Hoyt Moves to Merge Bridge Entities
Assemblyman Sam Hoyt held a press conference yesterday in Front Park to discuss his initiative urging Governor Paterson to merge the Buffalo and Fort Erie Bridge Authority and the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission. Hoyt asked the Governor to make joint appointments as an interim step towards a full merger.
"It makes no sense to have two authorities, 20 miles apart," Hoyt said. "Not only will we benefit from reduced cost, but we can establish regional transportation policies to the maximum positive impact of being a border community. It makes no economic or strategic sense to have two separate entities controlling four bridges within miles of each other.”
From Hoyt's press release: The legal complexities posed by merging the two entities will make a true consolidation a lengthy, complicated and arduous process requiring legislative action at the state and federal level in both the US and Canada. As such, Hoyt proposed that the Governor make joint appointments to the two boards as an interim step towards a unified, regional approach to cross-border transportation. Currently there is one US vacancy on both boards and one on the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission board, in addition to the vacant General Manager of the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission.
In addition to the obvious duplicative expense of two sets of administration and management staff, this situation additionally creates an environment that fosters competition between these two entities rather than collaboration and true regional planning. Consolidating the two entities will provide a more beneficial and coordinated approach to meeting our region’s transportation needs and prioritizes collaboration over competition while reducing government bureaucracy, and better maximizing our investment in this infrastructure.
Hoyt concluded “The Governor’s warning about the pending budget crisis means that it is more imperative than ever that we seek ways to reign in duplicative services and to better allocate scarce resources. Public authorities in New York State are far too often sources of waste, mismanagement, ingrained in the status quo and insulated from accountability. Making sure that these two organizations begin to focus on making decisions based on what’s best for the region’s needs, and not their own bottom lines, is one of the best places to start rethinking how we spend taxpayers money.”
Beyond the merger issue, Hoyt was asked about the proposed new bridge and truck plaza that could have a dramatic impact a stone's throw from where he stood in Front Park.
"People far smarter than I have come up with a plan to divert trucks to Niagara County, where there's less density in population," Hoyt said.
"Peter Tower, formerly of CJ Tower & Sons [distribution and freight forwarding], and Pat Whalen and other advocates of a transportation center at Niagara Falls recognize the connectivity we would gain with highway, train, air and commercial bridges there. It would get the truck traffic off of the Peace Bridge," Hoyt explained.
When asked if the diversion of truck traffic could have a negative impact on our community, Hoyt said, "We don't have a huge economic impact to begin with by having lots of trucks crossing over into the West Side." Hoyt said that a Niagara Falls, NY, distribution and transportation hub would also solve any health issues that may be exacerbated by the flow of trucks close to residential neighborhoods. He asserted that the Niagara Falls airport, being the only area airport big enough to accommodate cargo planes, would be a good answer to the much maligned West Side truck plaza plans.
"This could be a multi-modal, number one economic development opportunity for the entire region," Hoyt asserted. He went on to say that the addition of air cargo is what causes Kennedy Airport in New York City and Pearson Airport in Toronto to be "bursting at the seams. And we should be looking to be a major center between them."
Hoyt continued, "Large companies may decide to move the majority of their business here for the proximity to a large distribution center, banks, and all sorts of commercial activity that could continue to grow in Buffalo."
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sonyactivision
Oh, here we go...
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Sal
Did anyone show up at Hoyt's press conference aside from the writer? He looks like he's standing alone in a field.
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siloman02
Nothing against Sam Hoyt, but State Authorities are one of the major problems with this State. They are individual fiefdoms with minimal/no accountabilities and the ability to arrange debt that we, the taxpayers, must pay. http://www.cbcny.org/PubAuthorities.pdf
A brief quote:
New York State’s extensive reliance on authorities has given rise to four significant problems: · Misuse of the power to incur debt · Insufficient oversight and coordination of project revenue backed and private conduit borrowing · Insufficient reporting to support accountability · Insufficient independence in governance"
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buffaloweiner
I totally agree with redirecting traffic ti Niagara Falls & Grand Island
The whirlpool could easily be reactivated for rail and both the Lewiston and Whirlpool can handle more traffic
The grand island bridges need to be rebuilt...and grand island remains the only remaining location for a bridge to Canada
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Colin
Hoyt's proposal would reduce the number of authorities. Seems like a good move.
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Harvey
This is the right solution. The current proposed 45 acre truck plaza didn't come together because it was the best plan for regional transportation and economic development - it was created by the PBA because it was the land they had and they didn't want to lose the revenue from the trucks to someone else (even though we get no economic benefit from them because they just jump right on the highway al leave the city) by proposing alternative options. Only 20% of the Peace Bridge traffic is trucks yet it creates all the back ups, almost all the health and environmental problems, and would have created the necessity for tearing up a historic neighborhood. Truck processing doesn't belong in densely populated neighborhoods. Not Columbus Parkway or anywhere else within blocks of schools, parks, and dense populations.
If we merge both Authorities we wont have competition for the truck revenue and we can find the best solution - which by the way would absolutely be multi-model truck traffic in one location where we could offer free trade zone benefits etc., and a car only gateway into Buffalo at the Peace Bridge where visitors could enter a beautifully restored Front Park, go through a beautiful Columbus Parkway neighborhood, and then travel down (a soon to be thriving with all the new traffic) Niagara street to the downtown core. But, yes, i don't trust authorities either.
