MEDINA, Ohio — Medina City Council recently passed legislation to seek grant money to improve safety for pedestrians at the city’s Public Square.
If this money is received, those improvements will consist of raised concrete areas known as bump-outs to provide added protection.
“Safety is the number one concern, and if this would provide a safer atmosphere in the Square for people crossing in the crosswalks and mid-cross walks, we’re going to take advantage of it,” City Council President John Coyne said.
Coyne understands Medina’s Public Square can be a very busy area for visitors and traffic.
“People aren’t paying attention,” he said.
In an effort to keep you safe, Coyne said City Council is now seeking grant money to make improvements to hopefully install raised concrete areas known as bump-outs.
“When you get to the square at the intersections, they would make a raised area that goes out into the street as it exists now that gives the protection for pedestrians,” Coyne said.
Chilling surveillance footage released to News 5 from Medina Police Department in March 2024 shows the moments a car hit John McKay’s nine-year-old son as the young boy made his way to school.
RELATED: 9-year-old hit by car while walking to school in Medina
“It’s probably the scariest thing I’ve ever went through,” said McKay. “Getting a phone call that my son had just gotten hit by a car was probably one of the hardest calls I’ve had.”
When News 5 spoke to Medina Police Chief Edward Kinney earlier this year, he told us McKay’s son was the first pedestrian to be hit in 2024.
But in 2023, there were six and in 2022, there were two.
One of the most notable incidents was on Smith Road near Jefferson Street in Nov. 2023.
News 5 reported on 55-year-old Laura Schmid, who broke nine ribs, five vertebrae, her pelvis, forehead, and nose. The driver fled the scene.
RELATED: Family of Medina woman critically injured in hit-skip questioning justice system
Meanwhile, another incident News 5 followed happened in May 2023 when a car hit Medina Parking attendant Bill Pavlick on Court Street.
RELATED: Medina parking attendant hit by car gets love from businesses in the Square
“Pedestrians are getting struck in the crosswalks where people are driving and hopefully this will draw more attention to drivers,” Coyne said.
“It gives me a greater sense of security. I’ll feel safer letting my kids walk around town again,” McKay said.
City Council is now in the process of applying for this grant, which they hope to receive.
