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Mentor to implement signal timing changes on Mentor Avenue; residents urge broader fixes
Summary
City staff said signal-timing changes recommended by Pathmaster will be implemented the day after the April 7 meeting; residents raised traffic concerns and suggested local changes including enforcement and repurposing an adjacent street to ease backups.
City staff told the Mentor City Council on April 7 that recommended signal-timing changes for Mentor Avenue will be implemented promptly as an initial step toward easing chronic congestion at several intersections.
City Manager Filipiak said the Pathmaster timing study results had been received and staff planned to implement the recommended timing changes the next day at 10:30 a.m., with the ability to monitor and revert adjustments if needed. Staff and consulting engineers (DGL) will continue to observe performance and consider further measures for congested locations such as Chillicothe and Mentor Avenue.
Mr. Fowler reported that Lake Tran moved a bus stop from the east to the west side of the intersection to reduce backups; staff thanked Mr. Capel for assistance. Council members stressed the timing change should be monitored and that additional infrastructure changes would be considered later if needed.
During public comment, Jake Bolandz described heavy weekend congestion near Mentor Avenue and suggested multiple contributing factors, including a promotional free-car-wash incentive at a local gas station and high restaurant demand. Bolandz said increased police enforcement had helped and suggested the city could consider repurposing Old High Street behind the plaza as a one-way left-turn route to provide additional capacity, while staff completes its traffic study.
Council made no immediate decision to reconfigure lanes; staff emphasized the current step is signal timing implementation and continued study before taking physical changes to the roadway.
Next steps: staff will implement the Pathmaster timing changes, monitor traffic impacts, and report back to Council before any lane reconfiguration or permanent infrastructure changes are pursued.
