North Ridgeville already working to address traffic tragedy

North Ridgeville – With the recent tragedy involving 16-year-old North Ridgeville junior Violet Gustafson, both city officials and concerned residents have taken steps to investigate options as to what could be done to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Gustafson was struck by a motorist while walking on Lorain Road near Lear Nagel Road, attempting to cross multiple lanes of traffic. She was not within a designated crossing zone, although even the most careful of pedestrians have been struck in marked zones, authorities said. And while police continue to investigate the incident, the city has brought in traffic engineers to study and make recommendations surrounding the area.

North Ridgeville Mayor Kevin Corcoran said his heart goes out to everyone affected by the tragedy, including the driver who officials said was cooperative at the scene and inconsolable. No charges have been filed, and the case remains under investigation.

“It’s just so tragic all the way around, and I know this is one of the challenges to explain to people, but yes, we are taking steps immediately to take a look to see if there is anything at all that we could do differently and do better right now,” Corcoran said. “That’s the challenge for us is and this is the hard part for people because it’s not as simple as just putting lines of paint on the pavement.

“We’re reaching out to people who have been involved in that area and asking them to take a look and give us their recommendations on possible solutions,” Corcoran continued. “We could throw some paint there, but that doesn’t necessarily solve all the safety issues that may be at play here. I don’t want to jump and do something that gives a false sense of security. Our reaction has to be measured to do something that improves safety. Just putting a cross walk by itself isn’t miraculously going to make people safe.”

Corcoran alluded to the fact that pedestrians are struck while in crosswalks, often giving those pedestrians a false sense of safety when they should still remain on high alert anytime crossing a road. He also pointed to recent issues involved school buses where drivers ignore the flashing lights and the stop sign and continue to blow right through those.

“People have got to pay attention. Drivers, pedestrians, cyclists – everyone at all times to be aware of the traffic situations,” Corcoran said. “And that intersection in particular is so busy and there’s cars coming from all different directions. There’s businesses there that have driveways out to the roadway.

“It’s just a really challenging place to cross and we want to do the best that we can to improve pedestrian safety, so we’re going to take a look at all some options,” Corcoran continued.

The city has engaged with traffic engineering firm Woolpert, a company that analyzes and designs for bicycle, pedestrian, vehicular, and mass transit within the context of each individual community for their safe and efficient operation and interaction, often within the same space.

The city had been working with this group with their Gateway project, which Corcoran said they’re familiarity with the city is helpful. Corcoran said the city hopes to have some specific recommendations and actions soon.

Prior to this week’s crash, the city had begun work to address safety concerns in this area, and had already engaged Woolpert to study the Lorain Road and Lear Nagle Road corridors due to increasing traffic congestion and safety issues. The resulting Gateway North Ridgeville study identified improvements at six nearby intersections to enhance both safety and traffic flow.

These improvements will require phasing and funding and are still several years away. The city is coordinating with ODOT and NOACA to advance this work and secure the resources needed.

In a statement, North Ridgeville officials said, “We understand why residents are asking for a crosswalk or other visible action at this location. Public safety is our highest priority, and it is important that any measure truly reduces risk. For that reason, we are working with traffic-safety engineers to evaluate the site and determine what short-term or long-term treatments would improve safety in a meaningful way. We have asked our consultant to expedite this review and to explore interim measures while larger corridor improvements continue to move forward. The safety of North Ridgeville residents remains our guiding priority. We will keep the community informed as this work progresses.”

Meanwhile, officials stress for pedestrians to use designated crosswalks at all times, stating that saving a minute or two is not worth risking your life. Officials also ask drivers to remain constantly diligent while driving, and ready for the unexpected at busy intersections.

Currently, there is no designated crossing area where Gustafson attempted to cross, although a petition has been started to do so, calling it “Violet’s Way.” A crosswalk exists just to the east near the Sheetz gas station.

Residents via social media have asked for a purple crosswalk to be constructed. However, such an effort would not be deemed acceptable by ODOT under current ordinances, which dictates color and type of acceptable crossings.

Several fundraising efforts have also started, and a vigil was held on South Central Park last week to pay respects to who friends and family called “a remarkable little girl.” A GoFundMe page has been set up and has already raised nearly $12,000 with a goal of $15,000. That page can be accessed here: Fundraiser for Rich Gustafson by Rebecca Klinger : In Memory of Violet: Assist Her Grieving Family.

Visitation for Violet will be held Saturday, November 29, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sunset Funeral and Cemetery, located at 6425 Columbia Road in North Olmsted.

Police are reviewing witness statements and video from surrounding businesses to make an official determination if anyone was at fault. The driver of the vehicle that struck Gustafson remained at the scene and was “very cooperative” with police, he said.

At this point, there’s really nothing to indicate anything other than just a tragic accident, according to police reports. There’s nothing to indicate there was anyone driving recklessly, police said.