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. After the study, Environmental Design Group developed renderings, bringing the vision to life.
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.
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 trail includes: 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 highlight of Phase 1 is 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.
Phase 2 of the Rubber City Heritage Trail is under construction between the Exchange and Arlington Street intersection to the Exchange Street and Huntington Avenue intersection in Middlebury. The phase will cost an estimated $2.8 million, to be completed by the end of 2026. In this phase will include benches, enhanced pedestrian walkways, sidewalk connections to Middlebury Marketplace and a gateway plaza.
