I can't say I'm surprised. Does anyone know who authorized the removal of the poles? Was that person even aware of discussions and support of transforming these into bike racks? Has anyone contacted Buffalo State or UB to see if this can become part of a student project? At the least we should try to prevent the removal of additional poles. Who do we call at city hall?
City Hall should realize by now the little things matter. How much great press did they get for making a small beach down on the water? And the result was a handful more people down there. Simple, cheap solution to water front access.
Bike racks matter, vendors on the street, small beaches, trees, garbage cans. All important things.
How much could bike racks cost. Cheap or possibly free. And think of how great mayor brown would have looked. "Mayor makes city bike friendly" Thats good for a handful of votes.
We need people in city hall that are more proactive and are able to stop, think and be a bit creative.
Well that's really disappointing about the parking meters. Good way to kick start the Complete Streets initiative. Hopefully it doesn't turn out that some Councilmember's cousin gets a big contract to install new ones.
Where did Mayor Brown and the Council lock their bikes when they took the big, one day ride a few weeks back? Or did they have assistants bring them up to their offices? If the Mayor had to commute to city hall via Main Street on a daily basis, we would have lanes there by now.
Other than the fact that Buffalo is flat, I wouldn't really say it's a 'bike-friendly' city. There are minimal racks. No bike boxes at intersections. The only lanes I know of are on Richmond, and through the lethal "S" curves on the Delaware race course. The paths are often unmaintained, and lack any lighting. Even in Delaware Park, there is always gravel on the bend near the Casino. During winter, the street shoulders are never plowed, and all the accumulated sand makes riding here extremely hazardous.
I ride every day most months of the year, and I really, really wish Buffalo could be considered a world class 'bike-friendly' city.
Keep the pressure on them.
Sorry BRO, but this city is not bike friendly I was hit 1 time, and another time was forced by a truck to choose between the side of his truck or the bushes in front of that kids clothing store on Elmwood. Neither times did the person in the cars come by to see if I was alright. Absolutely no bike lanes going into the city and now they are taking away parking for bikers. I wouldn't be surprised if they started charging us. This city sucks big time for bikers and yet it has the most potential to be a wonderful biking city. It's flat, wonderful climate and the way the city is laid out makes it completely accessible.
Frustrating lack of foresight, City Hall. Typical bureaucracy. Bike racks are a cheap bit of frosting on the municipal cake. Scooter's right: it's cheap good publicity, and they're needed besides.
Removing the posts was wasteful. How much did it cost (in labor expense) to have these posts removed (and btw, is that the finished job, that torn post sticking out like a sore thumb)? Would have been cheaper to remove the meter head and place a cap on the post. Now to put a new post in requires digging, concrete, labor, competition for scarce municipal resources and time.
Is it a case of the left hand not knowing what the right is doing or is it simply bureaucrats ignoring public input?
Under the old regime of Joe (not Joel) Giambra, Public Works pretty much did whatever they wanted with city street infrastructure. They didn't tolerate community groups too well. Perhaps not much has changed.
I'm sorry if I missed something--but why are the parking meters being taken away in the first place? From the biking perspective it's a shame since there's no place to put the bikes, from a pedestrian perspective it's an eyesore if there's these ugly jagged holes are staying in the ground, and from a driver's perspective does that mean even less street parking? If the goal is to discourage driving cars and encourage other means of transportation, that's great, but I'm not sure taking out parking for cars to make nothing is a good idea.
LightoftheMoon, they're not eliminating parking, they're chaging from individial meters to those machines where you get a ticket for your dashboard.
Call to activists: chain yourselves & your bikes to the closest remaining meters. I'll bring you food and drink. Seriously, though- WTF?! Maddening...
What a hack job of a removal - does anyone inspect this stuff? I would not cut the check to pay for it until the metal is ground down and the hole is properly sealed.
i just called city hall. She put a request in for more bike racks. apparently we are not allowed to chain our bikes to the parking meters anyway...
i agree with AJAY!!!!! lets do that on Sunday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If your with a woman in heels who steps in one of these, do you get free parking for a year? Is it too much to assume these will be filled? I know there's too much negativity here, and now I'm contriubuting to it... but how inane is some city manager to send a guy out with a hacksaw, and no immediate plan to fill it in? Are we trying to create work for the billboard-boys ("Injured?...Try walking on Elmwood in heels at night").
