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HOWLAND -- In response to Howland residents' growing pains with the Ohio Department of Transportation's diverging diamond plans, township departments and administrators have said planning ahead is a necessity.
Many residents are offering opinions and detailing their perceptions of how the process is working. Monday, one customer of Salon One on East Market Street said, "The area is always jammed, especially during the holidays. So imagine what it will be like once we get closer to the season."
ODOT sent out a press release Wednesday afternoon, notifying the public that state Route 46 at state Route 82 is now open, after two days of closure due to construction. Ray Marsch, public information officer for ODOT, said much of the congestion should be alleviated with the road reopening.
"What residents are seeing with 46 open will be the current phase until summer of next year," Marsch said. "Expect the same traffic pattern throughout next year."
Howland Trustee Matthew Vansuch mentioned that the township's emergency services planned construction events for about three years, after one resident raised questions about the preparedness of neighborhoods and township operations in an email.
"It's a frustrating issue for safety," Vansuch said. "Just as it is for everyone. They're executing the plan, and I've so far heard no instances of problems with EMS operations. I think it's important to remember that we're talking about specific examples, and not the entire project."
He further added that the traffic is going to last for "a while."
"We ask that people plan ahead, make alternate routes, and plan for additional time," Vansuch said. "The rest of the project will not shut down 46, but our advice remains the same. We also ask that everyone be respectful to those working on everything. We urged ODOT to monitor the on-the-ground reality of traffic and make adjustments to minimize problems for our residents in the community. I would encourage residents to contact ODOT, and let them know how things are so that we can avoid further issues moving forward, and so ODOT can know how to go about the next phase."
Fire Chief James Pantalone said they have been a part of the planning for the project for over three years and haven't experienced any delays in response times.
"We're in support of the diverging diamond because it will be an advancement for traffic," Pantalone said. "That area has experienced so many fatal accidents, but these are just growing pains."
Trustee James LaPolla agreed and believes people were "caught off guard" during the first few days and have now started to plan ahead.
"The easiest way to avoid conflict is to plan," he said.
"Traffic is less harsh earlier and later in the day, as opposed to in the middle or afternoon. Overall if people plan their day, there should be less problems getting around."
LaPolla mentioned that there also are multiple ways to get around the construction, as one route may be better than others for each individual's daily routine. LaPolla also mentioned that the trustees listened to recommendations from police, fire and EMS.
"We approved their plan without much apprehension because they know what they need to do to operate appropriately," he said.
As the holiday season approaches, Marsch, Pantalone, and LaPolla agreed that the traffic will be worse, but advised, again, that an open state Route 46 should be helpful.
"If somebody wants to go near the mall area to shop for gifts and run errands, plan it," LaPolla said. "Nobody wants to be caught in a traffic jam. It will be a winner for everybody if we all plan properly."