East Main Street project remains on track for 2028 completion

Construction crews continue to make progress on Kent’s East Main Street project, expanding sidewalks, completing underground work and creating a temporary roundabout, helping the project remain on track for its 2028 completion.

After the City of Kent, Kent State University and the Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority agreed to work together to redevelop East Main Street in March 2020, the project was formed.

The purpose of the project is to address traffic and safety concerns from East Main Street to Willow Street to Horning Road, which includes creating two roundabouts and widening sidewalks for pedestrians.

In July 2025, construction started with improving the road between Willow Street and Horning Road.

Jon Giaquinto, senior engineer for the City of Kent’s Division of Engineering, said crews have been making progress.

“I think if they don’t work at all during the wintertime, then we would be behind schedule,” he said. “So, as long as they keep moving through this bad weather time, that’s going to be a good thing for all of us to keep the project moving.”

On Jan. 8, a roundabout at the intersection of East Main Street and Horning Road was installed, which Giaquinto emphasized is temporary and that changes will be made to it. He said the roundabout was put in place now “to try to make some more room for the contractor, so they can do some more underground work to keep them busy through the winter.”

The temporary roundabout is located where a permanent one will eventually be. It has three legs: eastbound, westbound and northbound. The permanent one will have four legs: eastbound, westbound, northbound and southbound.

In a Jan. 20 email update about the project, Giaquinto informed residents that contractors will install additional signage “to emphasize the need to yield to traffic in the roundabout and the need to yield to pedestrians using the crosswalk on East Main Street.”

Kent Council Member Heidi Shaffer Bish said paying attention to signage during the construction process is key, as is being hyperaware of updates.

“We have changes, and that can be disorienting for drivers and pedestrians and bicyclists for sure,” she said. “So, pay attention to signage, go slowly, reduce your expectations of heading somewhere fast.”

There are also alternative routes drivers can use, following signs posted around construction, Giaquinto said.

Contractors have been working from Luther Avenue to Horning Road on storm sewers, catch basins and manholes.

There is also a portion of Horning Road to Main Street to Theatre Drive being built, relocating Horning to go through the old band practice fields on Kent State’s property, Giaquinto said.

Crews are working on finishing the drainage and the layers of pavement. In addition to paving the new Horning Road, they also repaved between East Main Street and Midway Drive.

On Dec. 15, the city announced that it would be open to feedback on the 225-foot sidewalk extension of Midway Drive, which would also include building a concrete curb, a ramp meeting Americans with Disabilities Act’s standards and storm sewers, as well as pavement resurfacing.

After the submission period ended Jan. 15, Giaquinto said the city only received two positive comments from residents who were in favor of the sidewalk expansion.

“I think they both were happy to see that uncompleted piece of sidewalk would be done just to give pedestrians another avenue to walk between the Theatre and Midway,” he said.

In the same Jan. 20 email update, Giaquinto also said “the Ohio Department of Transportation completed a reevaluation of the environmental documents and has informed us that it has been approved.”

The city will now move forward with creating designs for the expansion to be added to the construction contract.

Since the initial 2021 estimate of the project’s budget of $20 million, the budget has grown to $21 million, Giaquinto said.

He said the budget is composed of roughly 80% grant money – including a $5.25 million federal grant – and about 20% local money, which is split between the city and Kent State University. The additional $1 million to the project is a combination of grants and local money.

With construction well underway, the budget grew as a result of the need to pay contractors, to hire inspectors and managers and to install electric vehicle charging stations, a portion of which will be paid with the federal grant.

The 2021 project design has not changed much, except there will now only be two lanes going down Midway Drive onto East Main Street and a crosswalk will be added at the eastern end of Horning Road, between the United Church of Christ and United Methodist Church of Kent.

Another design addition includes 35 EV charging stations located in Kent State’s parking lots.

Because the project is on track, Giaquinto anticipates the completion of one of the permanent roundabouts and the installation of new traffic signals later this year.

With the potential of a permanent roundabout, he advises residents to visit the City of Kent’s website to read more about the project updates or email him at Jon.Giaquinto@KentOhio.gov to receive email updates.

Shaffer Bish looks forward to the finalization of the project, believing it will make driving in Kent safer.

“Reducing stress and enhancing safety, not just necessarily moving cars as quickly as possible from one point to another,” she said. “So, that’s the shifting priorities of our culture, and I think that Kent is at the forefront of that.”