City Of Akron Announces Road Resurfacing And Lane Reduction For East Waterloo Road

Akron, Ohio, December 2, 2019 – The City of Akron will be conducting resurfacing for 3.4 miles along East Waterloo Road, between Manchester Road and Kelley Avenue, as well as incorporating a lane reduction between Manchester Road and Sycamore Street. Construction is expected to occur in the summer of 2020. The deteriorated asphalt roadway pavement will be resurfaced within the project limits and utility castings in the road will be adjusted to better match the pavement surface elevation for a smoother riding surface. Curb ramps will be constructed where missing and those in poor condition will be replaced.

A review of traffic accident data showed a total of 80 accidents from 2016 to 2018 on East Waterloo Road between Manchester Road and Sycamore Street. Many of these accidents are contributed to rear end collisions when vehicles are stopping in a travel lane, turning movements from a travel lane, and sideswipe accidents from changing lanes. These types of accidents may be reduced by changing the roadway striping from two travel lanes in each direction to one travel lane in each direction with a two-way left turn lane in the middle of the roadway. The reduction in travel lanes from Manchester Road to Sycamore Street is not expected to have any detrimental effects on travel time. This stretch of Waterloo Road has experienced declining traffic volumes in recent years and has excess capacity for traffic flow.

This type of resurfacing is recognized as a proven safety countermeasure by the Federal Highway Administration. Studies demonstrate that it can reduce vehicle-to-vehicle crashes and lower vehicle speeds through the corridor.

Questions, comments, and concerns may be sent by December 30, 2019 via email to MNeff@akronohio.govor they can be mailed to:

Akron Engineering Bureau

166 South High Street

Design Division Room 701

Akron, Ohio 44308

Attn: Matthew Neff