12th Street in Canton, Ohio

The 12th St. Corridor Improvement Project was a $16M widening and resurfacing project spanning almost 2 miles from the Metro RTA Railroad to just West of structure STR-153-0.91. This project began in the fall of 2014 and included upgrades at 9 signalized intersections (8 along 12th St. and 1 at Market Ave. & 11th St.) and the addition of a bike lane and decorative streetscape on both sides of the roadway. Dedicated Northbound and Southbound left turn lanes were added to Market Ave. A roundabout was installed at 12th St. and the O’Jays Parkway.

NEWS

Canton’s First Roundabout to Open Thursday

[8/31/16 – Kelly Byer, Canton Repository – Canton’s First Roundabout to Open Thursday]

The city’s first roundabout at 12th Street and Maple Avenue NE is scheduled to open by Thursday afternoon.

It should increase safety, make it easier for truck drivers to turn and decrease long-term maintenance costs, said Assistant City Engineer Nick Loukas.

“At this intersection, it should work really well,” he said.

Construction crews transformed the intersection northeast of Nimisilla Park into a one-lane roundabout, diverting some traffic since early this year. A separate turn lane for eastbound drivers turning from 12th Street onto The O’Jay’s Parkway NE will remain, Loukas said.

The roundabout portion of the larger 12th Street corridor project cost about $400,000. Loukas said most of the multi-year street project, which extends from Interstate 77 and Mercy Drive NW to the Middle Branch of Nimishillen Creek, should be done by November with all work finished by June 2017.

Another roundabout is planned not far to the east at Mahoning Road, Harrisburg Road and Belden Avenue NE as part of the Mahoning Road NE corridor project. It’s under design now and construction should begin the first half of next year, Loukas said.

Both locations were good candidates for roundabouts, he said, partly because of the “odd” angles the roads intersect. With fewer drivers at night, it also removes the wait at traffic lights.

“If there’s nobody there, you can just keep going,” Loukas said.

They’re not ideal in areas with heavy traffic, he said, so the city has been selective about constructing such circular intersections.

Roundabouts have been shown to reduce crashes and their severity by slowing vehicles and moving them in the same direction. Loukas said rear-end and side-swipe collisions typically result in few or minor injuries.

“The types of crashes,” he said. “The high-speed, angle crashes that are the most dangerous, is reduced.”

Roundabouts are a familiar sight in European countries and are increasingly used in the United States. Stark County’s first one opened in 2014 at Paris Avenue and Easton Street NE followed by one at Fohl Road and Shepler Church. Another is planned for Harrisburg Road and 30th Street NE.

To the north, the city of Green has one at Massillon Road and Steese Road and one at Greensburg Road and Lauby Road.