The Skyway is one step closer to meeting its demise. Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) and New York State Senator Tim Kennedy have announced that the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) will be looking into identifying viable alternative access routes by conducting a full and formal Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). By the sound of it, the NYSDOT will not be looking at any alternatives for The Skyway, other than complete removal.
“The ‘functionally obsolete’ Skyway is a physical barrier impeding continued economic progress, and razing it will open up new opportunities for development along Buffalo’s waterfront and spur private investment and job creation. A full and formal EIS is the first step towards finding out how we can improve our infrastructure and open up new land for development,” said Senator Tim Kennedy. “I thank Congressman Higgins for his tireless advocacy for our waterfront and our community and I look forward to working with him and Commissioner Driscoll as we move forward with the review process.”
Higgins and Kennedy point to NYSDOT’s 2008 “Skyway Management Study”, which found that the long term maintenance of The Skyway financially outweighed the replacement of infrastructure. “With Buffalo’s renaissance comes a new community confidence that we don’t have to settle for the status quo,” added Higgins. “This EIS says Buffalo believes it can do better and we’re ready to make bold, well-informed choices about our future.”