City looks to slow traffic in neighborhood

FINDLAY — The need to slow down traffic on Amelia Avenue gave rise to talk of using speed bumps on residential streets at Findlay City Council's regular meeting earlier this month. Council approved a recommendation from the Traffic Commission to begin monitoring speed on the street and to evaluate adding curb bump-outs on Amelia Avenue and Blanchard Avenue in an attempt to slow traffic. The commission was responding to a resident's complaint. The resident, who moved onto the street in 2017, said it's a chronic problem. Parking "speed trailers," which display the motorist's speed, do slow traffic, but once the trailer is removed, drivers speed back up, according to the resident. At the meeting, Councilman Grant Russel, R-at-large, questioned the city's policy of avoiding the use of speed bumps to control traffic. He said they're inexpensive and work, and would end the problem of motorists speeding down Amelia Avenue, south of Blanchard Avenue. Russel said other communities use them. He said it would be worth trying speed bumps on Amelia Avenue. If they don't work out, he said they can easily be removed. However, city Engineer Jeremy Kalb said the city makes it a practice to avoid the use of speed bumps because of maintenance issues and the potential to damage snow plows. The Traffic Commission also rejected creating a three-way stop at the intersection or narrowing the street. At the commission's meeting on April 15, Kalb said traffic coming off of Blanchard Avenue has an easy turn onto Amelia Avenue, and doesn't slow down much at the intersection. He suggested reconfiguring the intersection to create a sharper turn at the intersection. The commission voted 5-0 to revisit the issue once data is collected from the speed monitor. Commission members include Service-Safety Director Rob Martin, Police Chief James Mathias, Fire Chief Josh Eberle, Kalb and Councilman Brian Bauman, R-5.