Call the mayors complaint line!!! 851-4890
If we all call, maybe we can get some action!
i already have my office calling one by one right now!
Newell, you say this really stinks and I agree - I can smell it from here an hour east. It's especially frustrating as I saw *just last week* here in My Fair City what can be done with the old meter posts with a little creativity and cooperation. Check it out here: http://baswa.org/Totems.htm. In a slice of a rapidly revitalizing section of city near me, through a design competition - and cooperation of all parties - they were turned into public art doubling as bike parking. Not to mention a cool unveiling party! Wish we could take credit for the idea, but it was based on a similar project in Syracuse (those pix are at the same web address).
So the idea leapfrogged from Syracuse to My Fair City, but now we've lost a great opportunity to leapfrog it to Your Fair City. All of our upstate cities need to be smarter about learning from each other - or even shamelessly stealing cool ideas from each other - rather than foolishly cutting off opportunities (literally) at the root.
Let the business owners install bike racks, they are safer than using the parking meters and are less of a liability to the city.
I know that we are an incredibly sensitive group on BRO, especially when it comes to certaini subjects like bike racks and bike friendly streets. It doesn't surprise me that some of you have sand in your crack over the planned removal of the parking meters. So someone in City Hall didn't put everything on hold so satisfy the dreams of a minority of residents. Oh well! Maybe Panos will install a large rack in their new parking lot.
ugh, no one listens. Maybe we are talking to the wrong people. That picture is particularly frustrating, not only did they remove the parking meters, it looks like they left sharp metal edges to pop tires and trip over. Looks like they have actually made the city less bicycle and pedestrian friendly... Way to go guys. Keep up the good work...
I'm sorry but could someone please tell me the benefit of those new parking machines as opposed to the old meters? They're not as easy to find (unlike meters right next to your parking spot), and create more and more waste with those d@#mn tickets. The last thing I need in my car is more junk, and the last thing we should be producing is more unnecessary trash.
There has to be a way to make use of a singular machine for collections purposes without those stupid tickets printed by the thousands every day. Anyone know of any other options?
morons w/o consequences – is that who and how runs city hall??? this is unbelievable! and, frankly, as a small business owner, I'm getting sick of all the extra jobs and extra expenses (for simple amenities) being dumped at the feet of business! we sweep the sidewalks, pick up your litter, cigarette butts and dog crap, we put flowers around the trees and now, that'll be the only place where bikes can get locked – not good for the trees, not good for the flowers, not good for the bikers ––– WTF!!!!!!!!!!!! did no one think of the ripple effect of this stupid decision?
Hoss, in another thread you recommended I contact Justin Booth of Green Options Buffalo for further information regarding the CompleteStreets legislation. He plans on posting once he has more information, but he provided me the legislative wording (signed by the Mayor on 11 June), and I've copied it further below for readers. Thank you, Justin Booth!
After reviewing the ordinance below, I don't see specifics that would change the way streets and sidewalks are constructed now. This thread provides a good example: are bike racks a necessity for a complete street? The legislation doesn't say. I'm a fan of speed humps, sidewalk corner extensions and clear bike lane markings, but the legislation doesn't specify on these, either. I'm hoping that the persons entrusted with interpreting the legislation truly act in the community interest. _______________________________________________________________________________________
No. 115 By: Messrs. Locurto, Rivera and Golombek RE: Ordinance Amendment Chapter 413, Streets and Sidewalks Article XIV, Complete Streets
The Common Council of the City of Buffalo does hereby ordain as follows: That Chapter 413 of the Code of the City of Buffalo be amended to read as follows:
413-68 Complete Streets Defined A. Complete Streets are defined as facilities that are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users. Persons with disabilities, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders are able to safely move along and across a complete street.
