FREMONT -- A conflict in speed limit signs on a stretch of Ohio 53 north of the city has led Fremont Municipal Court to drop about 75 tickets.

From August until October, Fremont police officers issued speeding tickets in certain areas of Ohio 53, but about 75 tickets were dismissed because the speed-limit sign was incorrect.

ADVERTISEMENT

Fremont Safety Service Director Ken Myers said the speed limit is 35 mph from North Street to the first exit ramp to the U.S. 20 bypass. And it was 45 mph from that exit ramp to north of the city corporation limits, where it should have been 50 mph.
The speed-limit sign was posted as 45 mph before construction began, and as the lane-widening project was wrapping up in August, the Ohio Department of Transportation thought the area should be 50 mph, Myers said.

To date, the signs have not been changed yet. ODOT officials were unavailable Monday because of the holiday.

City resident Heather Clouse said she received her speeding ticket and then e-mailed ODOT soon after to find out what the speed limit is supposed to be.

"I found it was odd that speed limits were different on the bridge," she said.

Clouse said she received a letter from the Fremont Police Department last week that stated that she will get her money back.

Fremont Police Chief Monte Huss said his department worked with the city to do some digging with ODOT and found out the signs were wrong.

Capt. Samuel Derr of the police department, said 91 tickets were issued, and only about 15 were valid. Those that were valid were issued between North Street and the first exit ramp.

"If the citation was north of the exit ramp, it was dismissed," Derr said.

According to Derr, the issuance of tickets on Ohio 53 began when the four lanes opened in August and lasted until about mid-October.

The municipal court has been notifying people who received tickets since Aug. 15 and is reimbursing for the cost of the fine, Derr said.

If anyone has questions regarding a speeding ticket in that area, they should call the Fremont Police Department at (419) 332-6464 or Fremont Municipal Court at (419) 332-1579.

E-mail Leslie Bixler at lbixler@fremont.gannett.com.