The Village of Bluffton and Allen County Regional Planning are partnering this fall in a $65,420 safety study of State Route 103. The study is part of a much larger project, which could eventually lead to road improvements on the state route.

(Note: the cost of the study was updated from its original posting on Sept. 22)

The study’s focus is from the Norfolk Southern Railroad crossing on Jefferson (SR 103) to Interstate 75.

Regional planning’s share of the project is $50,000 and the village’s is $15,420.

Choice One Engineering, Sydney, conducting the study, is in the public involvement stage. Persons interested in making comments on the project have until Sept. 28 to do so. Craig Eley of Choice One told the Icon that a written report should be completed by early December.

Among considerations in the study by Choice One include turn lane safety, lighting and future development studies.

The initial meeting, asking for  public involvement, was Sept. 13. Over 20 persons attended.

“The meeting provided a background on the corridor to stakeholders to discuss potential counter measures and improvements to the corridor and to receive public feedback,” said Jamie Mehaffie village administrator.

Several issues are part of the Choice One study. These include:
• A village transportation plan
• Community vision report
• Village operational issues
• Safety issues

A safety summery shows that from 2013 to 2015 30 vehicle accidents with six injuries involved occurred in the study area. The majority of these accidents occurred during daylight hours with road conditions were “dry.”