Live from Toronto: On The Road To A Boulevard Plan

Live from Toronto: On The Road To A Boulevard Plan

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Dec 13th 2007, 1:19pm By queenseyes

The trip to Toronto with Nora Beck (Congress for New Urbanism), Chuck Banas (New Millennium Group), Councilpersons Mickey Kearns, Mike Locurto, Dave Franczyk, along with Jacqueline Rushton (Senior Legislative Asst. Council Staff) and *Art Robinson (community activist) started off with a 9am meet-up at City Hall. Ten minutes (and one parking ticket - sorry Chuck) later, the band was on the road.

Part of the plan for the trip is to relay concerns for the need of a Master Plan for The Skyway, and the Southtowns Connector. Mickey recently filed a Skyway closure/maintenance resolution regarding safety and monetary upkeep issues. National grid is trying to work with the DOT and the Department of Public Works to fix the lighting on The Skyway. There are twenty overhead lights burned out on The Skyway at the present time. Each time the Skyway closes six police officers are taken off their beat to protect people from driving into a dangerous situation. Mickey has asked the DOT for the cost maintenance study that should be completed sometime in May or June.

The Waterfront Coalition is determined to see the Route 5 downgrade alternative (over the proposed elevated freeway and boulevard combo). The trip is zero cost to tax payers. The experts in Toronto are taking time out of their busy day to meet with the traveling team. Three meetings are scheduled today and one for Friday morning. The results will be filed with The Common Council. The independent experts will then be invited come to Buffalo to share their thoughts, ideas and concerns for the public record.

*Currently there are nine paid councilmen. Art Robinson (the tenth councilman... like the twelfth man) is a community activist who spends much of his time helping volunteering for these types of Common Council concerns.

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  1. Joshua

    0 ratings12345
    Dec 13th 2007, 13:39

    Yeah sorry Chuck - Buffalo likes to hand out parking tickets (at least they provide you with an envelope, no postage though?) Looks like you were over on Court St.?

    Good luck getting this SKYWAY taken down!

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  2. BROKEEPSBLOCKINGME

    0 ratings12345
    Dec 13th 2007, 15:12

    Wow, that weather looks great... :p

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  3. BuffaloGeek

    2 ratings12345
    Dec 13th 2007, 16:53

    They aren't there to get the Skyway taken down, they are there to discuss a Route 5 construction project. No plan that is currently under consideration advances the speed with which the Skyway will be taken down.

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  4. Andrzej

    0 ratings12345
    Dec 13th 2007, 19:06

    I don't much understand the piling on the bandwagon against the Skyway. I think it's graceful from below and provides a great view from above. Leaving it up as a pedestrian/bike lookover would be interesting. I don't hear much talk about reconnecting the Michigan Ave. bridge. Anyone know anything about that ?

    Also, queenseyes, there's no need to hypercorrect the term councilman into "councilperson". It was corrected years ago by Common Council action (when Rose LoTempio was on the Council) to Councilmember.

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  5. RisingDamp666

    0 ratings12345
    Dec 13th 2007, 23:46

    Have you hugged your Skyway today?

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  6. WholeLottaJibbaJabbah

    0 ratings12345
    Dec 14th 2007, 08:30

    put that on a tee shirt risingdamp666 i'm sure you'd make a boat load, maybe a yacht load.

    Report this

  7. Jefferson

    0 ratings12345
    Dec 17th 2007, 10:41

    Chuck - where's your winter coat and gloves? Brrr........

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