TOLEDO, Ohio — A couple in Point Place reached out to Call 11 for Action for help after they said numerous crashes have taken place just outside their house, caused by what they said is inadequate signage for drivers.
Ralph and Suzanne Kern have lived at the intersection of 131st Street and Edgewater Drive for 48 years and in that time, they estimated there have been 60 crashes right in front of their house. Ralph Kern described one of the crashes to Call 11 for Action.
"The guy came right down the road, right down 131st, right in through the driveway," he said. "Kept right on going, right through that section of fence into my driveway, and then he drove off. He got away."
He said drivers have brought down utility poles, torn down fences and destroyed his property.
"I've already lost three vehicles sitting in my driveway over the years."
Suzanne Kern said, "In 2023, there were six crashes. Four of the crashes hit the pole, one crash happened in the neighbor's yard. The other crash just landed in our driveway."
The speed limit leading into the curve is 35 mph. Drivers are supposed to slow to 15 mph going into the curve. There is a "two direction arrow" sign at the end of 131st Street, but the Kerns said more warning is needed.
"That's all there is," Ralph Kern said. "We need rumble strips and a lit sign somewhere just to alert people, let them know that there's a sharp turn here."
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Utility crews repaired damage Wednesday from the latest crash on Jan. 4 at the end of the Kern's driveway. Suzanne said the workers told her that they would be replacing the two damaged utility poles with one and putting multiple utilities on that pole, which will be reinforced with additional concrete to make it last.
Call 11 for Action reached out to Toledo Edison and the City of Toledo to find out the status of the project and whether it is possible to add additional signage in the area.
According to a spokesperson from Toledo Edison, the downed pole originally held equipment for the company, but it was forced to transfer the equipment when the pole was hit previously.
Now, the equipment on the pole belongs to AT&T.
Doug Stephens, Director of the Toledo Department of Transportation said, "We are currently gathering traffic data along Edgewater. We will do a crash diagram to analyze the crashes at this location and come up with potential solutions to problems that are found."
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The Kerns said they do not support adding a stop sign or stop light and are not asking for the city to lower the speed limit. All they want is more signs to warn drivers to slow down.
"What we need is something to alert people that there is a sharp curve here," Ralph Kern said.
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