CLEVELAND — A road sign that’s been down near the entrance of Interstate 77 for five years is finally set to be replaced after being brought to the attention of the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) by News 5.
The sign, which was knocked down in a 2019 accident involving a Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority bus, has remained at the site.
The crash occurred when an SUV ran a red light at East 30th Street and Woodland Avenue, striking the bus.
Eleven passengers and the bus driver were taken to the hospital, but the damaged road sign was never reported, according to ODOT.
When News 5 contacted ODOT to ask about the delay, the agency discovered it had no record of the sign needing repairs.
Brent Kovacs, a spokesperson for ODOT’s District 12, explained why.
“We really depend on the public or the media to notify us about downed signs,” said Kovacs. “We didn’t have this one on our list. Once it’s on our radar, we get out there as quickly as we can.”
According to ODOT, if a signpost is damaged and it has a replacement in stock, repairs can be completed within a week. However, if the flat sheet sign is damaged, it must be custom-made in Columbus, which can add several weeks to the process, depending on demand.
While Kovacs acknowledged the delay, he emphasized that a five-year oversight is unusual. "I've not heard of one going on this long before," he said.
ODOT has since prioritized the replacement; the sign is expected to be fixed this week.
