Cameras to go at crash sites

Locations taken from list of trouble spots

Monday, November 07, 2005

Jodi Andes

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

The 17 intersections where Columbus is considering posting cameras to catch motorists who run red lights had more than their share of crashes caused by red-light runners.

 

They accounted for about 11 percent of such crashes in 2003 and ’04, a Dispatch analysis of traffic-crash statistics shows. Given that Columbus has more than 1,100 intersections with stoplights, city officials say that means they made wise choices based on safety, not revenue.

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2005/11/07/20051107-E1-02.html&chck=t

Red-light cameras still six weeks away

Officials discussing which intersections will get devices first

Saturday, January 14, 2006

Jodi Andes

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

 

Columbus police had hoped cameras already would be catching red-light runners at city intersections, but it could be Feb. 28 before the first shutter clicks.

 

Negotiations with the camera vendor, Redflex, lasted into mid-December, said George Speaks, deputy safety director.

 

http://dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/01/14/20060114-C4-02.html

Red-light cameras going live

2 intersections begin use Tuesday; only warnings will be issued at first

Monday, March 06, 2006

Jodi Andes

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

 

If you drive Downtown and have a tendency to run red lights, you’re about to appear on candid camera.

 

Unlike those on the comedy television show, you won’t be smiling when you learn that the camera has captured your car’s backside.

 

Starting Tuesday, red-light cameras start flashing at two intersections: N. 4 th Street and Mount Vernon Avenue and farther north at N. 4 th Street and E. 5 th Avenue. The intersections will be marked with signs.

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/03/06/20060306-B1-02.html

 

City’s cameras at intersections could be done in by Senate bill

Saturday, March 11, 2006

Jodi Andes

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Legislation could kill the installation of cameras to nab red-light runners in Columbus, city officials said yesterday.

 

Until last week, the state Senate seemed poised to allow seven Ohio cities to use the cameras, with some restrictions.

 

http://dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/03/11/20060311-A1-04.html

Bill might doom red-light cameras

Legislation requires driver be identified

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Reginald Fields

Plain Dealer Bureau

 

Columbus- Having received the green light less than a year ago, Cleveland's red light camera program could come to a screeching halt if a new version of a bill in the Ohio Senate gains traction.

 

A seventh rewrite of House Bill 56, introduced in a Senate committee on Tuesday, would require police to use a snapshot not only to identify the owner of a car by the license plate but also to determine who was driving.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/ohio/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1142415201292330.xml&coll=2

nbc4i.com

 

Warning Period For Red-Light Runners Expires

Tickets To Be Issued With Photo

 

POSTED: 11:19 am EDT April 7, 2006

UPDATED: 6:27 pm EDT April 7, 2006

 

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- After a month of warnings, tickets will now be issued for motorists who drive through intersections with red-light cameras.

 

Police said they have been seeing a lot of red-light runners since the cameras were activated one month ago, NBC 4's Monique Ming Laven reported.

 

Warnings have been issued, sent with pictures as proof, urging drivers to pay attention.

 

Beginning Friday, runners will have to pay $95 for running a red light.

 

On average, the cameras have caught about 475 violators each week, 95 percent of which were at the intersection of Nationwide Boulevard and Fourth Street.

 

Drivers will also likely know they've been caught. A white flash can be seen whenever the camera takes a photo.

 

Motorists have the opportunity to dispute the citations.

 

Officials said 11 more intersections will have the red-light cameras, but they do not know when they'll be installed.

 

Watch NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com for additional information.

 

http://www.nbc4i.com/news/8531338/detail.html

 

Traffic cameras catch all manner of motorists — even a bus driver — gunning through red lights

BUSTED

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Jodi Andes

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

The threat of a $95 ticket has put the brakes on some red-light runners.

 

In the 30 days after Columbus began sending tickets instead of warnings, the number of drivers blowing through red lights at two intersections where cameras are posted dropped by 40 percent.

 

The fear of a fine has helped, city officials say.

 

http://dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/05/10/20060510-A1-00.html

From the 9/2/06 Dispatch:

 

 

City turns on cameras at two more corners

Saturday, September 02, 2006

 

Columbus has turned on two more red-light cameras.

 

The city began issuing warnings yesterday to motorists whom the cameras caught running red lights at Henderson and Gettysburg roads on the Northwest Side and W. Broad Street and Sylvan Avenue on the West Side.

