The City of Olean has completed its Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) projects, according to an announcement from Governor Kathy Hochul. The final two projects, the South Union Street Gateway Corridor and Walkable Olean Phase III East State Street Streetscape Improvement, mark the end of all nine public and private projects funded through the state’s DRI program.
Governor Hochul said, “The completion of Olean’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative shows how targeted investments and community-driven collaboration can transform a downtown. By completing these projects, the city has built a downtown that is vibrant, accessible and full of possibility, setting an example for other communities across New York State.”
The East State Street project included new crosswalks, bump-outs at crossings, a landscaped median near the Olean Municipal Building, a traffic circle at Barry Street, and a new pedestrian and bicycle path connecting downtown and Lincoln Park with local trails and parks. The South Union Street project added a traffic circle at Green Street, bump-outs at crossings, and extended the pedestrian and bicycle path from Lincoln Park to Franchot Park, improving connections between neighborhoods and recreational areas.
These improvements follow earlier work on North Union Street, where traffic lanes were replaced with bike lanes and rain gardens, traffic circles and a landscaped median were installed, crosswalks were improved, wayfinding signage was added, and new seating areas including outdoor gas firepits were created. The combined projects are part of Olean’s “Walkable Olean” plan to make the city more accessible and pedestrian-friendly.
Olean was selected as the Western New York DRI winner in 2017. Other cities in the region that have received DRI awards include Jamestown, Lockport, Niagara Falls, Buffalo, North Tonawanda, Dunkirk, Tonawanda, and Cattaraugus.
