Posted from Common Council Chambers
This evening Common Council Members convened to confront the DOT with its already outdated plan that places another elevated highway along Route 5. Councilman Kearns led the meeting and started off by saying how unfortunate is was that the DOT canceled/declined to meet with The Council on Wednesday. This evening, Kearns asked if there was a representative in attendance in Council Chambers. No one stood up. The council vetoed the DOT plan by 100%. Now there is no response by the DOT. Pretty soon it's going to be too late. The regular people get it. The politicians somehow don't. This is the people's decision that the DOT is not even listening to. The DOT is saying that the time for debate is over? Are we just going to take the plan that an authority hands us? No! Elevated highways are out. The DOT should not be able to choke out progress without the people's consent.
Councilman Franczyk spoke out about the need for a visionary plan. [Summary] Something with access to walking without an obsolete elevated highway. DOT is not supposed to set policy... they are not urban planners... they are traffic experts. The council body has voted exactly opposite what the DOT is handing the public. They are going with the safest, easiest most unimaginative plan. The fact that the DOT is not here tonight speaks volumes.
Councilman Bonifacio talked of the authorities that are making the decisions for the public - the Peace Bridge and Route 5. [Summary] I get paid to listen. The DOT is saying that the debate is over. I have a problem with an authority telling us what we want. Now they don't want to meet with the Common Council. Every option should be considered.
Councilman LoCurto [Summary] The people in Chicago and NY won't think that this is a great city until we do. We need to stand up to fight for the best project. We want to be a first class city with first class projects.
Councilman Golombek [Summary] Black Rock and Riverside lost their waterfront to traffic. Now we have the opportunity to prevent another huge mistake. Have we not learned any lessons from other destructive waterfront decisions?
A number of community activists and organization leaders have now spoken... it was Riverkeeper Julie O'Neill that rang out in Council Chambers. [Summary] We should praise Common Council for making a brilliant choice by speaking for the people. The DOT is outright damaging to the community. There is no beautiful boulevard in their plan... it's just part of the Robert Moses legacy. The Tonawandas, Lewiston, Hamburg... they did it right. It's clear to see what highways do to our waterfront. Everyone wants to see Buffalo revitalized... this project falls short and does not serve the people of Buffalo. Let's show some leadership and do the right thing. The Common Council has learned what the right model is. The DOT cannot move forward with the contracts on Thursday.
Conclusion: It’s too bad that the DOT was not in The People’s House this evening. The sentiment (from the DOT) is clear that if the DOT can avoid the public for a bit longer then the plan will be in place and no one will be able to stop it. Ask yourselves one question... what are the two factions divided on this issue? On one side there are community activists who have nothing to gain other than a better city. On the other side are politicians and authorities that want to see a project pushed through at any cost. Just ask yourselves what it is that both sides have to gain. Where are the political higher-ups and why aren't they listening to the public? Just go see the world-class urban planning project in Hamburg and then ask yourself why the city always gets shafted. Now the ball is in the politicians' court.
-Signing off from Common Council Chambers at City Hall
Photo: Councilman Kearns and New Millennium Group’s Chuck Banas