ODOT to host virtual public meeting for Coolville project

MARIETTA — The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) District 10 invites the public to a virtual meeting regarding a planned safety improvement project on U.S. 50 at Coolville in Athens County.

This is in addition to an in-person public meeting which has already been announced.

The virtual meeting will start with a presentation at 1 p.m. July 30, followed by a question and answer session. It can be joined by going to https://publicinput.com/EM5717 online or join by phone 855-925-2801, meeting code 7133.

This is in addition to the in-person public meeting being held from 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Coolville Elementary School, 26461 Main Street, Coolville. A formal presentation will begin at 6 p.m., followed by a question and answer session.

The presentation for both meetings will be the same.

About the Project

ODOT proposes installing Reduced Collision U-Turns (RCUTs) at Coolville. This would prohibit traffic from turning left or driving straight from County Road 56 (Brimstone Road) onto U.S. 50. Instead, drivers would turn right and complete a legal U-turn at a nearby crossover. Construction would take place in 2025.

Background

The County Road 56/U.S. 50 intersection has a history of crashes. There have been 18 of them since 2019, the majority of which are angle crashes involving drivers turning left or going straight from County Road 56. Injuries were reported in half of these crashes.

Why RCUTs?

In addition to allowing for more efficient movement of traffic, RCUT intersections can reduce the total number of conflicts points by up to 50 percent, therefore limiting collision opportunities and, typically, the severity of such collisions. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has deemed RCUTs a proven safety countermeasure. See more information, including an instructional video here.

Comment Submission

Comments can be submitted via the project website, email, phone, or mail until Aug. 16, 2024: Alan L. Craig, P.E., 338 Muskingum Drive, Marietta, Ohio 45750; (740) 568-3954 or Alan.Craig@dot.ohio.gov.