The ECR Project is slated for completion this summer

ATASCADERO — The El Camino Real Downtown Safety and Parking Enhancements Project (ECR Project) kicked off in June of last summer, and since then, the improvements to downtown Atascadero have been steadily moving toward completion. The project will bring over 100 new parking spots, pedestrian-friendly streets, and a new look to El Camino Real. Originally slated for completion in late spring of this year, the project will now be completed sometime this summer. 

“The current scheduled end of working days is Summer 2025,” said Deputy Director of Public Works, Principal Civil Engineer Ryan Hayes. “There are always minor delays due to unavoidable conflicts and rain days that will extend this timeline. The City continues to anticipate the project will be complete before summer.”  

The bulk of the work impacting traffic will also be finished in the summer of 2025, which continues to include roadway excavation, concrete median work, and more. Hayes states that the rest of the work that will follow will have less impact on the public and will include placing pavers, installing lights, landscaping, and completing irrigation. However, many parts of the ECR Project have already been completed. 

“All sewer main replacement and lateral connections are complete, and all edge improvements are complete (new sidewalk, driveway approaches, curb and gutter),” Hayes said. “Between Highway 41 and Traffic Way, median concrete work is approximately 90% complete. All new electrical conduit and light foundations are installed, and irrigation conduit is installed. Within the next two weeks, the contractor is expected to complete the concrete work up to Traffic Way, which will allow the subcontractors to begin the installation of pavers, lights, landscaping, and irrigation through this segment.”

There is still work to be done south of Traffic Way, which includes the installation of pavers, lights, landscaping, and irrigation. There will also be the final mill and asphalt overlay of the roadway. North of Traffic Way, installation of median curbs and planters will begin. The project hasn’t seen any significant changes since it started, but there have been a couple of small ones here and there.

“As with any construction project, there have been a number of small changes that are necessitated by unexpected field conditions,” Hayes added. “For example, a section of the new sewer main was deepened to avoid the old El Camino Real curb and gutter, which was not removed but just buried when the road was widened to its current width.”

He went on to add that because of Atascadero’s over 100-year history, a lot of the changes and past improvements tend to lack records. Some of those include existing and abandoned utilities in the roads of El Camino Real. Even with extensive research in the project design phase, unknown obstacles have popped up during construction, which required design adjustments.

“Probably the most significant obstacle the project has faced is the discovery that the existing electrical conduit and wiring to the sidewalk streetlights had deteriorated to the point that it was unable to be utilized for this project. Subsequently, all new electrical conduit and wiring will be installed within the next month under a separate contract to allow the lighting to function upon project completion,” continued Hayes.

During the construction process, The city has welcomed input from the community and local business owners and hasused that feedback to make minor changes and adjustments when possible to make sure that access to downtown businesses is always safe and reliable. Hayes also stated that there might be small adjustments after the ECR Project is completed to meet the needs of the community, including the number, location, and size of loading and dropoff zones.

“This is a massive, transformational project for Atascadero. As such, the City appreciates the patience and partnership with residents and downtown business owners throughout the process. The contractor and construction management team have done an excellent job minimizing impacts to the extent possible, but ultimately, the understanding of the business owners has been critical and cannot be emphasized enough,” concluded Hayes.

To find out more about the ECR Project, see Atascadero News’s article from last summer, when construction started: atascaderonews.com/news/city-of-atascadero/the-el-camino-real-downtown-safety-and-parking-enhancements-project-is-underway

Feature Image by Camille DeVaul/ATN