Richfield safety forces under siege with a staggering number of highway accidents

by Sue Serdinak

Richfield Police Chief Michael Swanson reported that in the 8 ½-month period, from March 25, 2024, when reconstruction on I-77 started, to Jan. 6, 2025, there were 195 crashes on the highway.

Many accidents required transporting victims to a hospital by the Richfield Fire Department. Some involved extrication from vehicles. Occasionally, there is more than one accident at the same time and rescue squads from neighboring communities must be summoned. 

Regardless the weather, and in spite of “work zone” warning signs, accidents are happening almost daily on I-77. Speed is often involved. Photos provided by Richfield Police.

On New Year’s Day, an accident on I-77 in Richfield Township involved a Brunswick man whose car became disabled in the right lane and another car slammed into it. 

Richfield police were on another call and the Ohio State Patrol responded to the scene. Richfield fire medics extricated the first driver, but he did not survive.   

According to the OSP accident report, the second driver had not maintained a clear distance and was charged. 

Costly for drivers, village

By the end of 2024, Richfield Village mayor and council were advised by the finance department that overtime hours of the fire department were well over budget.  Fire Chief George Seifert received approval from council to add a fifth person to each shift in hopes that it would reduce overtime. The finance department added $148,000 to the 2025 budget to cover the cost of the additional personnel.

Because of the construction and lane closures on I-77, traffic is often gridlocked when an accident occurs. Fire medics can get to the scene only after police close an entire section of the highway. 

Frequently, police and/or state patrol block off both lanes of I-77 in one direction, including ramps for I-271, Wheatley and Brecksville roads. The rescue squads then travel the wrong direction on the highway to reach the scene. Often a fire truck is called because it carries extraction equipment.

According to Swanson, most of the accidents involve cars traveling too fast in the construction zones, particularly near ramps. The speed limit in the construction zones is 55 mph. 

Councilperson Marty Kruszynski suggested the speed limit be lowered to 45 mph, but Swanson said drivers seem to ignore all of the speed signs. He added that all the accidents on I-77 involved people traveling through Richfield, rather than residents.

The map of I-77 from Wheatley Road on the south, through the I-271 interchange, shows the area in the township where most of the accidents have occurred due to all of the construction near the ramps. Drivers have not been slowing down in the construction areas.  Photo from the Summit County website. 

Police have been ticketing speeding drivers, but setting up radar in the construction areas is challenging.

Construction

The highway reconstruction involves adding a third lane in both directions for the 9.2 miles of I-77 between Ghent Road and the exit to the Ohio Turnpike.  In the section between Ghent Road in Bath and the overpass of Everett Road in Richfield, the bridges were widened several years ago to accommodate a third lane.

However, the bridges in the section between Everett Road and the turnpike must be widened to accommodate a third lane. It is in this section that most of the accidents occur. Two construction companies are working on the project. 

Speed limit signs showing 55 mph are posted and rumble strips were installed on I-77 north, near the Wheatley Road exit. 

The Wheatley Road entrance ramp to I-77 south is narrow, short, poorly marked and has rough pavement. The merge is considered hazardous. Mayor Michael Wheeler advises Richfield residents to avoid using that ramp and instead travel south on Cleveland-Massillon Road in Bath to access southbound I-77. To go northbound on the highway, use the ramp on Miller Road in Brecksville.

Wheeler reported that he has had meetings with ODOT, who have agreed to look at ways to make the construction areas safer. Wheeler has asked State Rep. Bill Roemer to assist in procuring money from the state to help pay for the extra safety forces. Council President Ralph Waszak added that this might be one of the most dangerous sections of an interstate highway in the country. “We are putting our safety forces at risk to handle this area,” he said. 

Photo Caption: Police cars, a rescue squad and sometimes the fire truck carrying the extrication equipment are called to an accident scene, followed by a tow truck. Photo provided by Richfield Police.