Residents are invited to attend the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Walkable Olean North Union Street Transformation Project that will take place in front of the Olean Municipal Building on Friday, October 21, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. William J. Aiello, Mayor of City of Olean, has extended invitations to many of the dignitaries and officials, both state and local, who helped to make this project a reality for the City of Olean. Invitations were also sent to the business owners along North Union Street who were impacted by the two year long construction project. “The transformation of our business district along North Union Street not only included roundabouts and a median, but our water and sewer lines and our streetlights were all upgraded,” Mayor Aiello said. “The unsightly wires that strung along the street are now buried underground and our railroad crossing has been updated.” In September 2013 the City of Olean received a TIGER grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration for $6.5 million and in December 2014 the City received an additional $865,000 in a New York State grant for Green Initiatives for additional work on the street. The project started in the fall of 2014 with work on the railroad crossing and the area between Sullivan Street and the Olean Center Mall. The New York State Department of Transportation provided 90 percent of the $140,000 for this particular project under a separate New York State program. “The City’s infrastructure along North Union Street had been deteriorating for years and this project addressed many long over-due upgrades,” Mayor Aiello continued. “The aim of the project was to improve traffic flow and to bring a new ambiance to the street that would, in turn, help revitalize the businesses along the street.” Mayor Aiello added, “It seems to have worked. We have seen many businesses on North Union Street make upgrades during the project. Some businesses have invested in new sidewalks; many have painted their facades and added new awnings. A number of individuals have also invested in and are making improvements on buildings that were long considered derelict.” Regarding the Ribbon Cutting event Mayor Aiello said, “I extend an invitation to the Ribbon Cutting to all the citizens of Olean. It is scheduled on a Friday afternoon, please come early or stay downtown after the event. Visit our stores and dine at one of the many restaurants along the street. Olean is always beautiful in autumn and the work on North Union has enhanced the beauty of our valley.”
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