News
Akron, Ohio– The Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (AMATS) announced last Friday that a joint project between the Summit County Engineer and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) received $3,149,479.00 in federal Surface Transportation Program funding. The Canton Road Improvement Project starts at Farmdale Drive and extends to approximately 500 feet south of Springfield Lake Drive. The project calls for a major improvement of the Canton Road/State Route 91/US 224 intersection, including the creation of dual northbound left turn lanes and an added east bound right turn lane. The project also proposing widening Canton Road to five lanes, constructing a raised median starting just south of US 224 and extending to 300 feet south of the Arcadia/Meadows intersection. U-turn lanes will be constructed at Springfield Lake Drive intersection and at the Linwood Road intersection.
In addition, AMATS also approved Summit County Engineer grant requests for resurfacing funds for Canton Road from just south of Springfield Lake Drive to Salmon Drive and for constructing a sidewalk along the west side of Canton Road from US 224 to the new Springfield High School. The total amount of AMATS grant funding received for the Canton Road projects is $4,253,479.00.
This stretch of roadway consistently has been ranked near the top of AMATS’ high accident corridors in Summit County. The project has also received $5,000,000.00 of federal safety funds based on this designation as a high accident area.
ODOT owns three legs of the Canton Road/State Route 91/US 224 intersection as well as SR 91 as it extends north from the intersection. ODOT and the Summit County Engineer have been working together to solve the safety issues along this corridor. By creating one combined project instead of two separate smaller projects, ODOT and the County have saved money and the project will be designed and constructed faster than if each agency were preparing their own project.
“Since I first became County Engineer I have made it a goal to identify how to properly fund the improvement of Canton Road”, said Summit County Engineer Alan Brubaker. “We have had various proposals for improvements but we were initially in a big funding hole. Through a partnership with ODOT, federal safety funds, state funds, and now with the approval of this critical grant award by AMATS, we finally have enough funding to move forward.”
A complete list of AMATS funded projects can be found here.
