A press
release from Governor Paterson’s office, that also quotes Congressman Brian
Higgins and Public Bridge Authority General Manager Ron Rienas, announces
federal approval of 5 new bridge designs (below). Open houses to further describe
the five possible bridge design concepts will be scheduled for Buffalo and Fort
Erie, Ontario in January and February, 2010.
The open
houses will also show modifications of the U.S. plaza that the project sponsors
have been working on since the public last commented on the plaza design in
March of 2008.
The release
called the announcement a “significant breakthough in moving forward the
long-stalled Peace Bridge project.” The designs have been approved
by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and the Public
Bridge Authority, in agreement with State, federal and Canadian environmental
agencies. The release states that of these five environmentally
acceptable design concepts, any of them “can be chosen by the project
sponsors and moved forward to construction.”
Congressman
Brian Higgins said: “With this hurdle behind us, we can now move forward with a
project that will not only construct a bridge but build our economic future.
With a new Peace Bridge we add the predictability and capacity necessary to
allow for the flow of traffic that can support and boost our manufacturing,
retail, cultural, educational and medical industries.”
Ron
Rienas, Executive Director of the B&FEPBA, said: “We believe the public
will be pleased to see how closely we paid attention to their concerns and how
hard we have been working to maximize the benefits of this project not only to
Buffalo and the rest of the region, but also to the area that will host the project.”
The five
designs are as follows:
1) Two tower
cable stay with towers 345′ tall with diamond shaped towers
2) Two tower
cable stay with towers 345′ tall with needle shaped towers
3) Three
tower cable stay with towers 300′ tall with diamond shaped towers
4) Three
tower cable stay with towers 300′ tall with need shaped towers
5) Three
span arch with arches of graduated heights the tallest 226′ high
“With this
federal approval, the Peace Bridge development is ready to move forward. I am
proud to unveil to the public – for the first time – these five new designs,
one of which will become the signature bridge that Western New Yorkers deserve
and have waited for,” Governor Paterson said. “The environmental concerns have
reconciled with the public’s desire for a magnificent structure connecting the
United State with Canada. This is about more than just a symbol for Western New
York; it is about the economic expansion of a region through international
commerce.”
(Note: No renderings of the park or plaza were available to us at this time.)