Ohio State Route 8

State Route 8
Route information
Maintained by ODOT
Length	38.37 mi (61.75 km)
Existed	1924–present
Major junctions
Major intersections	I-76/I-77 in Akron I-80/OH Tpk. in Boston Heights I-77 in Cleveland
Location
Country	United States
State	Ohio
Counties	Summit, Cuyahoga
Highway system
Ohio State Highway System Interstate US State Scenic
← SR 7 → SR 9

State Route 8 (SR 8) stretches from the eastern junction of I-76 and I-77 in Akron to Downtown Cleveland at the US 6/US 42/SR 3 concurrency. Its northern terminus in Cleveland is also the western terminus of US 422, SR 14, and SR 87 as well as the northern terminus of SR 43. The route's first few miles are as a limited-access freeway from I-76 exit 23B and I-77 exit 125B, heading north. The freeway section of the highway has 13 interchanges, and is cosigned with SR 59 for a short distance from Perkins Avenue in Akron to Front Street in Cuyahoga Falls. The freeway portion end just north of SR 303. From near its interchange with I-80 and the Ohio Turnpike, the route is called Northfield Road north to its junction in Shaker Heights with US 422, which it joins from this point to Downtown Cleveland.

History

Route 8 was one of the original state highways in Ohio. It went from Marietta all the way to Cleveland. Over time, though, parts of the route were renumbered or reassigned, especially in the part south of Akron. In 1926 the portion from Marietta to Newcomerstown was change to Route 21. The same year the section from Newcomerstown to Uhrichsville became Route 16 and highway was rerouted from the Ohio River town of Fly to Uhrichsville. In 1970 the section from Fly to Canton was renumbered to Route 800, the portion from Canton to Akron was decertified, and the southern end of the highway was truncated at Akron.

By 1962 the Route 8B freeway was built in Akron. It became the regular Route 8 in 1969(Simpson, 1998). The freeway stopped at Cuyahoga Falls Avenue in Akron for a number of years because the city of Cuyahoga Falls did not want the freeway to go through the city. There were two reasons. One was that the freeway was originally laid out to go through the Gorge Metropolitan park, the site of the falls that gave the city its name. The other reason is that the city worried that if traffic was diverted from downtown to the freeway that the downtown business district would die. Eventually the path was changed to go up the east side of the Cuyahoga River rather than the west, and Cuyahoga Falls agreed to have the freeway built. It was finished by 1977. It then ended at Hudson Drive until the next section was completed by 1989, reaching Route 303.

Route 8 from Interstate 77 to Perkins Street was rebuilt from 2003 to 2005. The freeway in that stretch had too many ramps, creating the danger that someone getting on the freeway on one ramp would run into someone getting off the freeway on the next. Several ramps were removed and service roads were built on both sides of the freeway.

There are now plans to upgrade Route 8 from Route 303 north to Interstate 271 to a full freeway without the current crossings and lights.

There are also plans to build an interchange at Seasons Road to serve the area near the borders of Cuyahoga Falls, Stow, and Hudson. The land is currently underdeveloped but the cities hope that a freeway exit will bring new business to their communities.

Junctions

County	Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
Summit	Akron	0.0	0.0	I-76/I-77	Northern terminus at interchange with I-76/I-77.
		1.48	2.38	SR 18	Junction with SR 18 (East Market St.).
		1.75	2.82	SR 59	Southern terminus of multiplex with SR 59; SR 59 continues as Perkins St. to MLK Innerbelt Freeway.
		3.05	4.91	SR 261	Junction with SR 261 (Tallmadge Ave.).
	Cuyahoga Falls	6.11(NB)/6.17(SB)		SR 59	Northern terminus of multiplex with SR 59; SR 59 continues as Front St.
	Boston Heights	12.72	20.47	SR 303	Junction with SR 303 (West Streetsboro Rd.).
		14.63	23.54	Ohio Turnpike-Interstate 80	Junction with I-80 (Ohio Turnpike)
	Macedonia	17.93	28.86	I-271	Junction with I-271.
		18.68	30.06	SR 82	Junction with SR 82 (East Aurora Rd.)
Cuyahoga	Bedford	21.02	33.83	SR 14	Junction with SR 14 (Broadway Ave.)
	Bedford Heights	23.34	37.56	SR 17	Junction with SR 17 (Libby Rd.)
		23.72	38.17	SR 43	Southern terminus of multiplex with SR 43;
		23.76/23.82(N)		I-480	Junction with I-480 and I-480N
	North Randall	24.01	38.64	SR 43	Northern terminus of multiplex with SR 43;
	Shaker Heights	26.80	43.13	US-422	Junction with US-422 (Chagrin Blvd).
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Interesting facts

• The small bridge over Route 8 just south of Route 303 is part of the Summit County Metroparks Bike and Hike trail. The extension of Route 8 to Route 303 was built on top of the original trail so the trail was placed on the east side of the expressway until it reaches the bridge.
• The section north of Route 303 is a four-lane divided highway that replaced an earlier Route 8 on the west. The original road is now known as Olde 8 Road.
• Route 8 is known for its speed traps in Cuyahoga Falls and Boston Heights.

External links

• North Expressway (Pictures and discussion of the freeway in Akron)
• Route 8