As Buffalonians continue to fight for some of our horrid planning mistakes to be rectified, other cities are still being assaulted with problematic planning mistakes that could have been avoidable. We are all aware of the consequences of ramming highways through cities and along waterfronts. So why do city planners still do it?
Other bad planning mistakes come in the form of burying giant parking lots underground. What could be so bad about that? Just take a gander at this recent post by The Guardian, which points out that these underground parking lots can actually lead to traffic congestion – instead of concentrating on public transportation solutions, some cities are dumping loads of money into bringing more cars into their downtown cores.
Then there are the almighty silver bullet proposals. If any city is aware of silver bullet proposals, it’s Buffalo. Remember Bass Pro? Or almost demolishing the Electric District to make way for a new Convention Center?
A few years ago, Buffalo had the opportunity to turn Route 5 along the waterfront into a boulevard. But we blew it.
Today we have various groups fighting to reverse our worst urban planning mistakes, such as the Restore Our Community Coalition (ROCC), which will soon pay tribute to key leaders and neighborhood stakeholders who have been fighting to restore Humboldt Parkway. Heck, if Rochester is doing it… why not Buffalo?
Many Buffalonians are currently entrenched in a battle with the NYS Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), to transform the Scajaquada Expressway into a picturesque boulevard – if we can somehow pull it off, it will be the first time that we righted a major wrong in the realm transportation bungles.
Be sure to read The Guardian post, and prepare to check off a list of mistakes that Buffalo has either made, or almost made.
Lead image: There are two parks in this photo. One on this side of the expressway, and another park on the other side. When Olmsted created Delaware Park, this was not the case. It’s time to stitch the park back together, by creating a boulevard that befits this city’s historic landscape.