The El Camino Real Downtown Parking and Safety Enhancements Project (The ECR Project) improves safety, economic vitality, parking capacity and aesthetics of the El Camino Real downtown corridor between Highway 41 and Rosario Avenue.
Planned since 2017, the ECR Project is a community-driven initiative developed in partnership with residents, businesses and community stakeholders. We thank the Atascadero community for making their voices heard during the planning process, from outreach events in 2019, to workshops in 2020, to a series of nine “open houses” in 2023.
The ECR Project delivers the following improvements and benefits to this 0.6-mile stretch of El Camino Real:
- Vehicular traffic on El Camino Real limited to one lane in each direction in the project area for increased safety, added free parking spaces, and an improved Downtown experience
- Added crosswalks with higher visibility for enhanced pedestrian safety
- Full overhead signalized pedestrian crossing at East Mall for improved safety
- Approximately 100 new free parking spaces, including ADA-accessible spaces
- ADA accessibility improvements, including new driveways and sidewalks
- Over 25 new street trees, in-ground planting along a center median, and storm runoff planters that create shade, improve aesthetics, and capture water
- Hanging pendant lights and street lights throughout the project area
- Designated loading zones for deliveries, drop-offs and pickups
Throughout its development, the ECR Project was guided by the following key priorities:
- Community Input: The project is a community-driven initiative shaped by extensive planning and public engagement efforts over seven years to develop a holistic corridor plan that addresses the needs and goals of all multimodal users.
- Public Safety: Research-backed enhancements will calm traffic, increase visibility for roadway users, bolster walkability and accommodate multi-modal transportation, creating a safer environment for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists alike.
- Economic Revitalization: Over the past five-plus years, Atascadero has experienced significant development downtown, and construction of this project is anticipated to accelerate the growth of the downtown economic district. The project’s improvements will enhance aesthetics and create a safer, easier-to-access area that can help increase foot traffic and business growth.
- Free Parking Solutions: The project addresses concerns about parking availability by adding approximately 100 new free parking spaces for cars, along with provisions for bicycle and motorcycle parking. This new parking will make it easier for residents and visitors to access downtown amenities, supporting local businesses and enhancing the overall downtown experience.
- Enhanced Aesthetics: The project will enhance the aesthetics of the downtown area with features like center medians with trees and landscaping, matching gateway arches, and hanging pendant lights. These aesthetic improvements will contribute to creating a more welcoming and attractive downtown environment for residents and visitors.
Construction on the ECR Project started with utility improvements on June 10, 2024, and was followed by streetscape construction that was completed in Summer 2025. Design for the Gateway Arches began in Summer 2025 and construction is anticipated for early to mid 2026.
Throughout construction, the City used both in-person and virtual channels to proactively communicate about potential traffic impacts to residents, businesses and schools within the downtown core. Community members can sign up to receive construction news and alerts by visiting Atascadero.org/News-List.
Project Timeline
Design Development:
- December 2017 – November 2021
Engineering Design:
- January 2022 – April 2024
Construction (anticipated):
- Utility Improvement Phase: June 2024 - Late July 2024
- Streetscape Improvements Phase: July 2024 - Summer 2025
- Gateway Monument Phase: Summer 2025 - Spring 2026
Project Cost and Funding Sources:
- Budget $12,093,420
- Funded by:
- General Fund ($4,844,000)
- State Legislative Grant: FY 23-25 Budget (Sen. Laird) ($3,000,000)
- RSHA: Betterment Grants (SLOCOG) ($2,550,000)
- Wastewater Fund: FY 23-25 Budget and Reserve ($1,118,930)
- 2010 Bond Master Agreement ($255,090)
- Local Transportation Fund ($138,370)
- USHA Funds: FY 23-25 Budget ($100,000)
- Circulation System Fund ($87,030)
History & Background
Planned since 2017, The ECR Project was envisioned by the community to enhance safety and economic development in the downtown by creating a zone that slows traffic speeds, enhances appearance and safety and best utilizes the existing roadway space.
Prior to this project, El Camino Real in the downtown maintained its roughly 80-foot width (curb-to-curb) and design features that reflected its past use as a highway. By dropping a vehicular lane in both the northbound and southbound directions, the City gained space to add enhanced pedestrian and bicycle facilities, additional public spaces, and parking.
Three main factors drove the creation of the ECR Project:
- Atascadero is experiencing an economic upswing due to City investments and strong interest from private developers and business owners, creating more foot, vehicle, cyclist and multi-modal traffic in the Downtown area.
