TRANSPORTATION PROJECT REPORT DRAFT DESIGN REPORT / DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT / DRAFT 4(f) EVALUATION

VOLUME 12 Appendix G - H:

G – Public Involvement Plan and Summary H – Public Comments and Responses

November 2016

PIN 5470.22 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor Grant Street Interchange to Parkside Avenue Intersection City of Buffalo Erie County TRANSPORTATION PROJECT REPORT DRAFT DESIGN REPORT / DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT / DRAFT 4(f) EVALUATION APPENDIX G Public Involvement Plan and Summary

November 2016

PIN 5470.22 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Grant Street Interchange to Parkside Avenue Intersection City of Buffalo Erie County September 2016 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor PIN 5470.22 Public Involvement Plan and Summary

TABLE OF CONTENTS

G1 Public Meetings and Hearings 1

G2 Project Stakeholder Group 1

G3 Project Mailing List 1

G4 Newsletters and Press Releases 3

G5 Project Website 3

G6 Public Involvement Activities Log 3 September 2016 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor PIN 5470.22 Public Involvement Plan and Summary

PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PLAN AND SUMMARY

It is the mission of the New York State Department of Transportation to ensure our customers, those who live, work, and travel in New York State, have a safe, efficient, balanced, and environmentally sound transportation system. To that end, public involvement is an integral part of the project development process. This document provides an overview of the public involvement program for the NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor project. It summarizes the dates, times, locations, objectives, and results of each meeting. This summary has been and will continue to be updated up through publication of the Final Design Report/Environmental Impact Statement (FDR/FEIS). The primary tools for public involvement are described in the following sections.

G.1. Public Meetings and Hearings

Public meetings and hearings have been and will continue to be held throughout the duration of the study to provide the general public with an opportunity to participate and provide input. This series of meetings includes those required by the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA). A series of interactive design workshops was also held at the onset of conceptual alternative development. A summary of the public meetings and hearings is included in Section G.6 of this document. Copies of meeting minutes are attached to this document.

G.2. Project Stakeholder Group

A Project Stakeholder Group was formed at the beginning of the study. Stakeholder Group representatives were identified by the NYSDOT Project Team with input from other internal and external resources. The Stakeholder Group was assigned the following responsibilities:

· Be a “sounding board” for the project team to determine if concepts and alternatives will be acceptable to the general public. · Gather input from the groups they represent · Bring the viewpoints of their constituency to the table · Strive to build consensus · “Talk the project up” to neighbors, the public, and others

The Stakeholder Group has and will continue to meet periodically over the duration of the study and continues to be an important resource to assist with decision making. Current stakeholder group members are listed in Exhibit G.2.1. A summary of each meeting is included in Section G.6 of this document. Copies of meeting minutes are attached to this document.

G.3. Project Mailing List

A project mailing list was developed as the basis for issuing newsletters, press releases, meeting notices, and other communications to the public. It contains the names and contact information of local officials, adjacent property owners, resource agencies, and various other individuals who have contacted the Department asking to be added to the list. The list has been the basis for sending out project mailings. Public requests for addition to the list can and have been made by telephone, in writing, and via e-mail. It is also possible to ask to be added to the list via the project website. The list is maintained by the Department on ProjectWise. The list has not been formally published to protect the personal information of those individuals whose information it contains.

1 September 2016 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor PIN 5470.22 Public Involvement Plan and Summary

Exhibit G.2.1. Stakeholder Group Members Albright-Knox Gallery American Trucking Association Black Rock-Riverside Alliance Black Rock-Riverside Good Neighbors Planning Alliance Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society Buffalo-Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau Buffalo-Niagara River Keeper Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Buffalo State College Buffalo Zoo Burchfield-Penny Art Center Catholic Health System City of Buffalo City of Buffalo Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee City of Buffalo Common Council Representatives City of Buffalo Department of Public Works, Parks, & Streets Delaware Park Steering Committee Elmview Place Block Club Elmwood Village Association Erie Community College Erie County Department of Environment and Planning Erie County Legislature Federal Highway Administration Forest District Civic Association Forest Lawn Cemetery GO Bike Buffalo Greater Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Council Grant-Amherst Business Association Martin House Restoration Corporation Medaille College New York State Senate Member Marc Panepinto New York State Assembly Member Sean Ryan New York State Assembly Member Crystal Peoples-Stokes New York State Department of Transportation Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Niemiec Builder Supply Parents for a Safer Delaware Park Parkside Community Association Restore our Community Coalition Richardson Center Corporation Scajaquada Pathway Committee Sisters Hospital

