The Ohio Department of Transportation is crediting an engineering safety measure for saving lives along a historically deadly stretch of highway that connects Lima and Columbus.

Between 2018 and 2019, eight fatal crashes were recorded on State Route 117 between the village of Huntsville in Logan County and the City of Lima. These crashes were primarily head-on collisions or occurred while vehicles were attempting to pass.

"This is a route where people want to pass, but few opportunities exist to do so safely," said Chris Hughes, ODOT District 1 deputy director.

In response, ODOT installed centerline rumble strips along the segment in 2020. The grooved strips of pavement alert drivers with an audible signal when their tires cross the centerline, discouraging unsafe passing maneuvers.

After the strips were installed, no fatalities occurred on the stretch of SR 117 between 2020 and 2022. Only one fatality was recorded in 2023.

"Rumble strips are a proven safety measure," Hughes said. "They can be placed on the centerline, the edge line, or both, depending on the road's width. We carefully evaluate each location and implement them where we believe they will have the greatest impact on safety."