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“We had a few pedestrians hit on crosswalks so that will be a focus on the roundabout project in 2019,” Bumbalough said. “Increasing pedestrian awareness and making it safer for them to cross.”
Slowing speeds down for entering and exiting vehicles will be a priority in the new design, he said. They will also be looking into implementing a truck apron on the roundabout so that large vehicles can roll on top of it without hitting a fixed object or other vehicles.
The city has received grant money for the project, Bumbalough said, including a $160,000 grant from the ODOT Small Cities program and a highway safety grant of $300,000. More than $100,000 will also come from federal funding.
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That does come with a local match. The city must put in 20 percent for the federal funding while the city must match 5 percent for the safety grant.
“Not only are we aiming to make it safer, but we are aiming to make it more aesthetically pleasing, enhance our downtown a little bit,” Bumbalough said.
Residents who attended a meeting earlier this month provided good public feedback, Bumbalough said. However, the public comment part of the design process is still open, he said
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“We are trying to keep it public,” he said.
A comment sheet can be uploaded from UrbanaOhio.com or anyone interested in making a suggestion can email Bumbalough at tyler.bumbalough@ci.urbana.oh.us.
Along with making changes to the roundabout, the city is looking for suggestion to help improve parking downtown.
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The Springfield News-Sun digs into important public safety issues, including recent stories on efforts to widen Interstate 70 and plans to improve one of the most dangerous intersections in Clark County.
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