Residents urge protected bike lanes on North Main Street as council hears public comment

Several Akron residents used the public-comment period at the Akron City Council meeting to urge the council to preserve grant-funded plans to resurface North Main Street with three travel lanes and two bike lanes.

Advocates said the project would close gaps in the city’s bicycle network and improve safety for commuters and recreational riders. “As a cyclist, I myself fully appreciate and understand the importance of this,” said Ben Lee, who gave his address and said he supports the North Main Street project and the three-lane, two-bike-lane configuration.

The public comments underscored safety and neighborhood benefits as the central arguments for the project. “I run many groups called Rawr. So on Wednesday, we go on rides around the city. The main component is keeping people safe,” said Catherine Novak, who identified herself as a Ward 1 resident and an avid cyclist. She said she does not feel safe having family members travel North Main Street alone because of traffic.

Another speaker, Stephanie Baker, who said she lives outside the city in Green, Ohio, urged council to consider the corridor’s effect on neighborhood safety and walkability. Baker referenced prior temporary demonstrations of a more pedestrian-friendly North Main, saying “This is what a thriving community looks like and a place people want to be.” She warned that losing the grant money to improve North Main Street would mean forfeiting secured funds and could force cuts elsewhere; the specific grant source and amount were not specified in the comments.

Elizabeth Conroy, who said she lives in Highland Square and cycles both for recreation and commuting, said dedicated lanes can reduce car traffic and make neighborhoods more attractive to potential homeowners. “One of my top factors is how easy is it for me to get around without a car,” Conroy said, adding that the bike lane would make North Hill more attractive to her.

Nut graf: The comments focused on a single agenda matter the council will consider as part of street-resurfacing and grant decisions—whether to proceed with a design that includes two bike lanes on North Main Street. Speakers argued the project would improve safety, connect neighborhoods and support local businesses; they repeatedly urged the council to protect the grant funding, though the commenters did not provide detailed grant names or dollar amounts.

Details and context: Commenters cited earlier planning studies and local projects when urging a permanent change. Ben Lee referenced a 1976 feasibility study, a 1986 land-use guide goal to provide bicycle paths, and a 2015 city-commissioned study recommending bike lanes on North Main. Baker cited the 2015 North Main Street Better Block Project as an example of the corridor’s potential.

Council response and next steps: The public-comment segment concluded without a direct council reply to the commenters on record. The transcript records the public comments and subsequent movement into the consent agenda; no formal motion or vote specifically about the North Main Street design was recorded during the meeting.

Ending: The council later moved numerous related public-works and parks ordinances onto the consent agenda to be voted as a group; whether any of those items include the North Main Street grant or final design decisions was not specified during the public-comment period.