By Walt Schaefer
The Cincinnati Enquirer

QUESTION: When traveling westbound on Harrison Avenue in Green Township and turning left onto Race Road, the oncoming traffic is very heavy and often only one or two cars can make it through the signal before it changes to red. Have officials considered adding a turn arrow to allow turning motorists a better opportunity to clear the intersection? - Dan Klocke, Green Township

ANSWER: Hamilton County Engineer William W. Brayshaw said the intersection has been reviewed and to add a left-turn signal and maintain proper signal operation, a dedicated left turn lane for westbound Harrison Avenue would need to be created.

Without the dedicated lane, a left turn arrow would place most through traffic into one lane while green signal time would need to be taken from another direction of traffic movement.

Traffic counts indicate heavy through traffic at the intersection with few cars turning left. Therefore, a turn arrow cannot be justified.

Q: On Colerain Avenue between Struble Road and Interstate 275 in Colerain Township, lane lines have nearly faded, making it difficult to distinguish lane direction. When will the lines be repainted? - Barry Zaslow, Oxford

A: Joseph B. Bassil, traffic maintenance engineer for the Ohio Department of Transportation, said pavement markings were repainted Nov. 7, but due to the high number of vehicles on the road and the constant amount of heavy truck traffic using the road to access a nearby landfill, it is very difficult to maintain visible markings.

ODOT has adopted a policy of restriping this area at least twice a year compared with yearly striping of other Cincinnati area routes.

Q: The former St. Mark School near Dana Avenue and Montgomery Road in Evanston is closed and will not reopen until fall of 2003. Will the school signs and warning lights at the Interstate 71 Dana Avenue exit be removed to speed traffic flow? - Leona Hay, Mohawk

A: Cincinnati Traffic Engineer Steve Bailey said that rather than remove the flashing signs, the lights were turned off. This reflects the conditions in other school zones when schools are not in session. The city will remove any ground mounted signs that may confuse motorists but will not incur the expense of removing overhead flashing signs since the school will reopen next year.

You Asked For It answers questions about regional history, government, schools and roads. Call 381-2800 and enter 2002. Fax 755-4150. E-mail wschaefer@enquirer.com. Mail The Cincinnati Enquirer, 7700 Service Center Drive, West Chester, Ohio 45069. Include name, neighborhood and phone.