New twist is down the highway for Akron's Kenmore leg, with $125 million upgrade in 2027
If you're a driver envisioning a stretch of time when Akron's Kenmore leg of expressway is finally clear of various construction obstacles, the 2030s might just be the decade for you.
The Ohio Department of Transportation on Thursday announced its $125 million plan for major repairs along the two-mile section of Interstate 76 between the I-76/I-77 interchange and the I-76/I-277/U.S. 224 interchange.
Wait — what? Isn't the Kenmore leg already entangled in a thicket of construction projects?
Yes, but preliminary planning for the upcoming work began in August 2022 — and one of the reasons for the big overhaul is this route's role as a heavily used detour while other major updates to the region's highway grid have been undertaken.
Here is what we know about the upcoming work.
When will this project begin?
The target date to begin construction is sometime in 2027, ODOT said Thursday. When the groundwork was laid for this plan in 2022, the goal was to begin work in 2026. At the time, public comment was sought on the proposal, including whether the most closely affected residents desired sound walls to be included in the work.
The updated ODOT plan does include sound walls, but residents are invited once again to submit public comment on the proposal, which arose out of the department's study of Akron's highway system analyzing current and future traffic flow, safety, infrastructure condition and roadway design.
How will ODOT gather public input?
A public meeting for this Kenmore highway project will be held March 12 at Innes Community Learning Center, 1999 East Ave. in Akron.
Interested parties are encouraged to stop by from 5 to 7 p.m. to view project exhibits, chat with project team members and submit comments. There will be no formal presentation.
What are the most noticeable changes planned for Kenmore leg?
ODOT said in its release Thursday that the new construction will improve safety, reduce traffic congestion, maintain deteriorating pavement and bridges and help to modernize the Kenmore leg.
In addition to the noise walls to help block out traffic sounds for adjacent neighborhoods, the upgrades include construction of "braided” ramps and the closure of Morse Street to through traffic beneath the Kenmore leg.
Braided ramps cross over each other, with one ramp using a bridge to cross the ramp below, helping to ease traffic congestion by separating cars entering the highway from those exiting.
What will become of current traffic patterns, pavement, bridges?
It's been a bit of a squeeze, with extra wear and tear to boot, for the Kenmore leg since it has been adapted to take on additional traffic flow during work on the Central Interchange and other points in the Akron highway system.
To accommodate additional traffic, ODOT restriped the Kenmore leg from two lanes to three in each direction. Single-lane ramps were also restriped to become two lanes.
As part of this improvement project, the lane additions will become permanent. Additionally, the pavement will be completely reconstructed and bridges will be widened along the highway.
Where should I go for more information?
Anyone with questions or comments about the project can email ODOT's Robert Lang at Robert.Lang@dot.ohio.gov. He can also be reached by calling 330-786-4975 or by sending U.S. mail to Robert Lang, Ohio Department of Transportation District 4, 2088 S. Arlington Road, Akron, OH, 44306.
Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@gannett.com, or on Twitter, @athompsonABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron's Kenmore leg of I-76 will start $150 million upgrade in 2027
