The results are in on a more than two-year effort to reduce crashes and increase pedestrian and cyclist safety along a busy stretch in College Hill.
The city, neighborhood leaders and representatives from traffic safety advocacy group the Devou Good Foundation will hold a panel discussion Jan. 18 at 6:30 p.m. at Esoteric Brewing (918 E. McMillan Street) to discuss data about the traffic calming measures implemented there.
Those measures on Hamilton Avenue and North Bend Road included a protected bike lane, 24-hour parking with parking curbs, and rubber bumps at intersections to slow down turning cars.
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Neighborhood leaders requested the project, led by Devou's Vision Zero initiative after the hit-and-run death of cyclist James Town on North Bend Road in December, 2021.
Traffic counts from the neighborhood showed between 60-70% of cars speeding along the streets, with many drivers going well above the speed limit and one going 98 mph.
Data collected by the initiative showed 43 crashes, 21 injuries and two deaths along the streets in question between August 11, 2022, and January 1, 2023.
The road safety pilot began August 11, 2023. Between that time and Jan. 1 this year, there were 31 crashes, five injuries and no deaths reported along the project area — numbers that nonprofit and neighborhood leaders say show big progress.
And speeds are down, too. The number of drivers going over 50 miles an hour on the roads dropped by 90%, data from Devou shows. And average speeds on the road have dropped from 34 mph to 30.
The materials used to build the infrastructure last for about five years, according to Devou Good Foundation President Matt Butler. But they're also flexible and can be changed around based on what neighborhood leaders decide in terms of a permanent configuration.
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Some drivers have complained about the slower speeds. But College Hill leaders say they're pleased with the results. Butler encourages other neighborhoods to explore similar options.
"We're not just talking about a small reduction in injuries," he says. "We're talking about major changes here."