An area downtown is looking to get safer for pedestrians with new plans

Monroe has approved funding for design services to provide safety improvements for two pedestrian crossings on Main Street.

City Council approved a resolution to enter a $38,000 contract with Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Inc. to design the pedestrian crossings at Mason Avenue and Church Street.

City Manager William Brock said FTCH completed a safety study last year for the city to determine the best way to safely cross South Main Street entering in to Monroe Community Park from Mason Avenue. He said the findings were presented to the city’s Public Works Committee.

Brock said that because these types of projects can qualify for grant funding, city officials decided to add the intersection of South Main Street and Church Street near the Monroe City Building and seek state funding for both projects.

He said the safety improvements with the project include some additional work on the sidewalks at those intersections, curb ramps, pavement markings, advance traffic control signage, and warning signs that are solar-powered and pedestrian-activated with flashing LED borders for warning signs.

Brock said the city will apply to the Ohio Department of Transportation for grant funding that will cover both construction and design costs of the project on a 90 percent/10 percent split with the city.

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