As it shrunk from its 1950s peak population of 22,000, downtown Olean experienced steady decline: vacant storefronts; deteriorating infrastructure; wide, high-speed streets. Pedestrians faced treacherous 80-foot crossings along the main downtown streets, leading to 195 crashes between 2008 and 2013—nearly five times the statewide average. Narrow sidewalks, missing bike paths, and outdated traffic signals further compounded safety issues. Although the city recognized these challenges as early as 2005, it lacked the funding and planning to fix them – until 2011 when Jeff Belt, founder of SolEpoxy, financed the development of a master plan. Belt, who grew up in West Valley, NY, 30 miles north of Olean, was a passionate advocate for the betterment of Cattaraugus County. He was appointed as one of 13 members of the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council in 2011. Supported by extensive public outreach through Highland Planning and the Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce (GOACC), the "Walkable Olean" plan drew inspiration from successful revitalizations in Hamburg, Corning, and Burlington, VT. It established a three-phase framework, targeting an initial 0.8-mile stretch of North Union Street with traffic-calming measures and walkability enhancements.