MASSILLON, Ohio — The City of Massillon is the latest Northeast Ohio community to add speed tables to some of its residential streets.
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The city just installed five speed tables on three different streets in an effort to lower traffic speeds and improve the safety of pedestrians and motorists. Main Avenue West, Burd Avenue Northeast, and Lake Avenue Northeast now have square-shaped, 22 feet wide and four-inch high speed tables in the roadway.
Massillon Mayor Jamie Slutz said these three streets were chosen based on the number of complaints made by residents to city officials. He said he's happy with the results so far.
"It's working," he said. "The neighbors there are happy. The residents on Lake Avenue are happy. Let's face it. The police can't be there 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, these speed tables can be there, and they're doing their job and slowing people down."
Cost and installation of the five-speed tables totaled around $80,000, and funding came from the Massillon Street Department budget.
The speed tables will be removed in November for winter storage and will be placed on the roads next spring.
Besides speed tables, Slutz said the police department has also dedicated an officer to full-time traffic control, and a second officer is expected to begin patrolling this summer.
