Engineer to monitor light at intersection

BOARDMAN -- Mahoning County Engineer Richard Marsico says the office will monitor an intersection to ensure traffic flows smoothly and untangle any potential snarls.
As part of the Western Reserve Road widening project, the engineer's office placed a light at the Tippecanoe intersection about 11/2 years ago. The intersection previously had stop signs.
Although Western Reserve is becoming a higher-use road, Marsico said he's unaware of any complaints lodged with his office about the signal's timing. About a week ago, the signal had switched to blinking, but that has been fixed, he said.
"We can see if there are any problems, and if we detect that the traffic is not flowing in one direction, we will address the timing of that light cycle," he said.
The signal is traffic activated. If there's no traffic traveling one of the streets, the light remains green for the other road, where vehicles are proceeding, he explained.
Past, future improvements
Western Reserve had been closed last year as the 2-mile segment between Tippecanoe and Hitchcock roads was improved. The $3.26 million project started in September 2003.
The project involved widening driving lanes from 9 feet to 12 feet and adding 3-foot-wide shoulders on each side of the road. Turning lanes also were added at Tippecanoe and at Hitchcock.
Along with the Tippecanoe intersection, Hitchcock also got a traffic signal.
The intersection of New Buffalo Road also was widened, and a bridge on Western Reserve, west of the Ohio Turnpike overpass, was replaced as part of the work.
Late last year, the engineer's office said additional phases of work on Western Reserve have been delayed for several years.
The third phase of work will be from state Route 46 to Tippecanoe Road and cost about $2.8 million.
The fourth phase, estimated to cost about $3 million, will be from U.S. Route 62 to Route 46.
The projects involve widening the two-lane road from about 20 feet to 24 feet with 4-foot paved shoulders.
Phase 4 also would add left turn lanes to Western Reserve Road at Route 46. Other proposed improvements for both projects include replacing deficient bridges and culverts, improving the road drainage system and correcting vertical sight distances.