MAUMEE, Ohio — WTOL 11 received multiple calls this week from Maumee residents, who say they feel the changes to the traffic pattern on Conant Street in Uptown Maumee are causing more traffic on the streets, and their concerns are being ignored.
"Yes, I just saw your article on the new traffic pattern in Maumee and I agree it's a nightmare," one anonymous caller said.
The caller is just one of multiple residents living in Maumee who believe the new Conant Street traffic pattern and further plans for renovation are cause for serious concern.
WTOL 11 brought these concerns to Maumee's mayor Richard Carr.
He says he understands that people are concerned, but disagrees with most of the issues, saying Conant has always been clogged.
The mayor says he wants people to see the long-term benefits of upgrading the uptown area even if some people don't see eye to eye with him.
Mayor Carr believes improvement and growth is the key to the city's success.
One of the things people are most frustrated about is the traffic lights, especially when trying to turn from the Anthony Wayne Trail onto Conant Street.
"When you're sitting down at the Trail and you look down, the very first light that goes red is the one at the very end. All that does is back all the traffic up and nobody can turn onto Conant," said the same anonymous caller.
Mayor Carr agrees this is a problem, and is something they plan to fix as they continue to renovate the Uptown Maumee area.
"We get that, we're in the beginning stages of this project. We're renovating -- the entire Anthony Wayne Trail is being redone this summer, and we're addressing lights, timing on lights, at that time," Carr said.
Another caller says that the new traffic pattern is putting a strain on those who live nearby and makes her feel unsafe.
"What about the residents living up and down these streets? Increased traffic, which makes it more dangerous for kids and pets, and honest to God, the inconvenience for the residents living here."
Mayor Carr says there's no evidence to support that the change has made things more dangerous, and in fact it's designed to be the opposite.
"I'm not aware of an increase in accidents, in fact our police division has been in support of this project. It's designed to have the exact opposite effect, instead of cars switching lanes up and down Conant Street it's a more steady traffic pattern," Carr said.
Perhaps the biggest question of all, does this new pattern truly slow traffic down?
Carr thinks it might be more than people are used to, but he believes that for a growing city, it's not bad at all.
"One day it was backed up as far as you could see, past the Wendy's on Conant Street -- which is quite a ways. So I started my timer on my phone, and in seven and a half minutes, I was in Perrysburg. At 5:30 at night. It's heavier traffic than people are used to, but it's not that bad," Carr said.
Mayor Carr says these are the growing pains of city development, and even explained that they planned on having adverse reactions. But he is clear in his belief that bringing in new apartment complexes and restaurants is the key to bringing in more young families into the city, and something he thinks will keep Uptown Maumee vibrant for a long time.
RELATED:
