Carriage Park Drive Residents Upset Over Traffic Turnarounds

Several Solon residents brought their frustrations to city council on Monday night, upset over the massive amount of cars turning around on Carriage Park Drive due to the closing of US 422's westbound on-ramp.

"Every car that was supposed to go on the freeway probably was on our street," Jim Jordan, a Carriage Park Drive resident said.

The ramp that gives cars travelling north on State Route 91 access to US 422 west was under construction from Friday night through Monday. Drivers wanting to use the on-ramp would turn around on the residential street and use the southbound entrance.

Resident Matthew Craighead said he counted nearly 300 cars turning around each hour. 

"I've lived here for 30 years and this is the worst it's ever been," neighbor Aimee Convery said, adding that even semis were turning around.

Most residents were upset by the volume over the weekend, but many said this problem has been going on for a long time.

Jim Jordan said he sees about 30-40 turnarounds per day and has even put a cone in his driveway because so many cars go in and out of it.

"I don't know about you guys, but I think that's a safety issue," he said.

Many of the residents were concerned for the safety of their children who play in outside and near the street

Phillip Epstein, who has lived there since 1997, said this is a problem he's brought to city council before.

"Everyone in this council knows carriage park has a numerous amount of turnarounds," Epstein said.

Both Mayor Susan Drucker and Vice Mayor Ed Kraus empathized with the residents, witnessing the traffic themselves.

"The situation was nothing I've ever seen before," Kraus said.

Drucker said the safety committee had looked at the issue before when she was on the committee, but suggested the neighbors bring the complaint back to it for a new perspective.

However, while the mayor understood their concerns, she doesn't know how to fix it.

"I'm not going to sit here and promise that we're going to have a  a solution or fix the problem, because I'm not sure if it's possible, but we could have a new pair of eyes look at it."

Kraus said he feels the best long-term solution would be better signage along Som Center Road.