The city of Akron wanted to redevelop the Opportunity Park Area, just as it was done 40 years earlier. Through the reauthorization of the Transportation Equity Act of the 21st Century (TEA-21), enacted in June 1998, the City was able to obtain a federal grant. The grant required that the funds be used only for “construction innovation.”

McCoy Associates, Inc. performed a study to research the various alternatives for improvement, and ultimately, for the final design of the project. The preferred alternative included the demolition of the existing South Broadway Street Viaduct and the construction of a new Broadway Street at-grade. The at-grade approach allowed the City to provide direct access to adjacent properties that could be developed and sold.

The project was initiated on a fast-track program, and construction was completed as planned by December 2002.

Innovation and aesthetic features were extremely important for the project to be successful. As a result, the use of crushed concrete from the old Broadway Street Viaduct proved to be both economically prudent and very innovative. The crushed concrete was utilized as a base material for the new pavement.

Today, after completion of the project, one can see that lands once landlocked are now open and ready for the next influx of companies to fill the acres of the University Technology Park.