New Philadelphia, Ohio (Tusco TV) - Kent State Tuscarawas is celebrating another milestone in its history with the completion of a new entryway from East High Avenue.

Staff, students, and community members gathered in front of the university’s Advanced Technology Center Thursday morning for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of the new Gateway Entrance and Trustees Boulevard. University officials and community leaders offered remarks about how the entryway will enhance the campus and surrounding communities. Branch District Trustee Blair Hillyer said the new entrance will alleviate traffic congestion while also fueling the future growth of the campus. 

“If you remember the little bridge down here is responsible for carrying a lot of traffic every day to Kent, to Buckeye, to several housing developments, and so it’s really great to have another entrance in here,” he said.  
 
New Philadelphia Mayor Joel Day said the completion of the project marks the beginning of a new era for the campus and the city. 

“This gateway roadway opens brand new opportunities for Kent State Tuscarawas and the residents and businesses here in New Philadelphia, and it fits into the master and vision plans that we are both developing to charter our growth over the next several decades,” he said.

Commissioner Chris Abbuhl said he’s excited to see what the future holds for the local university.

"What you see before you today is not what you will see years from now as the campus continues to grow because I don’t think that they’re done with their vision," he said. "I can envision coffeeshops and bookstores and students living here on campus and walking across and what the mayor would call the college town feel." 

Dean Brad Bielski during his remarks thanked an extensive list of people and organizations who helped make the entryway a reality including trustees, the university foundation, the contractors who worked on the project, and city and county officials, university staff and students, and members of the local community.

“I think this is symbolic of the incredible support that the community has for this campus,” he said. 

Attendees were invited to stick around after the ceremony for an afterparty sponsored by the university’s undergraduate student government before the new entryway was officially opened up to traffic. 

TUSCO TV