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/09/02/20060902-B7-06.html

 

From the 9/25/06 Dispatch:

 

Red-light cameras reducing crashes

Number of tickets issued also down as fewer test system

Monday, September 25, 2006

Jodi Andes

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Fewer drivers are running red lights where Columbus has installed cameras, and crashes are down at those intersections six months after the first cameras started issuing tickets.

 

A Dispatch review of the 3,920 tickets issued in Columbus shows that the program has worked as police predicted.

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/09/25/20060925-A1-02.html

 

From the 10/10/06 (OSU) Lantern:

 

 

Red-light cameras installed near campus

Matt Nichols

Issue date: 10/10/06 Section: Campus

 

Drivers might want to think twice before flooring it through the intersection at Summit Street and Chittenden Avenue.

 

The Columbus Division of Police, along with the City of Columbus Focus on Safety Program, has installed its seventh photo-red light in the city. The camera is located at the corner of Summit and Chittenden, just under two miles from the Ohio State campus.

 

http://www.thelantern.com/media/storage/paper333/news/2006/10/10/Campus/RedLight.Cameras.Installed.Near.Campus-2341399.shtml?norewrite200610151902&sourcedomain=www.thelantern.com

 

New law puts city's traffic cameras in jeopardy

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Joseph L. Wagner

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Cleveland's traffic cameras hit a red light Tuesday as the Ohio House endorsed restrictions that city officials say could make the controversial system useless.

 

The new rules are scheduled to go into effect in five months, during which time the traffic cameras will remain operational, city officials said Tuesday.

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/12/13/20061213-A1-04.html

 

 

From the 1/26/07 Dispatch:

 

 

Two Downtown intersections will get red-light cameras

Friday, January 26, 2007

 

COLUMBUS Columbus plans to activate two more red-light cameras by Tuesday at two Downtown intersections: S. 3 rd and Fulton streets and S. 4 th and Town streets.

 

Owners of cars photographed running a red light at those intersections in the next 30 days will receive warning letters. After that, they?ll be fined $95.

 

The intersections will be the eighth and ninth in Columbus with red-light cameras. The ones that already have them are:

 

* N. 4 th Street and Mount Vernon Avenue (Nationwide Boulevard).

* N. 4 th Street and E. 5 th Avenue.

* Cleveland Avenue and Spring Street.

* Summit Street and Chittenden Avenue.

* E. Livingston and Fairwood avenues.

* W. Broad Street and Sylvan Avenue.

* Henderson and Gettysburg roads.

 

http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/contentbe/dispatch/2007/01/26/20070126-E3-06.html

 

From the 2/27/07 Dispatch:

 

 

* GRAPHIC: Red-light cameras working

 

City report shows red-light cameras reduce wrecks

By Mark Ferenchik

The Columbus Dispatch

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

 

If you're angry about that ticket you received from a red-light camera in Columbus, consider this: Only about one in five who appealed their tickets last year beat the rap.

 

That's among the items the city released in a report detailing how the cameras worked in 2006.

 

http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/contentbe/EPIC_shim.php?story=249562

 

From the 6/27/07 Dispatch:

 

 

* Video: Motorists turn right on red at S. 3rd and Fulton.

* Video: Motorists turn right on red at E. 5th and N. 4th.

* Video: Motorist turn right on red at Cleveland Ave and Spring St.

 

Traffic-light Cameras

City is ticketing drivers who roll right on red

Wednesday,  June 27, 2007 3:41 AM

By Mark Ferenchik

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Most people know to take care while driving through Columbus intersections with red-light cameras. Speed through a second after the light turns red, and a $95 ticket soon will arrive in your mailbox.

 

But what if you are turning right on red at an intersection with a camera and don't come to a complete stop?

 

Ticket. Ninety-five bucks.

 

http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/06/27/~REDDLITE.ART_ART_06-27-07_A1_I674V3B.html?type=rss&cat=21

 

Ohio Supreme Court rules red-light cameras are legal

Thursday,  January 31, 2008 9:43 AM

 

Ohio cities may operate automated cameras to catch drivers who run red lights, the state Supreme Court ruled this morning.

 

In a 7-0 ruling, justices struck down a challenge to Akron's red-light cameras. If the ruling had gone the other way, Columbus and other cities that nab drivers with the increasingly common systems would have been forced to take them out.

 

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/01/31/red.html?sid=101

Simply disgusting. Red light cameras have been proven to dramatically increase the rate of accidents at intersections, not decrease it -- which has led Virginia to pull out their red light cameras after only a few months. It also increases corruption when cities re-time the yellow phase to be shorter to increase the potential revenue.

