Road Diet | Information Guide for Mahoning and Trumbull Counties

Road Diet Information Guide for Mahoning and Trumbull Counties

2017 EASTGATE REGIONAL COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS Serving Northeast Ohio since 1973

The Eastgate Regional Council of Governments is a multipurpose Regional Council of Governments for Ashtabula, Mahoning and Trumbull Counties, as established by Section 167.01 of the Ohio Revised Code. Eastgate is the agency designated or recognized to perform the following functions:

 Serve as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) in Mahoning and Trumbull counties, with responsibility for the comprehensive, coordinated, and continuous planning for highways, public transit, and other transportation modes, as defined in Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) legislation.

 Perform continuous water quality planning functions in cooperation with Ohio and U.S. EPA.

 Administration of the Clean Ohio Conservation Funds.

 Provide planning to meet air quality requirements under FAST Act and the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990.

 Administration of the Economic Development District Program of the Economic Development Administration.

 Administration of the Local Development District of the Appalachian Regional Commission.

 Administration of the State Capital Improvement Program for the District 6 Public Works Integrating Committee.

 Administer the area clearinghouse function, which includes providing local government with the opportunity to review a wide variety of local or state applications for federal funds.

 Administration of the regional Rideshare Program for Ashtabula, Mahoning, and Trumbull counties.

 Conduct demographic, economic, and land use research.

 With General Policy Board direction, provide planning assistance to local governments that comprise the Eastgate planning area.

GENERAL POLICY BOARD (2017) Chairman – Casey Kozlowski, Ashtabula County Vice Chairman – Pat Ginnetti, Mahoning County

Mayor Eric Augustein, Village of Beloit Mayor Nick Phillips, City of Campbell Mayor Ruth Bennett, Village of Orangeville Mayor J. Michael Pinkerton, Village of Sebring Mauro Cantalamessa, Trumbull County Commissioner James J. Pirko, Citizens Advisory Board Mayor John Darko, City of Hubbard Representative, Trumbull County David Ditzler, Mahoning County Commissioner Daniel Polivka, Trumbull County Commissioner J.P. Ducro, IV, Ashtabula County Commissioner Kurt Princic, OEPA NE District Chief James Ferraro, Director, Western Reserve Transit Carol Rimedio-Righetti, Mahoning County Commissioner Authority Randy Samulka, Citizens Advisory Board Mayor Douglas Franklin, City of Warren Representative, Mahoning County Frank Fuda, Trumbull County Commissioner Mayor Thomas Scarnecchia, City of Niles Fred Hanley, Hubbard Township Mayor Timothy Sicafuse, Village of Poland Mark Hess, Trumbull County Transit Randy Smith, Trumbull County Engineer Mayor Arno Hill, Village of Lordstown Mayor Dave Spencer, Village of Craig Beach Mayor, Village of McDonald Mayor Terry Stocker, City of Struthers Mayor James Iudiciani, Village of Lowellville Zachary Svette, Trumbull County Metro Parks Mayor, Village of Washingtonville Anthony Traficanti, Mahoning County Commissioner Mayor Harry Kale, Village of New Middletown Anthony Urankar, District Deputy Director, ODOT District 4 Mayor Bernie Kosar, Sr., City of Canfield Mayor Lyle A. Waddell, Village of Newton Falls Paul Makosky, City of Warren Joe Warino, City of Canfield Mayor Shirley McIntosh, Village of West Farmington Kathryn Whittington, Ashtabula County Commissioner Mayor John McNally, City of Youngstown Mark Winchell, Ashtabula County Mayor James Melfi, City of Girard Joanne Wollet, Poland Township Trustee John Moliterno, Western Reserve Port Authority Mayor James Woofter, City of Cortland Aaron Young, Mill Creek Metro Parks

TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE (2017) CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD (2017) Chairman- Gary Shaffer Vice Chairman-Kristen Olmi Chairman- James J. Pirko Vice Chairman- Randy Samulka

Prepared by the

Eastgate Regional Council of Governments City Centre One 100 E. Federal Street, Suite 1000 Youngstown, Ohio 44503 (330) 779- 3800

This report was financed by the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Ad- ministration, the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments. The contents of this report reflect the views of Eastgate, which is respon- sible for the facts and accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policy of the Department of Transportation. This report does not constitute a standard, specification or regulation.

