State approves $6.5M Route 224 safety project in Boardman
The Ohio Department of Transportation's Transportation Review Advisory Council (TRAC) has approved funding for a $6.5 million safety project on that includes removing three traffic lights along U.S. Route 224 in Boardman.
This funding comes as part of a $319.3 million investment into 14 transportation projects in 14 counties.
This includes $6,500,000 allocated to Mahoning County for the work planned to be done on Route 224 in Boardman.
The funding for the U.S. 224 Corridor will be used for roadway and safety enhancements and improved access management.
The project is a part of Tier I, a group that is recommended for construction during the upcoming four-year construction period according to the release.
It is unknown at this time when construction will begin.
The improvement project aims to ease congestion and reduce the number of crashes in the area from Market Street to Tiffany Boulevard.
This area includes six intersections ranked among the top 50 in the Governor's Safety Priorities List in 2024.
ODOT released a pre-recorded virtual open house website that includes a presentation with several animations of how ODOT expects traffic to flow if several traffic lights are removed, more median dividers are installed and U-turns would be permitted at some intersections.
Plans for the project call for three eastbound travel lanes along Route 224, and three westbound lanes east of Southern Boulevard. There would be two westbound travel lanes west of Southern Boulevard.
Median dividers that could not be crossed would also be installed with designated left and right turn lanes.
The number of driveways along U.S. 224 would be reduced, and turning movements would be limited to reduce the number of crashes.
Existing traffic lights would be removed at several locations along U.S. 224, including the following:
- Southern Park Mall entrance
- California Avenue
- Applewood Commons Shopping Center where Dick's Sporting Goods is located.
Plans also call for the completion of sidewalks and improvements to pedestrian crossings.
Below are links to animations that show how ODOT proposed changes in traffic flow:
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