413-69 Implementation of Complete Streets and Exceptions A. The Commissioner of Public Works, Parks, and Streets shall include pedestrian and bicycle facilities in all new street construction, street reconstruction, street maintenance, public works and park projects undertaken by the City of Buffalo subject to the exceptions contained herein. B. The City of Buffalo Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board shall review all new street construction, street reconstruction and street maintenance projects undertaken by the City of Buffalo and shall provide consultation regarding its implementation as a complete street. C. The inclusion of bicycle and pedestrian facilities shall be mandated in all new street construction, street reconstruction and street maintenance projects undertaken by the City of Buffalo unless one of the following exists: 1. Bicyclists and pedestrians are prohibited by law from using the facility. In this case, alternative facilities and accommodations for pedestrians and bicyclists shall be provided within the same transportation corridor as determined by the Commissioner of Public Works, Parks and Streets. 2. The cost of establishing bikeways or walkways would be disproportionate to the need or probable use. Costs shall be considered disproportionate for purposes of this section if the cost of including bicycle and pedestrian facilities exceeds twenty percent of the cost of the larger project. 3. Where the existing right of way does not allow for sidewalks, bike lanes, paths or other improvements. In this case, the Commissioner shall explore alternatives such as the use of revised travel lane configurations, paved shoulders, signage, traffic calming, education or enforcement to accommodate pedestrians, cyclists and persons with disabilities. If the Commissioner makes said determination he shall reduce it to writing and file it with appropriate supporting documentation with the Common Council and Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board for its information and review. 4. Where the Commissioner determines that the inclusion of bicycle and/or pedestrian facilities on a roadway would constitute a threat to the health, safety and/or welfare to the motorists and/or pedestrians and bicyclists of the City of Buffalo. If the Commissioner makes said determination he shall confirm it in writing and file it with appropriate supporting documentation with the Common Council and Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board for its information and review.
413-70 Planning, Design and Maintenance of Facilities A. Bicycle and Pedestrian facilities will be planned, designed, developed and maintained in accordance with guidelines adopted by the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT), New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) or other guidelines approved by the City of Buffalo.
Its not just between Utica and Hodge....they are all gone on Elmwood. And they were all just lopped off like that picture, so there are sharp metal stumps sticking an inch or so out of the sidewalk. It looks really bad, but you know that nobody is ever going to fix them.
"The unfortunate thing is that the business community was not even asked if they could help foot the bill"
Hasn't the livery stable taught anything? Cities don't come to the people, you need to go to them and be proactive. And after you go to the city, you need to go again, then again. I don't like the system either, that is just how it works for now. Hopefully, we can building a better system via the internet
Oh, and to Newell's observation about timing: this move indeed sucks, with the people coming to town this weekend covering Buffalo and those looking at whether to move or move back to Buffalo. Imagine for a moment that with more foresight, there could have been the opportunity for folks to attend a cool unveiling on Elmwood like I mentioned above, of formerly ugly parking meter posts transformed into public art and bicycle parking. A good story all around: Buffalo unveiling new public art, Buffalo responding to rising gas prices by "rolling out" new bike parking, Buffalo encouraging biking to and within the City's top retail district, Buffalo creatively making the most of its resources and infrastructure, Buffalo's City Hall and community organizations partnering to revitalize the city, Buffalo declaring its aim to become "Bike City USA" (as discussed on BRO recently), etc. But no.
Along these lines, also imagine that with foresight - and a bit of patience - the official ribbon cutting on the new beach could also have happened during Buffalo Homecoming, with Newell in the conga line to acknowledge the role of BRO in launching that project. What a great story for out-of-town media and all the visitors: Buffalo's young progressives are now staying and working to revitalize the city, instead of heading off in search of greener pastures. But no: the picture is largely the same middle-aged guys in suits - with the local fishwrapper vaguely mentioning that "someone" gave the beach idea to a councilmember.