2 September 2016 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor PIN 5470.22 Public Involvement Plan and Summary

United States Congressman Brian Higgins United States Congressman Chris Collins United States Senator Charles Schumer United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

G.4. Newsletters and Press Releases

Project newsletters and Press Releases have been and will continue to be periodically produced and distributed throughout the duration of the study to keep individuals and groups informed of progress and events. The target audience is the general public. Newsletters contain simple, non-technical descriptions and graphical illustrations. The primary method of distribution has been mailing, although some have been distributed to partner agencies and community groups for further distribution. The newsletters were also published on the project website. Copies of the project newsletters and Press Releases are attached to this document.

G.5. Project Website

A dedicated project website was developed to facilitate the exchange of information regarding the study. Site content includes presentations, graphics, meeting minutes, and other summary information to keep the public informed on project schedule, estimated cost, and project milestones. It also functions as a continuous means for the public to communicate with the Department and ask questions. The website is hosted by NYSDOT Web Central and is accessible at the following address: www.dot.ny.gov/scajaquadacorridor

G.6. Public Involvement Activities Log

Public involvement activities that took place from May 31, 2007 to July 12, 2016 are listed in Exhibit G.6.1. This includes public meetings, public hearings, Stakeholder Group Meetings, and meetings with other parties. Following the list, summaries are provided for the public meetings and other activities with more details.

Exhibit G.6.1. Public Involvement Activities Date Activity May 31, 2007 Stakeholder Group Meeting #1 September 13, 2007 Stakeholder Group Meeting #2 - Project Corridor Tour November 28, 2007 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Scoping Meeting December 10, 2007 NEPA Scoping Meeting - Business Briefing April 23, 2008 Stakeholder Group Meeting #3 April 29, 2009 Stakeholder Group Meeting #4 July 9, 2009 Buffalo State College Campus Plan Update September 16, 2009 Public Interactive Design Workshop #1 – I-190 to Grant Street November 4, 2009 Public Interactive Design Workshop #2 – Parkside to NYS Route 33 April 29, 2010 Public Interactive Design Workshop #3 – Elmwood & Delaware Park April 28, 2011 Stakeholder Group Meeting #5 May 26, 2011 Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Board Briefing February 15, 2012 Stakeholder Group Meeting #6 March 16, 2012 Complete Streets Coalition & Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Board Meeting

3 September 2016 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor PIN 5470.22 Public Involvement Plan and Summary

March 26, 2012 Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Board Meeting March 21, 2013 Stakeholder Group Meeting #7 April 23, 2013 Parkside Community Association Traffic Committee Meeting June 21, 2013 Briefing with Assemblyman Ryan’s Office July 10, 2013 Albright-Knox Art Gallery Meeting July 17, 2013 Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Board Meeting July 18, 2013 Briefing with Assemblyman Ryan December 13, 2013 Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Board Meeting January 16, 2014 Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Board Meeting February 13, 2014 Parkside Community Association Meeting April 9, 2014 Public Meeting #1 with Assemblyman Ryan July 27, 2015 Project Briefing for Assemblyman Ryan September 16, 2015 Public Meeting #2 October 14, 2015 Meeting to Discuss Proposed Interim Pedestrian Crossing at Lincoln/Iroquois October 20, 2015 Meeting with Albright Knox November 2, 2015 Meeting with City of Buffalo Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Board November 17, 2015 Stakeholder Group Meeting January 14, 2016 Stakeholder Group Meeting February 10, 2016 Public Meeting #3 February 18, 2016 City of Buffalo Traffic and Engineering Department Meeting February 24, 2016 Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Board Meeting March 1, 2016 Meeting with Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority March 1, 2016 Meeting with Community Member Larry Williams March 2, 2016 Meeting with Humboldt Community Association/Glenwood Neighborhood March 3, 2016 Meeting with Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Board and Go Bike Buffalo March 8, 2016 Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Board Design Committee Meeting March 10, 2016 Meeting with Buffalo State College, Buffalo Zoo, Albright Knox March 17, 2016 Meeting with City of Buffalo Engineering, Traffic and Parks Departments Meeting with Buffalo Zoo, Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, and City of March 24, 2016 Buffalo March 29, 2016 Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Board Design Committee Meeting Meeting with Parkside Community Association, Scajaquada Corridor Coalition, March 31, 2016 Elmwood Village Association, and Grant Amherst Business Association April 19, 2016 Meeting with Business Owner Rob Niemiec May 9, 2016 Meeting with Assemblyman Ryan May 12, 2016 Stakeholder Group Meeting May 16, 2016 Meeting to Discuss Main/Humboldt/Kensington Intersection May 19, 2016 Public Meeting #4 (Open House) June 23, 2016 Stakeholder Group Meeting July 11, 2016 Meeting with Albright Knox July 12, 2016 Stakeholder Meeting with Buffalo State College

