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Temporary turn lanes cause complaints
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MARKET STREET MESS: Drivers unfamiliar with the major U.S. Route 224/state Route 7 intersection near the Circuit City store and Southern Park Mall in Boardman have apparently been confused by temporary road striping, causing increased accidents there.
By Denise Dick
Paving should be completed in two weeks on Market Street.
BOARDMAN — Temporary lines painted on newly paved Market Street may be causing confusion for some motorists.
Work started late last year to resurface Market Street, a state route, from state Route 164 to Midlothian Boulevard. It’s a project of Ohio Department of Transportation District 4.
Shelly & Sands of Zanesville is the contractor.
Since paving started this summer, temporary lines have been dashed down the roadway, marking the lanes. Designated turn lanes at the U.S. Route 224 intersection, however, are shorter than those to which travelers are accustomed.
“We have not noticed an increase in accidents,” said Capt. Jack Nichols.
But he noted the department has received a few complaints.
The main issue of complaint is the center turn lane, he said. “It’s not really a big problem,” Nichols said.
The temporary turn lanes are shorter, without the marked safety zone.
“The paint, because it’s temporary, it not the reflective paint and when it’s raining, it is hard to see,” Nichols said.
Despite the lines, the captain was complimentary of the company that did the project.
“I thought the company that did that did a great job of keeping traffic flowing,” he said.
Paula Putnam, an ODOT District 4 spokeswoman, stressed the lines are temporary. Paving must be done in layers so temporary paint, which is less expensive, is used while projects progress.
Once paving along the length of the project is complete, permanent lane lines will be painted.
Weather permitting, Putnam expects paving to be done in two weeks. After that, permanent lines will be striped.