AKRON, Ohio - The city of Akron will receive an $8 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant to continue improvements to the city's Downtown Akron Promenade Project.

The city's grant proposal was supported by Sens. Rob Portman and Sen. Sherrod Brown who both wrote to the Department of Transportation last October. Reps. Marcia Fudge, Tim Ryan, Jim Renacci and David Joyce also supported the grant for Akron.

Mayor Dan Horrigan expressed gratitude for the legislators' backing. He said it is an honor to be the only community in Ohio to receive such a grant this year, and a rare honor to receive multi-million TIGER grants two years running.

"As we continue our efforts to ensure Akron is a thriving city, this grant will allow us to realize the concepts of the recently completed Downtown Vision and Redevelopment Plan, by connecting nodes of activity all the way up to and including the Northside District," Horrigan said in a news release. "Once completed, the revitalized Downtown Promenade will welcome workers, pedestrians, artists, business owners, and innovators to our great city, and enable us to breathe new life into our urban core and better connect downtown to our neighborhoods."

Akron was awarded a $5 million TIGER grant in 2016 to build a green corridor on Main Street, with street and sidewalk repairs, new on-street parking, dedicated bike lanes and transit and traffic enhancements. A new roundabout is also planned, with new signage and green infrastructure.

The grant money will fund Phase 2 of the Downtown Akron Promenade Project, which will focus on a 1,700-foot segment of Main Street from Mill Street to Perkins Street/Route 59. It is the second phase of a 1.4-mile green corridor through the heart of the city. The stretch is designed to connect people to centers of education, employment, innovation, entrepreneurship, culture, entertainment and recreation.

The project is expected to:

Promote economic competitiveness by increasing access to education, jobs and opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship in the Downtown Akron Innovation District, through BOUNCE the city's innovation center; the Akron Biomedical Corridor; and the University of Akron.

Enhance livability by improving access to all modes of transportation and greenspace.

Bring existing transportation assets into a state of good repair.

Ensure environmental sustainability through green infrastructure.

Improve ADA access.

Demonstrate project readiness.

Inspire innovation and foster collaborative partnership

Sen. Rob Portman said the grant will help Akron complete important work to ensure its growth and economic strength.

"The completed Downtown Akron Promenade will serve a vital role in promoting the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit that the city has to offer and will help pave the way for future innovators to make Akron the site of their next business or home," he said in a release. "I'm proud that I was able to work with community leaders and private sector stakeholders to help secure this funding."

TIGER grants are awarded by Department of Transportation for road, rail, transit and port projects that accomplish "critical national objectives."

"When Ohio cities have up-to-date roads and infrastructure, it helps them grow and supports local jobs," Brown said in a news release. "This support is critical to continued efforts to improve downtown Akron and its Main Street Corridor."

To be awarded a grant, projects must result in five long-term outcomes: safety, economic competitiveness, state of good repair, quality of life and environmental sustainability.

Brown recently announced an infrastructure proposal that would expand the TIGER grant program. He is the the ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.

This story has been updated.

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