The yet unnamed road, conceived during discussions on the proposed development, would connect Red Lion-Five Points Road and Ohio 741, eliminating reroute traffic away from a sharp curve on Red Lion-Five Points and traffic that cuts through a Springboro neighborhood.
"It's to everybody's advantage that this gets constructed," Assistant Warren County Engineer Kurt Weber said during the May 28 Warren County Regional Planning Commission meeting approving plans for the Woodgrove residential development on 52.7 acres of the Montgomery Farm.
Clearcreek Twp. would maintain the new road. MI Homes will donate the 50 feet of right of way needed for the road on the north edge of their development.
MORE: Housing boom in Clearcreek Township
Last week, Springboro City Manager Chris Pozzuto said plan was another example of cooperation between the township and city and part of efforts to ease gridlock on Ohio 741, Main Street in Springboro, mainly from drivers before and after school.
“This proposed road, if built, will direct more traffic to the south of the High School and encourage more traffic to enter the school campus from the south, versus the north, where 90% of all the school traffic originates,” Pozzuto said in an email.
In addition, the new road is expected to at least reduce the number of student drivers currently cutting through the Heatherwoode subdivision to get to Springboro High School.
“This proposed road will allow the city to ‘divert’ the cut-through traffic a little further to the south to hopefully alleviate the traffic in Heatherwoode. Through a partnership with the Schools, the Schools have agreed to re-route 11 of the 18 bus routes that would typically utilize that cut-through within Heatherwoode, again, reducing traffic in that strictly residential area,” Pozzuto added.
The change is also designed to ensure safety of police officers monitoring the traffic.
“Officer safety is our number one priority and the proposed road, if built, will eliminate the need for an officer to be posted at that location in the mornings,” Pozzuto said.
The change is also expected to improve “Young Driver Safety” by eliminating left turns that have to be negotiated on the current route.
The city is exploring the best way to pay for the road.
The regional planning commission’s executive committee approved MI’s preliminary plan on May 28.
MORE: Unique Springboro-Clearcreek deals prompt legal questions
Although it is expected to reduce cut-through traffic, Mike Hemmert, a Heatherwode resident, is among residents still with questions about the location of the new road in the preliminary plan.
Some of the same residents opposed a plan by Oberer to build more homes on the property, rejected by the Clearcreek Twp. trustees.
“The concern is the location of the road and the ‘straight line’ of it. All of us know the school kids will abuse the speed limit,” Hemmert said in an email after the meeting.
The plan still has to pass regional planning commission staff review.
About the Author
