Two projects in Akron are slated to receive part of more than $14.9 million coming into the area from the Consolidations Appropriations Act of 2024.
The projects were submitted as part of U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes’ funding request to the House Appropriations Committee for Ohio’s 13th Congressional District— each representative may request “earmarks” for up to 15 projects in fiscal year 2024.
The Akron Urban League is slated to receive $956,000 for its Community Crime Prevention and Youth Engagement Initiative. The program, which includes mentorship, life-skill coaching and workforce development programming, focuses on at-risk youth and helps promote alternatives to violence.
“This funding is a good use of taxpayer funds because it will decrease the crime in vulnerable communities, and keep our communities and law enforcement engaged and safer, which studies have shown will decrease incarceration rates and state and federal justice system expenditures,” Sykes said in a signed disclosure letter required as part of the request process.
To help continue its work with polymers, the University of Akron will receive $1,050,000 for the construction of a roughly 20,000-square-foot building on campus that will house a Polymer Research, Development and Production Facility that will contain a polymerization scale-up laboratory and other labs as well as a manufacturing incubator for new materials and a space to test materials.
“The University of Akron, in collaboration with Northeast Ohio industry partners, will utilize this facility to create and test new innovative polymer materials which, when approved for product use, will have a direct economic impact for area businesses and the residents of their communities,” said Cristine Boyd, the University of Akron’s senior director of external communications.
Another project chosen for funding is the Summit County High Level Bridge at the city line of Akron and Cuyahoga Falls. More than $4.1 million will allow the Summit County Engineer’s office to move into a second phase of the bridge project, which includes engineering work, utility relocation, environmental studies, clearance and design work.
The bridge is the largest in the county and crosses the gorge created by the Cuyahoga River. The project also received $5 million in state money in February. The design cost will be close to $9 million, with a total cost of $70 million for the entire project.
The Summit County Sheriff’s Office received $963,000 to purchase at least two police cruisers for each law enforcement entity within Ohio’s Thirteenth Congressional District to use during routine police patrol and response within their respective jurisdictions.
The House Committee on Appropriations did not recommend funding for the Akron-Canton Airport West Apron Construction.
Other projects in the district are listed on Representative Sykes’ website.
