$25.5 million project planned for stretch of East Main Street in Kent
Get ready for orange barrels on East Main Street near Kent State University.
The city in 2025 will renovate a three-quarter-mile stretch of East Main between Willow Street and Horning Road.
Jon P. Giaquinto, senior engineer for the City of Kent and the project manager, estimated the project cost at about $25.5 million, but said the design consultant is expected to update the figure in September.
The road work is expected to impact neighborhoods to the north and Kent State University to the south. Planning for the project has involved a Citizen Advisory Committee, Kent State University, Portage Area Regional Transport Authority, Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study and Ohio Department of Transportation.
"This is a $25 million project, which makes it the largest transportation improvement project in our history," Kent City Manager Dave Ruller said. "It’s a big deal transformative project between the city and its partners."
According to the city website, design should be complete in 2024, with construction anticipated to begin in 2025. Construction is estimated to last three years, with traffic maintained for the duration.
What's the source of funding?
Giaquinto said that while funding still is being sought for the project, the city and Kent State are working together to split the cost of the local share, which is expected to cost about $4.9 million.
So far, the city has been awarded several grants:
About $23.3 million from various Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study funds.
$500,000 from the Ohio Department of Transportation.
Up to $90,000 from the Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority.
What is involved in the road project?
Giaquinto said East Main Street will be overhauled for safety reasons and aesthetics. He cited the Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study from 2014 to 2018 that ranked the section of East Main Street from Luther Avenue to Willow Street as the worst area in Summit and Portage counties.
"That's probably why we were able to get the funding for this," Giaquinto said. "There's a lot of left-turn crashes, where people are making left turns to get into businesses. There are some pedestrian crashes out there as well, including on the crosswalks."
Improvements are to include:
An expanded tree-lined center boulevard with fewer left turns.
Wider sidewalks and a tree lawn on north side of the street.
Higher visibility crosswalks for pedestrians and bikes.
Decorative streetlights along the length of the roadway.
Shared path for bikes and pedestrians on the south side of the street.
Two roundabouts at the intersection of South Willow Street, East Main Steet and Haymaker Parkway, and at the Horning Road intersection.
New bus pull-offs and shelters installed along the corridor.
Dual left turn lane on Midway.
Electric vehicle charging stations for public use in four Kent State parking lots along the north side of campus adjacent to East Main Street.
The East Main Street Improvement Project is similar to the large-scale improvements made to Summit Street, according to the city's website. That project, completed in 2018, included a tree-lined boulevard with two roundabouts designed to reduce traffic congestion and crashes.
Giaquinto said the improvements should help out in the nearby residential neighborhoods, as they should make state Route 59 easier for motorists. Some, though, are concerned about businesses in the area.
"There will be some tradeoff," Giaquinto said. "We are balancing safety with congestion management. If we continue to keep the left turns out there, we won't solve the issues."
He said the roundabouts should allow motorists to easily access the local businesses.
Reporter April Helms can be reached at ahelms@thebeaconjournal.com
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 2025 East Main Street road work in Kent to include roundabouts