4 September 2016 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor PIN 5470.22 Public Involvement Plan and Summary

Meeting: Stakeholder Group Meeting #1 Date May 31, 2007 Place NYSDOT Region 5 Office Time 1:00 PM Objective · Gather the Stakeholder Group for the first time · Introduce the Design Team · Explain the Environmental Review Process · Explain the roles and responsibilities of the Stakeholder Group

Results · Design team was introduced to the Stakeholder Group and listened to initial concerns and ideas · Next steps in the process were discussed

Meeting: Stakeholder Group Meeting #2 – Project Corridor Tour Date September 13, 2007 Place Corridor Vantage Sites and Parkside Lodge Time 3:00 PM Objective · Tour the Scajaquada Expressway Corridor by coach bus, stopping at key locations including: ° I-190 Ramps to Grant Street ° Grant Street Interchange and Overpass ° Lincoln Parkway Pedestrian Bridge ° Delaware Avenue Interchange ° Parkside Avenue at Agassiz Circle ° Main Street at Humboldt Parkway · Conclude the tour at the Parkside Lodge for follow up discussion of observations

Results · Personal experience of the corridor elements, issues and resources · List of ideas and concepts for the Scajaquada Corridor · Discussion about pros and cons of alternatives suggested in the City of Buffalo’s Expanded Project Proposal

Meeting: NEPA Scoping Meeting Date November 28, 2007 Place Medaille College Lecture Hall Time 6:00 PM Objective · Introduce the public to the study · Solicit comments on the draft Purpose and Need Statement · Solicit input on what are considered important existing environmental resources · Brief the public on study status and schedule

Results · Listened to and recorded transportation and corridor issues and concerns · Responded to technical questions regarding data collected and presented to date · Received comments on the draft Purpose and Need Statement · Explained the Stakeholder Group concept and their role to the public

5 September 2016 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor PIN 5470.22 Public Involvement Plan and Summary

Meeting: NEPA Scoping Meeting – Repeat Briefing Date December 10, 2007 Place NYSDOT Region 5 Office Time 1:30 PM Objective · Brief a local business owner and political officials who could not attend the November 28, 2007 meeting. The same information was presented.

Results · Listened to concerns regarding the length of the project schedule · Obtained additional input and answered questions about the existing expressway

Meeting: Stakeholder Group Meeting #3 Date April 23, 2008 Place Buffalo State College Time 3:00 PM Objective · Provide an update on the study · Seek additional input on the draft Purpose and Need Statement · Review the Section 106 Consultation Process for Historic Preservation Issues · Review public comments received to date · Discuss ideas for additional outreach including interactive work sessions

Results · Early consensus on the draft Purpose and Need Statement · Plan for a series of Interactive Design (Alternative Development) Workshops · Additional agencies identified for invitation to join the Stakeholder Group · Received input from businesses and schools regarding the need to maintain vehicular accessibility and corridor mobility

Meeting: Stakeholder Group Meeting #4 Date April 29, 2009 Place Buffalo Zoo Time 3:00 PM Objective · Provide a status update · Summarize information from draft Chapter 2 of the DR/EIS · Seek additional input on the draft Purpose and Need Statement · Review a working 3D model simulation the existing project corridor

Results · Received additional comments on the draft Purpose and Need Statement · Obtained thoughts on how to improve publicity for upcoming public workshops · Opening discussion on posted and operating speeds for alternative designs · Consensus on format of the Interactive Design Workshops · List of possible locations for the Interactive Design Workshops

6 September 2016 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor PIN 5470.22 Public Involvement Plan and Summary

Meeting: Buffalo State College Campus Update Date July 9, 2009 Place Buffalo State College Time None Listed Objective · Obtain information on Buffalo State College’s development plans and studies · Listen to Buffalo State College comments and concerns

