Printed in Buffalo News By Staff – Published August 29, 2017
Plans for Delaware Park will create new problems
The public is waking up to Albany’s plans for a limited-access highway through Delaware Park. Where there is now some traffic flow, Albany plans to construct two new Sheridan Drive-type intersections. Those multilane intersections, with their unsightly traffic signals, combined with new pedestrian crossings, with more traffic signals, will convert the drive through Delaware Park into a Sheridan Drive experience, and then some. It will be a disaster!
The Department of Transportation says accidents are down 25 percent since the speed limit was lowered to 30 miles per hour in the park. Introducing new intersections will increase the rate of accidents if traffic studies are correct. Moreover, the park user’s experience will be harshly affected by what Albany intends with this new construction. This includes the experience of the hundreds of soccer kids who will be playing just a few yards from one of the massive new intersections.
It is not right for Albany to impose these kinds of problems. Imagine how New York City would react if Albany decided to put new signalized intersections inside Central Park. Our parks should be enhanced, not destroyed.
The City of Buffalo has officially asked the DOT to go back to the drawing board and to give us something the community will accept. Buffalo deserves better.
Alan J. Bozer
Buffalo