We, the undersigned business owners, residents, and members of the local faith community, write this petition with a shared concern regarding the potential removal of the traffic light at the intersection of Orchard Lane and Kenwood Road.

We strongly urge you to reconsider this option and preserve the traffic light at Orchard Lane and Kenwood Road for the following reasons:

Safety: The traffic light plays a critical role in ensuring the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists who traverse this intersection daily.

Its removal would disrupt the existing traffic patterns and increase the risk of accidents, putting our community's well-being at stake. We must prioritize the safety of our residents, particularly children, elderly individuals, and those with disabilities who heavily rely on the traffic light to cross the intersection safely.

The recently published 2022 Hamilton County Crash Analysis Report – No longer ranks the Kenwood Road and Orchard Lane intersection in the top ten or top rankings for accident experience in both Hamilton County and Sycamore Township.

Traffic Flow: The traffic light efficiently regulates the flow of vehicles at this busy intersection, reducing congestion and preventing gridlock.

 Its removal would result in increased traffic congestion, leading to delays for commuters, residents, and local businesses. This could negatively impact productivity, transportation efficiency, and overall economic growth within the community.

Local Businesses: The presence of a traffic light at the intersection of Orchard Lane and Kenwood Rd is vital for the sustained success of our local businesses.

This traffic light facilitates customer access to many beloved establishments, including Trio Restaurant, Busalis Bakery, and the rest of the Jos.A.Bank Center.

Removing the traffic light would discourage patronage, decrease foot traffic, and jeopardize the economic viability of our local businesses. We strongly believe that supporting local commerce is integral to the prosperity of our community.

Livability and Quality of Life: The traffic light contributes to our neighborhood's livability and quality of life.

By enabling safe and efficient mobility, it allows residents to access essential amenities, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and places of worship. The removal of the traffic light would impede these vital connections, leading to inconvenience, decreased community engagement, and diminished overall well-being.

Additionally, the removal of the light would delay response time to residents in need of emergency services, effectively jeopardizing lives and creating undue risk to human life in times of crisis.

Faith Community: The traffic light is of particular importance to the faith community at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and its preschool, as it facilitates the safe movement of congregants attending religious services, events, and activities.

The removal of the traffic light would place an undue burden on our members and jeopardize their safety while commuting to and from the Good Shepherd campus.

Given the compelling reasons outlined above, we respectfully request that you preserve the traffic light at Orchard Lane and Kenwood Rd intersect. 

In addition, we ask you to consider the following measures:

1. Investigate safety measures to make the traffic operations at the Kenwood Road and Orchard Lane Intersection safer.
2. Evaluate the feasibility of installing a northbound left turn arrow signal head at the Kenwood Road and Orchard Lane Intersection.
3. Install new illuminated overhead street signs at the Kenwood Road and Orchard Lane intersection, like the overhead signs at other intersections on the Kenwood Road corridor.
4. Install new backplates with retroreflective borders to the traffic signal heads at the Kenwood Road and Orchard Lane intersection to improve the visibility of the illuminated face of the signal head.

We implore you to prioritize our community's safety, convenience, and economic prosperity and retain the traffic light to maintain the well-being of our residents, local businesses, and the faith community.

We trust that you will carefully consider the concerns raised in this petition and make a decision that aligns with the community's best interests.