Ohio 43601
(740) 774-8877