Akron has received a $5 million federal grant to rebuild South Main Street downtown.
The city announced the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant Wednesday, saying it will be used along with state and local money to pay for the first phase of its Downtown Akron Promenade project.
The $14.5 million effort includes adding bike lanes, new sidewalks, a roundabout at Mill Street, potentially reducing the road to one lane in each direction and improving storm water management along South Main from State Street to Mill Street.
The second phase runs between State Street and Cedar Street.
The project will change the “streetscape in how it looks and feels,” said Jason Segedy, city director of planning and urban development.
City leaders hope to begin construction in the fall of 2017, after design and engineering work is done.
Mayor Dan Horrigan has said he wants to improve the downtown area and boost the number of people living in the center of the city.
“This is amazing news for Akron,” Downtown Akron Partnership President and Chief Executive Officer Suzie Graham said in a prepared statement. “The TIGER grant is a way for us to make transformational change downtown, creating a welcoming, beautiful Main Street that will set a new standard for how we design streets and sidewalks in our city.”
Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter at @armonrickABJ.