RUSSELL TOWNSHIP -- A road widening project in progress was stopped in its tracks with the passionate voices of those homeowners affected.

Thursday night, at a special Township trustees meeting, more than 100 residents, most of then from Hemlock Point Road, gave Geauga County Engineer Bob Phillips a piece of their minds and then some.

The $1 million project was already in progress. Crews cut down several trees to clear the way. The county wanted to widen and repave about a mile of Hemlock Point Road, then dig new ditches.

Residents argued to keep the rural character of the road, since this wasn't necessarily a safety issue.

"He can start this project tommorrow without our permission, without asking without exploring other alternatives. I think that so wrong and I think in a democratic society we can't allow this," Resident Dr. Don Brinberg said.

Their passion overwhelmed the county engineer who ultimately backed down, .agreeing to postpone the project until this group exhausted all efforts to abandon it.

WKYC-TV