Results · Discussed a possible future stadium location on campus · Disapproval of new off ramps from NYS Route 198 near Grant Street · Discussed possible locations for a proposed pedestrian overpass · Request that the proposed project not result in additional delay for students and faculty accessing campus (maintain corridor mobility)

Meeting: Interactive Design Workshop #1 Date September 16, 2009 Place Burchfield Penney Art Center Time 6:30 PM Objective · Focus on NYS Route 198 from I-190 through the Grant Street Interchange · Describe the environmental, roadway, drainage, traffic, and historic context · Welcome, thinking session, and recap for sharing of ideas · Provide an active role for the public in the shaping of alternatives · Obtain feedback on initial concepts

Results · Concept for additional facilities to accommodate canoeing (launch/portage) · Concept for pocket parking along Scajaquada Creek · Disapproval of a sidewalk along Scajaquada Creek · Interest in an extension of Letchworth Street · Call for a speed transition zone between the viaduct and Grant Street · No preference for roundabouts or signalized intersections on NYS Route 198

7 September 2016 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor PIN 5470.22 Public Involvement Plan and Summary

Meeting: Interactive Design Workshop #2 Date November 4, 2009 Place Saint Mary’s School for the Deaf Time 6:30 PM Objective · Focus on NYS Route 198 from Parkside Avenue to NYS Route 33 · Describe the environmental, roadway, drainage, traffic, and historic context · Welcome, thinking session, and recap for sharing of ideas · Continue cooperative alternative development with the public · Obtain feedback on initial concepts

Results · Support for retaining the shape of Agassiz Circle · Disapproval of a three-lane roundabout at Parkside Avenue · Concept for lowering NYS Route 198 along the Delaware Park frontage · Concept for an additional entrance/exit from Delaware Park to NYS Route 198 · Discussed cost and engineering challenges associated with a tunnel beneath Parkside Avenue · Desire to maintain truck access for business, cultural, and educational sites · Suggestion for a boulevard with intersecting streets along Humboldt Parkway · Desire to reduce congestion, noise, and air impacts at Main/Kensington · Suggestion to place lights on a raised median · Desire for speed reduction. Some additional delay tolerable to meet other goals · Statement that local streets lose a significant portion of their width to snow storage during the winter · Request for a safer pedestrian crossing at Parkside Avenue · Request for speed reduction, pedestrian, bicyclist, and streetscape improvements as part of any alternative

8 September 2016 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor PIN 5470.22 Public Involvement Plan and Summary

Meeting: Interactive Design Workshop #3 Date April 29, 2010 Place Delaware Park Marcy Casino Time 6:30 PM Objective · Focus on NYS Route 198 from Elmwood Avenue to Delaware Park · Describe the environmental, roadway, drainage, traffic, and historic context · Welcome, thinking session, and recap for sharing of ideas · Continue cooperative alternative development with the public · Obtain feedback on initial concepts

Results · Call for improved pedestrian and bicyclist facilities by enhancing the existing network of paths and sidewalks · Consensus that modern roundabouts with more than two through travel lanes are undesirable · Request to fully investigate signals as an alternative to roundabouts for intersections on NYS Route 198 · Desire to remove ramps and increase green space wherever possible · Desire to remove the ramp in the southwest quadrant at Delaware Avenue to visually and acoustically benefit Delaware Park and Hoyt Lake · Request to consider lowering NYS Route 198 along the Delaware Park frontage · Request for a pedestrian underpass where NYS Route 198 crosses Scajaquada Creek · Preference for a “boulevard feel” and “non-expressway” features · Suggestion to investigate quiet paving treatments · Suggestion that the focus of efforts along the entire corridor be geared toward the protection and enhancement of community assets rather than handling traffic · Suggestion to investigate narrower lanes (e.g. 11 ft in lieu of 12 ft) · Desire to retain NYS Route 198’s function as a through roadway. If turned into a local street, traffic diversion and mobility during the winter were concerns · Suggestion to consider on-street parking · Suggestion to include enhancement features that appeal to pedestrians and bicyclists rather than just motorists who might not see them at higher speeds · Request for a drainage system that addresses both water quantity and quality · Suggestion to move lighting to a location where it will not be easily knocked down

9 September 2016 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor PIN 5470.22 Public Involvement Plan and Summary

Meeting: Stakeholder Group Meeting #5 Date April 28, 2011 Place Delaware Park Marcy Casino Time 3:00 PM Objective · Update Stakeholder Group on status and progress · Discuss schedule · Explain the results of the GBNRTC travel demand model · Present future no-build traffic analysis results · Provide early insight on preliminary alternative traffic analyses · Provide a comparison of projected signal vs. roundabout operations · Summarize the results of the Interactive Design Workshops

