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HOWLAND -- Motorists will see a new flow of traffic near the intersection of state Routes 46 and 82 when state road officials finish building a diverging diamond there.
Howland has been in the Ohio Department of Transportation's plan for a new diverging diamond location since appearing on ODOT's 2015, 2016 and 2017 Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Urban Non-Freeway priority lists. The project is slated to be completed by the end of summer 2026.
Per the state's safety study, "a total of 159 crashes occurred at the Route 46 and Route 82 ramp intersections between 2012 and 2016." ODOT officials have said the project is one of the biggest -- at $20.4 million -- to be launched this year in the Mahoning Valley.
It is the third diverging diamond in the state, with the other two being in Columbus and Toledo.
Construction began Sept. 14, and ODOT has stayed positive about the diamond's opportunity to provide more safety to drivers passing through.
In ODOT's first press release following the groundbreaking of the project, District 4 Deputy Director Gery Noirot expressed the importance of the safety improvements the diamond will carry.
"This safety improvement project and everyone involved with it is a prime example of the department's mission to provide a transportation system that is safe, well-maintained, accessible and positioned for the future," Noirot said.
RESIDENTS' COMMENTS
Once demolition of the westbound bridge over state Route 82 began Oct. 22, some businesses and residents expressed concern over traffic congestion.
Dan Engle, owner of DNC Computers and Smartphone Repair, explained traffic jams already have created difficulty navigating near his store at 170 Mayflower Road SE.
"It's starting to build up traffic," Engle said, "which may make people not want to be out and about. Most of 46, East Market Street and Howland Wilson Road is all backed up. We also do house calls for repairs, so it will affect us."
DNC employees travel within a 10-mile radius for house calls.
Linda Spain, a sales associate at Gorant Candies in Howland Center, said, "I don't like it. It doesn't make any sense. We're not a big city and the traffic is already bad enough. I especially feel bad for those school buses trying to get around."
One customer of SalonOne, 8050 E. Market St, who lives on Broadway Avenue, said things could possibly have worked out better for residents if the state considered reducing the speed limit.
"I don't want them using our tax dollars," she added. "The area is always jammed, especially during the holidays. So imagine what it will be like once we get closer to the season. I mean, we had a population of 65,000,now we're at 40,000. So how do you justify trying to build something like this, like we're Columbus or Cincinnati? Why put that in the middle of Howland? And light change doesn't help with rush hour. Coming from where I live, I get it from both ends, and this is just the beginning. Between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., I can't even get out of my street."
GROWING PAINS
ODOT released a statement in October after reopening the area near the demolished bridge. The release also updated the Valley on the status of the project, while mentioning to drivers that a slowdown in the flow of traffic is expected while parts are being placed.
Ray Marsch, public information officer for ODOT, assured residents that 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 in October. "Expect the same traffic pattern throughout next year." The general congestion because of the closure of Route 46 lasted two days.
Howland Trustee Matthew Vansuch said at a Board of Trustees meeting that the township's emergency services planned around construction for about three years, after one resident raised questions about the preparedness of neighborhoods and township operations in an email.
"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 the township had been a part of the planning for the project for more than three years.
"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."
ACCIDENTS
In November, Howland police Chief Nick Roberts gave numbers correlating to accidents near the diamond area during construction. Roberts gave a comparison of the number of crashes in October this year to the same time last year.
"We've had one less crash. We had 27 crashes last year during this time frame and 26 this year," Roberts said.
Documents from the department show 37 total accidents in October 2022 and 40 through the end of October 2023. The numbers provided by Roberts represent crashes that occurred near the diverging diamond site.
In the same area, 15 of last month's accidents involved more than one car, in bumper-to-bumper, collision and side swipe crashes. Roberts said motorists need to be patient, stay off their cellphones while driving and pay attention to the traffic pattern.
Data retrieved through the Ohio Crash Retrieval System shows that during the holiday season, from Nov. 22 to Dec. 22 of last year, there were four total crashes where the two state routes intersect. This year, there have been six.
UPDATE
Ray Marsch gave an update on the project Friday, explaining that it is still on schedule with original plans, and there will be further construction moving forward, weather permitting.
"They're in the process now of building concrete piers for the new westbound 82 bridge," Marsch said. "They'll be building steel beams in February, and forming a bridge deck in the spring. We expect to have traffic on it in June 2024."
As for complaints, Marsch said ODOT has been keeping in touch with residents to keep things moving accordingly.
"It's just been communicating with them (residents)," Marsch said. "What it is, why it's needed, and how it will affect traffic in the area."