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WARREN -- Residents of the city's westside want a traffic signal at Tod Avenue and Palmyra Road restored, but officials say a study found that it's not warranted there and putting it back could open up the city to liability.
Council's traffic and safety committee met Wednesday with 15 residents attending to discuss the intersection.
Residents asked the city to have representatives of the Ohio Department of Transportation attend to hear their concerns regarding putting the traffic signal back, but city officials said changing any of the intersections that are in compliance with state traffic standards exposes the city to potential liability.
First Ward Councilman Todd Johnson, chairman of the traffic / safety committee, said the traffic signal at the intersection at Tod Avenue and Palmyra Road was changed from a traffic light to a light that is in flashing mode only.
The decision to remove traffic signals at different locations was the result of a traffic study done in the city.
Paul Makosky, director of engineering, planning and building, said the city received a grant from Eastgate Regional Council of Governments to review the traffic control measures in Warren. A traffic study was done by an engineering firm that recommended more than 20 of the city's 60 intersections have traffic signals removed. He said some stop signs also were recommended to be removed from intersections.
"Everything that was done and recommended by the study are in conformance with the standards of the Ohio Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices," Makosky said, adding those are federal standards passed down to the states
He said the city's traffic signals must conform to the standards of the manual.
Makosky said the study found no compromise for safety by removing the signals or placing them in flashing mode, including the signal at Tod and Palmyra.
He said the study also looked at accidents at the intersection.
Makosky said video cameras were used to look at traffic volume, congestion and delays at the intersections. He also went and checked the intersections.
"There was nothing that showed that removing the signal compromises safety or any traffic signals put in flash mode should be put back in operation," he said,
The study adopted by the city adheres to federal and state traffic standards, so if an accident occurs at any of the intersections or locations where a signal was recommended to be removed, there is no liability on the city's part because it is in compliance with the mandated standards, Makosky said.
Law Director Enzo Cantalmessa said,"To change any of those intersections by adding or subtracting a traffic light or stop sign would take the city out of compliance. If there is an accident at an intersection altered by the city by adding or subtracting a traffic control signal that takes the intersection out of compliance and now the city has exposure to liability."
Resident Lea Dotson said the city always will be liable if there are accidents at the intersection regardless of whether the city is in compliance because people will sue.
"People on the city's westside want the light back on. If you turn the traffic light back on, you will be in compliance," Dotson said.
Safety Director Eddie Colbert said the city was told it would be liable for accidents happening at the intersections if they were not in compliance with what the study recommended. He said the study indicated there were more accidents with the lights because of people going through red lights.
Makosky said 20 years ago a signal was warranted at the Tod and Palmyra intersection, but in the 2020s, it is not because traffic volume there has gone down.