Medina to Study Square Safety Improvements

City finance committee approves consultant review of traffic and pedestrian issues around town square.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 5:21am

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A bold, graphic illustration featuring a repeating pattern of street crossing signs and traffic lights in a high-contrast, silkscreen-style pop art composition, conceptually representing the safety issues around Medina's town center.A vibrant pop art interpretation of the traffic and pedestrian safety challenges facing Medina's historic town square.Medina Today

The city of Medina, Ohio has agreed to hire a consultant, OHM Advisors, to conduct a study of the town square and surrounding streets in an effort to improve traffic and pedestrian safety. The study will look at issues like parking, crosswalks, signage, and lighting, with the goal of identifying both short-term fixes and long-term solutions to address the 42 traffic accidents that occurred in the square in 2025.

Why it matters

Medina's town square is a central gathering place and commercial hub, so ensuring the safety of drivers, pedestrians, and other users is a top priority for the city. The study aims to address concerns about angled parking, traffic flow, and other factors that have contributed to the high accident rate in the area.

The details

The finance committee approved moving forward with the OHM Advisors study, which will take about four months to complete if it begins in June. The study will include community engagement and a survey to gather input from those who frequent the square. Some of the issues the study will examine include modifying parking around the square, enhancing crosswalks, improving street signs and traffic signals, and better managing pedestrian interactions.

  • In 2025, there were 42 traffic accidents in Medina's town square.
  • The study is expected to take 4 months, with a target completion date of October if it begins in June 2026.

The players

John Coyne

Medina City Council President, who said the study will look at issues like crosswalks, parking, signage, and pedestrian safety around the square.

Jim Shields

Medina Mayor, who said the study will likely include community engagement to gather input from square users.

OHM Advisors

The consulting firm hired by the city to conduct the study of Medina's town square and surrounding streets.

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What they’re saying

“We sent an email with a list of questions to the administration, and they got back to us with some concerns. OHM made some updates to the plan incorporating these suggestions. There is a lot going on in the square with crosswalks, parking, street signs, traffic signals, lighting and pedestrian interactions so I think we need to look at all four corners of the square and the roads leading up to the square.”

— John Coyne, Medina City Council President

“I think we want to get as many people who are users of the square to give some input.”

— Jim Shields, Medina Mayor

What’s next

The study is expected to be completed by October 2026 if it begins in June, and the city plans to use the findings to identify both short-term fixes and long-term solutions to improve safety around Medina's town square.

The takeaway

Medina's town square is a vital community hub, but high accident rates have raised concerns about traffic and pedestrian safety. The upcoming study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the issues and recommend ways to enhance safety through infrastructure improvements and community engagement.