DOWNTOWN AKRON — Akron City Council moved forward on a project largely funded by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act monies to reconstruct the All-America Bridge June 22.

The bridge, also known as the Y-Bridge, from which numerous individuals have jumped to their deaths, will be fenced as part of the $9.8 million project. The fence will cost about $1.5 million. The city’s share of the project is about $900,000, and the rest is federal funding.

In addition to more than 10,000 lineal feet of 10-foot-high fencing with lights, the project also will include resurfacing and other maintenance to the bridge, which sees about 18,000 to 20,000 vehicles a day, according to city officials. The fence will be made of heavy metal with diamond-shaped openings too small for the toe of a shoe.

The project, which will go out for bid now with Council’s approval of legislation, is slated to start in August and be completed in September 2010.

Numerous Council members and city officials have been working to bring about the fencing of the Y-Bridge. Last June, West Akron couple Robert and Carolyn Conley appeared before Council to urge fencing the Y-Bridge, from which their son, Kevin, jumped to his death in 2006.

The Conleys’ son, Bob, appeared before Council June 22 to express thanks on behalf of his parents, who were out of town and unable to attend the meeting.

“To those who are opposed to this, our family just asks you to remember that for every person that jumps, another family is grieving the loss of one of their loved ones, a loss that does not ease over time,” Conley said. “Please know that by the city’s actions to proceed with the fence, you’re saving many lives and giving another family and medical support services time to react and a chance to save someone.”

“This is a good day for your family,” said Council President Marco Sommerville (D-Ward 3), who added a framed copy of the ordinance would be given to the Conleys.

“I think that it’s a long overdue thing,” said Councilman Jim Hurley (D-Ward 1), chairman of the Public Service Committee, who introduced the ordinance. He reiterated that any construction or reconstruction of a bridge now is required to include fencing.

Councilman Jim Shealey (D-at large), the former councilman for Ward 5, in which the Y-Bridge is situated, thanked Mayor Don Plusquellic and city officials for bringing the project to fruition. He also thanked Conley and his family “for being consistently persistent.”

In other business, members of Council’s Public Utilities Committee heard a presentation by Kirt Conrad, of METRO RTA, during its afternoon meeting.

Conrad reported on METRO’s plans for the future, devised after several public meetings held to garner input.

Some of the proposed changes that would affect the West Side Leader’s coverage area include:

• improved frequencies of the West Market Street Route;

• extension of the Copley Road/Hawkins Avenue route to serve an area bounded by Interstate 77, Delia Road, Glendora Avenue and Lawton Street;

• reconstruction of the Delia Road/White Pond Drive route as two routes to provide expanded services;

• modification of the Portage Path/Graham Road route to serve the Steels Corners Road area;

• additional North Coast Express trips; and

• restructuring the Bath/ Richfield route to serve the White Pond area.

Conrad also spoke of METRO’s proposal to construct a rapid transit corridor running from Lockheed Martin in South Akron through Goodyear’s new and current headquarters, Akron City Hospital, The University of Akron, the Metro Transit Center, Downtown Akron, Highland Square and Wallhaven to Summit Mall.

METRO also proposes expanding its SCAT hours.

More information can be found at www.akronmetro.org.

The next Akron City Council meeting will take place June 29 at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers on the third floor of the Akron Municipal Building, 166 S. High St. Committee meetings are scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. that afternoon, also in Council Chambers.