Cities look to alleviate traffic congestion along Mill Road

by Melissa Martin

Oct. 18 city council meeting

Brecksville City Council approved legislation to conduct a study of traffic conditions along Mill Road. Traffic backups and other issues have become a concern with the opening of the new Brecksville-Broadview Heights Elementary School.

City Engineer Gerald Wise said the study, which will be conducted in cooperation with the city of Broadview Heights, is being conducted by TMS Engineers at a cost of $22,640. The two cities will split the bill, with each jurisdiction funding $11,320.

Wise said both cities have received numerous complaints about the increase in traffic along Mill Road since the school’s opening this past September and those issues “need to be looked at.”

As part of the study, Wise said, the engineering firm will not only address traffic counts, but will also evaluate lane widths along the road, traffic signal systems and each of the 18 intersections along Mill Road, which stretches between Brecksville and Wallings roads.

“Once the modeling is run, [TMS Engineers] will review the findings and recommend improvements to both cities that could possibly be implemented to improve the traffic situation within the right of way,” he said.

Brecksville council members applauded the administration’s quick response to a growing issue.

“We thank the administration for working so quickly,” said councilman Daryl Kingston. “This will be valuable information to have moving forward.”

Wise said the study is expected to take eight weeks to complete, which means the findings and recommendations would be presented to both communities sometime in late January or early February.

Council also approved $23,350 for engineering and surveying services for the Riverview Road slope slippage project, which has been under discussion between council and the administration for several months now.

Wise said detailed engineering plans are being prepared so that the project will be ready to bid in early 2023 for a late winter or early spring start.

“This project is going to require a considerable amount of excavation, but the road is expected to be ready to pave by the time the asphalt plants open up in the spring,” he said.

Throughout the construction phase, Wise said Riverview Road will be closed to through traffic between Fitzwater and Greenhaven.

“There will be no way to have any vehicles go through during the course of the project,” he said, noting that residential driveways will remain accessible.

In other news, council approved an $11,800 contract with Andre Construction for the replacement of a brick wall surrounding a light pole in the municipal downtown parking lot.

Service Director Ron Weidig said the wall is the first step in improvements the city and business owners are taking to improve the parking lot. He said the brick wall is starting to crumble and the barrels and cones needed to safeguard the area from motorists and pedestrians continue to block valuable parking spaces.

Additional plans, expected to take place this spring, include replacing the wood enclosures surrounding the dumpsters, lowering a drain, repaving the parking lot and installing new landscaping.

“There is participation on behalf of the business owners and on behalf of the city to get this parking lot back into shape,” Weidig said, noting the wall is expected to be rebuilt by the end of the year.

Council also approved $9,150 in purchases to upgrade the game room in the city’s community center. Among the items the city wants to add are darts, chess, video games, a pinball machine, a shuffleboard table and more.