Council gives green light to traffic signal

CELINA - The city will install a new traffic light at the intersection of Havemann Road and the access road between Walmart and Menards but not one at the intersection of Myers Road and Meadowview Drive.

City council members on Monday night unanimously passed final reading of an ordinance to install a traffic signal, at an estimated cost of at least $150,000, at the busy intersection near Walmart and Menards, with councilman Jeff Larmore calling the decision a "no-brainer."

However, councilors rejected on final reading an ordinance to install a traffic signal at Myers Road and Meadowview Drive, ultimately because it didn't meet any of the Ohio Department of Transportation's nine warrants for a traffic signal. The ordinance was defeated on a 6-1 vote. Councilman Myron Buxton cast the only "yes" vote.

A group of residents who live near the Myers Road-Meadowview Drive intersection by Celina Manor and Yorkshire Apartments and area business owners had repeatedly advocated for a traffic signal, presenting council members with a petition containing 177 signatures. Petitioners claimed safety concerns and chronic traffic congestion.

Traffic studies conducted by the city determined a signal was warranted at the Havemann Road site but not on Myers Road.

Councilors still could have installed a traffic light on Myers Road even though the intersection doesn't meet ODOT's threshold, but that move carried a risk, safety service director Tom Hitchcock had said. It is unclear whether Celina's insurance policy would cover the city if the light caused an accident.

"I guess my biggest concern here is setting a precedent for people to petition to get a traffic light put in when the state does not recommend it," councilman Eric Clausen said.

"We are not traffic experts. They are the experts and so I think we've got to do the best we can to listen to what the experts are telling us here," Clausen continued.

Councilman June Scott said many citizens who contacted him opposed installing a traffic light at Myers Road and Meadowview Drive.

"Not that the people that live in that area are right or wrong, it's just there's a lot of variables here - the city at risk, possibly, insurance-wise," Scott said.

Councilman Myron Buxton, who represents the 1st Ward, which abuts the intersection, said most of his calls came from people wanting a traffic signal.

Toni Slusser, the petitioners' spokesperson, had repeatedly asked council to install a traffic signal. Neither Slusser nor any other interested party attended the meeting on Monday.

Instead of installing a traffic light, officials agreed the police department should continue to monitor the area to try to discourage speeders traveling over the posted limit of 35 mph.

"I still can't support putting a traffic signal on Myers Road, at this point, maybe down the road if things change and it gets busier," Larmore said. "I really think just controlling the speed down there, like some of the individuals told me, would probably fix the problem."

Mayor Jeff Hazel seemed to agree, noting the problem seems to be more about speeding than safety. It is the duty of officials, Hazel said, to protect citizens.

"But I also know by some of these folks' own admission, it was not about safety. It was about speed, and you cannot use traffic control devices to control speed," he said about ODOT's rules for traffic devices.

The issue of speeders in the area, Hazel said, is not as prevalent as anticipated.

"The police chief has had his guys down there. They're spending time on every shift. They've written a number of warnings," Hazel said.

Celina Police Chief Tom Wale agreed.

"I don't believe the problem is nearly as severe as it was made out to be," Wale said.

Councilors, however, unanimously agreed a traffic signal is needed at the intersection of Havemann Road and the access road between Walmart and Menards.

"Now this one's a little different," councilman Bill Sell said.

The city's engineering department led a 16-hour traffic study of Havemann Road and the access road. The study, according to Hitchcock, supported warrant No. 2 of the state manual: four-hour vehicle volume.

During four-hour periods on an average day, according to the study, the total traffic on Haveman Road in both directions and the corresponding number of vehicles per hour on the access road surpass the applicable state requirements.

Officials on Monday night did not state when the device will be installed.

"I think there needs to be a decision made how extensive do we want that light to be with turn lanes, with who goes first, who goes second," Scott said.

"Any signal that goes up has to be designed by a traffic engineer and they'll have to determine that," Hazel replied.