Title VI/Non-Discrimination Policy

It is Eastgate’s Policy that all recipients of federal funds that pass through this agency en- sure that they are in full compliance with Title VI and all related regulations and directives in all programs and activities.

No person shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, low- income status, or limited English proficiency be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any of Eastgate’s programs, policies, or activities. Introduction

Making travel safer and more efficient are primary objectives for transportation engineers and planners. Eastgate is constantly looking for ways to improve our local roads. To make the system better, a lot of ef- fort goes into data collection and analysis along with project selection and funding. The data collection and analysis is used to find deficient areas of the transportation network. One of the largest data sets Eastgate manages is the vehicle accidents for Mahoning and Trumbull Counites. A little over 10,000 crashes oc- curred in our two counties in 2015. There are enormous economic and emotional costs due to accidents. Vehicle incidents also cause congestion on the roadways. Even a small reduction in crashes would me a great deal to everyone.

The emphasis on safety is obvious at every level of government. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) offers many safety programs including the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), Rural Safety, Intersection Safety, and Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety. Every program has the goal to reduce the number and severity of accidents on all public roads.

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has their own HSIP that administers over $100 million every year for safety related engineering projects. Any local road with an accident problem is eligible for funding. Applications are accepted twice a year and are reviewed by the District office and ODOT central office for approval of funds.

At the local level, Eastgate uses a variety of tools to help reduce accidents. The Regional Safety Plan, up- dated every three years, identifies high accident intersections and corridors. Local communities can use this report to see where their roads rank within the area. Eastgate also maintains a crash database with every accident mapped allowing us to quickly research for crash locations, crash types, and behavioral patterns.

Once an area is identified as having significant accidents, engineers and planners must come up with a solu- tion or countermeasure to fix the problem. Engineering countermeasures are categorized as low, medium, and high-cost. An example of a high-cost countermeasure would be to widen a road with additional travel lanes or turning lanes. This can be very costly and take years to complete. Low-cost countermeasures can often have a great impact and be done very quickly. Some examples of low-cost countermeasures are add- ing new signs or new striping to help with visibility.

Federal and State officials are encouraging local governments to look at a low-cost method called a Road Diet to reduce accidents along multiple lane roads. FHWA has added Road Diets to the list of proven safety countermeasures.

The purpose of this report is to educate local communities in a technique that not only improves safety, but also creates an opportunity for additional uses for a road. What is a Road Diet?

A Road Diet is the reconfiguration of a roadway to reduce the number of travel lanes along a corridor or section of road. The physical width of the road does not change, only the number of lanes and lane widths. Lefto- ver or extra paved areas outside the travel lanes can be used for alternative modes of transportation or alternative uses. The most common Road Diet reduces a four-lane road with two travel lanes in each direction to a three-lane road with one travel lane in each direction and a center two-way left turn lane. Road Diets offer the opportunity to include bike lanes, on street parking, dedicated bus lanes or bus stops.

