ROAD WORK | Public comments

The Ohio Department of Transportation held public meetings in Austintown and Mineral Ridge so that local residents could comment on a plan to widen state Route 46. The following written comments show that reaction to the plan was mixed. ODOT did not identify who made the comments:
"I'm totally supportive. I don't understand why it will take so long. I want sidewalks.""It's about time! I drive to work in Warren every day and this section of road is a zoo. ... We need this."
"I am 100 percent in favor of the road improvement of state Route 46. From 4-5:30 p.m. the traffic is one large bottleneck. We need to get Austintown to the new century."
"A five-lane roadway is too extensive, three lanes would be more acceptable, a wider roadway would create more serious problems such as: safety concerns, increased traffic volumes and accessibility problems."
"There is no question that the road needs to be widened, but are there no other alternatives? How can we expect children to ride bicycles along five lanes?"
"A wider road will encourage speeding."
"The project will invite the growth of unwanted commercial development."
"The project will result in decreased property value."
"I would like to see a median strip on both the four-lane and especially the five-lane portion with turning lanes to the different streets or businesses. This would improve the appearance of state Route 46 and be a highlight of Austintown. The median strip would be lined with trees and/or shrubs, with grass."
"This is an unimaginative solution. If there is to be a widening, you should make it an asset to the community by including a roadway median with trees and other greenery rather than just laying down four or five lanes of asphalt. If you don't have the money to do it right, then wait until you do have the money to do it right."
"I disagree with the proposal being made by some Austintown leadership to add a boulevard center strip. I think this proposal would cause additional traffic congestion because of the one-way access to this type of road."
"Any proposal to add a tree-lined boulevard would not make the project any safer and would present additional maintenance issues."
Source: Ohio Department of Transportation