HOWLAND Traffic meeting frustrates residents

An improvement study will take at least 18 months, the ODOT chief said.
By ANGELA WOODHULL
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
HOWLAND -- "Like traffic? Want more?"
Concerned citizens erected that sign at Market Street and Niles-Cortland Road on Wednesday, inviting residents to Howland Township's "traffic trouble" meeting.
About 200 showed up for what turned into a hotly debated forum.
Gordon Proctor, director of the Ohio Department of Transportation, listened as citizens expressed long-standing frustrations about traffic problems that they think will be worsened if a super Sam's Club is built adjacent to Lowe's.
Only one access road will serve vehicles at the already-congested area along state Route 46 near state Route 82.
But citizens, many who were seeking an immediate solution to the congestion, left the three-hour meeting even more frustrated.
The long-term traffic problems will not be immediately solved, according to Proctor.
What's being done
Instead, short-term remedies are being implemented.
Those plans include $1.7 million in renovations, including skid-resistant pavement, a double left turn lane north on Route 46 and quicker access off and onto Route 82.
Long-term solutions will not be forthcoming for at least two years, Proctor said. ODOT is conducting an in-depth study and results will available, at the earliest, in about 18 months.
Bill Jobe of Avalon Estates expressed the frustration many citizens were feeling when they heard the disheartening news of slow-moving plans.
"We're the ones seeing the people going off on the stretchers," Jobe said, referring to a recent fatal accident at Routes 82 and 46.
Jobe said he placed a call to Proctor's office in May 2002 and had been waiting for a call back for more than a year.
One suggestion
Harry "Nick" Nichols of Howland was less diplomatic.
Nichols said the super Sam's Club being proposed should be built on the west side of Warren, where traffic congestion is not an issue.
He said he discovered in a series of phone calls to ODOT that meetings among the affected communities of Howland, Warren and Niles were aborted because Jeffrey DeLeone, a professional lobbyist employed by the DeBartolo Corp., had spoken with Muhammad Darwish, head engineer for ODOT.
Howland Township administrator Darlene St. George confirmed that a series of about six meetings was scheduled for developers and government officials to discuss the congestion and possible remedies, but ODOT kept changing the dates and then all meetings were canceled by "mutual agreement" between Darwish and DeLeon.
Abrupt departure
Some in the audience expressed resentment toward Proctor when he abruptly stopped answering questions and left at his scheduled time.
Before leaving, Proctor said, "We're going to spend about $1.7 million. I think this is going to be a good improvement.
"Is this the improvement you need? No, it's not, but we don't know what improvements are exactly needed and that's why we're doing this study."
Earlier in the day, ODOT representatives met with Warren city officials because Wednesday's forum was at the same time as a city council meeting.
Some Warren officials took umbrage with a letter sent to township residents and signed by all three Howland trustees which called the city's planning inadequate.
Michael D. Keys, community development director, said he attended meetings in Howland about the traffic problem and the proposed Sam's Club project.
"The city of Warren is trying to work with Howland to alleviate traffic," Keys said.
Funding study
William Totten, director of the city's engineering, planning and building department, said the city is partially funding a study of the U.S. Route 422 corridor.
Eastgate Regional Council of Governments also is funding the study which is expected to be completed in 2006.
Councilman Gary Fonce, D-at large, questioned if Howland complained about a traffic problem before plans for a new Sam's Club were announced.
"There's at least 45 lots going up for sale along that corridor," Fonce said. "Is Howland going to not develop any more along that corridor until the problem is addressed?"
When Home Depot was developed just down Route 46 in the township, restrictions were waived to allow it to move in, he said.
XCONTRIBUTOR: Denise Dick, Vindicator Trumbull staff.