CLARENCE, N.Y. — Rome wasn't built in the day, and neither was Tonawanda Creek Road in Clarance. That's why elected leaders from Erie County and Niagara County gathered to cut the ribbon of completion on this six-year project.
"What was a very substantial project," Erie County Executive Mark Polancarz said Thursday at the ribbon-cutting.
Parts of Tonawanda Creek Road were destroyed after severe weather in 2014. Since that time residents, ambulances, commuters, and anyone trying to traverse the road have had to take a five-mile detour.
So why did it take six years to complete?
Polancarz says the federal government and the lobbying for transportation infrastructure funds.
"There are limited dollars," the County Executive said. "The federal government will put forth a certain amount of dollars on an annual basis. And then we will basically make an application to the greater buffalo Regional Transportation council to determine how those federal dollars are going to be spent."
Polancarz went on to say that counties will submit applications for their own individual projects. But the scale and cost to repair Tonawanda Creek Road were so immense that Erie County and Niagara County submitted a joint application.
"Because if we had done it individually, Erie County tried to do our section, NY or county and try to do their section, it would have been tougher to say that this is a worthwhile project for the region when they're making determinations on why it makes sense on a national level to be funding programs and on a regional level," Polancarz said.
Niagara County Legislator Chairman Becky Wydysh said the joint application was necessary.
"The Tonawanda Creek Road slope stabilization and roadway reconstruction project, which covers sites in Clarence, Lockport and Pendleton, would most likely not have been completed if it wasn't for the by county effort," she said.
The total project cost $7.3 million. The 400-foot section in Clarence, where the ribbon-cutting was held, cost $2.1 million.
At the Clarence site, construction crews needed to mechanically stabilize the shoreline of Tonawanda Creek. They also added at 560 concrete stanchions, which were driven 30 feet into the ground, to provide additional support for the road.
New drainage, sloping, and guardrails were also added.
"Other things may move in the future, but this road isn't going anywhere, ladies and gentlemen," Erie County Legislator Ed Rath.