News

Actions

Northside neighbors seek solution to crashes

Posted at 6:08 PM, Jul 06, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-06 19:23:39-04

CINCINNATI – Northside neighbors said they don’t feel safe in their own homes after a pair of crashes that ended on their property.

The neighbors live on Colerain Avenue between Leeper Street and Virginia Avenue, just off the I-75 exit. Since 2011, there have been 202 crashes in that block, according to city records.

On Monday, one car crashed through Tony Brucato’s neighbor’s yard and through a fence into his deck.

“My wife and I were in bed and we got woken up by a load crash,” Brucato said. “Looked out my window, I saw nothing but smoke.”

Next door, Alex Hearn said they’re tired of replanting. A car ran into Hearn’s backyard.

“It’s sad when it’s gotten to a point: ‘Oh, another accident happened. How bad this time?’” Hearn said.

The city has done some work to improve safety conditions in the area, Department of Transportation and Engineering Michael Moore said. As a first quick countermeasure, chevrons and arrow signs were installed in December 2014.

The city continued working on the area and found that 86 percent of the crashes after that initial improvement were related to wet weather, Moore said. Officials responded by “micro-milling” the pavement, which creates a rougher surface to improve traction.

Residents said they wanted more improvements in the area, like a guard rail and new traffic light.

“They hear us and say something’s coming on, but we just want to see them follow through,” Hearn said. “They promised something and we want them to follow through.”

Moore said the city was planning a project for this summer and fall that would include the installation of “High Friction Surface” that increases the friction of the pavement to reduce the number of wet-weather crashes.

The city will continue to work with the local homeowners on additional crash countermeasures, Moore said.