<p>The City of Echo plans to use recent grants to do more historical restoration like this, seen on Thielsen Road.</p>

With recent grants, including $25,000 from the Meyer Memorial Trust and funds from the Oregon Department of Transportation, the City of Echo will begin a downtown renovation project next summer.

In 2007, a downtown committee comprised of city council members and general business owners adopted a plan to pursue grants to fund the project. Approximately 50 people had a voice in the decision, according to Echo City Administrator-Recorder Diane Berry.

The main changes the city will make include moving hanging power lines into the ground, replacing sidewalks and extending curbs.

ODOT will fund engineering costs, handle contractual documents and “will pay for most of the bills” on the project, Berry said.

State programs will require Echo to match approximately 10.2 percent of ODOT’s dollars with its own, which will come from past grants. Berry said the city will be able to cover the percentage, and hopes to have a surplus to spend on other improvements.

The city intends to preserve the historic layout of the town by adding vintage-style street lights, decorative planters and other features. Some sidewalks will have power lines lowered into their structure, which will require a 2-foot widening from 8 feet to 10 feet, some of which will not be covered by ODOT.

At the four corners of Main and Dupont streets, as well as Main and Bonanza streets, “bulb out” curb extension will replace the current design. A new sidewalk will fill in the missing one between Fire Hall and Front Street. Iron benches, garbage receptacles, public art, vintage-style street sign posts, decorative bike racks and drinking fountains are also expected to be added.

“We will most likely absorb the cost to put lines in the road and replace sidewalks,” Berry said.

She believes a substantial amount of sidewalk work will be done around the post office.

Berry said Echo is working with officials in La Grande who have been through a similar improvement process.

“We’re (Echo) one of the smaller towns to do so,” Berry said.

The “big project” will cost in the neighborhood of $600,000, according to Berry. Most of the cost will be covered by ODOT. Official bids will be presented in the spring 2012, and work is planned to begin in summer 2012.