Dover, Ohio - A project recently authorized by Dover City Council will help control traffic flow in the area where a new fire substation is being built. 

On Monday, council unanimously approved a resolution authorizing Service Director Dave Douglas to enter into a contract for the installation of new traffic signals at Dublin Drive and North Wooster Avenue. 

Douglas explains that the signals are being installed as a safety measure and to alleviate traffic congestion in an area of the city that has been rapidly developing. 

“We’ve got a lot of growth up in that area with Dublin Drive being a new area. We’ve got one business now that has a lot of vehicles, and, of course, we’re going to have a fire station. Plus, there’s going to be an expansion in that area off Dublin Drive,” he says.

The new substation is currently under construction on Dublin Drive, directly across the street from Dover Buehlers, in response to a growing number of calls received from the northern part of the city.

Once completed, the station will feature two bays - one for a fire truck and one for an ambulance - with the possibility of adding a third bay in the future if needed. The city also recently applied for a federal grant that would cover 95 percent of the cost of building a fire training tower on the property. 

Douglas says the new signals will have a preemption safety feature that will temporarily halt traffic in all directions to give emergency vehicles the right-of-way. 

“Basically, it’s going to similar to our new lights in downtown,” he says.

Douglas notes that the signals will also make it easier for vehicles to enter and exit area businesses including Dover Buehler’s. 

“We’re trying to prepare for this and trying to look into the future because Wooster Avenue tends to be very busy. We want to make sure it’s a safe route to travel. We want to make sure people can get in and out of Dublin Drive and Buehler’s, too,” he says.

Douglas says the total cost of the project will not exceed $165,222.95 including engineering. He notes that the project had already gone out for bid earlier this year, however, all the bids received were in excess of the $152,800 project cost originally approved by council in February, which prompted the need to authorize additional funding.  

Douglas says no timeline has yet been set for the project, which will be completed by Central Allied of Canton. Construction of the fire station is expected to be completed within six to eight months. 

Stacey Carmany, Tusco TV