The Ohio Department of Transportation says it won’t build a double-sided guardrail on state Route 18 in eastern Medina County unless all other efforts to improve safety on the road fail first.
“We hope it doesn’t have to happen,” agency spokesman Matt Bruning said Monday.
The Beacon Journal reported Sunday that ODOT is moving forward with plans for the controversial guardrail, which is opposed by many businesses along the road.
But Bruning said it is only a last resort and won’t be built if other counter-measures such as rumble stripes and speed signs don’t help reduce the number of serious accidents on the four-lane road, which also includes a center turn lane.
The state agency wants to gather several years of crash data first before determining if the guardrail will be constructed, he said.
Construction of a guardrail wouldn’t begin until 2020 at the earliest.
“We’ll continue to monitor that area,” Bruning said.
Matthew Snyder, owner of the High & Low Winery along Route 18, said the guardrail hasn’t seemed like a last resort during discussions.
“I don’t think they want to take ownership of that from a public point of view,” he said.
“The messaging on this has been anything but clear,” added Snyder, who has been leading the effort to oppose the guardrail.
ODOT has been searching for ways to improve safety on the 5-mile stretch of Route 18 between Windfall Road and Medina Line Road.
The busy road, which has a 55 mph speed limit, connects Medina and Akron, and splits Granger and Sharon townships.
ODOT plans to add road signs this year and expand the center turn lane by 2 feet. A foot will be taken from each of the inside 12-foot lanes.
Motorists tend to drive slower in narrower lanes, Bruning said.
Other long-term plans include upgrading traffic signals and possibly installing new ones. The state agency also wants to add several other improvements to the $7.7 million project.
The changes include adding right turn lanes on Windfall Road in both directions leading to Route 18, adding right turn lanes in all directions at the intersection of state Route 94, and adding a traffic signal at Akron Medina Corporate Park Drive to accommodate U-turns.
Business owners have advocated for a lower speed limit but the state agency said a speed study didn’t support that change.
Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter at @armonrickABJ .