 

4 weeks, 10,000 traffic tickets

Heath officials say they didn't expect such a windfall

By Josh Jarman, Columbus Dispatch, August 1, 2009

 

HEATH, Ohio -- City officials say they were shocked by the number of violations recorded during the first month of traffic-camera enforcement and decided to make it cheaper to protest multiple tickets.

 

More than 10,000 violations had been recorded by Heath traffic cameras through Tuesday. At $100 apiece, that would net the city a little more than $830,000 after paying the vendor, Redflex, its share.

(You can comment on the website)

 

What's up with that?: Redefining temporary

BY STEPH GREEGOR, THE OTHER PAPER 

Published:  Thursday, August 6, 2009 10:49 AM EDT

 

It’s never a good sign when even the city has no idea why a construction project that ended six years ago still retains its reduced speed limit signs in Victorian  Village.

 

“The speed limits in the neighborhood on King, 5^th, Neil and 3^rd avenues, they were reduced down to 25 mph several years ago because of the work on the Spring/Sandusky interchange,” said Steve Cordetti spokesman in the city’s department of public service. “Because of all that work, there were detours set up and they sent traffic through the neighborhood we’re talking about. Because of the increased volume of cars they reduced the speed limit from 35 to 25.”

So we want traffic to charge though the neighborhood faster? 25mph is plenty fast for those streets.

I agree that 25 MPH is fast enough for those streets.  Personally don't care whether its "temporary" or not. 

 

Leave it to The Other Paper to expose the City of Columbus doing the right thing for the wrong reason!

Starting a new thread on this so as to not take a separate thread in the Columbus development forum off topic:

 

11 hours ago, Zyrokai said:

 

Good luck with the crosswalk markings. I've talked about this before, but I'm literally disgusted with the crosswalks in this city. Even in the Short North they don't use the striped, clearly marked crosswalks. It's all the two lane "standard/type A" crosswalk and it seriously pisses me off. I actually want to start a petition to make the standards higher.

 

This bothers me so much.

 

An anecdote:

 

The city added crosswalk markings along Thurman Ave in German Village this summer after repeated requests from the south side commission, but they only added basic parallel lines. I requested through 311 they add high-visibility markings at one intersection (and signs, but I'd be happy just with the markings) and after two months they responded saying that upon further review, the Division of Traffic Management recommended no changes.

 

What's ridiculous is that the city joined NACTO last year and specifically did so to show its commitment to implementing best practices from the NACTO Urban Street Design Guide -- it says as much on their Complete Streets page. The problem they haven't actually implemented even the most basic best practices, because a critical recommendation for crosswalks in the guide is to use "high­-visibility ladder, zebra, and continental crosswalk markings" over standard parallel lines.

 

I for one would absolutely support any means of pressuring the city to actually paint proper crosswalks.

I was curious so I hopped on the google maps machine and took a trip to both Cincinnati and Cleveland to check out their crosswalk situation. Both cities have the same issue that we are complaining about in Columbus, not that it makes it OK. Cincinnati is as bad as Columbus. Just like Columbus, Cincinnati only seems to use the dashed cross walk for pedestrian crossings that are not located at an intersection, or are located at an intersection but are on a one-way street and on the side of the intersection where no cars will stop. Cleveland is much better than Columbus and Cincinnati, but still inconsistent. 

 

 

50 minutes ago, cbussoccer said:

Cincinnati only seems to use the dashed cross walk for pedestrian crossings that are not located at an intersection, or are located at an intersection but are on a one-way street and on the side of the intersection where no cars will stop.

 

Not actually true, though. There's a lot of legacy design around Cincinnati, but newer crosswalks are zebra-style, for the most part.

 

Here are a couple examples of mid-block zebra crosswalks:

https://goo.gl/maps/HC2beXtoW7hq7KEp9

https://goo.gl/maps/q6pAEY6YPQbKBWU28

 

Edit: oh, you said NOT located at intersections. I'll search for some intersection ones.

 

Intersections:

https://goo.gl/maps/N6qJNrdCuGQvpfXQ6

https://goo.gl/maps/aoFsPrQe9a7JFn1G6

https://goo.gl/maps/VS6fwARZiDxyevFs8

Edited October 17, 20195 yr by Robuu

2 minutes ago, Robuu said:

 

Not actually true, though. There's a lot of legacy design around Cincinnati, but newer crosswalks are zebra-style, for the most part.

