Millersburg Approves $85,000 Smart Signals to Ease Downtown Congestion

Millersburg Village Council voted on November 10 to move forward with an $85,000 installation of a PathMaster smart traffic light system aimed at chronic congestion in the downtown core. Council members reached the decision after traffic studies indicated that the current fixed signal timing would not deliver better traffic flow at the intersection where three state routes converge.

The approved price covers installation and software needs for all three downtown signals and includes a decade of software. The technology uses sensors and cameras to read vehicle, pedestrian and cyclist activity and then adjusts signal timing accordingly. That can mean longer green lights for busier directions and skipping cycles when no traffic is present. Village leaders hope the system will reduce backups and improve crosswalk safety in the area most affected by delays.

Funding for the project will come in part from village permissive funds, with the village allocating forty thousand dollars toward the cost. Holmes County Commissioners indicated willingness to partner and a twenty thousand dollar contribution was discussed during deliberations. Mayor Kelly Hoffee and village administrator Nate Troyer have begun contact with PathMaster to start implementation. Key local stakeholders consulted during the decision included the county engineer and the Ohio Department of Transportation.

The council decision has several practical and policy implications for Holmes County governance. Using permissive funds signals a local prioritization of traffic management over other discretionary spending options, and the county contribution underlines the shared responsibility for a state route intersection. The inclusion of ten years of software in the initial contract limits short term maintenance uncertainty, while also setting a clear planning horizon for future budgeting and oversight once that period ends.

For residents and businesses, the immediate promise is fewer backups and safer crossings in a stretch of road that feeds local commerce and daily commutes. For institutional accountability, the rollout will require coordination among village officials, county engineering staff and state transportation authorities, and will benefit from public reporting on outcomes once the system is in place.

Mayor Hoffee and village administration have taken the first administrative steps, and the community can expect implementation activity to follow. Local leaders will face decisions about monitoring performance, tracking whether congestion and pedestrian safety improve, and budgeting for software and maintenance beyond the included decade of service.