Dad's plea to fix road gets nod - Dayton Daily News (10.10.06)

By Katherine Ullmer
Staff Writer
 
WASHINGTON TWP., Montgomery County - The father of a 6-year-old killed this summer in a traffic accident is pleased state officials responded to an online petition.

Friday, state Department of Transportation officials met with the father of Yukta Garg to say changes were coming to Ohio 725 and Garnet Drive intersection where she died July 26.

Hemant Garg launched an online petition drive to get a traffic light, reduced speed - currently 45 mph - and/or other improvements at the site.

He handed over Sept. 1 petitions with 1,817 signatures to the Transportation Department.

"I think the people's voice was heard," he said Friday.

The improvements, which are to begin Tuesday, will include a right turn only lane at Garnet Drive and at the Ohio 725 entrance to the Washington Twp. Recreation Center.

The turn lanes will be set off by 6-ice high, reflective rubberized barrier.

Garg said the improvements should prevent through traffic between Garnet Drive and the rec center entrance. His daughter was killed when the car she was in traveled across the four-lane Ohio 725 from Garnet towards the entrance of the rec center and was hit by an oncoming westbound car.

Adding a traffic light to the intersection was not viable, according to Joyce Renner, a Transportation Department spokeswoman. "It would probably make things worse on Ohio 725."