Medina agrees to make intersection of West Ave. and West Oak Orchard a 4-way stop

Photo by Tom Rivers: The intersection of West Oak Orchard Street and West Avenue is shown tonight as a car heads down West Avenue. It will soon become a four-way stop.

MEDINA – The Village Board voted tonight to change the traffic light at the intersection of West Avenue and West Oak Orchard Street.

It will soon become a flashing red four-way stop. The village will add four stop signs at the intersection.

Residents at the meeting tonight spoke in a public hearing in favor of the four-way stop, saying the light is slow to change from red to green, and many vehicles speed up to get through the light and not have to wait.

Mat Mosher said traffic flows better at a nearby intersection that the village made a four-way stop. The board in October 2020 made Gwinn and West Oak Orchard a 4-way stop.

“There will be less speeding if they know they have to stop and not try to beat the light,” Mosher said.

Nancy Palmer also spoke at the hearing and urged the board to approve the four-way stop, saying many drivers try to avoid that intersection.

A letter from resident Gary Lamar urged the change. He lives near the intersection and said many motorists, including truck drivers, race through the intersection to avoid being stuck at the red light.

Board members said they expect traffic will flow easier in that part of the village. Some of the traffic in that area has been diverted since the school district put in a road linking the campus, drawing some vehicles off village streets.