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Interchange area due for traffic changes
(by Joan Demirjian - September 16, 2009)
Interchange area due for traffic changes
By JOAN DEMIRJIAN
Representatives from the Ohio Department of Transportation outlined the latest plan Monday to alleviate traffic tie-ups at the Route 422 interchange at Chillicothe Road (Route 306) in Bainbridge.
Dale Schiavoni, ODOT District 12 transportation planning and programs administrator, told Bainbridge Trustees that the district has considered a number of ways to address the congestion at the interchange.
Those ideas have included reconfiguration and relocation of ramps and a roundabout plan. Some of them would feed traffic too quickly onto Route 422 and would cause more problems to the west on the freeway, he said. "They worked too well."
Brian Blayney, District 12 project manager, said Monday that the interchange is not a high crash location, but it is a concern because of the congestion.
He said the most congestion and delay occurs during the morning and afternoon rush hours. Traffic backs up on the eastbound exit ramp in the afternoon, and there are high traffic volumes on Chillicothe Road, he said, and those factors cause the most serious problems.
Peak hours are 6 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 6 p.m. In an area like Bainbridge, the afternoon hours are the most congested, he said.
The series of four closely spaced intersections on Chillicothe Road at the interchange further affects the traffic movement, he said.
The proposed improvements call for widening Bainbridge Road, north of the interchange, as it approaches Chillicothe Road from the east, and providing a dedicated left-turn lane. Chagrin Road from the west would be widened to provide a dedicated right-turn lane. Northbound Chillicothe Road would be widened to develop a right-turn lane between the Route 422 eastbound ramps and Bainbridge Road.
The Route 422 eastbound exit ramp would be widened to add a third lane. The middle lane could turn or left, and there would be dedicated right-turn and left-turn lanes.
Traffic signals and their phasing and coordination would be improved as well, Mr. Blayney said.
As for Bainbridge Road south of the interchange, Geauga County or the township would be responsible for any improvements, such as a right-turn lane.
The proposed construction would provide an improvement in overall operations of the interchange area, Mr. Blayney said.
While the intersections still are not as good as they would prefer, he said, it is impossible to reach a high level of service without adding capacity and widening Route 422 and Chillicothe Road. However, there are no current plans to widen Chillicothe Road to four lanes, Mr. Blayney said.
The consultant has begun the design plans, which are expected to be completed in November 2010. Construction is to start in 2011. The estimated cost of the project is $1.5 million.
Bainbridge Trustee Linda White questioned if anything would be done with Bainbridge Road, approaching Chillicothe Road from the east. Traffic backs up past the Kmart store driveway at times to Plum Creek and almost to Haskins Road, she said.
Mr. Blayney said the additional turn lane on Bainbridge Road will help with that situation.
Trustee Matthew Lynch asked if the project is expected to solve all the problems at the interchange.
Mr. Schiavoni noted that it won't, unless more lanes are added on Route 422 and Chillicothe Road. "We're getting built out, and it is difficult to add lanes and solve these types of problems," he said.
With the proposed improvements, more vehicles will move with less delays, he said. "But it's still not ideal."
He said ODOT will use land the state already owns on Chagrin and Bainbridge roads.
The township has been maintaining those properties, Ms. White said. "You can have it back."
The project has been a long time in coming, Mr. Lynch said. "I'm happy they're making these changes. We certainly need to make changes with the freeway, but I fear it won't be long term."
However, Bainbridge's population has stabilized, so, hopefully, the changes will alleviate the traffic, Mr. Lynch said.
Ms. White said it appears that the plan is the best the state can do now to alleviate the traffic problems.
She had questioned if the money for the project will still be available when construction begins.
Mr. Schiavoni said federal construction and planning money has been secured and is in place.
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