City of Akron to Apply for Next Round of Reconnecting Communities Grant

Akron, Ohio,Sept. 24, 2024 - Today, Akron Mayor Shammas Malik is announcing the City of Akron plans to apply for the next funding round of the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Grant Program through the Department of Transportation. The city will apply for $10 million from the federal government to help fund the future transformation of the decommissioned portion of the Innerbelt and adjacent areas. The funding would require a $10 million match from the city which could be gathered through public and private sources over the next 5 years. Akron City Council voted to approve the application last night.

"Our goal is to present a grant application that provides a viable plan for east/west connectivity including improvements to Vernon Odom Boulevard to support the neighborhood most harmed by the Innerbelt development," said Mayor Malik. "This application is for a series of baseline infrastructure improvements flexible enough to allow our team to further engage our residents on a vision that fits their wants and needs for a revitalized Innerbelt corridor. I'm excited by these next steps, and I look forward to further dialogue about the future of the Innerbelt."

Recently, the U.S. Department of Transportation moved up the deadline for grant applications to Sept. 30, 2024. Implementation funding for the plan will require pursuing many different sources over time, and this application positions Akron to leverage additional funding in the future. It does not supplant the planning and engagement work to develop the vision for the future of the Innerbelt. The city has been working with Sasaki to estimate the benefits of improving east/west connectivity, especially focused on pedestrian and cyclist safety, to meet that application deadline. Should Akron be awarded support, implementation of these improvements will be contingent upon ongoing community engagement. Learn more about the planning firmhere.

Learn more about the history of the Innerbelt and the city's community engagement efforts atwww.AkronInnerbelt.com.