Columbiana council repeals downtown 'no right on red' restriction after pedestrian-safety discussion

The Columbiana City Council voted to repeal the city's earlier restriction on right turns on red at a downtown intersection, citing repaired signal timing and a desire to pursue other pedestrian-safety measures.

Council discussion opened with a brief history: an unidentified official said the restriction was originally adopted over fears for pedestrian safety but that signal timers were not working correctly when the restriction was evaluated. "We initially did it because we were worried about pedestrians getting hit," the official said, adding that the timing issues have since been fixed.

Members acknowledged public concern shown on social media about pedestrian safety at the intersection on Main Street but also noted the restriction had served primarily as a temporary measure. Council members proposed alternatives including improved crosswalk repainting, pedestrian-warning signage and — in the longer term — constructing dedicated pedestrian crosswalks if funds become available. One council member said repainting and caution signage might be a practical intermediate step.

Speaker 5 moved to repeal resolution 04-25-03; the council proceeded to roll call and several members recorded "Yes," indicating the repeal carried. The clerk recorded affirmative responses from Council member Lillie, Maisel, Ruston, King, Philip and Mary Jacobs during the roll call.

The council did not adopt an immediate replacement traffic ordinance during the meeting; members directed staff to consider lower-cost pedestrian-warning measures and to monitor the intersection for further concerns.

The repeal will remove the operational restriction, and council members said the next steps will focus on low-cost visibility and signage improvements while seeking funding for more permanent crosswalk infrastructure.