Two public hearings were held this week on the state Department of Transportation's proposals for the Southtowns Connector, which would improve access to Buffalo's outer harbor and the traffic flow between the city and the Southtowns.
"Most people are saying, "OK, let's just do it,' " Paul Tronolone, supervising urban planner with Parsons Brinckerhoff, said before Thursday night's hearing in Lackawanna.

But those who spoke afterward weren't as magnanimous.

As was done Wednesday in downtown Buffalo, several DOT officials were present from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday in the Lackawanna Senior Center. Easels lining the room and tables off to one side bore dozens of photographs, maps and drawings of the proposals.

In simplest terms, the improvement alternative - at $138.4 million - would keep Route 5 and Furhmann Boulevard as separate, but simplified roadways; the boulevard alternative - at $144.1 million - would convert Route 5 and Fuhrmann into a single, six-lane roadway; and the hybrid alternative - at $151.9 million - would use a combination of approaches from the two others.

All include reconstruction of Ohio Street, a new arterial road to connect the Niagara Thruway to Tifft Street through the former LTV/Republic Steel brownfields site, and an additional traffic lane on the lake side of Route 5.

The affected area is bordered by the Niagara Thruway to the north, Milestrip Road to the south, the mainline Thruway to the east and Lake Erie to the west.

Tronolone related a story about a motorist who was trying to reach the NFTA Boat Harbor who wound up downtown in front of the old Memorial Auditorium.

"This is just a typical story we've heard time and time again - that the configuration of access along Route 5 is confusing and discourages people from coming to the waterfront," Tronolone said.

The improvement alternative would eliminate the Route 5 overpass at Ridge Road and replace it with a conventional intersection with traffic signal.

"This would open up access and development in the City of Lackawanna," Tronolone said. "This was cited as an important feature by Buffalo and Lackawanna officials during the design process."

Lackawanna Mayor Norman L. Polanski Jr. confirmed that during the public comment phase of Thursday's session.

"My interest is self-serving; I'm here for the City of Lackawanna," Polanski said. The Ridge Road bridge "has been an item that has not served our community well at all."

"When I look at this, Lackawanna is probably the easiest part of the project because other than taking down the Ridge Road bridge, there's not much more to do."

Jim Rudnicki of Blasdell characterized the proposals as being more about traffic flow than waterfront development.

"We don't have the correct infrastructure for . . . proper waterfront development," he said. "The options you see here tonight do not address the major problem with the infrastructure - the Skyway."

The alternatives "don't do anything about that but dress it up. They don't take it out," he said.

While the Skyway remains a fixture in the DOT's plans, Rep. Brian M. Higgins, D-Buffalo, is seeking federal money to remove it, describing it as "the major obstacle" to developing the outer harbor.

Higgins also has been working to obtain federal money to begin work on the Southtowns Connector.

One woman had questions about how businesses on Ohio Street would be affected and how many jobs were involved. When pressed by DOT officials for a comment about the proposals, she said: "I would like all of our questions answered and published publicly."

The public comment period on the proposals ends Aug. 31. The preferred alternative will be determined later this year or in early 2006, and work could start in 2007.

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