BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Drivers on Humboldt Parkway may have heard chants or seen signs overhead on Saturday as neighborhood residents rallied against the Kensington Expressway Project.
The project has become a hot-button topic. Sherry Sherrill of the "We Are Women Warriors" organization and leader of the march, is one of many neighbors who believe there are better solutions than the Department of Transportation's $1 billion project.
"There is a nationwide highway removal movement underway. Why not here in Buffalo, New York," Sherrill asked. "The time to do the correct approach, the time to offer the correct design is here and it is now."
The group that marched down East Ferry Street to Humboldt Parkway believes the correct approach is to eliminate the expressway and restore the parkway's tree-lined canopy.
This is in hopes of reversing actions made decades ago — when Route 33 divided an East Side community.
"I have family history back from when was grandfather was alive, before the parkway was put in," said George Winfield, a Parkway neighborhood resident. "I always grew up hearing the stories about what happened. It's bizarre how literally it's happening in the exact same way again."
"It's happening again" refers to the state not listening to the requests of the local community, according to Winfield and Sherrill.
"Our opinion counts," Sherrill said. "The funding that the New York State Department of Transportation brought towards the Kensington Expressway Project is made possible by the economically disadvantaged Black and Brown residents of East Buffalo."
Neighbors told 7 News reporter Hannah Ferrera that they want to take advantage of potential green space — a luxury in an American city.
"This is a chance for Buffalo to reclaim acres of land in the middle of a city," Winfield said. "We're the second largest city in the state, and all of a sudden we'd have land freed up that could be used in all kinds of ways."
While construction on this project could start later this year, Sherrill said the opposition will continue.
"This is just the beginning. The people will not be silenced. The community's voice will be heard."
