Nick McWilliams reporting – A pair of traffic safety projects in Holmes and Stark Counties will be a part of 27 improvements under $61 million of state funding.
The projects under the Ohio Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Improvement Program are aimed at improving safety at intersections with sidewalks, roundabouts, and restricted crossing u-turns.
Studies conducted by the state show that roundabouts can reduce crashes by nearly 50 percent, and serious injury or deadly incidents by around 80 percent.
Northward, in Stark, a roundabout installation on State Route 172 is planned for the intersection at Alabama Avenue, aimed at reducing speeds. The project will cost $2.75 million.
In Holmes, a single-lane roundabout will be installed on U.S. 62 at State Route 557, barring the results of a demonstration project. That project is also aimed at preventing severe crashes by reducing speeds, with an estimated cost of $2.32 million.
Both projects are planned for fiscal year 2027.
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