MASSILLON, Ohio — The City of Massillon is looking at three possible ideas to help ease traffic flow on State Route 21 at Lake Avenue Northeast and First Street Northeast at Lake Avenue.
City Engineer Alex Pitts said an average of nearly 19,000 vehicles travel the Lake Avenue and State Route 21 intersection per day, with about 16,000 cars utilizing the Lake Avenue and First Street intersection.
Pitts noted that afternoon and evening rush hours are the busiest traffic times, prompting the city to consider building a roundabout.
"The problem with the two intersections is that the volume of traffic is just enormous," he said. "We have limited space between the two intersections. That's why it is the preffered method because the idea behind the roundabout is continuous flow."
News 5 told you in September that a safety report from ODOT found that roundabouts are a proven safety tool for reducing crashes.
RELATED: Roundabouts reduce number of crashes across Ohio, ODOT says
The report found single-lane roundabouts decreased injury crashes by 69% statewide, while multi-lane roundabouts resulted in a 25% decline.
Another option being discussed would involve building a U-turn lane along Route 21 at Lake Avenue.
A third option is to widen portions of Route 21, Lake Avenue and First Street, including traffic signal improvements.
Before a final decision is made, the city will hold two public informational meetings related to the upgrades in the next few months.
One meeting is targeted for this fall, and another is scheduled for spring 2026.
The cost to redo the intersection is likely to exceed $4 million, primarily covered by grant funding.
Summer 2027 is the earliest that any road upgrades will begin.
