Covering Route 33 in Buffalo- Money Better Used to Improve Community and Roads in Buffalo
January 24, 2022- BoredomMD.com -Governor Kathy Hochul announced on January 22, 2022 the proposed $32.8 billion State Capital Plan includes nearly $3 billion for infrastructure projects that promote equity, connectivity and multi-modal transportation opportunities for communities all across New York State. This includes the Kensington Expressway (Route 33) in Buffalo.
“The federally required review will examine the environmental, community, economic and other impacts associated with a partial or full cover of the current Expressway. As part of the state’s commitment to transparency and engaging the community, the public scoping process will begin this spring with a preliminary scoping report to be completed later this summer.”
“The Department of Transportation will assess enhancements to the local roadways to facilitate safe vehicle operations within reconnected neighborhoods. Project boundaries include the eastern limit of East Ferry Street and western limit at Best Street. The expressway carries about 80,000 cars per day.”
JUST HOW MANY TIMES do we have to pay consultants to explore covering the Kensington? There have been numerous meetings in the past regarding this. In 2016, $6 million was spent on a consulting firm to provide an environmental assessment and detailed cost analysis of different options to cover ¾ of a mile of Route 33 (from Best Street to Ferry Street) to create a park to bring the community back together.
In 2012 LaBella Associates study indicated that the cost if executed would be $574 million (add more to that 10 years later-just with inflation it would be $697 million today). No funding source for construction of any proposed alternatives had been identified. Instead of having meetings on a covered highway and spending $700 million plus on covering ¾ of a mile of Route 33/Kensington, there should be meetings on creating small community businesses, securing employment opportunities and improving the roads in the city of Buffalo which are deplorable-especially in low income areas.
Do we really think covering 3960 feet of pavement is going to significantly enhance a community? It just sounds good. Money better spent elsewhere to help communities.
And, let’s not forget “The BIG Dig in Boston”- 15 years to complete and the most expensive project in the US. Has anyone considered what closing down Route 33/Kensington is going to do to communities when traffic has to take another route??
