LANCASTER, N.Y. — Lancaster Town Supervisor Ronald Ruffino Sr. and other elected officials are dusting off some old plans and once again pitching to get a new Thruway exit for Western New York's eastern suburbs. The proposed exit would be located at Gunnville Road.
"I’m hoping that it does come to fruition, it would be a tremendous uplift for our community and other communities around us," said Ruffino.
Ruffino pitched the idea years ago when talks began about moving the now non-existent Williamsville toll booths further east. He was a Town Council member then but as Lancaster supervisor still believes the project could work for his town and others.
"Being on the north end of Lancaster it would also help the people in Clarence, it’s easterly so it would also help the Town of Alden as well," Ruffino said.
The exit would split a 17 mile stretch from Pembroke to Depew that ends at Transit Road where Ruffino said a lot of truck traffic ends up congesting smaller state and county roads like Genesee and Main streets. The Town of Lancaster also recently completed a truck route that would work complementary to a potential exit.
"We have the Tops warehouses which are right there [at Gunnville Road], we also have Amazon on Walden, those trucks instead of traveling on our state roads throughout the Town will take the exit for a more direct route," Ruffino added.
New York's relatively new cashless tolling system could also make adding an exit easier because it would not require the construction of a toll plaza. Despite, that reduced need, the process to add an exit aka an interchange remains lengthy.
"It first starts with a study and we’re basically doing an analysis of it right now and we were given confirmation," said Ruffino.
Ruffino said the project is still too early on for conceptual drawings. Traffic and environmental studies would likely determine many of the design aspects and they have not been conducted yet.
Additional support could aid in developing the project further however. State Senators Tim Kennedy and Patrick Gallivan have already sent letters to the New York State Thruway Authority and the Greater Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Council inquiring about the exit.
In a response letter to Senator Gallivan, Thruway Authority Executive Director Matthew Driscoll also explained the lengthy process and guidelines that local leaders would have to follow. Driscoll added that deciding where and when a new interchange is constructed doesn't fall solely on them but also on the NYSDOT and federal agencies like the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
With those immense tasks in mind 2 On Your Side's Rob Hackford asked Ruffino, "Do you think this project could actually become reality?"
Ruffino responded, "You always have to think there’s a strong chance otherwise I would not be standing here talking to you. I will do what i have to do to push for this and do what I have to do as we go down the road."
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