AKRON, Ohio — For the past two years, it's been a headache for drivers. Now, the Akron Beltway improvements, also known as the Central Interchange project, has reached the halfway point.
The $160 million project involves adding lanes to SR-8 and I-77, reconfiguring ramps, and repaving about 45 lane miles, making it the largest project ever undertaken by the Ohio Department of Transportation's six-county District 4.
I-77, I-76, I-277, and SR-8 all meet along that stretch, which has led to years of congestion and traffic crashes.
As ODOT District 4 spokesperson Ray Marsch explains, these roads act as a main artery to the area, with spots like SR-8 handling around 110,000 drivers a day.
"This base concrete has been in place since the interstates were built in the 50s and 60s," Marsch said. "That was the base layer and we put asphalt on top of that. You haven’t been driving on the same roadway for all these years but over time with that base concrete being from the 50s and 60s, it has reached its life expectancy. We’re taking it down the dirt and rebuilding it."
When all is said and done, the project will include three new bridges, three reconstructed bridges, and the widening of two bridges.
In some cases, like at the I-76 and SR-8 interchange heading north, a new bridge was needed to improve safety and make the turn more gradual.
"You had to take it at a slow speed," Marsch said. "There were crashes on these ramps. The [new] turn is much larger and it has a much larger turn radius. So you’re able to take at a much more appropriate speed."
Work first began in 2021, and is slated to be fully completed by the summer of 2025. However, Marsch pointed out that much of the road closures and detours should be done by the late fall of 2024.
"After fall 2024, we’re going to be placing the final layer of asphalt on the Akron Beltway," he said. "This is a vital link connecting Akron, Canton, and Cleveland and once it's complete, there will be fresh smooth pavement for years to come. There is light at the end of the tunnel."
To view an up-to-date list of ongoing road closures and details for this project, click here.
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