City plans to improve safety at Olentangy Trail crossing
Traffic light delay would assist bikes, pedestrians
Pedestrians and bicyclists using the planned rerouted Olentangy Trail will be given a head start of up to seven seconds when crossing busy West North Broadway near Ohiohealth’s administrative campus in Clintonville.
There were lots of concerns raised two years ago when Columbus Department of Recreation and Parks officials said they wanted to reroute the Olentangy Trail because users thought the planned new crossing near the busy Ohiohealth campus and the on- and off-ramps for Route 315 would be too dangerous.
The proposed reroute the city chose crosses the Olentangy River from Clinton-como Park on the east side of the
river, then goes past the Ohiohealth campus, crossing West North Broadway before heading back across the river and connecting with the trail at Northmoor Park.
Plans now call for the traffic lights at the intersection of West North Broadway, the entrance to the Ohiohealth administrative campus and Route 315 ramps to be delayed for three to seven seconds, essentially becoming a fourway stop to give bicyclists and pedestrians more time to get across safely. “No Turn On Red” signs would be lit during that time.
The new plan also includes the planned addition of a 10-foot-wide raised median in the crosswalk at West North Broadway, which would act as a midpoint safety island for crossers whose time is running out.
“We heard the community,” said Brad Westall, planning manager for the city’s Recreation and Parks Department. “We studied this very, very hard with our public service department to do an enhanced safety crossing.”
They also studied the plan to make sure traffic backups wouldn’t be a
the Department of Neuroscience in the College of Medicine.
Additional members of the University Advisory Subcommittee include:
● Martha Belury, professor in the College of Education and Human Ecology.
● Carol R. Bradford, dean of the College of Medicine and vice president for health sciences of the Wexner Medical Center.
● Molly Ranz Calhoun, president and CEO of the Ohio State University Alumni Association.
● Jorge E. Clavo Abbass, president of the Council of Graduate Students.
● Michael C. Eicher, senior vice president for advancement and president of the Ohio State University Foundation.
● Isil Erel, professor and chair in the Fisher College of Business.
● Russell Hassan, professor and chair in the John Glenn College of Public Affairs.
● Ayanna Howard, dean of the College of Engineering.
● Michael Ibrahim, director of the School of Music.
● Cathann A. Kress, vice president for agricultural administration and dean of the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
● Scott Levi, professor and chair of the Department of History.
● Anthony Long, president of the Inter-professional Council.
● Andrew Pierce, Undergraduate Student Government president.
● Paul Rose, associate dean for strategic initiatives of the Moritz College of Law.
● Taylor A. Schwein, graduate student trustee.
● Gene Smith, senior vice president of the Department of Athletics.
● Laurel Van Dromme, chair of the University Staff Advisory Committee.
The Presidential Selection Subcommittee will soon share ways how the greater campus community can participate in the search process.
“Our dedication to advancing Ohio State’s standing as one of the nation’s premier public universities remains unchanged — as does our commitment to being a leader in affordability and student support, faculty retention and hiring, innovative research and excellence in patient care,” Fujita said.
When does Ohio State plan to announce its next president?
University spokesman Ben Johnson said there is currently no timeline for the trustees to select Ohio State’s next president.
Ohio State’s last presidential search, which began after former President Michael V. Drake announced in November 2019 his plans to retire, took about six months.
The university hired the search firm Isaacson, Miller in January 2020, held several public forums for the campus community that February, and officially announced Johnson as its next president on June 4, 2020.
Why is Ohio State searching for its next president?
Johnson shocked the Ohio State community when she confirmed her plans to step down as president just halfway through her contract. Since her resignation, Johnson and the university have shared little with the public about what really happened.
The Dispatch recently reported some of the behind-the-scenes turmoil that led to her resignation was rooted in a power struggle between Johnson and Les Wexner.
Sources close to the president said Johnson decided she could no longer work with Les Wexner and certain trustees who are loyal to him and push for his interests. The apparent power struggle culminated last summer, when Wexner and Certain members of the board sought to wrestle some control of the Ohio State University Medical Center away from the president, sources close to Johnson told The Dispatch.
Community sources defending Wexner, however, said Johnson’s resignation centered on complaints made in the course of her annual review by her executive team about the president’s hostility and lack of transparency. The sources said some trustees were upset with Johnson over a number of different issues in the past two years, none of which were the sole reason for her resignation.
shendrix@dispatch.com