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HJN local mobileFriday, November 21, 2008
Extras
Traffic builds up during rush hour Tuesday, Nov. 18, at Ohio 4 and Liberty-Fairfield Road. It only takes a few cars to form a clog in the arteries of Butler County's road system.
And most days around 5 p.m., the intersection of Liberty-Fairfield Road and Ohio 4 is a heart attack waiting to happen.
The left turn lane for those going north from Ohio 4 onto Liberty-Fairfield Road holds maybe a dozen cars. During rush hour Tuesday, Nov. 18, roughly 30 cars sat with turn signals blinking in a line extending into the left through lane of Ohio 4.
This brought the entire lane to a halt, forming a string of unmoving headlights stretching to the horizon. Every 2 1/2 minutes, the light turned green, letting a few cars trickle through.
Hamilton resident Tim Rowland says it takes at least 10 minutes to get through the intersection every day.
"Every day after about 3 or 4 o'clock, it's backed up like that," Rowland said while gassing up his pickup truck at the Shell station on the corner.
And like a clogged human artery, stoppage on a 55 mph road is dangerous. There have been 94 accidents within 200 feet of the intersection since 2003 — including nine with injuries and one fatal — according to Butler County Engineer's Office spokesman Chris Petrocy.
It's further complicated by the closure of Third Street in Hamilton and several business entrances at the intersection, including a busy entrance to a mobile home park.
But though it's problematic, Petrocy said, there are several other intersections that take a higher priority.
"We are working with (the Ohio Department of Transportation) to try to come up with some solutions there, and right now we have a projected completion date of 2013 to do something with that intersection," Petrocy said.
It'll be extensive angioplasty, including widening Liberty-Fairfield Road and adding a second left turn lane. And expensive, estimated at $4.7 million.
Meanwhile, Rowland and others will sit in traffic. He said he tried to find ways around the intersection, but "they got every road in town tore up."
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2175 or jsweigart@coxohio.com.
Comments
By Lisa
November 23, 2008 1:46 PM | Link to this
In response to Cindi
November 21, 2008 11:06 PM | Link to this
If people are going to Trenton why don’t they just continue north on Rt.4 to Left across from the Garden Nursing home at 73? it is just as quick you come out by the Krogers Why should those of us that live on this side of Trenton drive ALL The way down RT 4 Driving another 4 or 5 miles down RT4, and then another 3 miles back into town isn’t exactly saving us any time. I know, I’ve tried.
By Mike Hollingsworth
November 23, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this
If Hamilton is to grow and not stay a ghost town as it is now . Then you need to 1. Time all the stop lights so that you can travel though the city and not have to stop at every singel light.( Example- Detroit Mich.) 2. Take RT. 63 all the way around Hamilton to RT 27 on the S.W. of the city (4-lane). You have seen how things have grown along the Butler Co. R. E.. 3. Make interstructer user frindly and people and comp’s. will come.
By Traci
November 22, 2008 2:56 PM | Link to this
Way to many construction projects going on at 1 time, Why not finish 1 project then move on to another? The traffic coming across the bridge into Woodsdale is a NEVERENDING line! When it takes anywhere from 5-20 minutes to get out of Joseph Road (right off the bridge) something seriously needs to be done! I hope a traffic light will be installed at the intersection of Wayne-Madison & Augspurger Roads.As a side note: I’d really like the roundabout IF it ever opens onto Liberty_Fairfield Road.
By Cindi
November 21, 2008 11:06 PM | Link to this
If people are going to Trenton why don’t they just continue north on Rt.4 to Left across from the Garden Nursing home at 73? it is just as quick you come out by the Krogers, then you dont have to wait in that line at all and save your self a lot of time and can be any where in Trenton in just a few minutes.
By aeh
November 21, 2008 10:31 PM | Link to this
WHAT PEOPLE FAIL TO REALIZE IS IT HAS BEEN MADE WORSE BY THE CLOSURE ON 3RD STREET GOING NORTH(127) OUT OF HAMILTON. POOR PLANNING ONCE AGAIN.