 

Here are a couple examples of mid-block zebra crosswalks:

https://goo.gl/maps/HC2beXtoW7hq7KEp9

https://goo.gl/maps/q6pAEY6YPQbKBWU28

 

You are proving what I was saying. Those two examples are the "pedestrian corossings that are not located at an intersection" that I was talking about. Columbus does the same exact thing. 

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9698115,-83.0039712,3a,75y,162.71h,82.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sc9hF9amGy7UjCmljX_-VDw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9677238,-83.0053276,3a,75y,7.14h,88.71t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sQQ_6HOSITjZxefayixYUzw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9646667,-83.003999,3a,75y,90.95h,83.02t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sfRgL_kLP1EH7gJrBHFP5wg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9634571,-83.0045024,3a,75y,142.87h,82.99t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sWXcn2hAz8hQ8cDi8gdoNxA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

 

^ Right, check my edit. I first misread the "not at intersections" part.

 

Main Street is a good example of the treatments intersections are getting in the urban core these days:

https://goo.gl/maps/oufcYqd77dv25TaHA

2 minutes ago, Robuu said:

^ Right, check my edit. I first misread the "not at intersections" part.

 

Main Street is a good example of the treatments intersections are getting in the urban core these days:

https://goo.gl/maps/oufcYqd77dv25TaHA

 

I didn't see your edit before I replied. 

26 minutes ago, Robuu said:

^ Right, check my edit. I first misread the "not at intersections" part.

 

Main Street is a good example of the treatments intersections are getting in the urban core these days:

https://goo.gl/maps/oufcYqd77dv25TaHA

 

Yeah that's a good example of what Columbus should be doing but isn't.

 

Even in the Short North on the section of High St that was just rebuilt, they have put down standard parallel lines at signalized intersections and no markings or signage at most unsignalized intersections. (There are only two crosswalks at unsignalized intersections that do have markings and signs, and one of those has a rapid flashing beacon)

It's not like this is only gold-plated Dublin/Worthington/Westerville stuff. Even Groveport's got the zebras.

I'm so glad this thread was created. In addition to the comment I made in the OP, I also said this about a couple months ago in another thread....so here's my initial contribution to the thread. Just gonna quote myself: 

 

On 8/27/2019 at 12:43 PM, Zyrokai said:

 

You know what makes me SO mad about renders like this............is that they always show the international standard crosswalk design that the city of Columbus REFUSES to use except in very certain circumstances and we're lucky to have even that.

 

Boils my blood because pedestrian safety should be #1. I was just in Los Angeles and even there EVERY single intersection has this design, not the absolute basic design.

 

Floors me that, especially in the Short North and University District, these aren't standard.

 

/rant

 

On 8/27/2019 at 1:38 PM, Zyrokai said:

 

Yep. It's infuriating to say the least. I've actually wanted to start a petition to make this change but.....I'm a little naive on how I can do this and if it's even possible. But I feel like it's something a citizen-led thing can achieve.

 

OSU probably manages the streets on their campus......maybe. Or it's one of those RARE exceptions I was telling you about. If you go to another municipality, like Grandview Heights, they've adopted the standard design. Maybe not UA., lol. 

 

But for a city the size of Columbus not to do so, it's frankly embarrassing and is a blatant car concession. I actually know why this is going on within in the city, and I don't want to give details to make my source less anonymous....but there ARE people in the city fighting this....but they seem to not be making much progress.

 

Anyway, sorry to derail the thread. I don't know where else to discuss it, though.

 

Edited October 17, 20195 yr by Zyrokai

I really never even noticed this until your comment a few months back @Zyrokai and now I cannot not notice it. I have to admit, it's maddening. I have been unable to come up with any logical reason as to why the city is not using the standard but instead doing the bare minimum. How can Columbus tout pedestrian safety and walkability but not even correctly paint crosswalks to safety standards. I really do not understand. 

 

Does anyone actually know what can be done about this? Like a media source or inquiry to actually get an answer and maybe a solution?

Also, I believe the striped crosswalks are usually considered the "internationl style" meaning.....they're pretty much standard globally, lol.

 

As far as Cleveland and Cincinnati, I think it varies as well....none are that great, but Columbus seriously lags behind. Most of Cleveland's downtown are striped, although not with the best paint.

 

I mean when you have cities like Minneapolis, Portland, Seattle, Boston.....they're all so close if not already implementing their Vision Zero plans yet we can't even get up to speed on crosswalk design.

