Proposed Corridor Improvements

The proposed improvements to East Main Street from Willow Street to Horning Road include:

• An expanded tree-lined center boulevard with fewer left turns
• Wider sidewalks and tree lawn on north side of the street
• Enhanced and higher visibility crosswalks for pedestrians and bikes
• Decorative streetlights added along the length of the roadway
• Shared path for bikes and pedestrians created on the south side of the street
• Two roundabouts added; one at the intersection of South Willow St., East Main St. and Haymaker Parkway, and the other at the Horning Road intersection
• New bus pull-offs and shelters installed along the corridor
• Dual left turn lane added on Midway Drive
• Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations for public use; installed in four Kent State parking lots along the north side of campus adjacent to East Main Street
  
  

East Main Street Site Plan

To view the East Main Street Site Plan, click here.

The goal with these improvements along this three-quarter mile section is to create an aesthetically pleasing, stately, less cluttered stress-free gateway into Kent that meets the current demands of East Main Street's users. 

Improvements Enhance Safety

The East Main Street Improvement Project is similar to the large-scale improvements made to Summit Street. That project, completed in 2018, included a tree-lined boulevard with two roundabouts designed to reduce traffic congestion and crashes in the highly traveled stretch of road.

Data shows that the number of crashes on Summit Street has decreased significantly over the last three years. Specifically, since the project was completed, there has been a:

• 60% reduction in the total number of crashes
• 27% reduction in pedestrian crashes overall
• 100% reduction in the number of injury crashes and a 39% reduction in the total number of crashes at the Ted Boyd roundabout
• 83% reduction in injury crashes and 73% reduction in total number of crashes at the West Campus Center roundabout
• No pedestrian accidents at the roundabouts

Ted Boyd roundabout

West Campus Center roundabout

Similar results are expected when the East Main improvements are completed.