- Atascadero High School, Atascadero Fine Arts Academy, and Atascadero Middle School are located within ¼ mile of the El Camino Real Downtown Corridor, creating significant traffic during peak drop-off and pick-up times. Residents and business owners have expressed concerns regarding the safety and function of El Camino Real, and The ECR Project was designed to address these community concerns.
- Merchants, residents, developers, and City leaders have expressed the need for more parking and pedestrian access within the downtown district, due to increased economic activity and special events.
Atascadero tapped several experts to assist with the ECR Project. KTUA of San Diego was hired in November 2017 and assisted the City in El Camino Real analysis and development of a corridor plan. CCTC of Morro Bay worked as a sub-consultant to KTUA to provide traffic engineering and operations analysis.
The City hosted multiple outreach events in 2019, receiving a lot of feedback from the community. KTUA incorporated feedback from the public and the Atascadero City Council and returned a revised plan that was once again presented at multiple public workshops in 2020. After incorporating this second round of feedback, a concept plan was approved by City Council on August 11, 2020.
After the concept plan was approved, the engineering design process ramped up with additional public engagement opportunities through 2023. Contracts for Phase I were awarded to Souza Construction and Filippin Engineering.
Will any parking spaces be added to Downtown with this project?
Yes. The ECR Project added approximately 100 new free parking spaces through the planned center median area of El Camino Real, while retaining existing curbside parking. However, some curbside parking was modified to short-duration parking to accommodate passenger and commercial loading/unloading.
Does the project include bike lanes?
Between Highway 41 and Traffic Way, bicycles and vehicles share a single lane of traffic on El Camino Real. The project’s design will reduce traffic speeds, creating an opportunity for cars and bicycles to share the lane safely. North of Traffic Way, new bicycle lanes are striped adjacent to the travel lane to accommodate additional width for emergency vehicle response.
Is the crosswalk at East Mall going to be improved?
Yes. A new pedestrian signal was installed at East Mall that allows for a more safe and controlled flow of pedestrians crossing El Camino Real. This new signal acts like a traditional traffic signal, allowing pedestrians to cross for a set length of time before switching back to vehicular flow on El Camino Real.
Will accessible (ADA) parking be added?
Yes. Five additional ADA parking spaces are included in the median improvements. These spaces are clustered within the core downtown area and complement other ADA improvements, including the replacement of non-compliant curb ramps, driveway approaches and sidewalk segments.
Are electric vehicles charging stations included with this project?
There are no charging stations included with this project, but the electrical infrastructure installed as part of this project will offer the opportunity for future charging stations, if available.
Will lighting be improved along El Camino Real?
Yes. This project includes comprehensive lighting upgrades along the corridor that standardize existing lights and adds new lighting both along the sidewalks and in the median area. This new lighting will improve safety and the ambiance of our Downtown at night.
Will the project increase vehicle congestion Downtown?
The anticipated impacts to traffic resulting from this project were modeled by the City's traffic engineering consultant during the design phase. It is expected there will be minor impacts at peak times, most notably during school drop off and pick up times, but the project includes mitigation measures to limit traffic delays. These measures include the recently added third eastbound lane on Traffic Way at the intersection with El Camino Real, the extension of the northbound left turn lane on El Camino Real at Traffic Way and the modification of West Mall to one way (westbound) from Palma Avenue to El Camino Real.
What is the construction timeline?
Construction began on June 10, 2024, with initial work focused on underground utility replacement. Sidewalk and median improvements followed through the end of 2024. Landscaping, lighting and other streetscape improvements continued through Summer 2025.
Does the City have plans to add paid parking downtown?
The City has no plans to add paid parking downtown. This project was constructed with the intention of adding to the free parking options and providing additional spaces within close proximity to businesses along the El Camino Real downtown corridor.
What landscaping and aesthetic improvements are part of this project?
Aesthetic elements were selected for this project with the intention of creating a comfortable, safe and cohesive style through the downtown area. These elements include lighting upgrades, pavers, site furnishings, trees and other landscaping. The intention is to transform a portion of the previous 80 foot width of asphalt into a more inviting (and less hot) space for parking, events and enjoying the downtown.
What project features will help improve safety and the downtown experience for pedestrians?
The primary element of this project that improves safety for pedestrians is the transition from five lanes of traffic to two one-lane roads. Instead of crossing five lanes of traffic, often with limited sight distance at intersections, pedestrians now cross a single lane at a time into a protected median. Additionally, the reduced roadway width significantly decreases traffic speeds. The combination of reduced speeds, enhanced crosswalks, and fewer traffic lanes fundamentally changes the feel of the downtown experience for pedestrians.