Source for Photo 1 (left): Federal Highway Administration, Office of Safety

Source for Chart 1 (right): US Department of Commerce, US Census Bureau Ohio Department Services Agency, Office of Research

Shrinking Cities

Changing times affords us the opportunity to reconfigure multi-lane roads and adapt our environment to the changes going on around us. Mahoning and Trumbull Counties have been experiencing a loss in population. Future population trends are continuing downward. The hardest hit areas belong to the urban cities. Our current road system was designed and built many years ago when the population was much greater. The reduction in population has decreased the number of vehicles on the roads and the need for multilane urban roads. Land use changes can also be a reason to enact a Road Diet. Formerly active commercial corridors may be good candidates for a Road Diet. The following chart shows the historic population and projected population for Ma- honing and Trumbull Counties. BENEFITS OF A ROAD DIET Safety

The most important benefit when deciding to create a Road Diet is the enhanced safety along the roadway. Reconfiguring lanes can reduce crashes at intersections as well as along the road segments. Road Diets are a proven safety countermeasure. The following types of crashes can be reduced by a Road Diet.

 Rear End crashes – Vehicles turning left are now in a dedicated turn lane.  Sideswipe crashes – Vehicles only have one travel lane and no longer change lanes or weave between two travel lanes.  Left turn crashes – Vehicles can turn more safely from a dedicated left turn lane. Blind spots for two lanes of travel are eliminated.  Angle crashes - Vehicles pulling out of side streets don’t have to cross two lanes of traffic. Blind spots for two lanes of travel are eliminated.  Bicycle crashes – Improved designs can add dedicated bike lanes.  Pedestrian crashes – Improved designs allow more pedestrian friendly crosswalks.

Conflict Points

A conflict point is a spot in the road where two vehicles have a chance to meet under normal driving patterns. This includes vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. A normal intersection always has conflict points, because vehicles turn and cross lanes of traffic. A completed Road Diet will reduce the number of conflict points and therefore reduce the chance of accidents.

The following image shows six conflict points along a segment of a four-lane road. After a Road Diet, the same segment has three conflict points.

Source for Photo 2 (above): Federal Highway Administration, Office of Safety The following image shows eight conflict points at an intersection along a four-lane road. After a Road Diet, the same intersection is reduced to four conflict points.

Source for Photo 3 (above): Federal Highway Administration, Office of Safety

Pedestrian Safety

Increased pedestrian safety is a very important benefit from a Road Diet. The conflict points for a pedestrian and vehicle occur when someone is crossing a street. A three-lane road has a much shorter distance to cross versus a four-lane road. Road Diets also reduce vehicle speeds which makes crossing the street safer. Some design fea- tures can be added to a Road Diet to make pedestrian travel easier.

Pedestrian Refuge Island is a design element that installs an island in the center of the road where pedestrian can safety wait for oncoming traffic before they continue to cross the road.

Source for Photo 4 (above): The Greenway Collaborative Inc. Pedestrian Bulb-out or Curb Extensions are design elements that make it easier and safer for pedestrians to cross the road by reducing the width of the street at the crosswalk.

Source for Photo 5 (above): Rutgers, Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation.

Bicycle Safety

The addition of exclusive bicycle lanes make it safer for every rider, no matter what experience level they may be. No longer would the bicyclist have to share a travel lane with motorized vehicles. It is also safer for a bicycle crossing three lanes instead of the original four travel lanes. Decreased vehicle speeds is safer for bicycle travelers. BENEFITS OF A ROAD DIET Livability and Quality of Life

More and more people today are looking to use alternative means of transportation. Bicycling and walking is becoming more popular, not only for recreation but also as a means of every day travel. Our current road network was designed for cars and trucks and is not always safe for other modes of transportation. Road Diets can create a safer atmosphere for people using bicycles or walking. An environment where a variety of transportation modes is possible and safe can be quite an attraction for people.

Creating a roadway that accommodates multiple modes of transportation is a concept called Complete Streets. Many communities around the country are adopting Complete Street policies that require communities to look at the possibility of a Complete Street when a road construction project is planned. It would be good practice for communities to start creating a safer environment for multiple modes of transportation.

A more expensive Road Diet option can add elements to improve the streetscape. Center islands with trees or plants can be added. This can be used along a corridor with minimal driveways.

