dollars to begin construction. This phase will introduce an overpass spanning the railroad tracks and a roundabout, improvements that have been carefully designed to integrate with the upcoming Main Street revitalization. “We were just recently awarded $498,000 from the Sandy Williams Legacy Highway Grant, and that’s going to be used for 60% of the design on phase two of Main Street revitalization. It was a huge, huge deal to get that funding,” Cavanaugh reports. The plan is to create a pedestrian friendly area, with wider sidewalks, bike paths and parking in front of businesses.“The roadway will shrink from a four-lane road down to a three lane, and the center would be a turn lane,” he describes.“The idea is to get people to come down to the downtown Main Street area and shop and hang out, in the little boutique shops and cafes, maybe some breweries.” Union Gap is also encouraging mixed-use development through its Central Business District zoning, envisioning a downtown alive with residential and commercial options. A BUSINESS-FRIENDLY CITY Bounds outlines Union Gap’s diverse industries that are a part of the fabric of the community. Having the Valley Mall located in Union Gap is an incredible asset and a great draw for shoppers.“Key employers include the local Department of Transportation and Department of Ecology who have offices here,” she details. “The schools fall into that category, and a few of our large car dealerships. We also have Pexco Aerospace, Borton Fruit and of course, there are chains, like Kohl’s, Costco, WinCo.” 5 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 03 UNION GAP, WA
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