Pharmacist Dan Jones begins to smile.
So does everyone else behind the counter at Klein’s pharmacy on South Broadway on the edge of downtown Akron.
They’ve just been asked to comment on the ongoing $97.6 million highway interchange project outside the business that’s turned the area into a sea of orange barrels, dirt and heavy construction equipment.
“I hope it’s the greatest space ever after it’s finished,” Jones said, with a laugh.
The construction — which will forever alter the way many people enter and exit downtown Akron — is a major headache for everyone living, working and traveling in the area.
Lengthy backups on South Main Street are commonplace, as motorists are forced to zigzag among orange barrels or take a detour.
Akron resident Elaine Walker, who drives the area, summed up the feelings of many motorists this way: “It’s a mess.”
The project, which won’t wrap up until July 2020, is bringing massive changes to the Interstate 76/77 interchange with South Main and South Broadway.
ODOT already has acquired and razed more than 30 properties and closed multiple roads and highway ramps to ease the construction.
Much, much more is on the way.
“There’s a lot going on,” ODOT spokesman Justin Chesnic said, adding that it’s all gone smoothly so far.
Contractor Shelly & Sands seems to be everywhere — working on South Main, working on the Wolf Ledges Parkway bridge, working on the new highway ramps.
All that work has impacted United Disability Services, which is located between South Broadway and South Main.
The nonprofit shuttles people around the area in buses, making anywhere from 75 to 100 medical trips a day, including ensuring its clients are on time for doctor’s appointments.
“We’ve had to alter how we enter and exit the building and the driver has to be a lot more diligent and cautious because, hour to hour, the traffic patterns change,” Transportation Services Director Brian Joyce said.
He’s not thrilled with experiencing several more years of construction and is looking forward to the day it’s completed.
“The big positive is after the three years, it should be quicker, easier and safer getting on and off the freeway,” Joyce said.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the most significant upcoming changes:
South Main
South Main — which is now a one-way street heading south out of downtown — will be turned into a two-way road from Bartges Street to Miller Avenue.
The road will be five lanes, with one of those being a center turn lane.
Shelly & Sands is working on water and sewer lines now, and widening the road for the changeover.
ODOT hopes the switch will take place late this fall or early winter.
South Broadway
South Broadway, a one-way northbound road that runs parallel to South Main and travels under Interstate 76/77, will end at the highway.
ODOT plans to fill in dirt below the road, effectively eliminating the bridge there, just as it did with the nearby Johnston and Spicer street bridges.
South Broadway won’t close until South Main opens as a two-way street.
Bridges
The Wolf Ledges Parkway bridge over the highway is closed now.
The bridge should reopen in a few weeks. That’s when the Grant Street bridge over the highway will close for about six months as that span is rebuilt.
Ramps
The exit ramps to Grant and Wolf Ledges are being closed permanently, as ODOT wants to shift all traffic coming on or off the highway to the new South Main-South Broadway interchange.
ODOT is building new exit and entrance ramps at South Main-South Broadway.
Other work
ODOT also is constructing a traffic circle connecting West South Street and Bachtel Avenue, and relocating East South Street where it connects with South Main.
It also will rebuild the I-76/77 roadway.
Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter at @armonrickABJ .