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Thread: Transportation bill has big bucks for waterfront

  1. #1
    Member SolarEclipse's Avatar
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    Transportation bill has big bucks for waterfront

    http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/s...tml?from_rss=1

    A new federal transportation bill that is making its way to the White House contains tens of millions of dollars for projects along Buffalo's stagnant waterfront.

    The Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill, entitled the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, was announced by U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Rep. Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo. The lawmakers said the package allocates $25 million for the Peace Bridge project, included in the more than $16.5 billion in total federal spending for New York state, a $3 billion increase.

    "Buffalo has waited for years to get things moving at the Peace Bridge and Outer Harbor, and these federal dollars will go a long way towards getting these projects done," Schumer said in a statement.

    The Senate portion of the bill calls for $17 million toward the Peace Bridge while the House of Represenatives will kick in $8 million.

    Another $17.36 million is targeted to the Southtowns Connector project -- $9.36 million secured by Higgins, $8 million from the Senate. That's on top of more than $5 million Schumer and Clinton said was allocated in last year's appropriations bill for improvements along Route 5 from the U.S. Coast Guard base to Ohio Street.

    "The era of inertia in Buffalo is ending," said Higgins, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

  2. #2
    Member LaNdReW's Avatar
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    Here is a link on the Southtowns project...

    http://www.dot.state.ny.us/reg/r5/st...es/stcboh.html


    What good is the new highway via tifft???
    "When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." - Sinclair Lewis (1935)

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    Originally posted by LaNdReW


    What good is the new highway via tifft???
    The connector road would absorb much of the traffic volume that crosses the Skyway and would be a convienent connection from to the I-190. This will eventually lead to the Skyway being demolished and replaced by a pedestrian friendly bridge to downtown and turn route 5 into a lower speed parkway from the Buffalo River to small boat harbor area. The outer harbor development plans would benefit greatly from getting rid of the highway portion of route 5.

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    Its still unclear what exactly is going to be done...and the schedule doesn't inspire optimism either. They expect to have a preferred alternative selected in January and then what- three years of engineering, testing, planning and consultants? Between this and the Peace Bridge- its like watching paint dry.

    Create a two way Furhman Blvd. and add some on/off ramps from Route 5- it can be done in short order and cheaply. Then spend the next five years studying the permanent fix- as in demolishing the skyway.

  5. #5
    Member LaNdReW's Avatar
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    I am lucky

    Originally posted by John B
    The connector road would absorb much of the traffic volume that crosses the Skyway and would be a convienent connection from to the I-190. This will eventually lead to the Skyway being demolished and replaced by a pedestrian friendly bridge to downtown and turn route 5 into a lower speed parkway from the Buffalo River to small boat harbor area. The outer harbor development plans would benefit greatly from getting rid of the highway portion of route 5.
    I hit route 5 when I want to head north. I get on the 190, and head north to GI, or to the 290 to the blvd to where friends live.

    This proposed road would divert east any traffic that is heading north (from the southtowns).

    Also, people who are heading into the city, would also be diverted east, and now have to travel further to get to the heart of the city.

    Like I said, I don't get it.
    "When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." - Sinclair Lewis (1935)

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    Member jbinbny's Avatar
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    The Transportation Bill that is going to Bush's desk forhis signature is chock full of pork spending. It literally reeks with abuse of taxpayer money.

    Consider that the individual bill itself has almost 7,000 attachments to it for spending on congressional pork projects around the nation.

    Included in this nationwide pig out at the taxpayer trough are:

    Building a new bridge in Michigan to an island in Lake Huron that has 83 residents. The cost to the taxpayer is over $300 million. Do the math! That's over $3.6 million per resident.

    While it's nice to have pet projects funded in this bill, how much is enough? The bill will cost taxpayers over $25 BILLION this year!
    Thank you New York, may I please have another!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    Member crlachepinochet's Avatar
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    They must be important on that island if they can get $300 million to build their bridge and we get $60 (?) for the Peace Bridge!
    Remain calm!! But run for your lives if necessary!

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    Member Trolls_r_us's Avatar
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    LOL

    good point

    IF we spent EVERY $$ on our infastructure in the USA that we have wasted in Iraq, imagine where we could be

    of course, the world wouldn't be any "safer"
    The truth from a troll is still the truth.

