BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — What to do with $25 million in federal funding to reconstruct the Louisiana Street Bridge and improve the streetscape from Ohio to Seneca Street.
A public meeting was held at the Old First Ward Community Center on Republic Street Tuesday night.
Fillmore District Buffalo Common Council Member Mitch Nowakowski said, "If there are excess of resources that need to be done, when it comes down to National Grid work, or sewer work that responsibility and those resources will have to be borne by those entities."
"The main component is the bridge replacement. It's one of our lowest rated bridges in the area so we're happy to secure that funding for full replacement but also the streetscape; how it works for all users is important to people," City of Buffalo DPW City Engineer Nolan Skipper added.
The city is looking at 2027 to 2029 for when the bridge gets fixed and streetscape improvements become a reality with new lighting, sidewalks and bicycle lanes.
There was a brief presentation, a Q&A and then residents at the public meeting broke out into sessions.
"By having a concrete plan and the resources that are put in to do the bridge once and for all, will lead to less maintenance in the future. It's critically important that we get this right and that we move to a designed phase to not only better the health and safety of the bridge, which is one of the lowest graded bridges in the City of Buffalo but invest in this neighborhood," Nowakowski explained.
Folks like lifetime resident Bill Conway is hoping for the best.
"There's been a lot of development down here in this neighborhood over the past three to 3 to 4 years. We're kind of worried about the parking problems and redoing Louisiana Street. We want to make sure it doesn't interfere with the neighborhood," Bill Conway said. "Just make sure it's safe. That's my main concern. I've been involved in traffic for 42 years. I'm a retired State Trooper. Traffic is a big concern of mine."
Laura Kelly has lived in the old first ward for 16 years.
"Narrow lanes and bumpouts are not an option because this is how the trucks come into the city and get onto the 190. We're still an industrial neighborhood. This is going to happen. If not, they'll go somewhere in South Buffalo where it's not safe to be," Laura Kelly said.
She also mentioned how the condition of the roadways can impact the Shamrock Run, in which the proceeds of it has supported the old First Ward Community Association for more than 40 years.
"If they put bumpouts on the street, it can no longer be a sanctioned course. There is no race. There is no money for the children and the seniors," Kelly said.
Eight-year resident and developer Bruce Andrews shared that he has to wait until construction starts in order to get his foundations in place in for an arch over Louisiana Street, along with other projects up his sleeve.
"I'm looking at purchasing the police station across the street and putting in a mini mall, and Rail the Trails. They want to rent half of the building. Have their offices and equipment headquarters in the building," Bruce Andrews said.
The good news is the $25 million have already been secured.
City officials told me the design time is about two years and the goal is to have a shovel in the ground in 2027.
In the meeting, it was stated the presentation will be posted to the City of Buffalo's website.
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