AKRON, Ohio – Crews working on the $31 million makeover of Akron’s Main Street have shifted from the west side of the street to the east side as the project nears its estimated completion in July, the city announced Wednesday.

All northbound traffic between West State Street and just south of West Bowery Street has now been shifted to the newly paved west side of the street, and on-street parking will not be available in the construction area until the work is done, according to a news release.

For people visiting Main Street businesses in the construction zone, free two-hour parking is available in the Summit County parking deck at 200 South High Street.

Patrons can receive parking vouchers at Indulge, Key Bank, El Gato, Lockview, Baxter’s, The Peanut Shoppe, US Bank, Barley House and the Akron Civic Theatre box office. Vouchers can be scanned at the parking deck’s exit kiosks when prompted to pay.

Parking also is available on University Avenue, State Street and South High Street, the city said. A downtown Akron parking map is available here.

The city reported that a majority of the underground utility work is complete on the so-called Main Street Corridor project.

“This critical indicator of progress is a reminder that the finish line is in sight,” Horrigan said in a statement. “I am excited to see the ultimate result of all the work that has gone into completely renovating our Main Street Corridor. I continue to encourage residents to support the wonderful businesses that call Main Street ‘home’ as we push forward with the last stretch of Phase I construction.”

This first phase of the project began in July 2018. Other aspects of the project include improvements to 1.4 miles of South Main Street, from Ohio 59 and Perkins Street to Exchange Street, including street and sidewalk repairs, new on-street parking, dedicated bike lanes, more greenspace and a roundabout, at the center of which will be a statue of a rubber worker.

The statue is on track to be installed at Main and Mill streets this summer. A group known as Akron Stories is asking rubber workers and their descendants to share their stories as part of a recording project to feature their audio files at a visitors’ kiosk near the statue.

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