Connecting Communities Planning Grant AMATS Safe Alternatives: Less Traffic (SALT) Submitted by: Mayor Joseph Bica, Jr. 210 Park Way Ravenna OH 44266 330-296-3864 (p) 330-297-2164 (f) jbica@ci.ravenna.oh.us 10/14/1143. Safe Alternatives: Less Traffie (SALT) isthe proposed "Connecting Communities” study that will fous onthe cond formerly known as Ohio State Rout 44, which traverses through central Portage County. About 40 years ago, the State Route 44 Bypass was bil, which rected semi-truck traffic around rather than through the City of Ravenna, ‘This coridor ‘remains the main connector route forthe city of Ravenna tothe neighboring townships of Ravenna and Rootstown and it is used by trucks, cars, motoreyetes, bicyclists and pedestrians ‘This extremely busy corridor serves thousands of folks traveling to daily destination Points necessary for quality of fe: housing, employment, retail, recreation, government services and education, As demand continues to increase, so do sfity concers. Because this shor, five rile heavily trafficked coridorinchudes two high-crash roadway sections itis evident a trafic study tha eviews options for, multi-modal transportation for people of ll bilitis and income is desperately needed. The shoulders of this roadway show obvious signs of use: down trodden sand worn from the foot waffic and bieyles because theres oly a partial sidewalk. We need safe alternatives and less traffic or the pedestrians and bicycles that are sharing this corridor withthe automobiles and trucks, ‘This study wil provide three communities with relevant dta and the tools necessary fora coordinated approach to fture transportation planing. Dota collected will identify user demographics, mode of tansporttion (private cr, public transportation, bieyle, ee), time of day travelling, preference in alternative use of transportation, problems encountered, snd suggestions for improvement, te 4. Project map: R2R Corridor (Attachment A)5. Planning Area: There ae two major problems facing this coridor: limited safe alternatives inthe wba area for pedestrian and bieysist tfc and continually increasing trafic demands. The nortem seton of this coridor locate i a densely populated urban area that has predefined space limitations that may not accommodate bicycle lanes but des have partial sidewalks. In contrast, te suburban areas inthe Townships of Ravenna and Rootstown hhave adequate space and could accommodate bicycle and pedestrian paths, which would generate less trate congestion "The middle ofthis corridor is complicated by a severe “S” tur, in which limited sight distance is causing difficulty for ears tuming. The “S” curve is under a railroad overpass and the height clearance proves challenging for truck trafic. The Portage County Engineer's office has identified the intersection of Prospect and Summit Streets in Ravenna Township for traffic signal installation in order to alleviate these traffic challenges and to improve traffic low. ‘The southem end ofthe corridor serves the Roostown educational system and students have ‘created pathway alongside the high-traffic roadway. Rootstown community members have attended the Township mostngs to express concera forthe safety and well-being ofthe childen, \which supports the finding in the AMATS 2007-2009 Trafic-Crash Repor that identified tit area. asa high erash roadway section. The faulty, staf, and students of Northeast Ohio Medic University (NEOMED) are often burdened with long waits and traffic back-ups during rush hour hile trying o aces State Route 44. The Portage Area Regional Transportation Autority (PARTA) has recently implemented the Raven Route, an expanded fixed rout service that serves the Ravenna town center and contains 17 bus stops along this coridor. With the ‘upcoming NEOMED expansion, PARTA may want fo extend the route tothe Rootstown area,