CANTON – “It’s stupid.”
That is Olivia Joseph’s two-word assessment of the city’s proposed $10 million peanut-shaped roundabout at Fulton Road NW, 25th Street and Harrison Avenue.
Joseph, who lives near the project, worries people won’t be able to navigate the new intersection, leading to more problems than solutions.
“It’s not a solution for traffic and I think that people aren’t going to learn how to go through it,” she said.
Dozens of residents gathered on the evening of April 9 at the Stadium Park Garden Center for an open-house-style meeting with city engineers, Ohio Department of Transportation officials and project designers. Some attendees expressed support, some conveyed skepticism and many came to simply ask questions.
City officials said they will review comments submitted at the meeting to address concerns.
Road work is expected to start in early spring 2029 with waterlines and sanitary sewer projects. Major construction is anticipated to start after 2029 Hall of Fame festivities. Completion is set for the end of 2030.
Residents react to Fulton Road roundabout project
Mary Thompson is a lifelong Canton resident. As a child, she lived on 25th Street, only about three houses away from the proposed roundabout.
Thompson said she is also a loyal customer of Fulton Drugs. The pharmacy at 1657 25th St. NW will sit next to the roundabout.
“It’s so easy to go there now,” Thompson said. “It’s wonderful.”
She worries the addition of a roundabout will make it less accessible for drivers.
Thompson also expressed a general disapproval of roundabouts. She believes the intersection should be left alone.
“I think it’s going to be more trouble than it was worth,” Thompson said.
On the other hand, Jim Saunders, a nearby resident is excited for the project. He said the current intersection is “horrible.”
During rush hour, he said, traffic backs up along 25th Street, leaving people waiting at long red lights. Saunders believes the roundabout will solve those traffic jams.
“But I’m the minority as I understand,” he said, acknowledging other attendees who expressed concerns.
Business owners fear displacement and customer loss
The Repository previously spoke with nearby business owners about their concerns with the roundabout. Those same owners showed up to the meeting with their continued questions and concerns.
To construct the roundabout, the city must acquire and demolish two homes at 1652 and 1644 25th Street and a nearby auto shop, JHD Auto and Jet Ski.
Jonathan Diorio, operator of JHD, said he has started searching for other leasable buildings to use for his business. He fears there will be nothing comparable to his shop at 2517 Fulton Road NW.
“I’m losing my life,” Diorio said at the meeting. “That’s really all there is to it.”
Mary Cusma has owned the Fulton Family Center plaza with her husband since 1972. The couple operates Fulton Drugs. Cusma is most worried about what will happen to businesses during the two-year construction period.
She said loyal customers know where the drug store is and will continue to return regardless of construction. However, she doesn’t expect any first-time customers once the roadwork begins.
“We’ll get no new ones because it’s such a mess,” she said.
City officials have had conversations with nearby business owners. But Cusma said those conversations didn’t have an impact.
“It’s a done deal,” she said. “We don’t think anybody takes any of our concerns into consideration.”
Canton’s proposed ‘peanut’ roundabout
Safety near the railroad was one of the most frequently raised concerns. Project designs include railroad crossing gates to stop traffic. City officials said roughly one or two trains pass through each week, typically outside peak hours.
Senior Engineer James Benekos said the city is interested in looking at concerns or comments pertaining to items they hadn’t already considered.
“If there’s negative comments about roundabouts in general, there’s nothing we can really do,” Benekos said.
City officials will provide business owners with resources, including informational handouts and signage to help direct customers during construction, according to Benekos. Relocation assistance will also be offered to JHD auto.
Representatives from American StructurePoint, the project’s design consultants, were also in attendance.
Anthony Pisanelli, part of the design team, said a wide range of options were taken into consideration.
“There was no good way to improve the signal and create a safe space for pedestrians to get through there and fix congestion,” he said, explaining how they landed on a roundabout instead of traffic lights.
Officials accounted for access points to Fulton Road, 25th Street, Harrison Avenue, Stadium Park and nearby businesses. They also reviewed the best way to accommodate the railroad and crosswalks for pedestrians. Pisanelli said after careful traffic analysis, the roundabout, as proposed, is the best solution.
More information and video renderings can be found on the project website.
Contact Abreanna Blose by email at ablose@usatodayco.com or by phone at 330-580-8513.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: ‘It’s stupid.’ Residents react to Canton’s planned ‘peanut’ roundabout
Reporting by Abreanna Blose, Canton Repository / The Repository
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