Medians, enhanced crosswalks, bike lanes, and other changes are coming to Monroe Street thanks to a freshly announced federal grant intended to make it friendlier to pedestrians and bicyclists and less attractive to speeders.
After an initial announcement last week from the office of U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo), the U.S. Department of Transportation formally unveiled on Thursday the award of $1 billion in Safe Streets and Roads for All grants nationwide that include $24.5 million to a consortium of four northwest Ohio counties led by Lucas County.
The largest component for the Lucas County grant is a more than $10 million safety campaign along Monroe Street, all the way from downtown Toledo to downtown Sylvania, that Mike Pniewski, the Lucas County engineer, said will “create an environment” where pedestrians and cyclists feel safer and left turns are reduced.
“Monroe Street is our major commercial corridor, so it made sense to include that in our plan,” Mr. Pniewski said.
Also included in the grant to Lucas, Wood, Ottawa, and Sandusky counties are a $3.6 million proposal to build a multiuse path parallel to Bowling Green’s North Main Street and modify that street’s intersections; convert ramp intersections at State Rt. 2’s westerly interchange with State Rt. 53 on Port Clinton’s southwest side for $4.5 million; and proposals totaling $5 million for safety improvements along parts of Rawson Avenue and West State Street in Fremont.