Release Date: March 23,2026
City of Akron Releases Final Akron Innerbelt Master Plan
Akron, Ohio, March 23, 2026 — The City of Akron is excited to announce the completion of the Akron Innerbelt Master Plan, a comprehensive, community-driven framework that outlines a long-term vision for reconnecting neighborhoods, supporting residents, and guiding future investment across the Innerbelt area. The final plan is now publicly available on the project website akroninnerbelt.com/master-plan.
>Developed over the past year through extensive community engagement, stakeholder collaboration, and technical analysis, the Akron Innerbelt Master Plan reflects the voices, priorities, and aspirations of Akron residents. The plan includes more than 30 proposed projects organized around five major strategies, along with long-term visions for Innerbelt land. These projects range from major infrastructure and public realm improvements to new residential development and neighborhood-serving investments.
5 Major Strategies of the Innerbelt Master Plan:
- Invest in the Neighborhoods
- Strengthen East-West Corridors
- Connect Open Spaces
- Activate Innerbelt-Adjacent Assets
- Unlock Land Under the Innerbelt.
“The completion of the Akron Innerbelt Master Plan marks an important step forward for our city,” said Akron Mayor Shammas Malik. “This community-driven vision provides a clear path for reconnecting neighborhoods, supporting residents, and guiding future development in a way that strengthens Akron for generations to come.”
Beyond physical projects, the plan emphasizes practical and equitable implementation. It includes a suite of social impact tools and policy recommendations designed to ensure future development benefits existing residents and businesses, with a particular focus on historically Black neighborhoods such as Sherbondy Hill. Key components include funding and financing strategies, programmatic initiatives, governance and partnership models, and an updated form-based zoning code that applies across the entire Innerbelt area to better align future development with the plan’s vision.
The Plan provides a roadmap for action, identifying near-, mid-, and long-term opportunities while offering practical tools that support the City, partners, and community members as we move from vision to implementation.
Next Steps
Akron will bring the Innerbelt Master Plan to the April Planning Commission meeting for a recommendation and then to Akron City Council for adoption. The City of Akron has budgeted $500,000 in this year’s Capital Budget to begin implementation of the plan. In 2026, the city will focus on several of the short term implementation strategies highlighted in the plan which include, but are not limited to, updating the zoning code for the areas around the Innerbelt, to align with the goals of the plan; beautification of the decommissioned portion of the Innerbelt; facilitating infill housing development on vacant land in the area; and the resurfacing of Vernon Odom Boulevard.
Akron is still waiting on further guidance from the U.S. Department of Transportation on a previously awarded $10 million grant which is meant to help with implementation of the plan.
“This funding is critical to turning this community vision into real, tangible change,” continued Mayor Malik. “The Innerbelt has long represented both a challenge and an opportunity for our city, and with continued partnership from our state and federal leaders, we can unlock its full potential. We will continue to strongly advocate for these resources so we can deliver on what our residents helped design including reconnecting neighborhoods, creating new opportunities, and building a more vibrant Akron.”
Learn More
The full Akron Innerbelt Master Plan, including detailed project descriptions, strategy frameworks, and implementation tools, is available at akroninnerbelt.com/master-plan. Community members, stakeholders, and partners are encouraged to explore the plan and learn more about the future of the Innerbelt area.
Thank You
The City of Akron extends its sincere gratitude to the community members, neighborhood leaders, stakeholders, and partners who contributed their time, insight, and feedback throughout this process. This plan is a direct result of that collaboration, and it reflects the community’s shared goals and vision for a more connected, equitable, and vibrant future for Akron.
History
View a historical timeline of the Innerbelt here.
In 2023, the City of Akron was awarded $960,000 from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program, a first-of-its-kind initiative to reconnect communities that are cut off from opportunity and burdened by past transportation infrastructure decisions. The grant funded the creation of the master plan to guide the transformation of a vacated mile-long section of Akron's Innerbelt. In 2024, Akron announced it had selected Sasaki as the lead planning firm. Over the last year, the city has conducted over 900 community interactions. This consisted of four large community gatherings with over 600 participants as well as nearly one hundred strategy meetings and small group discussions with community stakeholders to hear their feedback and ideas for the future. Today’s announcement marks an important milestone in the Innerbelt’s history and Akron’s future.