North Union Complete Street Transformation (2017 LGAA)

City of Olean (Winner)
County: Cattaraugus County
Population: 10,001 to 50,000
City Hall: (716) 376-5615

The North Union Complete Street Transformation converted a four-lane automobile-oriented arterial roadway into a two-lane “complete street.” The “Walkable Olean” streetscape design evolved through an understanding of history and assessment of existing conditions, community participation including open forums, a study of street precedents, consideration of best practices in Main Street design, and creative engineering and urban design. The transformed street supports economic vitality, addresses water quality concerns with innovative stormwater treatment, and improves mobility, safety and accessibility for all users. The completed project includes five roundabouts, bicycle lanes and permeable pavers and landscaped “rain gardens” to treat stormwater runoff.

Originally, North Union Street had a total curb-to-curb width of 82 feet, seven signalized intersections and numerous mid-block crosswalks that were challenging for pedestrians. City leaders recognized that the street was not conducive to a thriving Central Business District and initiated a study in the fall of 2012 to develop a plan to transform North Union Street to a “Complete Street,” providing safe and attractive accommodations for all its users. A four-month in-depth public input and design process resulted in a preferred alternative that was used to prepare a TIGER (Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery) grant. The City was awarded a $6.5 million grant in September 2013 and construction was completed in December 2016.

The project provided the opportunity to address bicycle and pedestrian needs, safety and environmental, economic and community sustainability.

• Bicycle and Pedestrian Needs: Curb bulb-outs and six-foot wide bicycle lanes are provided as well as 52 bicycle racks. Four Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons with audible cues are also provided at mid-block crosswalks to assist the visually-impaired.
• Safety: The accident rate on North Union Street was more than 4.6 times greater than the State average. By replacing the seven signalized intersections with modern roundabouts to calm traffic and improve safety for pedestrians and drivers, the accident rate is expected to have a significant decrease.
• Environmental Sustainability: The rain gardens and center median reduced impervious area by more than 35%. More than 19,000 shrubs, grasses and perennials were planted in the rain gardens, providing both natural stormwater treatment and an attractive commercial area. Permeable pavers along the curb line capture sidewalk runoff and an additional 75 street trees in the corridor provide shade and help to reduce runoff.
• Economic Sustainability: One of the key design challenges was to ensure that large “super trucks” from Dresser-Rand could navigate the new street configuration. Two roundabouts were specially designed to allow the 225-foot long trucks to safely maneuver the roundabouts.

The North Union Complete Street Transformation project provides a model for other communities to follow in changing vehicle-oriented streets to people-oriented streets. The key steps used in Olean were:

• Form partnerships with other agencies and the private sector to initiate the project.
• Inform the community about the benefits of complete streets.
• Engage the community in developing the plans for the new complete streets.
• Consider what facilities are needed for bicycles, pedestrians and vehicles.
• Keep the public informed while the design is finalized and during construction.

The total cost of the project was $11 million, with $9 million for construction, $1 million for design and $1 million for construction inspection. Of that total, $7.5 million was from outside sources, with a $6.5 million TIGER grant, $850,000 from the Environmental Facilities Corporation and $200,000 from Empire State Development. The project will reduce electrical expenses and maintenance costs through the elimination of traffic lights and the installation of LED streetlights. In addition, replacement of the water main will reduce the time and costs that were spent to maintain and repair the old system.