KENT, Ohio — News 5 is returning to Kent and Following Through. After months of anticipation and at times anxiety, construction is finally underway on the extensive East Main Street project.
It's all happening as the city experiences an influx of tens of thousands of students returning to Kent State University's campus for the fall semester.
Once all is said and done, officials say the project will reduce crashes and make the area more walkable and pedestrian-friendly.
For some, it's an adjustment.
"I was like... Are you kidding me... Right now you chose to do this?" said Jack Lewis, a Kent State student.
Orange barrels, construction crews and lane shift signs now line a portion of East Main Street in Kent.
This will be the norm for the next three years as you approach Kent State's campus.
"I was like oh.... It'll be done fast! I did not know it was gonna take three years," said Kaileigh Smith, a Kent State student.
"Traffic is really crazy. It's hard. Sometimes like if I woke up late— I would drive to class, but I can't anymore so I have to walk," Lewis said.
And for Akron area commuter Kaileigh Smith, it means allocating upwards of 25-30 additional minutes of drive time during rush hour and in between classes.
We took one of our traffic trackers through the route and experienced the bumper-to-bumper traffic firsthand.
"With the traffic, it gets backed up at the intersection because nobody knows what they're doing at the moment," Smith said.
While an initial shock to the system, City of Kent Engineer Jon Giaquinto walked the route and told News 5 it will get easier over time.
"We're also gonna break the job into two parts. So we're gonna try to keep the construction zone smaller instead of having the entire corridor under construction," Giaquinto said.
The roughly $25 million project is tedious, but he says it is well researched and will benefit everyone.
Right now, Giaquinto says crews will be working on the south side of the road from the Kent State Business building at Luther Avenue to Horning Road for the rest of this year.
Our News 5 camera captured crews milling off some of the existing asphalt pavement to get ready to install new sewers.
They will also be installing erosion protection measures and tree protection fencing.
Giaquinto stressed the road will never close as crews continue to work in the area.
"East Main Street will still be open. It'll be to a three lane section so instead of five like it is now," Giaquinto said.
Some of the larger talking points of the project include adding two roundabouts.
One roundabout will go in at East Main Street right at the busy intersection of South Willow Street and Haymaker Parkway.
A second roundabout will be installed at the Horning Road intersection with a raised median stretching from one to the other.
"That's what they're doing? No, I don't think that'll make that big of a difference," said Martin Teichow, a Kent State student.
And while the orange barrels, regraded roads and general construction may not necessarily seem ideal at the moment, officials say once it's completed, it will make a tremendous difference.
"For future students—definitely. It'll be much more accessible, but as a sophomore myself. It's gonna be pretty hard because it's not gonna be done by the time I graduate," Lewis said.
Giaquinto asks drivers to please pay attention to the ongoing changes and crews.
He stresses that once all is said and done, the project will include safety improvements, better bus stops and shelters, clearer signage and noticeable changes that will slow down speeding drivers.
"Additional crosswalks for pedestrians. They'll be brick. They'll be more visible in street signage," Giaquinto said.
Construction on East Main Street will continue for the next three years with a 2028 completion date.
Giaquinto says they studied the corridor for several years.
Roughly 243 accidents occurred within a three-year period here.
With the upgrades, they're going to be able to better control the turns and slow down drivers.
As for overall impacts on students — Kent State confirms all roads and access points to the University will remain open.
They are telling students and staff to allow extra time to get to and from the university.
