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Hart family urges Hebron to add barriers at Evans Park entrance after fatal crash; council explores options
Summary
At the Jan. 8 Hebron council meeting, the parents of a woman killed in a March 2024 crash urged the village to add guardrails or other barriers at the Refugee Road SE entrance to Evans Park. Councilors directed staff to consult engineers and the solicitor and accepted an offer from a local engineer to provide information on bumper‑type systems.
Tiffany and Bill Hart told the Village of Hebron Council on Jan. 8 that their only child, Megan, died March 7, 2024 when a vehicle left Refugee Road Southeast at the entrance to Evans Park. They said neighbors told them similar crashes have happened there before and that prior requests to the Ohio Department of Transportation had not led to changes.
The Harts asked the village to consider guardrails, tension wires or other barriers along the culvert at the park entrance to reduce the risk of future crashes and asked to be kept informed of any decisions. Mayor Valerie Mockus acknowledged the family, read a proclamation earlier in the meeting for a community volunteer, and asked that the Harts be kept updated.
Troy Bartos, owner of RayBar Machine Company and an engineer by trade, spoke in support of the family and said a conventional guardrail may be impractical at the site but that a bumper‑type protection system or other engineered barrier could protect the culvert. Bartos volunteered to send design information to Mayor Mockus and to work with the village's engineer.
Administrator Jung‑Han Chen told council staff have begun working with engineers and the village solicitor to develop possible solutions. No formal policy or funding decision was made at the meeting; council discussion focused on seeking technical options and coordinating with engineers to identify a safe, site‑appropriate approach.
The council recessed for 10 minutes at the family's request and reconvened to continue the agenda. The Hart family thanked councilmembers for hearing their concerns before leaving the meeting.
