Warren family continues to raise concerns over crashes damaging their handicap ramp
WARREN, Ohio - A Warren family continues to raise concerns over crashes hitting too close to home, some of which have resulted in damage to their handicap ramp on the intersection of Todd Avenue and Palmyra Road.
The most recent crash was Monday, and it's not the first time their property was damaged.
Vic Walker blames a lack of more traffic measures in the intersection and said he observes many drivers speeding.
"I just want to know how many people are going to have to die before they do something? We've had four different people die here at this intersection over a period of 12 or 14 years. Why? There's there's no reason," Walker said, "when you can do something to slow it down."
Monday's crash happened around 6:30 p.m. involving one car hitting another after turning left in the intersection.
Walker said it's the second time his wife's wheelchair ramp has been totaled and the fourth time it's been hit.
He said wants to see the current blinker lights replaced with stoplights but Warren Engineer Paul Makosky points to a traffic study done in 2019 that found the stop light was unwarranted and could be a liability if the city installs one.
Newly elected Councilwoman Honeya Price said she had a conversation about this Tuesday with other city leaders, and hopes to add another guardrail or extend the current one nearby.
Walker said he hopes the city will take another look at weighing all preventative traffic measures and pointed out guardrails have been taken down in the past.
"Don't see how they could extend the guardrail much to help me or the house next door," he said, "as far as people running into the houses and everything. Guardrail may help some, but I don't know."
Price said from 2010 through 2020 there have been around 36 crashes with the old stop light. Data from 2021 and 2022 show there have been four during that time period.
Price added she knows about the concerns and wants to prioritize safety in this intersection, and is working to schedule a meeting with the safety committee and figure out what she can do.
Makosky said he will also take a closer look at crash reports to understand what steps should or could be taken to calm the nerves of those who live close by.
