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Common
Questions |
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These
questions are asked of the Engineer's Office on a regular basis. |
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| Q.
- Why does the pedestrian walk signal change to flashing 'don't walk'
before I can get across the street? |
| A. -
Pedestrian signals are timed to allow pedestrians who have already started
walking to safely cross the street. The flashing 'don't walk'
message is not for the pedestrians who have stepped off the curb into the
crosswalk, it is for those who are still on the sidewalk and have not yet
stepped into the street. |
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| Q.
- Is it really necessary for me to push a button to activate the
pedestrian signal? |
| A. -
Absolutely! Pushbuttons are made available at intersections where
the traffic signal is timed for vehicles, not pedestrians. If you do
not activate the pedestrian signal by pushing the button, indication to
cross the street safely will not be displayed. By activating the
pedestrian signal, ample time will be provided to safely cross the
street. And, by the way, you need only push the button once for
it to be activated. |
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| Q.
- Why are pedestrians signals available at some intersections and not
others? |
A.
- Pedestrian signals are warranted and installed for two main reasons:
1) Because of a high volume of pedestrian traffic at the intersection and
/ or,
2) The signals directing motorists do not meet the needs of pedestrians.
Some roadways intersect at
odd angles making it difficult for pedestrians to see the traffic
signals. In other cases, turning and merging lanes make
intersections so complex that special provisions must be made for
pedestrians' safety. |
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| Q. - When I approach an
intersection with traffic signals that are not working because of a power failure, what am I supposed to do? |
| A. - In Ohio, motorists
approaching a malfunctioning traffic signal, will follow the rules for a four-way stop
sign. |
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Q. - Why are
there blue reflectors on the center line of Hamilton County Roads? |
A. - The Hamilton County
Engineer provides the blue reflectors to mark (within 40 feet) a fire hydrant. This
helps the Fire Department find the hydrants during inclement weather, darkness or in case
the hydrant has been overgrown by vegetation. |
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Q. - I sometimes
see motorists passing a school bus that is stopped on a four lane road. Is this
legal? |
A. - In Ohio,
motorists approaching a stopped school bus on a roadway divided into four or more lanes from
the opposite direction, are not required to stop. The bus operator is
prohibited from discharging children that would have to cross a four lane road. |
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Q. - Does the
Engineer's Office remove dead animals? |
A. - The Engineer's
Office will remove animals that have been killed by passing vehicles and are in the Hamilton County public right of way. Individuals with dead
pets or vermin on private property should make other arrangements. |
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Q. - My road
doesn't seem to be cleared of snow like other roads in my area. Why? I pay
a lot of money in property taxes! |
A. - The Engineer's
Office clears all roads under it's jurisdiction before the snow emergency has
ended. However, it is unrealistic to think that residential roadways would be
cleared before major arterial highways. Before calling the Engineer's Office (or any
City or Township, for that matter) to complain, make sure that the roadway in question is
under the Engineer's
jurisdiction. Further, understand that any tax money paid to the State, Federal
or local governments has no bearing on when the road in question is cleared. The
Engineer's Office uses money from license plate sales and excise taxes collected
locally from the sale of gasoline and other products to be used by motorists on the
Hamilton County roadway system. |
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Q. - There has
been scaffolding hanging from the Ronald Reagan Highway overpass at Reading Road for two
or three years. Is there a reason this has not been taken down? Besides being an eyesore,
it could be dangerous! |
A. - The scaffolding is
part of a testing platform performing stress and strain tests on the bridge. This platform
is being operated by the UC College of Engineering with the permission of the
Ohio
Department of Transportation, who has jurisdiction over the Ronald Reagan Highway
(State Route 126). The Hamilton County Engineer only has control over the extreme
western part of Ronald Reagan Highway, between I-275 and Colerain Avenue (US 27).
Any other questions about this installation should be directed to ODOT or the UC College
of Engineering. |
Hamilton
County Engineer