Many of the City’s road construction and trail projects span the course of several years from concept and design to bidding and construction. Here’s an update of several key projects that are moving forward this year and in 2020.
SR 91 North Turn Lanes (Brandywine Dr. to Middleton Rd.)
The SR 91 North Turn Lane project is nearing the end of design phase. The project includes new turn lanes at Valley View Road, Herrick Park Drive, and Hines Hill Road, and other roadway improvements from Brandywine Drive north to Middleton Road. The project is partially funded through ODOT Surface Transportation Funds and Urban Paving Funds totaling $3,025,000. The cost of the improvements is estimated at $4.3 million. The Turn Lane Project also will include the design and installation of the City of Akron’s new waterline along SR 91 from Herrick Park Drive to Middleton Road. Akron will pay 100% of the design and construction for their new water main.
Hudson has been acquiring rights of way for the project throughout the year. Affected owners have been notified and have been offered fair market value for permanent and temporary right-of-way acquisitions which are primarily very small strips of land abutting the roadway to allow for adding the turn lanes. Construction is scheduled for 2020.
South Main Street (Barlow Road to Stoney Hill)
This stretch of South Main Street has had multiple rear-end and left-turn collisions over the past three years. The City was awarded an Ohio Safety Funds and Congestive Mitigation Air Quality grants through AMATS to install a center turn lane, drainage improvements, pedestrian connectivity, crosswalk and signal enhancements, and resurfacing and widening.
After meetings with residents on South Main Street, the original plan was revised to extend only from Stoney Hill Drive to Barlow Road. The project will include a center two-way left turn lane throughout the project, 5-foot bike lanes, sidewalks and resurfacing. Other project improvements include traffic signal upgrades, storm sewer improvements, repair to heaving shoulders, and roadway resurfacing. Total cost for the project is $4.1 million, with AMATS and ODOT funding 80% of the project.
Traffic Signal Upgrades
The first phase of the Citywide traffic signal timing upgrades is underway. The design will analyze fourteen traffic signals in the downtown, including review of timing optimizations and additional traffic detection zones. The recommendations then will be used for the signal contractual work scheduled to take place in 2020.
Barlow Road Improvements (Veterans Trail Phase 4 and Sidewalk Improvements)
As part of the City’s Connectivity Plan, Veterans Trail Phase 4 will be both a trail path and sidewalk along north side of Barlow Road from SR 91 to Terex Road at the Metro Parks trailhead. The Veterans Trail 8-foot path will run from Terex Road to Ellsworth Meadows Golf Club. The trail will then transition to a 7-foot section (to reduce tree removal and storm water impacts) to the new Hudson Meadows retirement facility site. From there, the project will include a 5-foot sidewalk to SR 91.
The City received a $500,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to fund the 8-foot asphalt trail portion from the Metroparks Trail at Terex Road east to Ellsworth Meadows Golf Course. The total project cost is estimated at $1.52 million, with the City being responsible for approximately $1 million of that cost. Construction is scheduled to begin in the winter of 2019 and will be completed in the spring of 2020.
Veterans Trail Phase 3 (Cascade Park and Ellsworth Meadows Golf Club)
This phase of Veterans Trail stretches from the Veterans Way bridge to Barlow Road and connects with Veterans Trail Phase 4. Plans are being finalized on this $1.5 million project, with $500,000 of that amount coming from ODOT. Construction is expected to begin in the fall of 2019 with construction finished by spring of 2020.
Veterans Trail Phase 2 (Valley View Rd., Hunting Hollow Dr.)
Phase 2 of the Veterans Trail project is being designed in-house and the design is scheduled to be completed this winter, with construction slated for the summer of 2020. The City is currently evaluating how to lessen impacts to the Summit County bridge and wetlands found on site. The project is estimated at $350,000.
E. Barlow Road Trail Connection (near Little Tykes/Barlow Farm Park)
The City’s engineering department is working on the design in-house for a connection that would link Barlow Farm Park with the Metro Parks Wood Hollow Park Trail via Barlow Road. Plans have been submitted to Norfolk Southern Railroad and Sagamore Soils, since both areas would need to be crossed to link Barlow Farm Park with the Wood Hollow Park Trail. The project cost is estimated at $400,000. Design of the trail is anticipated to be completed in winter 2019, with construction in 2020.
Middleton Road Water Line Project (City of Akron)
The City of Akron has completed its water main installation along Middleton Road from Stow Road to Wake Robin Drive. The remainder of main line replacement and tie-ins along Middleton Road is anticipated to take another four or more weeks.
Akron has a crew that began the bolt replacement on SR 91 beginning on September 16. The work is starting near Middleton Road and working toward towards the City’s northern border. Once Akron has completed its work, the City of Hudson will pave Middleton Road. Based on Akron’s current schedule, Hudson hopes to have most of Middleton paved this year.