Drivers in Summit County will face two new road closures this week, the Ohio Department of Transportation announced Oct. 16, with work affecting East North Street in Akron and State Route 303 in Richfield Township. ODOT said all of the scheduled work is weather permitting, and both closures are expected to last through late October.
In Akron, East North Street will be closed under State Route 8 while work tied to the Route 8 bridge replacement continues. The project is a long one — the bridge work is estimated to wrap up in fall 2028 — and the underpass closure is the latest local impact for drivers who use North Street to cross beneath the highway near downtown.
ODOT posted separate detours for each direction. Eastbound drivers will follow Howard Street to Glenwood Avenue to Dan Street and back to North Street, while westbound drivers will take Dan Street to Glenwood Avenue to Howard Street. Drivers should allow extra time on the detour streets, which will carry the displaced North Street traffic through late October.
In Richfield Township, State Route 303 will be closed just east of Interstate 77 for a culvert replacement. The posted detour sends drivers south on Interstate 271 to I-77 south, then to State Route 176 and Broadview Road to reconnect with Route 303, a loop that adds several miles for local trips between Richfield and neighboring communities.
The two closures arrive during an already busy construction season in the Akron area, where the multi-year Route 8 bridge replacement has produced a series of ramp and side-street restrictions. ODOT urges motorists to slow down in work zones, watch for crews and equipment near the closed sections, and check conditions before heading out.
For residents and businesses along the detour routes, the practical advice is to plan alternate routes early in the week rather than discovering a closure mid-trip. School, delivery and commuter traffic on Howard Street, Glenwood Avenue and Dan Street in Akron, and on Broadview Road in Richfield, may run heavier than usual while the closures are in place.
Both roads are scheduled to reopen by late October once the underpass work in Akron and the culvert replacement in Richfield Township are complete. ODOT posts real-time Ohio road conditions, closures and construction updates at OHGO.com for drivers who want to confirm the status before traveling.