Some folks want the brakes pumped on a multi-million dollar roundabout until after stakeholders have input.

 

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced $2.2 million in funding to build a new roundabout in Austintown on Route 46 and New Road.  

 

The project would replace the traffic light on that stretch of road that has more than 18-thousand cars and trucks traveling through daily. 

 

According to ODOT, Roundabouts are proven to reduce crashes by more than 48%, and serious injury and deadly crashes by almost 80% over a traffic signal. 

 

"These crashes have a high risk of injury or fatality going through there because it's a T-bone collision, so what a roundabout does it slows folks down as they approach it, and they yield to folks driving around in the circle," Ray Marsch ODOT Public Information Officer for District 4 said. 

 

The Chief Executive Officer of the Associated School Employees Credit Union, Michael Kurish,  believes safety should be balanced with needs of the community. 

 

He wants ODOT to put the breaks on the project until the Department of Transportation hears from stakeholders.

 

"My immediate concern is how it is going to impact my business here. There's not been a public comment, there's been no information provided to us by the state, but I do have a concern about how it's going to allow the people that use the credit union here to be able to come in and our of our facility," Kurish said. 

 

ODOT says the project is a long way off in 2027. 

 

"In upcoming years we will hold hearings and seek feedback from businesses, homeowners, and the community, anyone that could be potentially impacted by this potential roundabout. We will take feedback, get their perspective as we create the roundabout project at 46 and New Road," ODOT PIO Marsch emphasized.

 

But some in the community say asking for input after announcing millions for a project makes it seem a done deal no matter any potential negative impacts.

 

"I think there should be a conversation with stakeholders, those individuals located in the corridor. Safety needs to be balanced with what the community needs are in that corridor and how that might influence future growth in the area. The area is one of the last areas that has not been fully developed in Austintown and I think that this has the potential to slow traffic, make traffic more difficult, and less desirable to come in and accommodate business needs," Kurish added.

 

"They need to understand this is our community and Austintown should have a say in how their community is utilized and be able to have a say in how their community is going to grow in the future," CEO Kurish emphasized.

 

21 News asked for statistics of traffic accidents at State Route 46 and New Road.

 

ODOT was unable to provide them but say they will get the data to us later in the week.