For several days, Buffalo Homecoming shines a focused spotlight on Buffalo's potential and revitalization like no other happening in the community. In the future, instead of dumb moves and bad timing on the part of myopic City government, with some advance planning and vision there could be a number of projects in the pipeline that would show off smart planning, wise and creative use of existing resources, community/government collaboration, and progressive ideas for revitalization --- a series of cool ribbon cuttings and unveiling parties which would have everyone wanting to come be part of it, and spread the word.
That would go a long way to combat the image portrayed by Al Jazeera and others of Buffalo as a post-industrial basket case. City Hall, please wake up and get it together.
How about the business owners act in a proactive way and put up some bike racks in front of their places? Sure, it would be great if the city would do it, but they didn't, so deal with it. Obviously the jagged pieces of metal will be leveled out and filled...hasn't anyone seen the other areas of the city where this has been completed, or was this picture only used as a way to inflame the (not so) masses?
I have a few answers to some people's questions. First, there are some within city government who are trying to experiment with using the meter poles as bike racks. Wasn't there recently a BR article about this same topic where the original author stated they received word that David Rivera and Mike LoCurto were trying to do this on Hertel Avenue?
I also read an article in the Buffalo News promoting the "benefits" of the new pay & display station. The city was really pushing for them because they make it much easier to plow the sidewalks. As a potential drawback, the article cited the fact that these new machines sometimes freeze and are destroyed when hit by snow plows.
With regards to the complete street legislation, I am under the impression improvements will only be implemented when streets are re-done from here on out.
Lastly, with regards to LightoftheMoon's question about other options for paying for parking, I think (not sure) the city is offering those little electronic devices you can hang in your rear view mirror. The idea is you purchase parking time in pre-determined "blocks" (i.e, $25) and draw down on it like a debit card everytime you park in a place where you would normally pay a meter.
I'm not from Buffalo, but I am a cyclist - so I empathize - but while searching for art bike racks I found these, which seem like a good solution to your parking meter problem (if you can catch them in time). Custom art optional.
http://commuter.typepad.com/commuterpageblog/2007/01/bike_parking_or.html and here http://www.creativemetalworksllc.com/Pages/production_racks_divs.html#
Hmmmm, it is a shame but it seems that people on this site would rather complain than do anything about it....nobody thought to call the city's parking enforcement people to ask about the fate of the old meters? Is it really that suprising that they took them down? Any one of us could have called, stopped the removal, and spearheaded a plan to raise the funds for bike rack conversion.
Another thing is that the city does deserve some of the blame, but do you really expect them to lead this charge? Granted they may seem like an easy scapegoat and they are, but where's the business community, neighbors, EVA to raise the issue?
Next time get away from your computers and do something. We're all at fault. Myself included.
Here's another piece of legislation. I suggested it to Marc Coppola various years ago and provided some research reports. As you see, it requires businesses to put bike parking facilities in any new or newly enlarged parking lots.
There's a sad irony in the city requiring others to provide bike parking facilities and then turning around and removing the only practical bike locking sites from along city streets.
§ 307-15.2. Bicycle parking. [Added 5-31-2005, effective 6-10-2005]
A. Bicycle parking facilities shall be provided for any new building, addition, parking lot or enlargement of an existing building, or any change in the occupancy of any new building that results in the need for additional auto parking facilities.
[many more paragraphs follow...available on request]
Here's another piece of legislation. I suggested it to Marc Coppola various years ago and provided some research reports. As you see, it requires businesses to put bike parking facilities in any new or newly enlarged parking lots.
There's a sad irony in the city requiring others to provide bike parking facilities and then turning around and removing the only practical bike locking sites from along city streets.
By the way, I did phone Mr LoCurto's office a week or so ago to express concern about the fate of the meters. I was told that he and at least one other Council member had sent a letter to some appropriate departments in the city government about the problem of bike locking in the absence of meters. The person I spoke with was quite confident that the matter was being properly dealt with.
§ 307-15.2. Bicycle parking. [Added 5-31-2005, effective 6-10-2005]
A. Bicycle parking facilities shall be provided for any new building, addition, parking lot or enlargement of an existing building, or any change in the occupancy of any new building that results in the need for additional auto parking facilities.