 

ALSO......many small towns do this already. And when I lived in PA, they were nearly everywhere and universal. Maybe it's state mandated there?

One positive thing I've noticed is that every intersection on High Street between 70/71 and 670 has brick cross walks. It's not the zebra stripes, but it's better than most other corsswalks in the city.

 

I also just noticed street view now has 2019 images. That must have just been added today. 

 

Just now, Zyrokai said:

Also, I believe the striped crosswalks are usually considered the "internationl style" meaning.....they're pretty much standard globally, lol.

 

As far as Cleveland and Cincinnati, I think it varies as well....none are that great, but Columbus seriously lags behind. Most of Cleveland's downtown are striped, although not with the best paint.

 

I mean when you have cities like Minneapolis, Portland, Seattle, Boston.....they're all so close if not already implementing their Vision Zero plans yet we can't even get up to speed on crosswalk design.

 

ALSO......many small towns do this already. And when I lived in PA, they were nearly everywhere and universal. Maybe it's state mandated there?

 

I really don't think Cincinnati is any better than Columbus, at least downtown. Cleveland is much better than Columbus and Cincinnati though. 

4 minutes ago, cbussoccer said:

One positive thing I've noticed is that every intersection on High Street between 70/71 and 670 has brick cross walks. It's not the zebra stripes, but it's better than most other corsswalks in the city.

 

Oh, yeah I don't mind the brick ones! Front Street has them as well (in spots....mainly River South). Anything that makes them stand out to motorists more than two (or none at all) white lines parallel to the "stop here" line (whatever it's called). I truly think most people just think they're "stop here" lines when, in fact, there is usually one marked way back before the crosswalk lines. I'd say like 50% of drivers just.....drive up and sit in the crosswalk : \

 

8 minutes ago, DevolsDance said:

I really never even noticed this until your comment a few months back @Zyrokai and now I cannot not notice it. I have to admit, it's maddening. I have been unable to come up with any logical reason as to why the city is not using the standard but instead doing the bare minimum. How can Columbus tout pedestrian safety and walkability but not even correctly paint crosswalks to safety standards. I really do not understand. 

 

Does anyone actually know what can be done about this? Like a media source or inquiry to actually get an answer and maybe a solution?

 

Help me start a petition! ................................or fire that one person rumored to be the hold up that I mentioned in my post from August, lol.

EDIT: I'm out and about and using my mobile phone to post these pictures so I might not have posted them all correctly. I don't know if more than one showed up but hopefully you can see them. There should be about five. If not, I'll post the rest later when I'm home. I've also never posted photos on here before so I'm a n00b.

 

So apparently they are now actively removing some from the short North. I took a picture of one below while I was there last night....and you can see where they removed the markings. There are now far too many crosswalks in it Short north with ADA ramps at actively have zero markings now. I also took some pictures of some regular crosswalks that have markings just to sort of highlight how awkward and barren they look.

 

I also took some pictures of unmarked crosswalks that are obviously very highly used that need something. Literally anything.

 

Even if they have their reasons, they're all BS. Every one of these should be marked. Every single one.

Edited October 19, 20195 yr by Zyrokai

So I'm still planning on fixing my previous post now that I understand I need to host images first ? . Just haven't had time but I took some good ones.

 

However, I will now settle for nothing less than this now that I know it's a thing:

 

 

Why did they remove they remove the most basic of crosswalk markings here? This seriously pisses me.off so much. They should have the international standard here, not removing it. What the actual.....

 

You can see the removed markings. This poor guy.

 

There's definitely a culture (and honestly I think training/education) issue in DPS regarding crosswalk markings...

 

I had reported the crosswalk at Thurman and City Park Ave in German Village (where they had added basic parallel line markings over the summer) asking for ladder style markings to be added and the response I got back referenced NCHRP guidelines for uncontrolled crosswalks from 2006. I looked through those guidelines and they don't say anything about the style of markings used. More recent guidelines from FHWA, NACTO, etc all recommend using higher-visibility markings like the ladder style markings that Columbus uses in some places but not most places.

Mayor Ginther announced yesterday the City of Columbus is officially taking steps to become a Vision Zero community.

 

Columbus Underground and The Dispatch both have articles on the announcement and the city has launched a website with a survey, a public input map, and more information: columbus.gov/visionzero

 

 

I'm hopeful this means we may see some meaningful progress on improving the walkability and bikeability of more streets in Columbus. It remains to be seen how many resources the city actually puts behind the "Action Plan" that they will be creating as part of this process.

