Avon Lake considers roundabout as solution to Lake Road pedestrian, bike safety concerns

AVON LAKE — Plans to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety along Lake Road in Avon Lake could include a roundabout. City Council heard a presentation Monday from Patrick Etchie of the Mannik & Smith Group on the possibility of building a circular intersection at Lake and Miller roads. The intersection is considered one of the city's most dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists. In June 2019, local resident and civic leader Richard "Randy" Knilans was struck and killed by a drunk driver while cycling in the area. "Traffic and bikes mix a lot better in a roundabout because it's a lot slower speeds. And it's safer for both," Etchie said. Traffic would flow at a maximum of about 18 mph around the intersection. He described the proposed Lake Road roundabout as similar in appearance to the existing roundabout at state Route 83 and Mills Road on the border of North Ridgeville and Avon. By law, Etchie said cyclists have the same right as vehicles to use the main roundabout lane. But due to the level of bicycle traffic along Lake Road, an "exit ramp" would allow less confident cyclists to leave the roadway before riding or walking to the other side of the intersection. Converting the intersection from perpendicular to circular would likely require a small piece of the Miller Road Park property, but Etchie said the roundabout would fit "fairly decent" on the site without major impacts to property. Avon Lake Public Works Director Joe Reitz stood behind the idea when asked for his input. "We've talked about this section of Lake Road, especially with traffic calming and so forth," Reitz said. "I think this is a great direction to move." To help pay for the $1.3 million proposal, the city is considering applying for a Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) grant through the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency. If the grant is awarded, Etchie said the project's local share would likely end up being about $265,600. Assuming an application is submitted by May 26, the city is expected to know this September or October if it gets the grant. Construction could potentially begin as early as July 2025. Councilman David Kos, 4th Ward and chair of the Council's Public Safety and Health Committee, said his intention is for Council to vote on whether to apply for grant at its next meeting. A roundabout would probably be "the most physical change that is being proposed for Lake Road," Kos said. The city hired Mannik & Smith Group last year to conduct safety studies aimed at improved pedestrian and bicycle safety. The goal was to eventually implement features that were being explored like improved crosswalks and wider bike lanes. Reitz said Monday that a "pedestrian safety island" is coming to the intersection of state Route 83 and Lake Road, and improvements also are planned this year at a couple other Lake Road intersections. Widening the road to accommodate wider bike lanes is also being discussed in conjunction with an upcoming Ohio Department of Transportation paving project, Reitz said. Contact Dylan Reynolds at (440) 329-7123 or dreynolds@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @drey1357.