Open the Towpath for Everyone in North Hill

We can’t wait for a traffic study. The cars on Cuyahoga Street are too fast to bike to the trail.

• The city is studying Memorial SAFEway.
• But changes from the study are many years away.
• Improving access from the Cuyahoga Falls Ave entrance to the Towpath Trail can be done in months.
• This would allow residents of North Hill and Cascade Valley to use the trail for walking, dog walking, and biking.
• 35 mph is too fast for a park entrance and residential area. This change preserves high-speed roads on Memorial and Howard.

Our Towpath for All Campaign

• Improve access from North Hill to Towpath via Cuyahoga St
• Lower Cuyahoga St segment from 35 to 25 mph (in green, “Core Road”)
• Provides 80% of the benefits of Memorial SAFEway but can be done in months, not years
• Stoplight at Memorial and Cuyahoga St provides a safe crossing. Existing infrastructure can be used more effectively (value per dollar).

Stretch goals

• Lower speed in tiny segment of W Tallmadge also (in pink, “Bonus road”)
• Flatten and optimize West sidewalk on Cuyahoga St as a rudimentary protected bike lane
• Cycling on sidewalk is legal in Akron (need to verify with city)
• Currently no bike lane on Cuyahoga St, making sidewalk a logical backup option
• Trim trees to make it safer for cycling on sidewalk
• None of the above will have the issues that SAFEway had
• Alternate routes make lowering to 25 easier than Memorial (which is a high-use highway)
• Speed table or other traffic calming at W Glenwood Ave / Otto St intersection to improve access from Glenwood and Howard neighborhoods

Please make this a reality and join our movement.