A public meeting was held at the Kent State Student Center Thursday evening to discuss construction plans for safer and less congested traffic toward East Main Street.

James Bowling, superintendent of the city of Kent’s engineering department, addressed the community with traffic proposals, which he has been working on since December 2017. 

He said the current traffic intersections were unsafe and caused many accidents not only with cars but pedestrians as well. 

“We had the worst crash report of all of Summit County and Portage County,” Bowling said. “That is not a distinction we like to have.”  

The city of Kent plans to build more roundabouts, one to connect East Main Street, Haymaker Parkway and North Willow Street and another to connect Horning Road and Overlook Drive. 

“It’s not safe just for cars, it’s for all users, all users of the road,” Bowling said. “Drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, everyone.”

Many people attending the meeting were not in support of traffic circles near their community due to how much traffic goes through the area and questioned if anything could be safer.

Bowling responded with current statistics of the Summit Street traffic circle implemented in Kent. 

“Compared to three years prior to being built, we’ve seen a 60% reduction in crashes total,” he said. “And at the roundabouts we are seeing better than what we are seeing nationally.

Some attendees also asked how this will affect businesses with the roundabouts taking its space and everyday life when the section is closed.

Bowling said everyone living in the community will be notified when sections are closed. He said he has talked to each business owner about the construction.

The plans for construction will not take place until 2025. Currently, the city is working to educate Kent residents and will notify them with the progress until the project is finished. 

Another public meeting will be held Tuesday, Sept. 21 at Kent United Methodist Church from 5 p.m to 8 p.m.

Lucy Connolly is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].