This past July, I wrote about the possibility of an Outer Harbor Urban Bike Park coming to the Outer Harbor (see post). It turns out that the City’s Panning Board approved the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation’s project last night. This is great news for cycling enthusiasts who have been promoting a vision of this nature for years. Common Council still needs to sign off on the project, but advocates feel that the rest of the process is simply a formality at this point – crossing fingers.
Once Common Council approves the plan, the project will go out to bid. From there, construction is anticipated to start by June of this year, with opening day slated for Memorial Day 2019.
Along with renderings, we are including a site plan of the project, which includes the biking trails (orange) vs. paved walking trails (green) that hook into the existing Greenway Trail. The scope of the project ensures that cyclists, joggers, hikers, etc., all have a fun and interesting place at the waterfront to spend a warm, dry, summer’s day… or throw in a little rain and mud, and the scene is still picture perfect. The various tracks will suit a wide array of cyclists, looking for everything from a casual trek to a more aggressive ride (learn more). There will also be a number of amenities to cater to families who are looking to spend the day at the Outer Harbor, riding bikes, walking trails, flying kites, or simply observing the action.
Hopefully this incredible bike project drives home the importance for further cycling connectivity within the city. This is big news for bike friendly Buffalo.
Click on images to enlarge…