COOLVILLE — A proposed intersection improvement project that would install a reduced collision U-turn (RCUT) on US 50 at the Brimstone Road intersection, near Coolville, is meeting resistance from residents.
Coolville residents met as recently as May 9 to discuss the project. Mayor Neil Cowen said about 13 people attended the meeting at the Coolville Elementary School.
The intersection is a little over a mile from where US 50 and State Route 32 split from State Route 7. The US 50 and State Route 144 intersection is also nearby.
“There’s a lot of things going on in a small area, where people are going to have to cross in front of traffic,” Cowen said. “Add in weather or time of day — like early when people are going to work or school, plus speed … I don’t think anyone had thought about weather. We get a lot of fog in here. With those conditions, (the new traffic pattern) seems very disastrous.”
In an RCUT, a left turn lane is added and extra pavement is installed for longer vehicles to make a U-turn.
Often, the side-street traffic is prohibited from traveling straight through or turning left onto the main intersection. Main traffic may be prohibited from turning left onto the side street. Side-street motorists can turn right and do a legal U-turn at a nearby crossover, according to ODOT. If the left turn is prohibited, mainline motorists may be directed to proceed to the legal U-turn to reach the side street.
According to ODOT, such intersections can reduce injury crashes by more than 40% and reduce fatal crashes by 70%.
According to ODOT drawings provided to the Messenger by Cowen, a traffic coming to US 50 from Brimestone Road would have to turn right, go down US 50 for a bit before coming to the RCUT to make the U-turn. One U-turn would be installed near the US 50/State Route 7 split.
Between 2014 and 2018, there were 20 crashes at the US 50 and Brimstone Road intersection, 70% of which involved injuries, according to ODOT. Nineteen of those crashes were angle crashes, vehicles hitting another while turning.
Cowen noted that he has heard from some residents that he is being overly critical about the project. “We’re going to have to live with this (traffic pattern). The ODOT people are in Marietta. Once they’re done building it, they’re gone.”
Those opposing the project have put petitions in the Coolville GoMart and other locations, such as the Coolville library, Coolville Elementary School and Village Hall. The petition cover letter notes that the State Route 144 and US 50 intersection is more dangerous. It also notes that they believe the proposed project will bring more accidents, a loss of jobs and business income, additional response time for fire and rescue calls and increased traffic to secondary roads.
Cowen said an elevated highway may be the best bet, but is too expensive. “A stop light may be the next bet bet. RCUTs are not going to fit us. We’re just hoping ODOT will come to the table in good faith and we’ll try to work it out. If not, we’ll fight tooth and nail.”
Cowen said they hope to have another meeting with ODOT in mid-June. For right now, the next step is to get the petitions together and present them to the ODOT district office in Marietta.
According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, the project has an estimated cost of $2.14 million. The agency expects to start construction in spring 2025 and complete it in fall 2025.
Public comments are being taken on the ODOT website https://www.transportation.ohio.gov/projects/projects/118516.
As of Wednesday morning, there were three comments on the website, all in favor of the proposed project:
“I live near this very dangerous intersection And I am so glad to hear that measures are being taken to reduce the amount of accidents that happen here! I personally have witnessed more than on terrible car crash in this intersection. The reckless driving that happens here consistently makes me wonder what goes on in some drivers’ mind as they commit the dangerous acts that happen here! Recently I observed three cars facing the same direction in the center of the median one car with a left turn signal and the other two trying to cross straight. It’s always dangerous because it seems no one knows how — or wants — to use the intersection correctly. I’m happy for the proposed safety measures. It will save lives and reduce crashes.”“Coolville mayor has a petition to stop this construction of the RCUT from happening. Meeting tonight concerning this. Wanting people to sign the petition to stop it. I personally think it’s a good move. Have lived in Coolville for 51 years. That is a very dangerous intersection. Something needs to be done...”“This RCUT solution seems perfect for the situation, as it’s something some of us have already implemented. My wife and I already use this method when crossing or turning left at State Route 144 when leaving the village. We turn right, drive to Frost Road, then hang a U-turn. Otherwise, people pull into the median turn area and block the intersection. I usually do the same when trying to cross at Brimstone. I turn right, and then turn around down the road. This is a perfect solution for folks who aren’t afraid of change.”
Also regarding ODOT, the Village of Coolville reached out to Rep. Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville) regarding a proposed state bill that would make ODOT, rather than the villages, responsible for paying for culvert replacements. According to Cowen, ODOT sent Coolville a bill of $313,000 to replace a culvert on State Route 144 because it is within the village limit.
“I don’t think (the village’s total) budget for the year is even half of what they asked for,” he said in an interview with the Messenger. “We’re not very happy (with ODOT), but hope we can come to a resolution.”
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