Results · Attendees were provided with copies of existing and future year traffic volumes · Discussed that projected traffic diversion away from Route 198 is limited and why · Outlined the initial concept for a feasible alternative o Non-expressway principal arterial facility o Relative overall safety improvement o Improved pedestrian connectivity o Reduced travel speeds o Introduction of a “green” median o Improved harmony with surrounding community character and environment o Does not significantly erode the existing level of service · Received comments on the initial concept for a feasible alternative · Refined a location for the proposed pedestrian bridge at Buffalo State College · Received a suggestion for a canoe launch · Further discussed a possible Buffalo Parks Building relocation

Meeting: Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Board Meeting Date May 26, 2011 Place Delaware Park Marcy Casino Time 9:00 AM Objective · Joint meeting of the Olmsted Design Review Meeting and Long Range Planning Committee · Provide a project update directly to the Conservancy · Continue a productive two-way dialogue with the BOPC · Share graphics showing the initial concept for a feasible alternative

Results · BOPC presented a history of the Scajaquada Corridor · BOPC summarized its past comments on the study · Consensus emerged that the project would not be able to directly recreate Agassiz Circle · NYSDOT committed to modeling a 2-lane roundabout at the Parkside Avenue intersection and sharing the results with the Stakeholder Group and BOPC · Reaffirmed that the Department is committed to a non-expressway alternative that meets many of the Conservancy’s goals however it must balance that with the interests of the community, economy, and overall mobility and safety · Received additional comments on what the BOPC would like to see considered as the study progresses

10 September 2016 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor PIN 5470.22 Public Involvement Plan and Summary

Meeting: Stakeholder Group Meeting #6 Date February 15, 2012 Place Delaware Park Marcy Casino Time 3:00 PM Objective · Update Stakeholder Group on status and progress · Share an updated conceptual feasible alternative having considered past Stakeholder Group and BOPC comments · Provide information on issues associated with a pedestrian underpass of NYS Route 198 at the Scajaquada Creek crossing · Present traffic simulation of a 2-lane roundabout at Parkside Avenue · Present a draft traffic simulation for the conceptual alternative · Receive comments on the revised concept

Results · Recognition that none of the options suggested for the Main/Kensington location thus far have had the promise to significantly improve safety and operations despite extensive cost · Request to consider a roundabout at the proposed intersection on Iroquois Drive · Listened to concerns regarding traffic at Parkside Avenue · Request for installation of lighting in the NYS Route 198 median · Request to change the proposed right-in, right-out driveway from Delaware Park to NYS Route 198 to a right-in only · Preference for sidewalks and pathways to be/remain separate from the roadway · Request for the addition of pedestrian refuge islands wherever possible · Request to consider narrower lane widths (i.e. 11 ft instead of 12 ft) · Plan to meet a second time with the BOPC Board

Meeting: Meeting with Buffalo Complete Streets Coalition / Bicycle & Pedestrian Group Representatives Date March 16, 2012 Place Buffalo City Hall Time 10:00 AM Objective · Present on project status · Review the updated initial concept for a feasible alternative · Obtain input and comments

Results · Grant Street Corridor is on the GBNRTC 2008 Bike/Ped Master Plan · Preference for a lower posted speed limit on NYS Route 198 · Request for improved bicycle and pedestrian connections at Nottingham Terrace and across Elmwood Avenue · Information on a proposed bicycle path along the west site of Elmwood Avenue from Forest to Iroquois · Extended an invitation to participate in the Stakeholder Group · Request to consider a sidewalk along the east side of Delaware Avenue beneath NYS Route 198 · Information on flooding/splashing concerns on NYS Route 198 eastbound between Delaware Avenue and the Buffalo Parks building · Suggestion to increase the separation between the proposed roadway and Delaware Park comfort station · Advised that a traffic calming study is planned for Parkside Avenue · Asked for an interpretation of Agassiz Circle at the Parkside intersection

11 September 2016 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor PIN 5470.22 Public Involvement Plan and Summary

Meeting: Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Board Meeting Date March 26, 2012 Place Delaware Park Marcy Casino Time 1:00 PM Objective · Joint meeting of the Olmsted Design Review Meeting and Long Range Planning Committee · Present content from Stakeholder Group Meeting #6 directly to the BOPC · Continue a productive two-way dialogue with the BOPC

