The Hermiston City Council took another step Monday night toward converting a portion of N.E. Second Street into a festival street.
The council approved a recommendation from the Festival Street Committee on the final design of the proposed street.
The first phase of the project will include raising the elevation of N.E. Second Street to match the height of the existing sidewalk in order to have a level surface for pedestrians during festival events. Bollards – visual barriers – will be installed at each end of the street to close off the area during events. The street will be open to traffic, however, during non-events. Curb bulbs will be extended at the north and south ends of N.E. Second Street to extend the usable space and provide an area for the elevation transition from the grade of Gladys and Main to N.E. Second Street.
To maintain a safe pedestrian environment during the majority of the year when no events are scheduled, the Festival Street Committee recommended a combination of decorative bollards, street trees, decorative street lights, and other fixtures will be installed. These items will act as barriers to vehicle encroachment into the sidewalk area.
The cost of the first phase of constructing the Festival Street is estimated at $991,000. The funding is budgeted and available through the city’s issuance of construction bonds earlier this year.
The Phase 2 improvements include the construction of additional plaza space in the public parking lot adjacent to N.E. Second Street, construction of a water fountain/splashing play area, and extension of landscape and thematic elements north of E. Gladys Avenue.
The Festival Street Committee has been working with Greenworks to develop an overarching design for the festival street.
Monday’s vote gives the go-ahead for Phase 1. The completion of Phase 1 is expected to be complete by early 2018.
