ELLSWORTH TOWNSHIP, Ohio - State officials have announced a multi-million-dollar investment to transform a Mahoning County intersection into a roundabout to reduce traffic injuries.

Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Transportation revealed that the intersection of State Route 45 and Palmyra Road is slated for a $3.2 million upgrade. This project is part of a larger $97 million statewide safety initiative aimed at improving 39 locations across 27 counties.

The funding for the Ellsworth Township project is divided into phases. State records show that $75,000 is set aside for engineering in 2028, followed by $130,000 for acquiring necessary land. The bulk of the cost, approximately $3 million, is designated for construction in 2029.

The decision to change the intersection is to reduce accidents at the site. On April 15, 2023, a motorcycle and a sedan collided at the intersection, resulting in a serious injury. According to a crash report, a 2015 Ford Fusion traveling west on Palmyra Road failed to yield at a stop sign and pulled into the path of a 2022 Harley-Davidson traveling north on State Route 45. The impact occurred at a high angle, which state officials say is a common problem at traditional rural intersections.

Safety experts at the transportation department argue that roundabouts are more effective than traditional stop signs or signals. A traditional intersection has 32 different spots where vehicles can crash into one another, while a roundabout has only eight. Research from the Federal Highway Administration shows that replacing a two-way stop with a roundabout can reduce deadly and serious injury crashes by nearly 90%.

Beyond safety, the state points to improved efficiency. Vehicles in a roundabout generally do not have to come to a complete stop if there is a gap in traffic, which reduces fuel use and air pollution from idling engines.

To accommodate the large farm equipment and semi-trucks common in Mahoning County, the new design will include a truck apron. This is a raised section of concrete around the center island that large vehicles can drive over to complete their turns while smaller cars stay in the regular lane.

Ray Marsh, a representative from ODOT, said the first step is to set up a website for the public to provide feedback. It is unclear when the website will be available. 
 
Fred Schrock lives at the corner of the intersection. He said that since 21 News talked to him in May after a two-car crash, he has seen about six more accidents happen.
 
"I think a roundabout would stop the dangers of broadside accidents. We had one not too long ago and I actually cringed when I went to the crossroad, seeing that this pickup truck had broadsided a car right at the driver's side," Schrock said.