[many more paragraphs follow...available on request]
How about the business owners act in a proactive way and put up some bike racks in front of their places? Half the businesses in Allentown don't even remove snow from the sidewalks in Winter. So I kind of doubt they're going to install bike racks.
This isn't about being proactive or not but that it would have been an easy fix to convert the poles to bike rack usage and by their removal it is going to cost anyone even more money in the end to do the work themselves, making it even more difficult to happen. This was just a really shortsighted move by the city without excuse.
I think Buffalo does need more bike racks but lets do it the right way. Turning a meter into a bike rack has several flaws with the most important being how close they are to the road. Adding a ring to them puts them even closer to the road. We have to coexist with motorist and this is not a good solution. Who is going to pay for all the dented car doors or scratched bikes. Where are cars going to park if there are bikes lining a block less then a foot from the curb. Let’s get more bike racks but lets think of everyone when doing it and do it right.
As a business owner you can't just install something in front of your building. Be it a bike rack, patio, awnings, signs, chairs/tables ect. In order for an owner to just "install" a bike rack out front they need to get aproval from the city. At best thats two to three months of meetings, with zoning, city council, planning, ect.....you'll need to submit drawings. All of which is time consuming and it will cost money. It aint as easy as it sounds.
And for those that say you should have "called city hall." Before you make that comment. Try calling city hall. Tell them what your complaint or idea is......see how far you get. Tell me how much hair you have left afterwards.
Our politicians here and our governmental process here SUCKS!!!
valid points rydog but at the same time often cars and parking meters can coexist just fine. A bike locked to the sidewalk side of the parking meter is no close to a car door than the meter itself so I don't think it would make much of an issue. Plus these are measured and placed to allow car doors to open.
Also the doors are only a problem if the car has more than one passenger... all to often that isn't the case so the drivers are still going to always be getting out into traffic either way. Plus not every meter would need ot be converted, 50% 33% anything would be better than nothing. All in all I don't think those are enough of a reason to throw away the resource that existed to have to spend more money, energy, and natural resources putting more in. Aren't we supposed to be saving money and natural resources. This is like typical American consumerism. throw this away and buy new without any thought to reuse, or recycling.
851-4890 Thats the number to city hall- myors complaint line. please call. if all 33 people who commented on this post would call, maybe they will take action!!!
What a drag, and yet typical indeed, rather like the way the City took away my old trash bins and told me they would not deliver new ones for 30 business days. That's the wrong order in which to do things! Emailing and calling the mayor's line seemed to move delivery date up a few weeks. I hope City Hall can move as quickly to correct this problem.
I lived in Buffalo during the fall of 2007 and early winter 2008. I used my bicycle to get around the city rain, shine or snow. I was very frustrated with the lack of infrastructure for cyclists. Granted, I am comparing my Buffalo experience to cycling in Toronto where I commuter cycled for many years, but nonetheless, I was surprised by the absence of basic necessities for cyclists both on the streets and outside stores. Without sidewalk bicycle racks, I regularly had to search for trees or hydro-electric poles that I could hitch my bike to. Aside from Wegman's on Amherst and the Lex Co-op, no other stores which I visited provided bicycle racks for shoppers...Tops, Rite-Aid, CVS, Walgreen's, Target, Wilson Farms, coffee shops...and many more. For cyclists coming to Buffalo from any other city that has a greater awareness of urban bike culture, the Buffalo biking experience, regrettably, can be nothing but disappointing.
I am going to start locking my bike up on Government Property, since my taxes payed for it anyways.
We had two major events in Buffalo yesterday and the primary focus on BRO is the removal of parking meters?
Nothing on the resignation of Richard Tobe?
Nothing on the Kaleida / ECMC settlement and the creation of a University Hospital in the medical corridor?
But someone takes out the parking meters that you want to use to lock your bikes, which is not a very safe bet anyway, and you all want the city to stop and apologize. I will never understand the mentality of BRO readers and writers, never.
