AKRON, Ohio — News 5 is following through on an all-out effort to keep the roads safe.
The City of Akron introduced a pilot program to study speeding in several neighborhoods.
Those results show average speeds were 6 mph slower after speed tables were installed.
The city says that the pilot program proved to be effective, so now it is rolling out a traffic calming program and installing speed tables all across town starting in June.
Residents say they are sick and tired of dealing with tragedies and crashes on the roadways due to careless driving.
Akron leaders are hoping the next round of speed tables will make a difference.
"What is the traffic like and do people fly through here? Oh, yeah… All the time," Alex Beyer of Akron said.
Without hesitation, Beyer says his daily walk with his beloved dog Bo along Maple Street has become increasingly more dangerous each day.
"It's crazy. People are always flying. Especially around this corner right here," Beyer said.
He's witnessed countless drivers speed past the fire station and St. Vincent de Paul Parish School despite clear 25-mile-per-hour signs in the area.
"If anybody like flies up and I'm walking across the street, ya know, kids are walking across the street, you'll get hit," Beyer said.
The City of Akron is well aware of his and his neighbors' concerns.
Crews will begin installing more than 20 speed tables at nearly a dozen different problem spots across town.
Our News 5 camera captured the white markings in place along Maple Street, where a future table will be located.
Neighboring Crosby Street will get two-speed tables, as well.
Here are the other Akron speed table locations: Evans Avenue (2) in Ward 2, S. Rhodes Avenue (2) in Ward 3, Storer Avenue (2) in Ward 4, Baird Street (2) in Ward 5, Benton Street (2) in Ward 6, Glenmount Avenue (2) in Ward 7, Ridgewood Road (2) in Ward 8, Clearview Avenue (2) in Ward 9 and Caddo Avenue (2) in Ward 10.
Signage will be posted to alert drivers to the speed tables.
The locations were chosen based on feedback from nearby people, traffic studies, and requests from the city council and other leaders.
"It's gonna slow traffic down for the people walking and biking on the streets and just for the vehicles themselves, whether or not they are going too fast. There are several accidents that have occurred on this curve up here," Michelle DiFiore, Development Engineering Manager City of Akron, said.
The speed tables are set up at mid-block points across the road and are intentionally raised off the street.
They're made of recycled rubberized material.
Installation takes a day, and they will be bolted down and glued to the street.
City of Akron officials say the speed tables are effective because when cars drive over them, they are forced to slow down.
"Speed slowed down by about 6 miles per hour, so that was a 22% reduction, and we're hoping that is a slow down across the board on the new streets," DiFiore said.
The speed tables are paid for with city funds.
In the meantime, Beyer says he feels optimistic his neighborhood will be a safer place and he's grateful change is happening.
"I want to say thank you for ya know protecting everybody," Beyer said.
The speed tables will be removed before winter.
Akron is also adding solar speed limit signs, which will flash your miles per hour when you go over the limit.
This is an additional effort to encourage safe driving in communities across town.
For more information on traffic calming methods in Akron and to request a change in your neighborhood, click here.
