BUFFALO, N.Y. — Congressman Brian Higgins (D-NY) and New York State Senator Tim Kennedy (D) say they no longer support plans for immediate removal of the Skyway in Buffalo unless it meets the community's needs.
Both say there need to be several transportation improvements to the plan before the Skyway can be removed.
Here are some of the improvements suggested:
- Improvements to the Thruway and the elimination of tolls at Hamburg to provide better options to commuters
- More efficient stoplight patterns to encourage neighborhood economic development and ease of travel in the City of Buffalo
- A new Parkway, park, and bike path at Tifft Street connecting South Buffalo and the Buffalo Harbor State Park
- A new Louisiana Street bridge crossing the Buffalo River at the I-190 and other improvements to build on the momentum of the Riverline and other projects
New York State Senator Sean Ryan released the following statement regarding the joint announcement by Higgins and Kennedy:
“I thank Congressman Higgins and Senator Kennedy for listening to the concerns of many stakeholders and backing away from the Skyway plan.
We are at a critical moment for the future of Buffalo and Western New York. With the federal government poised to pass a sweeping infrastructure package in the coming months, and a President who is committed to providing funding to restore communities separated by highways, we must focus our attention on plans to remove the Scajaquada and Kensington Expressways as they currently exist.
Restoring Olmsted’s vision will reunite neighborhoods and fix historic injustices. This must be our main focus. As legislators, coming together and putting our full weight behind these projects will be the key to making this vision a reality. We have a unique opportunity to make lasting change that will reshape the future of the City of Buffalo for generations to come.”
2 On Your Side has done several stories on the future of the Skyway. You can check them out below.