SOM Center Road Crash Study Recommends Ways To Improve Traffic Safety

A Department of Transportation study of crashes on SOM Center Road in Solon recommends a number of options to make the heavily-travelled road safer.

Some of the recommendations in the report, which was prepared and finalized in 2012, are already in city officials' plans, including updating Solon's traffic signal system and improving the timing of the traffic lights, scheduled to be finished in late spring or early summer.

The city safety committee plans to discuss the report this Wednesday at City Hall.

The study concentrated on a short section that included the 422 exits and entrances to Solon Road. Between 2008 and 2010, that area had 184 total crashes, with 59 on SOM Center and 125 on U.S. 422. Of those crases, 33 resulted in injuries.

The most common crash type was rear-end collisions on the eastboard exit ramp, which commonly becomes congested during rush hour.

The second most common crash type was left-turn crashes near the access road near Bob Evans.

The causes of the crashes, according to the report were driver inattention, traffic congestion, traffic clearance intervals being too short, traffic signal issue and slick or wet pavement.

Besides upgrading the signals, other potential short-term solutions include:

• install a skid-resistant surface on the exit ramps
• fix a draining issue along the exit
• install new curbing sourth of the westbound exit ramp
• lengthen the U.S. 422 westbound exit ramp by restriping existing pavement

Click the PDF to read the executive summary of the report.

What do you think? What would you do to improve traffic safety in this area of town?