LIMA – Voters in Lima will decide the fate of the Cable Road Improvement Project on the Tuesday, Nov. 3 ballot, following a resident referendum that challenged Lima City Council's initial approval. Absentee voting for the ballot issue begins Tuesday, Oct. 6. The project, which passed council with a 5-3 vote at its Feb. 23 meeting, authorized Lima Mayor Sharetta Smith to acquire property for the improvements. Residents gathered signatures and three council votes to send the measure to the ballot.
If approved by voters, the project proposes significant changes to Cable Road's traffic flow and infrastructure. A center median would be installed along Cable Road from Latham Avenue north to Windsor Drive, covering the length of Clock Tower Plaza, and include signalized U-turns at each end. North of Windsor Drive to College Park West, traffic flow would be converted to two northbound lanes and one southbound lane, with a two-way left-turn lane in between. Additionally, sidewalks would be added along Cable Road from Latham Avenue to College Park West.
The proposal comes as the city recently announced its Comprehensive Multimodal Safety Action Plan, which identified North Cable Road as a corridor with a high density and outcome of crashes. The plan cited North Cable Road between Allentown Road and Latham Avenue with a “Motor Vehicle Crash Score” of 40.19, the section between Latham and Windsor Drive at 37.15, and the segment from Windsor to College Park West at 31.78.
However, the project has faced opposition, particularly from Seventh Ward councilor Jon Neeper, who questioned why the section of Cable Road between Allentown Road and Latham Avenue was not addressed, calling the Allentown Road intersection “the largest instance of accidents in the county.” Neeper also expressed concern that reducing traffic to one southbound lane near College Park West would “cause more accidents than are currently there now” due to merging traffic. Councilor Neeper's primary objection, as he stated, was that businesses providing input on the project “were basically told, ‘Your input doesn’t matter.’” He cited the experience of Pat’s Donuts & Kreme at 2102 Elida Road, which he said lost “massive amounts of business” following Elida Road's similar redesign, as a warning for Cable Road establishments. Neeper also argued that the project would limit traffic coming away from the mall area, impacting businesses like Target and Superior Credit Union, which expected increased traffic at its Cable Road branch.
Conversely, Second Ward councilor Tony Wilkerson countered that the redesign, “as he was told,” would improve access to businesses through designated right-hand turning lanes. While acknowledging that making a U-turn to cross Cable Road northbound would add time, Wilkerson suggested that waiting for traffic to clear to cross three lanes with the current design “could be forever.” He emphasized that a more crucial benefit of the redesign would be to encourage people to “drive a little more responsible” by fostering “respectable traffic,” thereby reducing speed-related accidents. Wilkerson shared a constituent's account of her daughter, a new driver, being rear-ended on Cable Road while waiting for someone to turn into a business, due to traffic moving at a speed without clear distance. He believes the changes will prompt drivers to be more patient and respectful on the road.
Local business owner Presley Tolle, vice president and co-owner of Chamberlain-Huckeriede Funeral Home at 920 N. Cable Road, voiced concerns that the proposed median would further obstruct visibility of her building, which she said is already “not very visible.” Tolle also worried about the potential destruction of her funeral home's sign due to the planned sidewalks. She noted that the general uncertainty surrounding the project's exact details has caused additional stress, leading her to postpone plans to remove a curb where vehicles frequently pop tires, as she is unsure how her driveway and property front will be affected.
Resident Steven Wash, who lives near the proposed redesign on University Boulevard, testified before council's initial vote. Wash stated that he and his family have experienced accidents on Cable Road during his 34 years living nearby, and he noted the difficulty of seeing pedestrians at night. Wash believes the proposed sidewalks and other improvements make the project a “necessary project for safety.” However, he acknowledged the public debate surrounding it. Wash initially thought the project would be a “no-brainer,” but now recognizes, “We definitely need changes on Cable Road,” despite the controversy.
The Nov. 3 ballot will ultimately determine whether these proposed changes move forward, balancing public safety concerns with potential impacts on local businesses and resident convenience.
