The Ohio Department of Transportation is soliciting public input for a redesign of an off- and on-ramp along Route 8 in Akron to address a long-standing problem with congestion and related traffic accidents.
“On State Route eight, southbound, just south of Caroll Street. Folks are getting on from Goodkirk Street and folks are traveling on State Route 8, southbound,” said ODOT spokesman Ray Marsch. “What you see is a weave pattern, so folks are trying to enter the highway while folks are trying to exit the highway. This causes congestion and backups. This project is to eliminate that.”
The idea for the project came from a study conducted from 2015 to 2017 that found that 935 car crashes happened in the area during the period. 83 percent of those accidents were due to congestion, Marsch said.
Marsch said that ODOT is proposing a braided ramp along Route 8 from Caroll and Goodkirk Street. According to the ODOT website, a braided ramps cross over each other separating traffic entering and exiting the highway.
“So, folks wishing to get on I-77 southbound or State Route 8 southbound, they will get on that,” Marsch said. “They will get on that bridge and then folks who want to exit from State Route 8 southbound to I-76 eastbound and I-77 southbound. The decision point will be pushed, right at Carrol Street.”
According to Marsch, the projected price tag is $68 million, and the project would two to three years to complete.
“Right now, we are currently in the public comment phase,” Marsch said. “So, we are gathering information from the public and getting their feedback. We are still pursuing construction funding on this project, so we do not have a set date.”
Marsch said the project will not start until after the current construction on the Akron Beltway is complete in 2025.
“The goal of this project is to make it much more efficient for folks to travel through this area,” Marsch said. “By adding this braided ramp, it’s really going to allow folks to get to and from their destination, much safer, much more efficient.”
ODOT hosted a public meeting on March 5. During the meeting, ten to fifteen people showed up to give their feedback on the proposed project. ODOT will continue to accept input online until April 5.