City planners are opening sections of Exchange and Cedar streets to two-way traffic to expedite emergency travel to Akron Children’s Hospital.
Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan announced Monday that about three downtown city blocks along Cedar Street and a longer stretch on Exchange Street from state Route 59 to Main Street will be converted for two-way traffic by early next year.
“We considered the input of our downtown stakeholders and determined that we could safely integrate two-way traffic through this corridor of Exchange Street to better serve our residents and visitors,” Horrigan said in a new release issued Monday. “Our hospitals are visited by residents from all over the region, some of whom are unfamiliar with maneuvering one-way streets. This reconfiguration will improve accessibility and traffic flow.”
The change is expected to help motorists and ambulances reach Children’s without making the additional turns around one-way streets. New signage also will direct motorists from either direction to Cleveland Clinic Akron General.
“Akron Children’s Hospital welcomes the planned conversion of Exchange Street to two-way traffic,” said Grace Wakulchik, chief operating officer of Children’s.
“With the many changes occurring to the streets around the hospital and the increased activity in the downtown area, making Exchange Street two-way will help slow traffic and make it safer and easier for patients and families trying to navigate our campus. The enhanced connection with downtown will also make it easier for our families and staff to enjoy downtown businesses and activities.”
The two-lane addition is part of an $11.6 million project along Exchange and Cedar streets from downtown to South Portage Path. The finished product will feature new traffic signals, resurfacing, additional parking, sidewalk extensions and bike lanes that will connect with other existing and proposed cyclist routes on Dart and Rand avenues (as part of the Oak Park Renewal Project) and Main Street (as part of the Main Street Promenade construction project).
Doug Livingston can be reached at 330-996-3792 or dlivingston@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow on Twitter: @ABJDoug .