BUFFALO, N.Y. — While supporters and detractors wait for the Federal Highway Administration decision regarding the Kensington Expressway project, members of the community gathered at the Merriweather Library for a town hall about the topic.
Over 100 people were on hand, including NYS Assembly majority leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes.
While many behind the scenes meetings have occurred over the last few years about the project, this is the first time since the organized opposition to the project began that a lawmaker publicly met to discuss the issue.
"You clearly have put in a lot of work since October," Peoples-Stokes told the group. "But I have to tell you, there are a lot of people there are lot of people who did a lot of work for the last 15-20 years and their work is not to be disregarded."
The East Side Parkways Coalition, along with the organization We Are Women Warriors, hosted the town hall. In recent months the two groups have been vocal about wanting other options for the $1 billion project to be on the table.
"There was a time when there was more vehicular traffic and more persons inside this region, and there was no Kensington Expressway," Sherry Sherrill said.
Sherrill is the project coordinator at the We Are Women Warriors organization.
The official comment period for the project, recognized by the NYSDOT, ended in November.
According to multiple sources, the DOT has submitted the project plans to the Federal Highway Administration. The FHA makes the final decision whether the DOT will move forward with the project or, start over, or move on all together.
"I will suspect that within the next couple of weeks, the federal government will make their final decision," Peoples-Stokes said. "Whatever that decision is, if it's on your side of the issue, I'm here to work with you."