Downtown Streetscape

Overview

The Downtown Streetscape project seeks to create “a consistent and well-designed streetscape that focuses on enhancing the aesthetics of downtown and creating inviting places that serve locals, engage the public, and facilitate interactions among community members,” as noted in the Downtown Streetscape Concept Plan.

Background

City Council adopted the Downtown Streetscape Concept Plan in 2019. The City implemented the first phase of the plan by increasing sidewalk widths as well as adding street furniture and amenities to Front Street between Sunset and Alder.

Future phases will be implemented as funding becomes available through grants or City budget allocations.

Current Activities

In 2022, the City invested in two components of the Downtown Streetscape Concept Plan:

  • Alder Festival Street partial improvements 
  • Pilot Parklets
  1. Alder Festival Street
  2. Pilot Parklets

During the planning process, the community expressed strong support for making Alder Street into a festival street. A festival street is a public street that has been designated for recurring temporary closure to vehicular traffic for the purpose of pedestrian-oriented special events. Having an outdoor gathering space in the heart of downtown Issaquah will be an asset for nurturing community connections, and additional pedestrian traffic generated by the festival street will benefit local businesses.

The City will install catenary (festival) lighting and create a mural pathway to connect Front Street to Depot Park in summer 2022.

Timeline

  • Lighting installation will last about 1 week total, potentially over a 2-week time period in late June or early July.
  • Walkway mural painting will be completed over a 2-week period at the end of July.