Lets stop paying city taxes. I will pay for my user fee, police/fire, and school...everything else is a waste and duplicated for the region. When are we going to wake up.
Heather: regarding your lament:
I first met Richard Tobe about a decade ago and like him much. Always have been very impressed with him. Smart, capable, listened very well. Was he doing a great job? Is his ouster justified? I can't say that I have any real idea one way or another. I'm not on the inside.
Similarly, what do most of us know about the ins and outs of the hospital dispute? From what I've heard, it sounds like ECMC stays after all, it just gets called a new 'campus' of the medical complex. Millard Gates gets shut down, and another facility gets built. But I'd be hard pressed to give you any cogent argument one way or another as to the wisdom of the proposed deal. Again, it's a little bit beyond my knowledge base to make an informed judgment one way or another.
But bike racks? That's not rocket science. I can grapple with all the complexities of that issue. Moreover, that's exactly the type of issue that the individual can make a difference on. It's simple to understand, it's a quality of life issue and it's time sensitive (this is the first most of us knew of the destruction of the meters on Elmwood). So it's not surprising that the post seemed to hit a nerve with a lot of the readership. This post's popularity doesn't imply misplaced priorities on the part of readers or writer.
BRO takes reader submissions. What's your take on Tobe or the hospital agreement?
yeah the buffalo news covered the big stories, the whole basis of BRO is to cover the smaller more personal issues in the city and hopefully attempt to spur some debate and interest in bettering the situation.
As far as I'm aware, the city did what it said it was going to do. They never actually agreed to keep the poles in place.
Real Question is "Are the PEOPLE of Buffalo Bike Friendly?"
I'm a competitive cyclist, no I haven't won any crazy titles, but I have fun competing in local events (www.buffalobicycling.com) so I can move on my bike when I want to. I was riding up Wadsworth the other day towards Symphony Circle @ a little under 25 mph (almost the damn speed limit) when some Jacka$$ made a left onto Wadsworth right in front of me and then cranked the wheel over hard and almost hit my front wheel with his bumper. I had to hit the breaks. Oh yeah there were no cars coming the other way so this guy had plenty of room to be in the other lane but chose to swerve in front of me
I was pretty mad and caught up to this "gentleman" at the 1st light. I should have left well enough alone, but I told him to be careful and that he had just cut me off. He said "no kidding, get your damn bike off the road!!"
Completely dumbfounded we both too off from that light at the same time. He swerved his truck into the bike lane at me so hard that he almost could not recover and almost hit the parked cars himself. I was lucky, I was not hurt, but my hand scrapped down the side of this guys SUV hard enough to burn a hole in my glove!
I just want to take a second to remind everyone IT IS ILLEGAL TO RIDE YOU BIKE ON THE SIDEWALK. IT IS DANGEROUS TO YOURSELF AND PEDESTRIANS TO DO THIS. BIKES, BY LAW, HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS TO THE ROAD AS CARS. I am no "critical mass" guy and think that they tend to make more people mad then do good, but really how do we get people to be OK with sharing the road? How do we also get people to stop riding their damn bikes on the side walk? How many times have you almost been hit by some guy tooling around on his mountain bike on the side walk? I really hate that.
educations, not once in the entire process of getting a license dis a person actually told about the law and sharing the road. This gives people some sense of entitlement that it is their road and its entire purpose is for cars.
Same could be said about traffic circles people hate, fear and don't know how to deal with them because they were never taught the rules of engagement. Hell most people now adays can't tell you who goes first at a stop sign anynmore because everyone just waves everyone else on.
sbrof, Good points on both. It's been a while but I don't remember there being any of this stuff in driver's ed. so it guess it is the State of New York that is not bike friendly...
sbrof, Good points on both. It's been a while but I don't remember there being any of this stuff in driver's ed. so it guess it is the State of New York that is not bike friendly...
