CLEVELAND — In Northeast Ohio this year, about 150 people have died in car crashes.
Last July, Gov. Mike DeWine announced an initiative to reduce crashes on I-90 between East 55th and East 260th streets.
We checked back in October, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol said there had been almost 100 fewer crashes in that area compared to 2023.
RELATED: Safety measures on I-90 lead to fewer crashes in Cuyahoga County, officials say
On Thursday, OSHP told us it saw a 10% decrease, but it still remind drivers to take it slow on the roads.
Over this 8-mile stretch, Ohio State Highway Patrol will pull over not one, not two, but sometimes more than 30 drivers a day for speeding, distracted driving, and seat belts.
This all happens on I-90 between East 55th and East 260th streets, which troopers say is one of the top crash routes in Cuyahoga County.
“In the month of February alone, Bratenahl had 30 accidents on I-90, just in Bratenahl—not the whole 8-mile stretch, just that 3-mile stretch,” said Chief Charles LoBello with Bratenahl police.
Those types of crashes led DeWine to create the safety corridor last year. The Speed and Seat Belt Safety Corridor represents a collaboration between OSHP, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), and local police departments from Cleveland, Euclid, and Bratenahl.
“With Cuyahoga County being the third worst in seatbelt usage in the state of Ohio at 64% utilization, we felt like instead of a distracted driving corridor, why don't we create the first speed and seatbelt-related corridor,” said John Picuri, district deputy director, ODOT District 12.
We first told you about this safety corridor when it was put in place last July.
RELATED: Gov. DeWine announces new safety corridor on I-90
Since then, drivers have seen more troopers patrolling the roads, and ODOT signage tells them to slow down. Some signs display a digital counter with the number of days since the last serious crash. On Thursday, we learned that those measures are working.
“I can tell you that crashes year over year are down 10% in the corridor,” said Lieutenant Tim Hoffman, Ohio State Highway Patrol's Cleveland post.
But as northeast Ohio heads into the warmer months, police expect to see more cars on the road, which can lead to more problems.
“What we do call between Memorial Day and Labor Day? We call that the 100 deadliest days, unfortunately, because of the number of crashes that occur during that time period. They plan to keep monitoring the area,” said Picuri.
So, as OSHP continues to patrol the area, officials are reminding drivers to be safe on the road because you never know whose life you’re putting at risk.
“When you enter this corridor, if you're speeding, you should expect to be stopped, and you should expect to receive a ticket. It's zero tolerance out here in the corridor,” said Hoffman.
The corridor will be in effect for about the next two to two-and-a-half years, after which data will determine if it should be moved.
