For the Miami Valley Today

TROY — Mayor Robin Oda has announced several changes around downtown Troy to improve safety for pedestrians and drivers. Reconfigured parking spaces, changes to street crossings, and crosswalk upgrades are all part of the city’s ongoing downtown safety improvements.

Improvements have already been made to include one fewer space on the right-hand side before entering the square in all four directions. Also, the closest parking space to the square on the right will be for compact cars only. The 30-minute space has been relocated around the corner to the quadrant. This slight reconfiguration will allow additional visibility for motorists turning into the roundabout and a safer crossing for pedestrians. In addition, the crosswalks at the roundabout have been repainted with reflective, bright thermoplastic paint to allow drivers to see pedestrian crossings earlier in their approach to the crosswalks.

Within the next two weeks, the Street Department will change the crosswalk configuration at Cherry Street and Main Street, in conjunction with the shift to a two-way stop at that intersection. There will no longer be a crosswalk across Main Street at Cherry Street, while crossing across Cherry will remain open. Pedestrians should cross at the square to the east or at the Plum Street intersection to the west. Note that motorists must stop at Cherry Street before turning onto Main Street, while traffic on Main Street does not stop.

“I’m very confident that these enhancements to our roads and walkways will make it even safer for employees, visitors, and shoppers to safely enjoy our historic downtown,” said Oda. “Motorists should check for signage as they park downtown, and, as always, keep an eye out for pedestrians and people entering and exiting cars. Pedestrians should continue to remain aware of their surroundings and use caution while crossing streets.”