TOLEDO, Ohio — The City of Toledo says it will permanently construct chicanes in a south Toledo neighborhood on Whitechapel between Heatherdowns and Larkhall.
Chicanes, or "calming circles," are described on the city's website as "a series of two or three curb bulbs placed on alternating sides of the road that are similar in size to a parked car. Having to navigate additional turns in the road makes drivers slow down and maneuver the curves one vehicle at a time."
This city says it has installed the temporary chicanes to slow down traffic down after receiving a number of complaints from neighbors about speeding on the road.
But not everyone thinks the chicanes are working as intended.
"I would say it probably hasn't made any difference unless there's opposing traffic coming at the same side," said Brandon Palinski, a resident in the Ragan Woods neighborhood. "People can still fly through there at the same speeds that they've always gone through with only a mild inconvenience."
One of the chicanes is directly in front of Palinski's home.
"It's also destroyed any parking that I might have outside my house," said Palinski. "Needless to say, I'm not a fan."
Palinski is not a fan not only because the chicanes are directly in front of his home, but because he doesn't feel that there is proper evidence to prove they're necessary there.
"I'm hoping to look at different data available and to say the idea is great, to reduce speeding, to reduce possible fatalities, but just the initial information I found doesn't show any necessity in the particular neighborhood," said Palinksi.
The city says it conducted a study last December and this past August on Whitechapel, showing that the chicanes lowered the average speed by 23%. Because of this, and other favorable results the city sites, it plans to put in permanent chicanes next year.
"I mean it's something everyone can get behind. Reducing traffic fatalities. Reducing speeding in local neighborhoods but I don't think anyone in the neighborhood would say that they had a voice in how that might manifest," said Palinski.
The city says at the end of the study neighbors will receive a survey about the chicanes and there is a comment form available to residents to voice their concerns in the link above.
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