PORTAGE – The mayor and two citizens hope to make a strong case
for keeping the village traffic light when they meet with Ohio Department of
Transportation officials later this month.
At Monday’s council meeting, Mayor Mark Wolford said the
ODOT meeting was set for Aug. 11 at 2:30 p.m. Citizens Michael Brinkman and Gary
Deutschman will also attend.
In May, ODOT representatives told Portage officials to take down the light on Ohio 25 and increase
speed limits from 25 and 35 mph to 40 and 55 mph.
Since then, the mayor has campaigned to keep the light, lobbying
state, county and school officials for support.
Installing a pedestrian-activated light was suggested by
ODOT last month as a compromise, but soundly rejected by village residents at
the next council meeting.
Deutschman and Brinkman have done a lot of research,
which suggests the village is unique in Northwest Ohio with its four lanes of
highway and the proximity of the homes and businesses to the street that
restrict vision.
ODOT said the village should take down the light because
it does not meet any of the eight warrants in the Ohio Manual of Uniform Traffic
Control Devices. A traffic light has been at the intersection for 80
years.