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2.4.4c Historic downtown <br />The historic commercial core of Ellensburg has been targeted for pedeslrian <br />friendly improvements for many years. Brick pavers, period lighting, and sidewalk <br />bulbs at intersections were installed decades ago. Two to three story historic <br />buildings-set against the sidewalk (zero lot line)with interesting windbw displays <br />add comfort and lnterest to the pedestrian. The city's comprehensive plan <br />includes goals to maintain and increase pedestrian circulation downtown w1h <br />increased housing denslty, a parking plan, and improved university way crossing. <br />Main Street remains difficult to cross at times due to the high volume of motor <br />vehicle traffic. lt is a major north-south arterial, a truck rouie, and a freeway by- <br />pass route. Signals are timed to maximize trafiic ffow. East-west travelers <br />crossing Main Street often have to wait severalmoments. <br />Future downtown development, particularly infill, should reinforce the pedestrian <br />focus of Downtown with buildings built to and oriented to the sidewalk. Parking <br />lots adjacent to the sidewalk intenupt the building lines and sense of enclosur6, <br />There are no off-street parking requirements in the centralcommercialzone, <br />2r4.4d Rlver to Rodeg.Trail <br />The River to Rodeo Trailwas identified in the 1997 Nonmotodzed Plan. The goal <br />of the "trail" is to link the trail system at Rotary and lrene Rinehart Riverfront iarks <br />on the west to the fairgrounds and John wayne Trailon the east through <br />downtown on Fifth Avenue (see Figure 3a route #12). The conidor should be <br />identlfiable so that trail users can find their way from one trail system to the other <br />safglV and efficiently. lt should be designed to accommodate both pedestrians <br />and bicyclists. Whlle many equestrians utilize the John Wayne traii and rodeo <br />grounds, it is not anticipated that the River to Rodeo Trailwould be designed to <br />accommodate horse travel. <br />The route passes through industrial, commercial and residenlial land uses. A trail <br />under l-90 connecting lrene Rinehart Riverfront Park to Rotary Park is funded by a <br />Stategrant and is scheduled for completion in 2009. An asphaltkailwithin Rotaly <br />Park from the freeway to the entrance is completed. sidewallts are complete <br />along most of the route, except a section on the north side fom Railroad Avenue <br />to wenas Street. some additionalcurb-cuts are needed on the north side. <br />Recommendatlon 2.4,4c: Maintain pedestrlan focus of hlstorlc <br />downtown. <br />1. Sign by-pass route to encourage truck and auto trafflc to use <br />water street rather than Maln streetas a preferred north-south <br />route. <br />2. Dlscourage parklng lots abuttlng the sldewalk ln the central <br />Commerclalzone. <br />December 2008 City of Ellensburg Nonmotorized Transportation Ptan page 2-30