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    Member Trolls_r_us's Avatar
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    imagine spending hundreds of billions of dollars on roads, cities, parks, bridges, light rail, ect. in America versus wasting it on dropping bombs on people we're suppoedly "liberating"
    The truth from a troll is still the truth.

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    Higgins envisions a 'pastoral parkway'

    Waterfront traffic would be revamped


    By JOHN F. BONFATTI
    News Staff Reporter
    8/11/2005

    By JOHN F. BONFATTI
    News Staff Reporter
    8/11/2005
    Cars zoomed along Fuhrmann Boulevard, occasionally drowning out Rep. Brian M. Higgins as he announced his plan for a more "pastoral parkway" in place of the waterfront highway.

    In announcing his proposal to use $12 million to $14 million in federal funding for the conversion, the Buffalo Democrat also took dead aim Wednesday at the high-profile roadway over his shoulder - the 150-foot-tall Skyway - and said that it should be removed.

    Calling the Skyway "the major obstacle" to developing the dormant outer harbor, Higgins said he would use additional federal funds to push for an environmental-impact study of alternatives to the 50-year-old landmark crossing the Buffalo River.

    Higgins said he favors a series of up to four lift bridges, which would spread out traffic between downtown and the Southtowns.

    "The Skyway dumps all the (northbound) traffic into one lane on Delaware Avenue," Higgins said. With the lift bridges, he said, "the traffic would be more efficiently distributed to downtown."

    State Department of Transportation spokeswoman Jennifer Post said, "Long-term alternatives to the Skyway continue to be a consideration, but so far have not garnered local support or found it to be cost-effective."

    While that issue is being sorted out, Higgins said, he wants to put the Fuhrmann Boulevard project on a fast track. "We anticipate this new parkway to be designed and under construction by the end of 2006," he said.

    Plans call for turning Fuhrmann into a two-way urban parkway, like the city's Olmsted parkways and the Niagara Parkway on the Canadian side of the Niagara River. There would be generous green space and high-end "Central Park-style" lighting along the three-mile stretch of road between the Coast Guard Station and Tifft Street.

    The funding, Higgins said, would come from the transportation bill signed earlier in the day by President Bush.

    Higgins said transforming Fuhrmann into such a thoroughfare would help boost efforts to develop the vacant land on the other side of the Skyway.

    "People want to see this waterfront developed," he said.


    e-mail: jbonfatti@buffnews.com

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    If it is anything like the Robert Moses Parkway in Niagara Falls.....NO THANKS!

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    Member crlachepinochet's Avatar
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    NO to Robert Moses Pkwy II

    YES to the Canadians' Niagara Pkwy II

    I'm assuming that the Niagara Parkway is the one near the foot of Clifton Hill?
    Remain calm!! But run for your lives if necessary!

  13. #13
    Member speaker's Avatar
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    Originally posted by jbinbny
    The Transportation Bill that is going to Bush's desk forhis signature is chock full of pork spending. It literally reeks with abuse of taxpayer money.

    ................................
    While it's nice to have pet projects funded in this bill, how much is enough? The bill will cost taxpayers over $25 BILLION this year!
    And did anyone notice the 280,000,000 for the bridge off Alaska connecting two small islands? I wonder, does this have anything to do with drilling for oil, there? At one time, EC was promised 40,000,000+ for replacing the Peace bridge, I don't have any articles to back me up right now, but it's probably in the original plans from way back when. PBA stalled all the way.
    Right under our noses, guys.

  14. #14
    Member speaker's Avatar
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    Originally posted by crlachepinochet
    NO to Robert Moses Pkwy II

    YES to the Canadians' Niagara Pkwy II

    I'm assuming that the Niagara Parkway is the one near the foot of Clifton Hill?
    If a new parkway was anything like the Canadian parkway--me too--all for it. But it won't or can't be.

    I'm for that plan of fixing up the Fuhrman and waiting on the Skyway removal. FOUR lift bridges? Is he nuts?

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    Originally posted by speaker
    If a new parkway was anything like the Canadian parkway--me too--all for it. But it won't or can't be.

    I'm for that plan of fixing up the Fuhrman and waiting on the Skyway removal. FOUR lift bridges? Is he nuts?
    Dispersing traffic over the Buffalo River with four river crossings makes sense to me. This combined with the Southtowns Connector plan are whats needed to eventually lead up to the Skyway being demolished which I personally can't wait for. The Skyway is an eyesore and a barrier to waterfront development.

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