An aerial photograph of a two-way road and streetscape with sidewalks, parking, crosswalks, and a traffic circle

An aerial photograph of a two-way road and streetscapes with parking, sidewalks, a crosswalks, and an intersection

An aerial photograph of a two-way road and streetscapes with parking, sidewalks, crosswalks, and a traffic circle

A photograph of a crosswalk to a landscape median

A photograph of a two-way sidewalk, partially painted green to indicate a driveway crossing. A crosswalk sign is visible.

A photograph of a road with cars with parking spots, a landscaped median, and additional landscaping.

Walkable Olean Phase III – East State Street Streetscape Improvements

Transforming East State Street into a Complete Streets Corridor

As the largest city in Cattaraugus County, Olean serves as the region’s commercial and cultural hub, with its downtown at the center of community life. In 2017, after receiving $10 million through New York State’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), the City launched a series of priority projects to create a more accessible and inviting urban core.

A major component of this effort is the multi-phase Walkable Olean project, which expands pedestrian and bicyclist infrastructure to link neighborhoods, businesses, parks, and civic spaces. Phases I and II established the initial segments of the network, incorporating upgraded sidewalks and on-pavement bicycle lanes.

Walkable Olean Phase III continues this vision along East State Street between Union Street and East Avenue. Before improvements, narrow sidewalks, a lack of bicycle facilities, and a signalized intersection with non-standard turn lanes and outdated traffic controls created mobility and safety challenges. Leveraging DRI and Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding, Olean reimagined East State Street as a safer, more intuitive, and user-friendly route for all.

The City partnered with LaBella Associates to lead the design of Walkable Olean Phase III, engaging residents and stakeholders throughout the process. Guided by the City’s goals and community input, LaBella employed a Complete Streets approach that transformed the constrained urban corridor into a model of multi-modal connectivity.

Key elements of Walkable Olean Phase III include:

Off-pavement, multi-use path
Modern mini roundabout at Barry Street
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant curb ramps
Curb and median extensions
Enhanced bicycle lane and crosswalk markings
Wayfinding signage

Off-Pavement Multi-Use Path

Creating a Safe Path for Everyone

East State Street is a key east-west route in downtown Olean, carrying heavy traffic through a constrained urban environment. To increase safety and accessibility for pedestrians and bicyclists, LaBella designed a 10-foot-wide, off-pavement, multi-use path along the north side of the corridor, fully separating non-motorized users from vehicle traffic.

Expanding the existing four-foot-wide concrete sidewalk into a wider, ADA-compliant path presented grading challenges. The natural terrain along the corridor exceeded allowable ADA slope tolerances, requiring vertical adjustments without disrupting access to homes and businesses or unnecessarily reducing on-street parking.

To overcome these challenges, LaBella incorporated strategically placed curb extensions. In the steepest areas, curb bump-outs created space to flatten slopes, achieve ADA compliance, and maintain connectivity while minimizing impacts to property access and parking

Former four-foot-wide concrete sidewalk (left) compared to the new 10-foot-wide, ADA-compliant multi-use path (right).

Modern Mini Roundabout at Barry Street

Keeping a Busy Corridor Moving

The four-way signalized intersection at Barry Street and East State Street required a solution that could improve safety, accommodate heavy truck traffic, and fit within the corridor’s tight urban footprint. LaBella designed a modern mini roundabout—a compact, carefully configured intersection that uses optimized turning lanes and curb radii to maintain efficient traffic flow.

The roundabout reduces conflict points for vehicles and pedestrians, simplifies decision-making, and provides protected pedestrian crossings. It complements the corridor’s multi-modal improvements, creating safer and more predictable travel for all users. In addition, by keeping traffic moving efficiently, the roundabout minimizes vehicle idling, reducing emissions and enhancing air quality.

During roundabout construction, traffic along East State Street was carefully managed through a phased approach that maintained two-way movement while preserving access for residents, businesses, and through traffic.

Additional Corridor Improvements

Accessibility, Streetscape, Safety, & Wayfinding

Walkable Olean Phase III includes a series of corridor improvements that enhance accessibility, safety, and overall circulation for all users. ADA-compliant curb ramps, curb and median extensions, and clearly marked bicycle lanes and crosswalks improve visibility, shorten pedestrian crossing distances, and create defined, intuitive paths through the corridor. Travel lanes are sized to accommodate cars, trucks, and buses, while on-street parking is strategically configured to maintain access for residents and businesses and reinforce traffic calming.

The project also includes new wayfinding signage that aligns with the City’s broader signage initiative, guiding travelers to recreational facilities, shopping districts, and Lincoln Park. This signage strengthens connections along East State Street and throughout the City.

Green Infrastructure

To protect local waterways, the project incorporates rain gardens and vegetative swales that collect and filter stormwater before it reaches Olean Creek and downstream water bodies. By allowing runoff to infiltrate the soil, these elements reduce pressure on the City’s drainage system, remove pollutants naturally, and enhance groundwater recharge.

Drainage System Upgrades

During design, LaBella worked with the City to address longstanding deficiencies in the stormwater drainage system along East State Street. As an older city, Olean’s combined sewer system historically carried both stormwater and wastewater, creating a risk of untreated overflows and water quality impacts during heavy rain events.

A new storm sewer trunk line was incorporated into the project to consolidate stormwater from undersized, segmented drainage areas along the corridor, separate it from the sanitary sewer system, and convey it safely to rain gardens or Olean Creek. These upgrades reduce demand on the City’s wastewater treatment plant, minimize the risk of overflows, and protect water quality in Olean Creek and the Genesee River watershed.

Olean Celebrates Completion of Streetscape Transformation With Ribbon-Cutting

On October 17, 2025, city and state officials, business owners, community members, and project partners gathered at the Olean Municipal Plaza for a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of the City’s final DRI projects, including Walkable Olean Phase III. The event recognized the collaborative effort that brought Olean’s vision to life and highlighted benefits beyond physical improvements, including stronger local businesses, improved accessibility, and lasting community pride.

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul’s pressroom also issued a press release commending the completion of Olean’s DRI projects to mark the milestone.

Read the release here