By paid 1664
November 21, 2008 8:33 PM | Link to this
why not extend 63 south to miller like is was proposed 20 years ago with a exit off route 4 that loops around onto 63 and people will have to travel north a couple miles to have a straight shot there…..get er done
By MooMoo
November 21, 2008 7:47 PM | Link to this
63 Extension
By kr
November 21, 2008 4:13 PM | Link to this
It’s a timing issue but as well the Third Street closure in Hamilton has compounded the problem. Before I could get to Trenton from Hamilton going out 127 to Hamilton Trenton Rd. Now the only way is to detour via the west side and sit in traffic on B Street, or join the jam on Ohio 4. In the short term a longer light and a longer turn lane would help. In the long term just make Liberty Fairfield/Wayne Madison a 4 lane road. I’m sure Miller would appreciate less congestion.
By Residentof FFtwshp
November 21, 2008 4:01 PM | Link to this
Another solution is to teach drivers about The Anatomy of a traffic jam.
A helpful hint would be to suggest everyone move through the lights as soon as possible. Don’t allow three car lengths between you and the person in front of you when moving forward. Close the gap and more people will get through. I sit in this jam also. Folks who dawdle through these jams make the problems even harder to deal with. Side note: I love the roundabout at the other end of Liberty Fairfield Road!
By Vickie
November 21, 2008 3:58 PM | Link to this
First and easiest thing that needs done is The left turn into the Trailer part must be stopped for one thing. Move it to behind ACE. That Left turn stops the traffic right in the middle of the highway. Then the lights need adjusted allowing more left turns off the highway. Light now works to let more left turns on to Rt 4.
By tammy
November 21, 2008 12:26 PM | Link to this
JUST GO BEHIND KROGERS LIKE EVERYONE ELSE!!!
By Maggie
November 21, 2008 12:23 PM | Link to this
It seems to me that changing the timing on the lights is a simple, inexpensive and effective interim solution to this problem. I hope someone will listen to these suggestions and implement them ASAP.
By Brandon Begley
November 21, 2008 11:08 AM | Link to this
2 south bound lanes, and left turn lane to Liberty Fairfield Road will stay green simultaneously for approximately 3 minutes. Liberty Fairfield road and entrance to Countryside Village will remain green for approximately 1 minute. 2 north bound lanes and turn lane to Countryside Village will stay green for approx 1.5 minutes.
This is a 3 cycle light system. It works, because this is the way they move traffic at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
By L. Turner
November 21, 2008 10:40 AM | Link to this
I have lived near the intersection of Route 4 and Liberty Fairfield Road for 11 years. Prior to the installation of the “newer” lights and controller, we had no backup on Route 4 or Liberty Fairfield. Now, the traffic on Liberty Fairfield, between 5PM and 6PM is so bad, it reaches all the way back to Millikin Road. And the traffic on Route 4 reaches well beyond Greenlawn Road. I realize, the volume of traffic has increased. But it seems very plain to me, that the light timing needs to be reset.
By k
November 21, 2008 10:08 AM | Link to this
i have to sit in that long line everyday and i think that it is sad that there has been many numbers of recks there and now they are going to do something about it.
By James Bown/Liberty Township
November 21, 2008 9:29 AM | Link to this
Like most roads, not just Butler County,are plan for and build by,Political minded leaders,and we have some of the BEST in this county.Just look at the counties funding for most anything,Mmmmm?Cut backs, don’t haves,lay offs,Pay raises for some-etc. But we have a New Highway, 129…”Politic”my old school dictionary,said that’s the “Science and Art of Government,or to Govern. Wonder where all that ART is hanging.Oh I do have a picture of WATERLOO,well OK it’s a copy.L.O.L….JB.
By Mandy
November 21, 2008 9:10 AM | Link to this
Last week I was stuck waiting just to get into the turn lane for a solid 30 minutes. The light needs to be longer, that’s all there is to it. Not enough cars getting through each arrow.
By SnowMan
November 21, 2008 8:40 AM | Link to this
Go early, or stay late,or just maybe we’ll all be retired before 2013. Be glad there’s a gas station almost on each corner,that way you’ll have fuel for the next days wait..Just wait till the roads ice’s over,then it’ll be we don’t have enough salt,or the two or three inch bizarred just caught us off-guard.Guarantee one thing Hamilton as well as Butler County, has been and well most likely be “A day late,and a dollar short”.The new 129 Highway,was in the planning stage for oh, 35 or 40 years.SM.
By Jo
November 21, 2008 8:21 AM | Link to this
I do not go north of town during rush hour, but have seen some similar problem intersections where the turning light permits “letting a few cars trickle through” and then they get a red light. I frequently wonder why the time permitted for those turning cannot be lengthened.