Displaying items by tag: Central Interchange

The next big highway construction project in Akron will involve the Central Interchange...with a new $40 million project that'll handle the work in pieces.

It's the early phase for a project that should get underway in about five years.

ODOT's Justin Chesnic says one key proposal is to make the left-hand exit ramps at the Central Interchange safer.

"If you're coming I-76 west and want to go to I-77 south, those left hand ramps," Chesnic says, "this project that we're proposing to do here a few years down the line will improve those ramps, lengthen those ramps and increase the speed on those ramps."

That'd also improve the left-hand ramp from I-76 east to Route 8 north.

Chesnic says the new Central Interchange project is already funded, and would follow the current work on 76/77 near Main and Broadway.

A public meeting will be held to get input on the latest plan, October 27th at Glover Community Learning Center on Hammel Street.

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(Ohio Department of Transportation, news release) The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is in the early stages of developing a road construction project to improve the I-76/I-77/SR-8 Central Interchange in Akron. ODOT will conduct an open house public involvement meeting to present the feasible alternative designs for the project.

The public involvement meeting will be Thursday, October 27, 2016, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Glover Community Learning Center cafeteria located at 935 Hammel Street, Akron, Ohio. The public involvement meeting will be conducted in an open house format with no formal presentation. Attendees may arrive anytime between 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM.

Mapping, exhibits, and preliminary plan information will be displayed. Throughout the open house, representatives of the ODOT project team will be available to discuss the feasible alternatives, potential impacts of the proposed project, and address any questions and concerns.

The proposed project involves safety, congestion and infrastructure condition improvements in the I-76/I-77/SR-8 Central Interchange. The project is a result of a detailed analysis of the Akron freeway system that examined traffic flow, infrastructure condition, and other issues. Construction of this estimated $40 million project is expected to begin in 2021.

The following improvements are proposed:

· Change the curve of the ramps for I-76 east to SR-8 north and I-76 west to I-77 south to allow for faster vehicle speeds.

· Modify the ramp from I-76 west to SR-8 north.

· Adjust I-76 westbound within the Central Interchange because of the ramp changes.

· Removal of the I-76 westbound exit ramp to Inman Street / Johnston Street.

· Removal of the I-77 southbound exit ramp to Lovers Lane.

· The Lafollette Street Bridge over I-77 is proposed to be replaced with a new, longer bridge at the same location, removed and not replaced, or removed and replaced with a new bridge over I-77 at Kipling Street.

Comments may be submitted in the following four ways:

· Spoken or submitted in person during the open house public involvement meeting

· By phone to Robert Lang, ODOT District 4 Environmental Specialist, at 330-786-4975

· By email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

· By mail to:

Edward W. Deley, Jr., Environmental Coordinator

Ohio Department of Transportation - District 4

2088 S. Arlington Road

Akron, OH 44306-4243

The final date to submit comments is Friday, November 25, 2016.

If you are unable to attend the public involvement meeting, the meeting materials will be available for review at ODOT District 4, 2088 South Arlington Road, Akron.

Additional project information, including the public involvement meeting handout and displays, will be available on the ODOT District 4 website: www.dot.state.oh.us/districts/d04 by selecting the "Public Meetings/Public Involvement" heading on the left side menu. Project information can also be found on the ODOT District 4 Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ODOTD4) and the ODOT District 4 Twitter feed (@ODOT_Akron)

A summary of public comments received during the public comment period and responses to those comments will be available by request and posted on the ODOT District 4 website by December 23, 2016.

The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried-out by ODOT pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated December 11, 2015, and executed by FHWA and ODOT. In compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (codified as 36 CFR 800), ODOT also requests information regarding the presence of any known cultural resources in the vicinity of the project. Cultural resources include prehistoric and historic archaeological sites, historic bridges, historic buildings, sites and districts.

For questions related to traffic or project design, contact ODOT Project Manager Lorie Feudner, P.E. at 330-786-4810 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Questions involving environmental issues should be directed to Robert Lang, ODOT Environmental Specialist, at 330-786-4975 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

ODOT has released a statement Monday afternoon saying ramp work will begin Tuesday morning, and with it closures throughout the Central Interchange. 

Ramp construction had been delayed a week because the contractor tasked with doing so had not gotten the construction signs in place with time enough ahead of the scheduled construction. 

Despite the setback, Justin Chesnic with ODOT tells 1590 WAKR that the same contractor has completed the work needed on their end and they are ready to go. Below is the official release from ODOT: 

Monday, August 8, 2016

Interstate 76 in the City of Akron

(Tuesday, August 9 – until further notice)

The following lane restriction and ramp closures will occur by Tuesday morning, August 9, at 6 a.m.

• I-76 between Grant St. and Inman St. will be reduced to two lanes in each direction.
• The ramp from I-77 northbound to I-76 westbound will be CLOSED. The detour will be I-277 westbound to I-76/Kenmore Leg eastbound.
• The ramp from SR 8 southbound to I-77 northbound/I-76 westbound will be CLOSED. The detour will be I-77 southbound to I-277 westbound to I-76/Kenmore Leg eastbound.

(Wednesday, August 10 – until further notice)

Beginning Wednesday, morning, August 10, at 6 a.m.., the ramp from I-76 eastbound to I-77 southbound will be CLOSED through late November for bridge removal. The detour will be I-76/Kenmore Leg westbound to I-277 eastbound to I-77 southbound. This work is part of a $15.6 million project to remove three bridge on I-76/I-77 over Johnston St. The project also includes the relocation of Johnston St. between Spicer St. and Brown St. The entire project is scheduled to be completed by late July 2017.

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The Ohio Department of Transportation maintains the state's largest man-made asset--the transportation system. ODOT's mission is to provide the safe and easy movement of people and goods from place to place. As a $2.8 billion per year enterprise, ODOT invests the bulk of its resources in system preservation through maintenance, construction and snow and ice operations.

“The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried-out by ODOT pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated December 11, 2015, and executed by FHWA and ODOT.”

Follow our coverage of the story with the last update from WAKR.net. 

ODOT posted on Twitter late Tuesday night that they're postponing their scheduled ramp closures throughout the Central Interchange in Akron. ODOT spokesman Brent Kovacs tells 1590 WAKR that the contractor did not get the detour signs up in time for the work, thus delaying the project that is scheduled to take about 3 months. 

Here is our previous story explaining what ramps will be closed when the project resumes.