Columbus begins to implement vision for reducing traffic deaths, injuries in city

Bethany Bruner & Mark Ferenchik - The Dispatch - Mar. 2, 2021

 

"Columbus had 81 traffic deaths in 2020, according to Glenn McEntyre, spokesman for the Department of Public Safety. There were 54 traffic fatalities in 2019 and 50 in 2018, according to the Vision Zero report.  So far in 2021, there have been 16 fatal crashes in Columbus, resulting in 18 people being killed. Four people were killed Monday in three separate crashes, including two in a crash involving a wrong-way driver, a pedestrian and a woman who was killed after her vehicle was struck following an unrelated non-injury crash."

 

 

 

 

https://vision-zero-columbus.hub.arcgis.com/

Edited March 2, 20214 yr by NorthShore647

City to Lower Speed Limits Downtown as Part of Vision Zero Effort

 

The City of Columbus has made its first commitments toward improving road safety since signing on to the Vision Zero initiative last year.

 

Headlining the list is a plan to impose a speed limit of 25 mph on all Downtown streets, but also included are commitments to improve 60 crosswalks throughout the city, make safety-related changes to 15 dangerous intersections, and to change the lane configuration of at least one road corridor by the end of 2022.

 

Changes are also planned for the city’s Roadway Design Manual, which means that new or reconstructed roads in the future would need to be designed to “provide protection to all users in the right of way,” including pedestrians and cyclists.

 

More below:

https://www.columbusunderground.com/city-to-lower-speed-limits-downtown-as-part-of-vision-zero-plan-bw1

 

Lower Downtown Speed Limit Led to Fewer Crashes; More Changes Planned

 

In March of 2023, the City of Columbus lowered the speed limit on Downtown streets to 25 miles per hour. The effort was tied to the Vision Zero street safety initiative, and data released recently by the city show that the change did indeed make those streets safer – the number of reported crashes in the 11 months after the installation of the new limit was down 15 percent compared to the 11 months after the change was made.

 

There were 479 reported crashes in that time period before the change (including 19 fatal and serious injury crashes) compared to 407 reported crashes after (nine of which were fatal and serious injury crashes).

 

Before the change, there were 11 streets Downtown with speed limits over 25 mph (for at least a portion of their length): Broad Street, Third Street, Fourth Street, Spring Street, Long Street, Cleveland Avenue, Town Street, Rich Street, Main Street, Mound Street, and Grant Avenue.

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/there-have-been-fewer-crashes-downtown-since-speed-limit-lowered-bw1/

 

Colorful Crosswalks Installed as Part of Federal Research Project

 

A new type of crosswalk is being tested out in a handful of Columbus neighborhoods. In between the standard white lines, the new crosswalks feature colors and patterns not typically seen on Columbus streets.

 

There were traditional crosswalks at each of the locations previously, but the added color has caused neighbors to take note; several posted on social media approvingly about the new, highly visible designs. Some residents also wondered how the new crosswalks came to be – and if perhaps it was the work of guerrilla or tactical urbanists working in a non-official capacity – since previous requests for bolder or more colorful crosswalks have been denied by the city over the years.

 

The new crosswalks were in fact installed by city crews, though, as part of a research project being conducted in Columbus and three other cities by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/colorful-crosswalks-installed-as-part-of-federal-research-project-bw1/

 

Ideas Presented for Henderson Road Include Roundabouts, Path

 

A portion of Henderson Road that serves as the northern border of Upper Arlington could get a significant redesign. The suburb has been holding public meetings and gathering feedback on the concept from residents as part of its Envision Henderson initiative.

 

The Henderson “Boulevard” concept, first presented in August, calls for filling in the existing center turn lane with a landscaped median, building a shared-use path along the northern side of the street, and replacing traffic lights at Reed Road and Gettysburg Road with roundabouts.

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/ideas-presented-for-henderson-road-include-roundabouts-path/

 

Work Wrapping Up on Two-Way Conversions Downtown

 

Front Street and Marconi Boulevard will run in both directions all the way through Downtown starting next week.

 

Front Street south of Broad Street was converted from one-way to two-way operation over a decade ago, as was Civic Center Drive (Marconi turns into Civic Center south of Broad). The conversion of the northern sections of the two streets was approved by City Council last spring, and workers have spent much of the last year installing new traffic signals and signs, as well as completing underground utility work.

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/work-wrapping-up-on-two-way-conversions-downtown-bw1/