Source of Photo 6 (above): http://www.palmerranch.net/Grounds BENEFITS OF A ROAD DIET

Cost and Reduction in Speed

Cost

Road Diets fall under the “low cost” category for safety countermeasures. In many cases, this can be achieved by simply restriping the road. Coincide the lane reconfiguration when the road is to be repaved, and the project will be very economical. Some additional planning may be required if a community is doing a more complex Complete Street. ODOT’s safety program may contribute funding to a Road Diet if there are proven accidents along the corridor.

Reduction in Speed

Road Diets reduce speed along a corridor by eliminating the ability to weave in and out while passing vehicles along two travel lanes. With one travel lane, the aggressive drivers now must conform to lower speeds due to a lack of passing opportunities

Before and after Road Diet Source of Photo 7 (above): Bluemont Civic Association What Roads Qualify for a Road Diet?

To assist local communities interested in a Road Diet, Eastgate has done an analysis on the local roads throughout Mahoning and Trumbull Counties. Maps and tables were created to highlight all roads with four lanes for greater. Limited access roads and four land divided roads were eliminated from the list. Some smaller road sections with more than four lanes were also excluded because the sections consisted of turning lanes for intersections. All the roads listed are not necessarily good candidates for Road Diets. Eastgate is providing the information for everyone to see. The decision ultimately rests with the road owner (State, County Engineer, City, Village, Township).

Map 1 (above) shows roads in Mahoning County with 4 lanes or greater. Map 2 (below) shows an enlarged area of Youngstown. Map 3 (above) shows roads in Trumbull County with 4 lanes or greater. Map 4 (below) shows an enlarged area of Warren. Many factors should be considered before attempting a Road Diet. A detailed analysis of crash data and traffic counts including total traffic volumes, truck traffic, peak hour volumes, and speed data should be performed. Communities around the country use different traffic count levels before considering a road diet. FHWA guidance suggests roads with an average daily traffic of 20,000 or less could make good candidates for a Road Diet and should be further studied. Eastgate can provide additional information if a community is interested in pursuing a Road Diet in their jurisdiction.

Tables 1 and 2 show all segments in Mahoning and Trumbull Counties with 4 lanes or greater. The tables also list the low and high traffic volumes for each road section.

Table 1 (above): Mahoning County Roads Map 2 (above): Trumbull County Roads

Completed Road Diets

The city of Youngstown has already had success with Road Diets. Mahoning Avenue on the west side of Youngstown used to be a four-lane facility. In the 1990’s it was reduced to three lanes with additional parking in some areas. That corridor currently has traffic volumes from 12,000 to just over 14,000 vehicles a day.

Photo 8 (left) Source: Google Maps – Streetview

A portion of SR 193 Wirt Street was reduced from four lanes to two lanes with center islands and occa- sional left turn lanes. That road carries just over 3,000 cars a day.

Photo 9 (right) Source: Google Maps – Streetview

Planned/Potential Road Diets

Wick Avenue in Youngstown is currently being reconstructed. The previous lane configuration was four lanes with a traffic count of 6,500 cars a day. The reconfigured road will have three lanes (one travel lane in each direction with a center two-way left turn lane). Other downtown streets set for Road Diets include Front Street, Fifth Avenue, and possibly Rayen Avenue.

Youngstown is also looking at Commerce Street as possible Road Diet. The existing roadway has five lanes with a traffic volume of 4,000 cars per day. A new look for Commerce Street could consist of two travel lanes with planted medians. The remainder outside pavement areas can be dedicated on- street parking.

Concept Art Photo 9 (above) Source of photo: Patrick Hewitt

Conclusion

Due to our aging infrastructure and declining population, there are many roads throughout Mahoning and Trumbull Counties that should be considered for a Road Diet. Turning a four-lane road into a three-lane road is an excellent way to reduce accidents for a relative low cost. The options available for Road Diet configurations can be fit into almost any corridor from downtown areas to older commercial corridors to residential streets. Road Diets give communities the flexibility and creativity to make some significant changes and to make our transportation network better.