Island, Girl

If you haven’t walked, biked or diven along West Third or West Fifth Avenues in the last week, you probably don’t know that work has begun installing three new traffic-calming islands in our neighborhood. The islands—designed to produce safer accommodations for pedestrians, bicyclists motorists and the mobility impaired—are being added between Perry Street and Olentangy River Road.

Long delayed, these improvements were recommended in the Spring-Sandusky Interchange Overall Traffic
Management Plan in 2003. The plan was approved by the Traffic Task Force, made up of representatives from federal, state and local agencies along with six community groups.

In addition to the islands, the project includes:

• a curb bump-out on the south side of West Third Avenue
• bicycle crossing signs on West Third Avenue east of the river
• signage to guide travelers through the improvements
• landscaping in the islands
• parking reconfiguration

The first stage in construction is to add ADA ramps to the path to make it easier for cyclists and people with impaired mobility to cross the street. This will be followed by the installation of the islands and the parking reconfiguration. Construction is scheduled to finish by November 30. Two-way traffic will be maintained throughout construction period.

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