ODOT should address traffic congestion

8/3/2002

The Ohio Department of Transportation's plan to revise the West Central corridor west of I-475 does not address the congestion problem. Rather, ODOT chooses to treat the symptoms. A concrete median barrier stretching for half a mile will certainly have a negative effect on adjacent businesses, frustrate local traffic flow, and in general be an aesthetically detracting eyesore. The plan is simply a Band-Aid approach that lacks long-term vision. Central at I-475 will still be a bottleneck.

The cause of the congestion problem is obvious. There is no logical choice except for the Central Avenue interchange for the thousands of motorists directly west of Toledo who depend on I-475 for their commute. Traveling from Talmadge Road to the Airport Highway interchange, a distance of 7.7 miles, Central is the only available exit, and from Corey Road to Airport it's the only entrance for 6.7 miles. Conversely, traveling from Airport Highway to Corey Road, Central is the only exit for 6.7 miles, and to Talmadge the only entrance for 7.7 miles.

The solution is clear but not simple: additional interchanges to ease the traffic burden the state highway interchanges at Rts. 2 and 20. An additional full interchange midway between Central and Airport Highway plus full access at or near Corey Road should be strongly considered. There's no question the price tag on one or two new interchanges far outweighs ODOT's planned median barrier. However, the Central-I-475 volume will only continue to increase in the future, and we will still need to address the cause.

BARNEY STEWART

Rexton Ridge Circle

----

What is the message that is sent to the employees of the city of Toledo when Mayor Ford slaps a four-week suspension without pay (instead of a pat on the back) on Mike Stanford, acting commissioner of building inspection, for doing his job?

The Toledo Municipal Code has been enacted to protect and safeguard the citizens of the community. Mr. Stanford was doing his job by enforcing it. Yes, he could have handled it a little differently, but I can understand his frustration if the violator of the code was defiant and reluctant to comply with the law.

In the past I have been told that some inspectors, if not all, don't enforce or cite violators of the code as they should because of a lack of support from their supervisors, administration, and system, causing frustration for the inspectors.

If I were a city of Toledo employee, the message I'd be getting is: “Work my hours, don't make any waves, and by all means don't enforce any laws.”

I, too, ask Mayor Ford to reconsider his decision on this matter, for the good of the city, its employees, and its citizens.

FRANK RUGGIERO

Maumee

Am I the only one who finds it ironic that Congress is unable to compromise on drug prescription legislation for the elderly but it was able to award itself a recent pay increase?

VIRGINIA M. NICHOLS

Sylvania