August 22, 2017
Mr. Craig Mozrall, PE
New York State Department of Transportation Region 5
100 Seneca Street
Buffalo, NY 14203
RE: COMMENTS ON ROUTE 198 PROJECT
Dear Mr. Mozrall,
I write on behalf of Vision Niagara, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization devoted to the revitalization of
Buffalo’s Niagara Street Corridor. Because this corridor is home to the western terminus of Route 198 and
Scajaquada Creek, we are interested stakeholders in the future of Route 198 and the Scajaquada Corridor.
We are extremely disappointed with State Department of Transportation’s current plan for Route 198, and we
ask DOT to reconsider the plan put forth by the Olmsted Parks Conservancy. It is a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity to reconnect our city’s signature Olmsted park. Moreover, our community deserves a parkappropriate
roadway that provides safe access for park users, bolsters the economy through tourism and cultural
connection, and moves our city closer to Olmsted’s original intent.
The DOT’s plan also fails to address Route 198 west of Grant Street, where it adversely impacts Niagara Street and Scajaquada Creek. A park-appropriate roadway that continues along the natural waterway of Scajaquada Creek would reunite neighborhoods, promote public health, and serve as an economic catalyst, opening up new waterfront real estate for development. One needs only to look at the renaissance of the Buffalo River to appreciate the potential benefits of a downgraded roadway along Scajaquada Creek.
In sum, the DOT’s current plan simply prioritizes rote vehicular service over the cultural, tourism, environmental, public health, and economic benefits that a park-appropriate roadway would bring.
On behalf of Vision Niagara, I sincerely ask that you reconsider the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy’s vision for the Scajaquada Boulevard and that you prioritize our community.
Sincerely,
Barbara Rowe, Board President
Vision Niagara, PO Box 281, Buffalo, NY 14213, info@visionniagara.org