SUMMIT COUNTY, OHIO— The Summit County Transportation Improvement District (SCTID), chaired by County Executive Ilene Shapiro, recently applied for and received $569,733 in funding for three local projects. SCTID funds are granted by the Ohio Department of Transportation’s Office of Jobs and Commerce. The state funds will be used for Akron Main Street Phase II, Barber Road in Norton and Empire Parkway in Macedonia.
The City of Akron will receive $250,000 for Main Street Phase II. Proposed improvements will include a full depth pavement and sidewalk encompassing the entire Right of Way width, with a uniform roadway section, providing parking, bicycle access, better bus access, and a positive pedestrian experience. The project will initially involve at least 146 construction jobs, but it will ultimately create many new opportunities and support the retention of existing downtown jobs.
The City of Macedonia will receive $69,733 for its Empire Parkway project. This property is the largest available industrial property available for development in Macedonia and the northern part of the County. There has been significant interest in developing the property, but the roadway improvements must be completed to make it functional. The Summit County Land Bank is working with the state and Macedonia to make the city the owner of record in order to market the property in the future.
The City of Norton will receive $250,000 for the Barber Road project. American Roadway Logistics is redeveloping the property at 2661 Barber Road into its new corporate headquarters and logistics yard. The project will support the creation of 125 jobs by the company within Norton. Of those jobs, 95 are relocating to Norton from Richfield and Copley while 30 are new jobs. The project will provide support to S.A. Comunale’s expansion of its existing Barber Road location. The city anticipates that the company will add an additional 80 jobs over the next three years at the facility. The project will also benefit Condor Welding, which is relocating inside Norton to Barber Road. The company currently employs four individuals and will be adding six new employees as part of its relocation and expansion. Ag-Pro, which is currently located in Copley Township will be relocating to Barber Road, and will increase its current five employees by another ten employees as part of its relocation and expansion.
“On behalf of the other SCTID members, I am proud to announce the funding of these three exciting projects,” said Executive Shapiro. “Summit County continues to use this program to invest in projects that support job retention and the long-term growth of our local economy.”
Each year, communities throughout Ohio compete for these limited funds. In 2020, the state received applications for $9.5 million in projects and allocated just $4.5 million. Since 2014, Summit County has received $2,646,233 for projects that strengthen infrastructure and bolster economic development by creating and/or retaining jobs and road construction. Other members of the SCTID include Curtis Baker, Executive Director of AMATS, Mayor William Roth of Fairlawn, County Engineer Al Brubaker and Connie Krauss, Director Community and Economic Development. Deborah Walsh and Joe Masich, are non-voting members appointed by the Ohio Senate and Ohio House.
