Tuesday public forum addresses Woodman corridor safety plan near 35, Wright-Patt

The corridor runs from U.S. 35 north to Springfield Street, the exit for the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

Credit: MARSHALL GORBY/STAFF

Credit: MARSHALL GORBY/STAFF

“We are casting a wide net to obtain as much community input that will help improve the safety and accessibility of this corridor that is not only vital to the city … but also to the Miami Valley region,” said Riverside City Manager Joshua Rauch. “This is an opportunity for the public to help shape the future of our community.”

The city seeks input on how a three-mile stretch of Woodman/Harshman can be made safer, Riverside officials have said.

It will cost several million dollars to overhaul the route. The road has a 45-mile-per-hour speed limit, lacks adequate pedestrian paths and an area near Wright-Patt includes a curve where vehicle accidents happen too frequently, according to Riverside records.

Riverside officials have said the work will be done in phases. The first short phase started at the U.S. 35 interchange — which has been undergoing realignment construction — and ends just 0.4 miles down the hill at Eastman Road, city officials have said.

In March, the city said $1.5 million had been secured with funding earmarked to include upgrades near Wright-Patt.

Riverside last year received an a $500,000 Ohio Department of Transportation grant for the Woodman corridor work. The city has invested about $6.8 million in the corridor, Riverside documents show.