AKRON, Ohio — If you've driven on state Route 8 in Akron just before the central interchange to Perkins Street, chances are you've experienced the congestion, and possibly even a crash.
"So from 2015 to 2017, state Route 8 and I-77 between Tallmadge Avenue and U.S. 224, there were over 935 crashes in this zone," Ohio Department of Transportation District 4 spokesperson Ray Marsch said. "And a majority of them were related to congestion issues."
Marsch says the goal is to fix that crash statistic with a congestion and safety improvement plan. It would add an additional lane both north and south on Route 8, remove the bridges over Beacon Street and add a separate bridge, among a number of other changes.
"What this proposed project sets to do is its set to separate traffic from folks entering S.R. 8 southbound from Carroll and Goodkirk Street versus folks coming on S.R. 8 southbound already" Marsch explained. "It eliminates those folks from trying to enter and exit at the same time."
But ODOT is asking for a second round of feedback on the roughly $68 million proposed plan after narrowing down ramp alternatives from comments last summer.
"Right now, we are pursuing construction funding for this," Marsch said. "So this project is not 100% funded at this point, so we do not have a set start date for when this will happen."
Comments are being accepted until April 5. You can submit feedback here by clicking over to the comment and next steps tab.