The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) recently announced it will invest $40.9 million in 27 traffic safety projects focused on protecting pedestrians and preventing roadway departures in 21 counties.
“Our mission is to provide a transportation system that is safe, accessible, well maintained, and positioned for the future,” ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks said. “However, safety shouldn’t be limited only to certain road types or locations.”
The Ohio Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Improvement Program will fund the projects for state fiscal years 2025 through 2030. The majority of the funding will be awarded to municipalities, townships, and county engineers.
Projects were selected based on a variety of factors.
Projects designed to prevent pedestrian fatalities include buffered bike lanes, curb bump outs, new sidewalks or multi-use paths, raised enhanced crosswalks, traffic calming measures, and upgrading or installing pedestrian hybrid beacons at mid-block crosswalks.
Last year, there were 150 deaths in Ohio caused by pedestrian-involved accidents.
Roadway departures account for more than half of all traffic deaths annually in Ohio. Last year, 615 people died in roadway departure crashes in the state.
Projects designed to combat roadway departure crashes include moving ditches, widening roadway shoulders, and clearing trees and other obstacles from the road.