At the very least, the end is near for some of the closures and detours that sent drivers traveling to far-flung corners of the Akron highway system this summer. But the pain will continue until the construction season is over and winter storms arrive.
The region’s largest building, dubbed the “Central Interchange” project, is nearing the end of its second construction season. His $160 million effort, technically called the I-76/I-77/SR 8 Akron Beltway Improvement, began last summer. It will run until May 2025 and will include several segments.
- Replacing pavement and adding lanes between Waterloo Road and Lovers Lane on I-77.
- Pavement replacement from Princeton Avenue on I-76/I-77 to I-77/State Route 261 Interchange.
- Pavement replacement for I-76, I-77 and Route 8 Central Interchange.
- Repave and add a southbound lane between Carroll Street and Beacon Street on US 8.
- Left Turn Ramp Relocation – I-76 Westbound to I-77 Southbound and I-76 Eastbound to State Route 8 Northbound to improve turn radius.
Akron Highway Remake: Central Interchange Project Enters Second Year
After about a year of construction, the crew made major changes to Interstate 77’s traffic patterns in July. This is because his I-77 northbound traffic between I-277/US 224 and the Central Interchange has been switched to the newly constructed northbound pavement. Workers are expected to finish the northbound side of the highway this year.
Work on other parts of the highway system will then delay the rebuilding of the southbound lane until 2024, giving drivers one year from construction on that section of I-77.
Ramp reopens this fall
The ramp along I-77 between Coventry Township and the Central Interchange will gradually reopen towards the end of the year.
By late September, the ramp from Waterloo Road to I-77 North will reopen, pending work by the City of Akron to replace the culvert under Waterloo Road.
“We are working with the City of Akron because they have a drainage project there,” said ODOT District 4 spokesman Justin Chesnick. “We are getting closer.”
Wilbes Road and I-77 northbound ramps to I-76 East are scheduled to reopen in October. The ramp from Wilbeth to his I-77 will remain closed until late November or early December due to the need to limit highway traffic.
It will take several more weeks for the I-77 North to I-76 Westbound ramp to reopen.
“We are thinking early December when all the northbound phases are complete, so we will reopen the ramp from I-77 North to I-76 West,” he said. “By Thanksgiving in early December, the northbound portion of Interstate 77 will be nearly complete.”
The ramp to I-77 North at the I-76/I-277/US-224 interchange at the Coventry Township Interchange will reopen in November.
“Mostly everything is slated to open. The only thing that will be closed is the ramp south of U.S. 8 to the west of Interstate 76, which is scheduled to open in May 2023,” Chesnik said. said Mr.
West side of town paved, closed
Other ramps are scheduled to reopen on the east side of town, but one major connection from I-76 on Kenmore Leg to I-76 East/I-77 South is scheduled to close later this year through fall 2023. is.
No date has been announced, but the closure is related to ongoing paving work between Princeton Avenue and East Avenue.
Contractors there are currently rebuilding the westbound lanes of Interstate 76 and are expected to begin work on the middle lanes in December.
“When they get to that stage, I-76 will be three lanes westbound and I-76 eastbound will be two lanes,” Chesnik said. “There are only two lanes, so it’s narrower. Traffic can’t merge, so we have to close that ramp.”
The diversion for northbound traffic heading east re-enters I-76 East via the Vernon-Odom Boulevard exit or I-277 to Coventry Township where the ramp to I-77 North is reopened .
The ramp from Interstate 76 West to Dart Avenue will be closed starting September 26 for approximately 40 days. Contractors will rebuild Dart His Avenue, including the drainage to Lakeshore Boulevard.
Widening of Interstate 77 continues south of Akron
Interstate 77, north of Arlington Road to Waterloo Road, has completed its second year and is about two years away from its August 2024 completion date.
This $50 million project will expand and reconfigure the I-77/I-277/US 224 interchange in Coventry Township, as well as add lanes where the highway median once stood. is needed. When completed, the I-77 south from the interchange to Warner Road will be expanded to five lanes and from Warner Road south to Arlington Road to four lanes.
The project began last summer when contractors began rebuilding lanes in the middle of the highway. Work he moved to the south-facing lane in May, with the south-facing lane expected to be completed and the north-facing side of the highway rebuilt by the end of the year.
“The good news is that we are ahead of schedule,” said Chesnik, adding that the final phase of this year’s work is expected to begin in the coming weeks. “We plan to pave the southbound lane in September.”
Sound barriers are also planned at various locations along I-77, I-277, and US 224 after residents and property owners voted in favor of construction.
What Akron residents need to build a noise wall
ODOT recommends building sound barriers at various locations adjacent to the Kenmore Leg. Work is still years away, but residents and property owners who would benefit from the wall were contacted in July as to whether they wanted the sound barrier built. ODOT will build it. Request for comments by 8 September.
The wall is part of a $100 million cost of repairs and improvements to I-76 between the I-76/I-77 and I-76/I-277/US-224 interchanges, locally funded by Kenmore Leg and is called of Akron’s highway system. Construction could start as early as 2026. Work is expected to last him three years.
A map of the proposed noise barrier can be found on the ODOT project site page, project ID number 100719, titled Interstate 76/Kenmore Leg Road Improvements.
The ODOT website has project information and an online comment form. Robert.Lang@dot.ohio.gov or 330-786-4975.
Four-year Route 8 project completed
Work on Route 8’s six miles, which began two years before the pandemic, is now complete, barring a few minor issues.
The $58 million project replaced the pavement of the highway from Graham Road in Cuyahoga Falls through Stowe, Hudson, and Boston Heights to U.S. Route 303.
The project also included the closure of short ramps at Graham Road, Seasons Road, Steels Corners Road and the Route 303 interchange, as well as replacement of two decks.
Economic Impact: The Seasons Road Interchange, a growing hotspot for development along U.S. Route 8
Eric Marotta can be reached at 330-541-9433 or emarotta@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarottaEric.
