Studying Niagara Falls Blvd

[grump]

So Amherst and Tonawanda are going to study Niagara Falls Blvd. Given the job Kulpa did screwing up Wiiliamville this promises to be a cluster **** of epic proportions. By the way someone please notify the Tonawanda highway superintendent that from at least Sheridan Drive northbound NFB is a state road and Tonawanda and Amherst have no duty, in fact no authority to manage their half of the road. Democratic idiocy in full flower.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Out of the loop Grump. What did Kulpa do that messed up the village? It's not like NFB is great right now. What do you suggest doing to make it better?

I will say it's pretty obvious on the disconnect between the two towns. Tonawanda wants to slow things down because it has more single-story retail. They quoted a business owner who wants bicycle lanes on the Blvd. That's absurd. On the other hand, the guy from the Amherst Chamber wants to leverage light rail to bring more people through. Complete disconnect.

I think Amherst is in a unique position right now that requires some action. The Boulevard Mall is not going to come back. It's just a matter of time before something else is put there. I think there is a play to be hand in moulding this area via a tax break in exchange for land. Land to extend Alberta.

If I were calling the shots, and looking at this over 20 years, I would look at creating a 2nd main 'Blvd' on Alberta between Maple and Sheridan. Then focus zoning to have mixed use buildings front Alberta. Either a mix of office and retail/residential or complete mix use. It's all going to get redeveloped but right now, with the ownership situation at the mall, Amherst has a chace to form what goes there.

[Member 2358]

Out of the loop Grump. What did Kulpa do that messed up the village? It's not like NFB is great right now. What do you suggest doing to make it better?

I will say it's pretty obvious on the disconnect between the two towns. Tonawanda wants to slow things down because it has more single-story retail. They quoted a business owner who wants bicycle lanes on the Blvd. That's absurd. On the other hand, the guy from the Amherst Chamber wants to leverage light rail to bring more people through. Complete disconnect.

I think Amherst is in a unique position right now that requires some action. The Boulevard Mall is not going to come back. It's just a matter of time before something else is put there. I think there is a play to be hand in moulding this area via a tax break in exchange for land. Land to extend Alberta.

If I were calling the shots, and looking at this over 20 years, I would look at creating a 2nd main 'Blvd' on Alberta between Maple and Sheridan. Then focus zoning to have mixed use buildings front Alberta. Either a mix of office and retail/residential or complete mix use. It's all going to get redeveloped but right now, with the ownership situation at the mall, Amherst has a chace to form what goes there.

I read Mr. Skinner's comment differently. If he means bicycle lanes on the (now) roadway, yeah, that's a bit far fetched. However, if he means fashioning the sidewalks to best accommodate bicycles, then I think that's a worthy consideration.

The Alberta Drive proposal is a worthy consideration, too. Though it would only address a fraction of the 'Kenmore-Avenue-to-Niagara-County-line' study and overall issue(s).

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

I read Mr. Skinner's comment differently. If he means bicycle lanes on the (now) roadway, yeah, that's a bit far fetched. However, if he means fashioning the sidewalks to best accommodate bicycles, then I think that's a worthy consideration.

The Alberta Drive proposal is a worthy consideration, too. Though it would only address a fraction of the 'Kenmore-Avenue-to-Niagara-County-line' study and overall issue(s).

Bikes are not to go on sidewalks. Bikes are always supposed to be on the road. What he is talking about is calming the nature of the street and having bike lanes I think.

That is the disconnect here. I think Kenmore and Tonawanda would like this to be a 'Main Street' type experience. Amherst needs to to be a major thoroughfare.

[WNYresident]

When a study is conducted what happens?

Do a group of people just sit down with road maps, traffic flow information and property maps to review? Who are the people who do the study? Randomly picked people or people with experience with roads/development?

[Member 2358]

I don't have the slightest clue about who'll be "studying" this.

But it just occurred to me that a Tonawanda-Amherst Niagara Falls Boulevard study was proposed by Guy Marlette a couple (maybe three?) years ago. And, I think Grelick promised something similar back in her day, too.

It's really kind of funny watching these people regurgitate stuff. I guess they make money off of it... so there's that.