Bill Peters, president of Greater Springfield Friends of the Trail, said that intersection is one of the busiest in the county. “I would think any kind of flashing device to help that intersection would be a big help,” he said.
What’s proposed is similar to a device on Mitchell Boulevard in Springfield, though that’s a 35 mph road and U.S. 68 is 55 mph.
Ohio Department of Transportation District Planning Administrator Brad Lightle said this would be the first such warning system in a high speed area in the district.
“My goal is to try to make it happen by the end of the year, if possible,” he said.
ODOT officials say such a device could cost between $15,000 and $40,000, depending on how it was configured.
Officials say they were planning this long before former SHS principal Thomas Spurgin was killed after his bicycle was hit by a pickup truck on Sept. 1. Spurgin was crossing Hickory Grove Road on the bike path in Champaign County when he was struck.
The U.S. 68 intersection is marked with signs and striping for motorists and bicycles, but it is still a concern to Clark County Park District Director James Campbell.
“We have not had an accident there but there is still some concern there could be an accident, because that’s a lot of traffic there,” he said. “Most people feel like that is the most likely candidate (for such signage), because it’s heavily traveled.”
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0374 or jsweigart@coxohio.com.
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