In recent weeks, Elyria police have noticed a rapid increase in traffic crashes along North Abbe Road near Lorain County Community College.
There have been more than 20 crashes in just two months, mostly rear-end crashes.
“So we need to slow them down,” said Elyria Police Chief Duane Whitely.
Whitely said many of the crashes are speed related.
The speed limit on North Abbe Road is 35 mph. Some drivers have been clocked at 60.
Police are now doing target enforcement on North Abbe Road.
They wrote nearly 60 tickets in just one week.
Police believe it's because Gulf Road is closed for a sewer project and traffic is being detoured to North Abbe Road.
Those additional drivers either don’t pay attention to the speed limit or are impatient.
“Which increases an already busy road to insane levels,” Whitely said.
We noticed something else.
There’s a dip in the road where traffic ahead disappears from view.
It’s right in the middle of where the accidents are happening.
It’s possible speeding drivers not familiar with the road can’t stop in time.
Whitely believes North Abbe Road has another flaw.
“I believe it handles more cars than what it was designed to, to begin with,” Whitely said.
Elyria police asked the Ohio State Highway Patrol to also assist with the speeding crackdown.
The city is also putting in a temporary traffic light.
Whitely just wants to make the area safer and believes it’s working.
“It’s had a great affect because I’ve driven up there a few times back and forth purposely at different times and the traffic has been going 35,” Whitely said.
On average, police said most speeders are going between 50 and 55 mph in the 35 mph zone.
