PLANS TO upgrade the traffic pattern in the Ohio Valley Mall area received a major push forward with this week's announcement that the Ohio Department of Transportation is making funding available for such work.
Belmont County commissioners revealed Wednesday that ODOT has given thumps up to their Mall Road Safety Application. The two sides have been conducting meetings in recent weeks in regard to the application.
Now with ODOT's blessing and funding, the project may proceed. It will feature two basic parts. Both are needed to make ingress and egress a safer and quicker experience through the heavily traveled area.
The first component is the major thrust of the project as it calls for improvements to the Mall Road intersection, which can prove a hazardous venue in its current state. The westbound exit ramp and Red Roof Lane are both targeted for much-needed improvements.
The exit ramp's left turn lane will be extended, creating room for additional vehicles. The Red Roof Lane will be widened for two exit lanes and one incoming lane.
We also embrace the second component of the safety application, as it will interconnect all traffic signals along Mall Road from Banfield Road north to U.S. 40 and the Eric Drive and U.S. 40 traffic signal. Once in operation, such a network will yield much more efficient travel flow.
The project is expected to cost nearly $1 million. The good news is that ODOT will shoulder the price tag. The bad news is the work will not start until 2012 at the earliest.
With the state picking up the costs, we are in no position to complain about the timetable, although we would support a quicker start.
We hope this project is just the beginning of more planned upgrades in the area. Long-term plans call for a new interchange over Interstate 70, linking property west of the Ohio Valley Plaza with property west of the Ohio Valley Mall. Such an interchange, while a longshot at best, would open up countless development opportunities.
The Ohio Valley Mall and neighboring Ohio Valley Plaza mean a great deal to the economic well-being of Belmont County, if not Eastern Ohio. That being said, we are receptive to any transportation improvements in that congested area the state is willing to fund.
