As a result of frequent traffic accidents on state Route 132 near Batavia, council members have decided to lower the speed limit within the village limits.

At the Batavia village council meeting Jan. 9, Mayor John Thebout read a letter from the Ohio Department of Transportation which urged council members to pass a resolution lowering the speed limit within the village on state Route 132. Due to the consistently high volume of traffic accidents, ODOT has conducted a traffic study and determined that a safe speed for motorists on this stretch of highway would be 45 miles per hour. The current speed limit set by the village is 50 miles per hour. However, once motorists leave the village limits, the speed limit is immediately increased to 55 miles per hour.

Ironically, all of the accidents seem to be occurring outside the village limits where the speed limit is at its greatest point. This caused some questioning as to why it was necessary for the village to lower their speed limit when the accidents are occurring just outside the village where motorists are tempted to accelerate due to higher speed limits. Batavia Police Chief Mike Gardner feels that it is gratuitous to change the village