code amendments may be warranted to address changing needs and business environments.
4. TRANSPORTATION
Goal:
A balanced transportation system that provides for the safe and efficient movement of vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists, and complements the City’s traditional image and character.
EXISTING OBJECTIVES:
1.
Monitor traffic circulation and operational conditions along Far Hills Avenue. Consider the adoption of regulations to protect the corridor from uses or activities that negatively affect rush hour traffic.
a.
The Far Hills traffic signal system operates in a coordinated manner and is designed to give priority to north/south SR48 traffic during morning and afternoon rush hours. Staff routinely monitors traffic flow during the weekday rush hours to ensure proper signal operation. The city limits roadway work during high traffic periods. Standard city project specifications prohibit weekday work on northbound Far Hills until after 8:30 am and prohibit work on southbound Far Hills after 3:30 pm. With the departure of Mead Corporation (now MeadWestvaco), NCR Corporation and Reynolds and Reynolds Company from downtown Dayton, vehicle traffic along Far Hills has moved efficiently with minimal back-ups, even during the heaviest peak period flow.
2.
Monitor traffic speeds within residential areas, particularly where streets are seen as cut-through routes and where speeding is reported.
a.
As it has been for decades, traffic enforcement continues to be a high priority in the Oakwood Public Safety Department. Public Safety Officers engage in traffic enforcement operations on every shift. Given that Oakwood is almost entirely residential and is a highly walkable community, ensuring compliance with motor vehicle laws is critically important. In 2017, the city purchased a mobile speed monitoring/recording device. In 2020, a resident appreciative of the city’s emphasis on traffic enforcement donated $3,000 for the purchase of a second speed device. The Safety Department routinely installs the speed devices around Oakwood, particularly on streets where speed concerns are identified.
3.
Enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety within Oakwood, particularly around public facilities and at street crossings along Far Hills Avenue and other major streets.
a.
In 2004, the city completed a major sidewalk safety improvement project along Far Hills Avenue. The project included widening the sidewalk along the east side of Far Hills Avenue between Patterson Road and Oakwood High School, and installing attractive yet functional safety railing in place of an old chain and bollard barrier system.
b.
Oakwood operates 17 signalized intersections, all of which include protected pedestrian crossings. The newest three signals were constructed at Far Hills Ave and Springhouse Rd/Old River Trail (2008); at W. Schantz Ave and Kramer Rd (2007); and at Far Hills Ave and Orchard Dr (2006).