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Planners point to crash data on US12 as residents flag safety improvements
Summary
Consultants told the open house that about 60% of Coldwater's 1,600 crashes in the past five years occurred on US12, with 19 classified as severe; staff invited residents to identify pedestrian crossing needs and bike‑lane improvements on open‑house boards.
Consultants and city staff said traffic safety — particularly along US12 and parts of Chicago Street — emerged as a frequent concern in surveys and pop‑ups, and they invited residents to mark pedestrian crossing and bike‑lane needs at an open house.
Julie of Progressive Companies reviewed traffic counts and crash data, saying the section of US12 east of US69 carries the highest daily vehicle volumes and that about 1,600 crashes occurred in Coldwater over the previous five years, roughly 60% of which were on US12; consultants said 19 crashes in that period were classified as severe.
Staff and consultants said portions of Chicago Street have more lanes than traffic volumes require, which can encourage higher speeds, and recommended examining lane configuration and measures to improve pedestrian safety. The open‑house activities included mapping where people feel crossings are unsafe and where bike lanes could be added.
No specific engineering projects or funding sources were adopted at the meeting; staff said recommendations and data will be incorporated into the draft master plan and that further analysis and design would follow in later implementation steps.
