AKRON, Ohio — Just in time for the Thanksgiving travel rush, multiple ramps that have been closed for the Akron Beltway project officially reopened to traffic on Wednesday morning -- some of which had been closed for years.
These ramp reopenings include the following:
- Interstate 76/Kenmore Leg northbound to I-76 eastbound/I-77 southbound.
- I-76/U.S. 224 eastbound to I-76/Kenmore Leg northbound.
- South Street to I-76 eastbound.
- South Street eastbound from SR 93/Manchester Road.
- East Avenue to I-76 eastbound.
- I-76 eastbound to Lakeshore Boulevard/South Street.
ODOT tells 3News the ramps along the Kenmore Leg had been closed for roughly two years, while the closures near East Avenue and Lakeshore Boulevard were in effect for about a year.
The Ohio Department of Transportation says the following will remain closed through mid-December:
- The ramp from I-77 southbound to I-277/U.S. 224 westbound.
- I-76 eastbound to I-77 southbound.
- I-76 westbound to I-77 southbound.
- Wilbeth Road to I-77 southbound.
The Akron Beltway project began back in 2021 with an estimated cost of $160 million.
“The project includes pavement replacement and addition of lanes on I-77 between U.S. 224 and state Route 8, pavement replacement on I-76/I-77 from Princeton Avenue to the I-77/State Route 261 interchange and pavement replacement on I-76, I-77 and state Route 8 at the Central Interchange,” according to ODOT’s site. “The project also includes resurfacing of state Route 8 and the addition of a southbound lane on State Route 8 between Carroll Street and Beacon Street and the re-alignment of left hand turn ramps (I-76 westbound to I-77 southbound and I-76 eastbound to State Route 8 northbound) to improve turn radius.”
ODOT’s site estimates construction on the project will be completed by summer 2025.
