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Elyria committee adopts Vision Zero resolution to support Lorain County safety action plan
Summary
The committee voted to adopt a resolution supporting the Lorain County Comprehensive Safety Action Plan (Vision Zero) tied to a $200,000 SS4A planning grant and to use the plan as a basis for future grant applications and demonstration projects in Elyria.
The Utility, Safety and Environment Committee on Feb. 5 adopted a resolution endorsing Vision Zero and the Lorain County Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, a countywide effort built from a 2023 federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) planning grant.
Angela McKillis, representing the county planning effort and the Lorain County Public Health initiative, told the committee that Lorain County Public Health received a $200,000 federal grant in February 2023 to create a countywide safety action plan. McKillis said the plan uses a safe‑system approach and will support future grant applications and demonstration projects across the county; she noted the county has set a goal of "0 traffic deaths by 2040."
The plan’s development included public engagement, online surveys and steering‑committee meetings in 2024. McKillis said the county identified more than 30 infrastructure corridors and four intersections countywide for potential safety projects; several corridors in Elyria appear on that list, including parts of Cleveland Street, Lake Avenue, Second Street, Middle Avenue and East Avenue. The packet presented to the committee also referenced a demonstration project on Lake Avenue (between Route 113 and Lorraine Boulevard) to test a temporary road diet, funded in part from the SS4A planning grant.
Committee members asked about funding and prioritization. McKillis said the plan is intended to create a basis for competitive grant applications — to ODOT, NOACA or other sources — to fund projects identified in the plan. She added that Elyria and some neighboring jurisdictions are considered disadvantaged communities for some grant programs, which may provide competitive advantages in certain funding pools. The committee asked for the template resolution and any exhibits; staff agreed to provide an attachable exhibit of the action plan and a draft resolution for council consideration.
The committee report recommended adoption of the resolution. The motion, moved by Mister Oswald and seconded by Mister Armstrong, was approved on a voice vote after brief questions; the chair announced the motion carried. Committee members discussed using the plan to guide demonstration projects and education efforts, and emphasized piloting changes (such as the Lake Avenue road diet) before full implementation.
The packet and slides provided by Lorain County Public Health were described as the source material; committee members asked staff to forward the template resolution and an exhibit of the action plan so council can adopt the resolution by the requested March timeframe. Specific funding amounts for future projects will depend on grant awards and project scopes; the plan itself is a planning document to improve safety, not an immediate capital appropriation.