How can Buffalo City Hall be "Bike Friendly" to the community when they can not even get it right for the employees who work in the building? I often bike to work but cannot lock my bike up at the ONE rack in the building that is for employees. The rack is sited at the exit end of a basement corridor at the top of a few stairs. The rack spans what shoud/could be an emergency exit. The door to the outside is about 6' from the rack (so a thief has a pretty good shot at breaking a lock and getting a bike out of the building without being caught). If you are not one of the first four bikers to arrive, forget about securely locking your bike to the rack. This is fine for those who do not own expensive bikes but with spending over $1,000 on one and I have to question if this is where I want to leave my investment. There might be a security camera above the rack, but most likely it is just a dummy lens to give a sense of security for the rack. One 6' long rack for the entire building's employees.
I myself bring my bike up to my office in the one elevator that is designated for deliveries. But since the call button in the basement calls four elevators, you often play the waiting game, sending the other elevators to all the upper floors while waiting for the delivery elevator to finally make it to the basement.
To me, as a city employee, it as no surprise that all the meter poles are being removed. Departmental change occurs slowly here in City Hall, if at all. If you look at the employees who work here, many of them have a hard time getting from their cars to the building while gasping their last breath of nicotine. Bikes are not on the radar for most. And to change a policy would mean that someone in Public Works would actually have to do something different than what is in a book or on a boilerplate instruction. So, what should be an hours worth of work becomes a week of worry, followed by a weekend of forgetting about it.
Bini ranch - I am not an insider in any of these situations, but I find that the discussions on BRO usually reveal a lot of insight, speculation, and fact that rounds out the stories offered by the Buffalo News. I am not a writer, so I am not qualified to submit contributions on these stories as I would probably just pull most of the info from the various news outlets in Buffalo. BRO writers have access to, or a means to get, other information, interviews, and perspectives not offered to the average resident. This is why I am compelled to check BRO during my lunch hour or at home, I like the discussion and some of the perspectives. It does seem to me that BRO has a few pet causes and issues that they champion more than others. Frequent commenters also have their causes, like bike friendly streets, certain types of development, certain types of preservation over others, etc. We all see it and know it exists.
As far as Richard Tobe, I have met him and worked with him a few times, I see this as a loss for the city and a significant loss for some of the causes that BRO champions.
The hospital merger exciting, especially the sanctioning of a UB partnership and a teaching hospital at Buff General.
These are good things to discuss, but it is ok, they are already a day or two in the past.
From City Hall "If your complaint relates to removing obsolete parking meter poles, which some people occasionally use to fasten their bikes to with locks, you'll be happy to know that we are in the process of implementing a comprehensive, uniform effort to install bicycle racks throughout the city's commercial districts and other high traffic areas (e.g., downtown core). As an avid cyclist myself, I am keenly aware of riders' desire to find places in the city to lock their bikes. As an Administration, we will create a program that will support that activity and hopefully encourage more people to ride their bikes." "Cutler,Peter"
Newell-Can I ask a question here?! You know the general order of things when it comes to most American City Halls, so with that knowledge I know you and everyone had, why didn't Elmwood Village groups/bike riding citizens get ahead of the curve and prevent this by taking the initiative and approaching the big guys beforehand??? Ya know politician's energy is spread out in thousand directions with everyone pissin and moaning about every damn thing. Too many people are so quick to complain when they don't want to realize this is THEIR community and THEIR community is what THEY make it to be! Why do we have to constantly whine when we are the ones who dropped the ball this time. I didn't think ahead either. You, in particular though, KNEW the meters were being replaced all over the city months and months ago! Come on now. Could have sworn I read an article here with a pic about the new fan-dangled automatic meters! Ball was dropped here and in all fairness, you can't expect a turtle to think and gallop like a horse and complain when it doesn't...it's just a turtle...it's never going to! Hello! . So, with all due respect here...Quit cryin for your baby. You want your baby, you should have gone to the fridge to get it yourself. You knew you'd want it and you didn't think ahead. City Hall is suppose to do what it's people tell it to do. You don't tell them...guess what.... they have to guess and try to read minds. We all know how well that works for all of us...
Ugh! My darn spell checker ! BA BA OK? UGH! Go the fridge and get your own ba ba!!!!! I hate Windows Vista!
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