CINCINNATI — A grassroots pedestrian safety group in College Hill provided the Cincinnati City Council Healthy Neighborhood committee with an update on its progress Wednesday.
The Traffic and Pedestrian Safety (TAPS) group formed in October 2021 when College Hill residents were frustrated with the crashes and threats to pedestrians they were seeing.
Wayne West is now one of nearly 180 College Hill residents working to improve pedestrian safety with this group.
"I was actually observing a number of accidents in the immediate vicinity of my home," he said.
He found out from talking with his neighbors that they were seeing the same thing, even having close calls with cars themselves.
"It still hits close to home," West said.
He lives in the same area where a driver killed 37-year-old bicyclist James Towns last December, then took off.
In the last year, the group got several pedestrian safety and traffic calming measures — like stop signs, countdown crosswalk signals and a traffic light — implemented. The group also applied for grants and got creative to draw attention to pedestrians, with cross-walking events and pavement mural painting parties.
"We've been able to obtain a $100,000 grant to help us reduce speeding and otherwise calm traffic," West said.
TAPS expects the City to approve this pilot early next year. Traffic calming considerations for the pilot include protected parking, curb extension, protected bike lanes and planters.
One City Council member said it's the level of collaboration from the group that makes it successful.
"Neighbor to neighbor, that level of engagement takes place, you will see results," Council member, Scotty Johnson said.
West said he hopes the changes TAPS is able to make in College Hill can be done in other Cincinnati neighborhoods too.
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