What's New

The movement of freight is part and parcel of AMATS’ transportation planning responsibilities in the Greater Akron area.  The agency recently prepared its 2016 Freight Plan, a comprehensive analysis of the area’s existing freight system that presents various multi-modal recommendations for the upcoming long-range Regional Transportation Plan.

The 2016 Freight Plan identifies transportation systems that are used to move freight into, out of, and within the region.  The plan identifies freight movement issues and recommends broad strategies and specific projects to improve the movement of freight throughout the area’s transportation network.  The plan also presents ways to improve planning procedures for data collection, modeling and system performance measures for freight‐related projects.  (Such projects include bridge replacements, operational improvements, grade separations, and connections to air cargo.)

Gardner

Jeff Gardner, AMATS Transportation Planner, says that the agency began developing the plan in September.  “It’s based on input from our committee members and includes many of their ideas to improve the efficiency, speed and safety of freight transport through our region,” Gardner adds.

Although there are recommendations to improve the region’s rail lines, the new plan – like the previous version adopted in 2012 – identifies improvements to the highway system as the region’s highest freight-oriented priority need.  Major corridors for truck-freight movement in the AMATS area include state Route 8 and Interstates 76, 77, 80, 271 and 480.

Among the plan’s highway recommendations for the region are to:

• Improve high rated congestion locations, emphasizing areas with high truck traffic.
• Improve and modernize Akron’s Central Interchange (I-76/I-77/state Route 8), such as the current project to improve the I-76 westbound to I-77 southbound ramp.
• Continue planned improvements to I-76 across the AMATS area.
• Add a truck lane to I-77 northbound in the Bath Township-Richfield area.
• Improve the I-77/state Route 21/state Route 18 Interchange.

Among the plan’s rail recommendations for the region are to:

• Address safety and congestion issues at railroad crossings by recommending grade separation projects.
• Maintain rail lines owned by METRO RTA and make them available to local industry.
• Preserve out of service rail lines for future rail use or conversion to bike and pedestrian trails.
• Consider public/private partnerships with rail companies to improve freight service and reduce congestion-related delays in the area.

The plan includes several specific recommendations to improve rail-highway grade separations at the Hines Hill and Stow Road crossings of the Norfolk-Southern Line in Hudson and the North Main Street (state Route 91) crossing of the CSX Line in Munroe Falls.

The plan is available for public review by clicking here.