BUFFALO, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Transportation says the scoping of concepts for the billion-dollar redevelopment of the Kensington Expressway is nearing its next phase.
"We're going to narrow down the concepts and we're going to come up with the final couple that will carry through the environmental process," said Susan Surdej, public information officer for region 5 of the NYSDOT.
That narrowing down is expected to happen by the end of the year.
Governor Hochul on Monday doubled down her commitment to the Kensington project, echoing previous statements to correct a generational mistake.
"When people could live out there and have a quick commute back downtown that really began the disintegration of our city," Hochul said. "We have to continue talking about that, talk about what went on at that time."
Part of the NYSDOT's plan to convince the public that $1B in taxpayer funds will be used efficiently was to open an outreach center in the neighbor
"This is a very open process," said Surdej. "That's why we really need public engagement, public involvement, and public input in this project."
The Kensington project outreach center is located at 878 Humboldt Parkway. Janate ‘Solar’ Ingram is the center's outreach specialist.
"I can't call it a job, I actually look at it as an opportunity to help reconnect our community to something that has been a historical conversation."
Ingram grew up in a neighborhood impacted when the Kensington Expressway was built.
"I can't call it a job, I actually look at it as an opportunity to help reconnect our community to something that has been a historical conversation," Ingram said. "Now we have a place for them to come to ask questions."
Susan Surdej from the NYSDOT emphasized that no concept for the Kensington redevelopment has been finalized yet, and the process still has a ways to go.
Right now there are 10 concepts for the Kensington project, according to the Kensington project website:
- Concept #1 - No Build.
- Concept #2 - Bridge Rehabilitation with Humboldt Enhancements.
- Concept #3 - Bridge Replacement with Humboldt Enhancements.
- Concept #4 - Kensington Reconstruction with Improved Community Connections through Partial Decking.
- Concept #5 - Kensington Reconstruction with a 6-Lane Tunnel for Improved Community Connections and establishing Victorian Gardens.
- Concept #6 - Kensington Reconstruction with a 6-Lane Tunnel for Improved Community Connections, including a Tree-Lined Parkway Setting.
- Concept #7 - Kensington Reconstruction with a 4-Lane Tunnel for Improved Community Connections.
- Concept #8 - Kensington Reconstruction as a 6-Lane Boulevard
- Concept #9 - Kensington Reconstruction as a 4-Lane Boulevard with Traffic Diverted to Other Roads.
- Concept #10 - Removal of NYS Route 33 including Reestablishing the former Parkway Setting.
Surdej says the concepts will be narrowed down to two or three options by the end of the year, making way for the environmental review.
"Optimistically, we're looking at a shovel in the ground in late 2024," Surdej says.