Rubber City Heritage Trail
The Rubber City Heritage Trail Plan was developed through a partnership between the City of Akron, Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Knight Foundation, Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition, County of Summit and Summit Metro Parks. The City of Akron partnered with GPD Group to determine feasibility of the urban multipurpose Rubber City Heritage Trail, linking several city neighborhoods while highlighting the city’s rich history as the home of the tire industry.
The Rubber City Heritage Trail is a 6-mile multi-use recreational trail which will offer Akron residents a unique, new way to commute around the city, creating a safe, walkable, bikeable and accessible connection for residents to parks, grocery stores, libraries, churches, schools, and other amenities.
While the Rubber City Heritage Trail primarily serves as a connector trail for area residents and business employees, visitors to the Rubber City Heritage Trail can find on-street parking along East Market Street.
Renderings provided by GPD Group.
Phases of the Rubber City Heritage Trail
The Rubber City Heritage Trail will be designed in phases as funding becomes available. Phase 1, which runs about 0.9 miles, was dedicated on July 26, 2024 with a public ribbon-cutting involving the City of Akron, Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition, project partners, funders, residents, Summit County Government, and city council members.
Phase 1 of the Rubber City Heritage Trail starts at 3rd Avenue and the Middlebury Run Park trail and ends at Exchange Street by Fire Station 2. This phase will include: 10-ft wide asphalt trail pavement, wayfinding signage, two rail to pedestrian bridge conversions, interpretive signage, miniature neighborhood trail plazas, viewing benches, street crossings, and conduits for future fiber optic network expansion. The project will not impact any environmentally sensitive resources. The section between 3rd Avenue and the SummaCare parking lot north entrance has an existing sidewalk that will be replaced with full width trail pavement. Permanent right of way is needed for trail construction in this location. All other construction will occur on City of Akron land. The highlight of Phase 1 will be the conversion of the 800-ft viaduct over the Little Cuyahoga River, active W&LE Railway tracks, River Street, and Factory Street from rail bridge to an accessible pedestrian trail bridge.
The remaining phases of the trail are to be developed in the future. Click here to view an enlarged file of the Rubber City Heritage Trail proposed phases map.
The City of Akron is currently working on Phase II plans of the Rubber City Heritage Trail.
