ATASCADERO — The City of Atascadero continues to make progress on the El Camino Real Downtown Safety and Parking Enhancements Project (The ECR Project) and is working to minimize traffic impacts ahead of the Downtown holiday shopping season. The ECR Project is a community-driven initiative to improve safety in and revitalize the City’s downtown core. Once complete, The ECR Project will deliver several improvements and benefits in the downtown, including additional crosswalks with higher visibility, a signalized pedestrian crossing at East Mall, over 100 new free parking spaces, new landscaping and street trees.

The utilities and roadway edge improvements phases are nearing completion and weather permitting the next phase, construction of the center ramblas (where angled parking is planned), will begin next week. 

As part of this new phase of The ECR Project, traffic will be shifted to the outer lanes and access to free street parking will be available for visitors during the holiday shopping season. This traffic shift involves installing K-rail barricades surrounding the median work, helping to clearly delineate the travel lanes along El Camino Real.  Work in the center median will consist of pavement striping/milling, paver installation, as well as concrete work on curbs/planters and electrical/lighting work. The work will be limited to the segment of El Camino Real between Highway 41 and Rosario Avenue, with hardscape and drainage-basin improvements continuing along the edges of El Camino Real north of Traffic Way.  Traffic along this segment will be reduced to one lane in each direction with parallel parking available along the curb. Drivers are encouraged to pay close attention to traffic signage and plan for traffic delays near construction areas. Access to businesses will remain open and community members are encouraged to visit and support Downtown during the holiday season and special events. 

Community members can sign up for construction news and alerts at Atascadero.org/News-List