 State Route 59 is the main east – west highway , following East and West Main Streets and Haymaker Parkway . Summit Street is another major east @-@ west road mainly on Kent 's eastern side , passing through and linking much of the Kent State campus . Fairchild Avenue is an important east @-@ west road on the city 's west side connecting with Stow and Cuyahoga Falls . State Route 43 is the main north – south highway , mainly following North Mantua and South Water Streets . SR 43 connects Kent with Interstate 76 , approximately 3 miles ( 5 km ) to the south via exit 33 in Brimfield and to the Ohio Turnpike / Interstate 80 and the eastern terminus of Interstate 480 , approximately 7 miles ( 11 km ) to the north via Turnpike exit 187 in Streetsboro . Both SR 43 and SR 59 are four to five @-@ lane roads within the city limits . State Route 261 passes through the southern and eastern edges of the city and is a four @-@ lane divided highway for a short distance with the remainder a two @-@ lane highway . It serves as a bypass between SR 43 , SR 59 , and Summit Street on Kent 's south and eastern sides and to Tallmadge on the southwest . 
