Release Date: August 14,2019
Exchange Street to begin two-way traffic on Monday, Aug. 19
Innerbelt to Bowery Street will now run east and west to provide easier access to Akron Children’s Hospital
Mayor Dan Horrigan is pleased to announce that beginning Aug. 19, Exchange Street in downtown Akron will open to two-way traffic from the Innerbelt (Rand Street) to Bowery Street. Both southbound and northbound vehicles exiting the Innerbelt / Route 59 will now be able to travel eastbound along both Exchange Street and Cedar Street. The new traffic pattern will be carefully established after morning rush hour on Monday. Click here for map of new traffic pattern.
“By carefully converting one-way streets back to two-way traffic, we are making it more convenient for motorists to access their downtown destinations,” Mayor Horrigan said. “This conversion of Exchange back to two-way movement will allow safe and efficient access to Akron Children’s Hospital and the Exchange Street corridor.”
While this conversion took time to appropriately design and construct, the return of the two-way traffic will benefit both safety and traffic flow in the area. Construction of the improvements along both Cedar and Exchange began in late 2016 and included enhanced on-street parking, bike lanes, signalization upgrades, safer pedestrian crossings and roadway resurfacing from downtown to Portage Path.
Mayor Horrigan urged residents and visitors to exercise extra caution as two-way traffic is unveiled. “This new traffic pattern will be safer in the long term, but we must pay special attention to signage and other motorists as we adjust to two-way traffic over the next few months.”
While Exchange Street will open to two-way traffic on Aug. 19 from Rand to Bowery—additional two-way traffic is planned from Bowery to Main Street, once sewer work and major improvements to the Main /Exchange intersection are completed.
Downtown Akron continues to be a hub of significant infrastructure investments, from EPA-mandated sewer projects to the federally-funded renovation of the Main Street Corridor. For updates on construction projects and traffic alerts for a city moving forward, please visit www.DriveAkron.com.