Monday, April 17, 2000
Project to relieve road backups - eventually
Work on Middletown intersection won't finish until 2001
BY Janet C. Wetzel
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MIDDLETOWN — The thousands of motorists who for years have fumed as they wrestled traffic snarls at the Ohio 122/Towne Boulevard intersection will have some relief this year.
But it comes with a price. And not just the estimated $1.7 million cost. Throughout construction, which should begin about June, two or more lanes will be closed at a time.
And there won't be total relief this year, said Andy Braun, Middletown engineer. Traffic signal poles that must be special-ordered for lights won't likely be here for months, so the project will resume in the spring of 2001 and be finished that summer.
“I think we're looking at definite improvements this construction season, but it probably will not be completed until next summer (2001),” Mr. Braun said. “We're going to push and get everything we can get done this year.”
That intersection, which carries traffic into Towne Mall and surrounding businesses, plus the bustling Middletown Crossings, is one of the busiest in the city. The latest traffic study in 1996 showed peak traffic counts of 4,200 at 5-6 p.m. weekdays and 4,300 Sunday afternoon. That's likely jumped by 5 percent each year, Mr. Braun said.
“Unfortunately, for a while, it will get worse before it gets better, as with all construction projects,” Mr. Braun said. “Hopefully people will recognize that there are already problems, and this should make it a lot better.”
The project includes adding a turn lane on all four legs of the intersection — three right-turn and one left-turn lane from westbound 122 into Middletown Crossings.
The existing left-turn lane into the Crossings will be lengthened.
That requires removing the merge lane from southbound Interstate 75 and putting a traffic signal at the end of the ramp, to avoid traffic trying to come directly off the interstate and weaving into the proper lane only a few feet before the intersection.
And traffic leaving Applebee's and Cracker Barrel restaurants will be rerouted to exit at a new traffic signal at the intersection of Terhune Drive and Towne Boulevard, south of the existing entrance/exit, to alleviate the current backups.
City Commissioner Laura Williams said the work is essential.
“You sit there and get aggravated, then people take chances,” Mrs. Williams said. “It's a hazard right now. I know that it's going to be an inconvenience while they're working but it's something that has to be dealt with.”
Funding includes a $636,000 state local transportation improvement funds grant, plus Warren County is paying about $135,000 for engineering and $70,000 construction costs, and the ODOT will install the new traffic light at the I-75 ramp.
“Anytime you improve the flow of traffic, you improve the whole community, especially in the busy east end,” Mrs. Williams said.
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