Death prompts Northside traffic calming

In the wake of the death of a popular Northside business owner killed while crossing Hamilton Avenue, Cincinnati City Council Wednesday asked the city administration to make changes to signs and streets to make the neighborhood safer to walk and bike in.

Northside residents have long been fighting for measures to slow traffic, with one person saying at last month's Community Council meeting: "What's it going to take? A fatality before we get action?"

A few weeks later. Sarah Cole, the owner of Tickle Pickle, was struck and killed Sept. 8 by a car as she ran across Hamilton Avenue to Sidewinder Cafe. She was going to get coffee for employees.

Neighborhood residents say Cole is not alone. Another woman was hit last week and broke her leg in four places. And last month a man on a bike was hit and is still in intensive care.

Councilman David Mann made the proposal, garnering unanimous support during Wednesday's council meeting.

"This is a logical, positive response to what the community put together," Mann said. "Northside has changed. It is a more active area; more pedestrian traffic, a bicycling community. We need to think about whether we are doing all we can.

"Hamilton Avenue can't just be a commuting route in and out of the city," Mann said.

James Heller-Jackson, communications director for Northside Community Council, said the neighborhood hasn't seen visible traffic enforcement in years.

"Northside needs a re-do of traffic signs, pedestrian signs and bicyling signs," Jackson said. "(Cincinnati Department of Traffic and Enforcement) Michael Moore has acknowledged we're not up to code. We have crosswalks and a 25 mph speed limit, but right now it's very dangerous."

Councilwoman Yvette Simpson apologized to the community, saying "It is sad somebody died before we got to make changes in the community. I apologize on behalf of all of us that we did not get to this before something happened to Sarah."

City Manager Harry Black pledged urgency.

"This is something we take seriously," Black said.

Among the potential fixes:

* Traffic enforcement, at least six hours every two weeks.

* Improved signs, including warning ones saying "reduced speed ahead" as the 35 mph zone changes 25 mph.

* Installing rumble strips to slow cars.

* Installing radar speed signs on both sides of Hamilton Avenue.

Northside Community Council wrote a letter to Black dated Sept. 19, saying the community has placed an emphasis on walkability in the neighborhood, yet has the impression the planning and design of Hamilton Avenue has been auto-oriented, with a focus of moving cars as efficiently as possible.

They requested a study. Among what they want looked at: aligning rush hour parking restrictions with neighboring communities, the creation of left turn only lanes and METRO's transit hub, which is set to break ground in 2017.