A contentious proposal to reduce Court Street in downtown Circleville from four lanes to two, with a dedicated turn lane, was presented to the city council tonight for its first reading. The ordinance has sparked heated debate, with supporters arguing that it will improve safety and reduce traffic speed, while opponents claim it will cause congestion and divert traffic to other roads.
Proponents of the reduction argue that a two-lane road with a turn lane will slow down traffic and make the area safer, citing the high number of crashes in the downtown area. According to the acting city chief, the area has seen numerous rear-end collisions, fixed object collisions, and street light violations. Some also point out that parking is a problem in the Everts Hill former school area.
However, opponents express concerns that the reduction will lead to backups beyond Ohio Street, particularly during train crossings, and increase traffic on roads frequently used by children.
Circleville Acting police chief reported to committees that they do not patrol downtown that has been reported to be the busiest and most crash area in the city. Sciotopost independently confirmed that no tickets for Cell phone use or traffic violations of distracted driving or light violations have been issued by the department in the downtown area in the last year.
The “Take Back the Strip” group suggests adjusting street lights to help slow traffic, while others argue that the reduction is unnecessary. The estimated cost of the change ranges from $60,000 to $100,000.
The city council reported that the safe streets survey has not been completed and will not be complete till March of next year. Council moved to table the ordinance until March of next year or until the report is finished.
