New developments and growth in downtown Akron is changing the way the city looks at one-way streets.

Public Service Director Rick Merolla said the city has lauched a study to determine whether to change Cedar and Exchange streets back to two-way roads.

"The university's growth is pretty obvious if you drive up and down on Exchange Street - the new housing, the new parking deck and there's new student housing being built downtown," said Merolla.

The study will focus on traffic volume, speed and accident data. It could take up to a year to complete.

If the study shows several advantages to changing Cedar and Exchange back to two-way streets, the next step would be to determine how to fund the project, according to Merolla.

"That's always the sticky part. There's just less and less federal funds available and state funds available," said Merolla.

The city converted Cedar and Exchange from two-way to one-way streets over 30 years ago.  

Akron Studying One-Way Streets by Amani Abraham

A crash between an SUV and an ambulance killed one person near Akron General Hospital early Thursday morning.

Akron police said the SUV collided with an American Medical Response ambulance near the intersection of Wabash Avenue and Cedar Street around 3:30 a.m..

The Summit County Medical Examiner's Office reports the passenger inside the SUV, Collins D. Green, 57, of Akron, was taken to Akron General Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead around 3:45 a.m.

Police said Green was not wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash.

The driver and two other occupants in the SUV suffered minor injuries.  The driver and passengers in the ambulance were not injured.

Police said some traffic lights were out due to a power outage and it could have lead to the collision  

Authorities are still investigating the accident.

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