Release Date: December 29,2020
City of Akron to Begin Roadway Work for Phase II of Main Street Corridor Project on January 4
Akron, Ohio, December 29, 2020— In late October 2020, the City of Akron broke ground on Phase II of the TIGER-grant funded Main Street Project - starting first with excavation and utility work in the sidewalk. Starting Monday, January 4, 2021, the project will enter its next stage, which includes excavation and utility work in the roadway. Therefore, Main Street (King James Way) from Market St. to Mill Street will be closed to vehicular traffic in both directions, from January 4, 2021 through approximately May 31, 2021.
“The transformational upgrades we are making now in our downtown corridor will benefit Akronites for generations to come,” said Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan. “Phase II will take a considerably shorter period of time to complete than Phase I, which is great news for our downtown businesses, motorists, and residents. And once it is finished, the improvements will create a unified, accessible, and beautiful corridor all the way from Cedar Street to Martin Luther King Blvd (State Route 59).”
Traffic from the south heading north will be detoured at Mill Street east to Broadway north to Market St. and then back north on Main Street. Traffic from the north heading south on Main Street will be detoured at Market St. east to High St. south to Mill St. to the roundabout and then back south on Main St. Sidewalk pedestrian access will be maintained on the East and West sides of the street throughout the project.
The cost of Main Street Phase II is $14 million with $8 million coming from a TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation along with additional funds coming from other state and local sources. Karvo Companies will perform the construction work for Main Street Phase II. Improvements include new roadway with one lane in each direction, plus turn lanes at Market Street and SR 59, a lane on each side of the street for parallel parking, short term deliveries, or buses, a continuation of the cycle track connecting to the nearby towpath trail, new sidewalks, pedestrian and roadway LED lighting, utility upgrades, and aesthetics and amenities, including room for sidewalk cafes. One mid-block pedestrian crossing near the library will be provided.
To assist downtown businesses who will be impacted by the construction, the City of Akron is offering free 2 hour parking vouchers to patrons visiting businesses along the construction path including, Chameleon Café, Rubber City Hair, Stray Dog Cafe and Tammy O’s, as well as Braunstein Tailors and Clothiers (which is opening at the end of January). Vouchers can be scanned at the High/Market or Citicenter parking decks’ exit kiosks when prompted to pay. Please check with businesses regarding hours of operation. The downtown parking map is available here.
“I urge all our residents to continue to support downtown restaurants, retailers, and organizations as they work to remain open through this challenging pandemic,” Mayor Horrigan added. For additional information, please visit the Downtown Akron Partnership website at: www.downtownakron.com/
Finally, the Downtown Akron Partnership and the Akronite app are offering bonus rewards. User will earn an extra 5% back in Blimps on the Akronite app when patronizing downtown businesses, for a total of up to 35% back in Blimps when you shop downtown. Download the app, link your card, and start earning Blimps today! Make every action count on Main Street.