Stow, Munroe Falls on cusp of 3 years of major road projects along Routes 91 and 59

Motorists who depend on state Routes 91 and 59, take note: A bumper crop of orange barrels and detours is in your future.

Starting in spring 2025, Stow will start a major repaving and improvements along the entire part of Route 91 within its bounds. The project will be done in phases and start at the southern boundary near Munroe Falls and go north to the Hudson line, said Mayor John Pribonic. The work will take about 18 months to complete.

An average of 15,000 motorists use Route 91 on a daily basis, said Jim McCleary, the city's engineer. He estimated the project will cost between $9 million and $11 million, with the federal government paying for 80% and Stow paying the remaining 20%.

Roadwork will begin this month along Route 59 in Stow, Silver Lake and Cuyahoga Falls.

In addition, another project just south in Munroe Falls can make travel more challenging: the Ohio Department of Transportation is planning major renovations to the bridge that crosses the Cuyahoga River, near Brust Park. This is expected to take place in 2026.

Repaving, programming of traffic lights among Route 91 improvements

McCleary said the work on Route 91 will include not just repaving, but adding sidewalks, improved storm sewers, and improved curb cuts when needed. In addition, some older traffic signals will be replaced and traffic controller systems will be upgraded for better traffic flow and improved safety.

"It's a major construction project," McCleary said. "It's the biggest we've had except Route 8."

One advantage Stow has with the Route 91 project is that the city will be in charge, Pribonic said.

"We have a lot of businesses in that corridor," Pribonic said. "We'll have a lot more local control, so we can help our businesses. This is a great project for the city, but I also want to see our businesses remain. If not handled correctly, many businesses can be harmed."

Pribonic has seen this firsthand. "When I worked at Acme, we could be knocked 20%" due to construction.

The city will regularly reach out to the area businesses to give them updates about the construction, Pribonic said.

McCleary said the city plans to maintain at least one-lane access on Route 91 during daytime.

"It's an exciting project," McCleary said. "The road definitely needs it."

Pribonic said residents regularly remind him how important the road projects are.

"This will be some pain, but it will be worth it," he saind

Route 59 repaving from Stow-Kent line to Route 8

According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, Route 59 will undergo resurfacing between state Route 8 and the Portage County line. This will impact Stow, Silver Lake and Cuyahoga Falls. One lane will be maintained throughout the work.

Pribonic said the project, which will be overseen by ODOT, will start on April 15 and should be finished within the Stow boundary by the time of the city's Independence Day Parade, which typically runs along Route 59 starting at the Stow-Kent Shopping Center. Work is expected to continue in Silver Lake and Cuyahoga Falls through August.

The estimated cost is $1.08 million.

Bridge in Munroe Falls to undergo extensive work in 2026

Major renovations, including the replacement of the concrete driving surface, structural repairs and new guardrails, are expected for the Munroe Falls bridge on Route 91 in 2026.

The project will be awarded to a contractor sometime in spring 2026, and construction will start that summer, said Justin Chesnic, public information officer with ODOT. The project will be completed in late summer that year.

The bridge will close to traffic during construction for a maximum of 45 consecutive days, according to ODOT. The posted detour route will use state Route 59 and state Route 261, while local traffic can use various local roads. Estimated cost is $1.6 million.

"Access will be maintained to all businesses and residents in the area," Chesnic said. "The fire department will still have access to the station. Trains will still be able to travel and the tracks will not be closed by this bridge replacement project."

Access to nearby Brust Park also should not be impacted, according to ODOT.

During construction, the Bike and Hike Trail traffic will be rerouted to cross state Route 91 instead of crossing under the bridge. Canoe traffic will be maintained except for temporary river closures warranted by various facets of construction. Temporary fencing will be placed to protect the park and Bike and Hike Trail.

Munroe Falls Mayor Allen Mavrides said around 90% of the businesses in the city are along Route 91.

The bridge is in the northern half of the city, which has a little more than 5,000 residents, according to the U.S. census. Route 91 dissects the city and is the main arterial through Munroe Falls.

Reporter April Helms can be reached at ahelms@thebeaconjournal.com

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Stow, neighbors face extended state Routes 59 and 91 roadwork