Harvey
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Downtownjunkie
Thank you Sam for finally thinking up something worth while. Now lets get it done. Instead of just talking about it lets actually follow through. If a sing Niagara bridge commission ran all 4 border crossings and built another trucks only bridge we could solve all of our problems with the existing peace bridge debate. Also I know the grand island bridges are DOT run, but wouldnt it make sense to bump up the toll prices and include them in the new Niagara bridge commisison as well seeing as how a large proportion of Niagara Falls tourists utilize the GI bridges? I mean GI office workers and residents could be offered free passage or a discounted toll rate like now but imagine the extra revenues brought in by one entity collecting all the toll revenue and streamlining cross border traffic. And one last point how can the average person help in this effort to combine these bridge commissions/authorities?
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magnum
GREAT IDEA! FYI: A new Amtrak station is going to be built at the site of the decommissioned whirlpool bridge. It would be nice if they opened that bridge up to vehicular traffic again.
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Jay
He just seems to do these press events so he can hang his hat on something, but in reality there's never any follow up and in the end he gets nothing done.
And is this the kind of thing that really needs a press conference? I guess right before an election you have to look like you're doing something.
Frustrating.
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chrishawley
I like the picture above. It shows how many people will vote for Sam Hoyt on Sept 9th.
Hey, didn't Sen. Moynihan propose this idea many years ago?
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bfloBR
to comment on the idea...while in theory this makes sense, it is an extremely simplistic proposal that would not happen easily. The bridge plays an enormous role in the life and economies of both Buffalo and Fort Erie and removing their local interests from the authority, as such a proposal would do, would be extremely difficult to sell...especailly in Fort Erie. I kind of got to agree with Jay on this one. Hoyt loves to throw out these press conferences that don't amount to anything. I have always liked Sam Hoyt, but I think his turn has run its course. At a time when NYS gov't. is literally in shambles, I see little use for gimicky proposals that are meant to gain political momentum or spotlights. Realistically, this is exactly what this is.
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Biniszkiewicz
agree with bfloBR: good idea, tough sell in Ft. Erie.
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Colin
1. Politicians like to get their names in the news. Hardly unique to Hoyt, though he's better at it than most.
2. Yes, this does need a press conference. He has an idea that he'd like to float. He can either spend the next 10 years knocking on doors and discussing it, or he can send out a press release.
3. The idea that Hoyt "gets nothing done" is contradicted by the number of times where funding he's secured or a law he's helped pass is mentioned right here on BRO.
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buffaloweiner
why are we building a new bridge in Buffalo when we can simply recondition and reopen the whirlpool bridge for truck and rail?
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stoecdo
I'm sure the unions will find some way to prevent this from becoming more than an idea.
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bridgebum
What are you really going to save? You would still need a maintenance crew, janitorial staff, management for those staffs. If the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission took on the Peace Bridge also, they would need additional accounting staff, and managorial staff. You may save a few top people, that's it.
Ask Sam Hoyt how many state workers he has gotten rid of and how many state workers have gotten laid-off due to the tough economic times. He's just diverting the negative attention from himself.
This proposal sounds very simple but is really very complicated. As stated above, people forget that another country is involved. People also may not be aware, but the Peace Bridge Authority caters to many tenants that include the USDA, Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security, and numerous brokers. It's like running a city with many of the same problems - two of the biggest being transportation and Homeland security.
If you listen to the traffic reports, the longest back-up times are at the Niagara bridges, not the Peace Bridge. Very few trucks go though the West Side streets unless they have to. And I don't think that the Peace Bridge Authority really just wants to buy land. I'm sure they would give up what they now own if the entire problem would disappear.
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bridgebum
What are you really going to save? You would still need a maintenance crew, janitorial staff, management for those staffs. If the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission took on the Peace Bridge also, they would need additional accounting staff, and managorial staff. You may save a few top people, that's it.
Ask Sam Hoyt how many state workers he has gotten rid of and how many state workers have gotten laid-off due to the tough economic times. He's just diverting the negative attention from himself.
This proposal sounds very simple but is really very complicated. As stated above, people forget that another country is involved. People also may not be aware, but the Peace Bridge Authority caters to many tenants that include the USDA, Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security, and numerous brokers. It's like running a city with many of the same problems - two of the biggest being transportation and Homeland security.
If you listen to the traffic reports, the longest back-up times are at the Niagara bridges, not the Peace Bridge. Very few trucks go though the West Side streets unless they have to. And I don't think that the Peace Bridge Authority really just wants to buy land. I'm sure they would give up what they now own if the entire problem would disappear.
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chrishawley
In the spirit of not being critical of overly-sensitive incumbent politicians, this may indeed be a fine idea.
It was proposed when I was still in high school, when the above incumbent politician was still somewhat fresh in office.
If he can implement it soon, that would indeed be impressive. Perhaps the timing is there.
If not, I am willing to bet on another progressive community leader, Barbra Kavanaugh, to get us the change and results we deserve.
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EAM
Sam Hoyt sponsored the eminent domain legislation to have the Columbus Pkwy. neighborhood bulldozed for another bridge and plaza. He has had ample opportunity to come to the table and discuss the many issues with the Peace Bridge expansion project, but has ignored the pleas of the residents to look at this project differently for the past year. He has never cared about the health of the 25,000 children on the West Side who can't vote and whose little lungs are susceptible to asthma. The only thing different today is it is a day closer to election day and he is looking to attract votes. Too bad he didn't care enough to invite some of the residents to this press conference. We might have joined forces as a team to help the community. I would like to believe he really cares, but.............
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