Results · BOPC presented draft comments on the initial concept for a feasible alternative · Request to utilize practical features with realistic maintenance requirements while emphasizing historic quality and character · Request to restore historic grades in areas where ramps are to be removed · Request for additional curvature west of Delaware Avenue · Request that water quality features reflect the shape of historic features · The BOPC would like to see additional bicycle and pedestrian paths created as alternatives to the Jesse Kregal Pathway adjacent to the Erie County Historical Society Museum · Request to consider improved pedestrian connectivity beneath the Elmwood Avenue bridge in conjunction with ramp removal · Expressed concern over anticipated operating speeds in the range of 40-45 miles per hour · Suggestion that a replacement Elmwood Avenue bridge evoke the design of the original structure · Request to reconsider placing traffic back on the Three Tribes (Lincoln Parkway) bridge · Request to relocate the proposed roadway farther away from the Delaware Park Comfort Station · Suggestion that the width of the median should be minimized to maintain the park buffer along both sides of NYS Route 198 · Suggestions made for improved connectivity between the Buffalo Parks building and Delaware Park · Request for landscaping and/or features that evoke the form of Agassiz Circle · Request to consider alternative alignments for the proposed entrance to Delaware Park from NYS Route 198 · NYSDOT requested a written statement from the BOPC regarding their position on the existing Delaware Park comfort station · The BOPC indicated formal comments would be provided to the NYSDOT in the near future

12 September 2016 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor PIN 5470.22 Public Involvement Plan and Summary

Meeting: Stakeholder Group Meeting #7 Date March 21, 2013 Place Delaware Park Marcy Casino Time 3:00 PM Objective · Joint meeting of the Olmsted Design Review Meeting and Long Range Planning Committee · Present content from Stakeholder Group Meeting #6 directly to the BOPC · Continue a productive two-way dialogue with the BOPC

Results · A modern roundabout would not have adequate capacity to handle anticipated traffic demand throughout the project design year (2040) at the Parkside Avenue Intersection. · To date, no feasible major build alternative had been identified for the Main Street (NYS Route 5) and Kensington Avenue “triangle” that would significantly improve operations and safety without significant property impacts and construction cost. Minor improvements with targeted safety and pedestrian accommodation benefits are still under consideration. · Improvement at the Main Street (NYS Route 5) and Kensington “triangle” would encourage traffic diversion away from the Parkside Avenue intersection. · Proposed improvements would accommodate a full size tractor trailer to support the viability of adjacent commercial businesses and cultural institutions. · The Environmental Impact Statement will contain a Smart Growth Analysis per New York State Law. · One attendee asked the Department to consider removal of the yield controlled connector between Nottingham Terrace and NYS Route 198 at Lincoln Parkway · A 30 or 35 mph posted speed limit is not a realistic expectation for NYS Route 198.

Meeting: Meeting with Parkside Community Association Traffic Committee Date April 23, 2013 Place Parkside Community Association Office Time 3:00 PM Objective · Provide summary and overview of various options considered for the Main Street (NYS Route 5) and Kensington Avenue “triangle.”

Results · Reviewed the infrastructure, traffic, safety, and cost implications of 10 different options. · Discussed a new concept to address safety and pedestrian access issues on a smaller scale to be investigated further subsequent to the meeting. · Discussed improvements targeted for the Parkside Avenue intersection under Alternative 2A and several options that were screened as part of the preliminary design process.

13 September 2016 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor PIN 5470.22 Public Involvement Plan and Summary

Meeting: Albright-Knox Art Gallery Meeting Date July 10, 2013 Place Albright-Knox Art Gallery Time 1:00 PM Objective · Present a summary overview of the various alternative solutions that had been considered for the corridor · Review in detail the features of Draft Preferred Alternative 2A and conceptual renderings of proposed roundabout on Iroquois Drive

Results · Questions the art gallery representatives had concerning the project were addressed · Gallery representatives considered Alternative 2A to be a significant improvement over existing conditions, improving safety and beautifying the corridor while providing accessibility to and from their facility · Representatives were in support of the roundabout on Iroquois Drive and agreed that it had the potential to be a significant gateway feature to the art gallery

Meeting: Public Meeting #1 Date April 9, 2014 Place Buffalo State College Time 5:00 PM Objective · Summarize the history of the project, review input received from the public and stakeholders to date, describe a vision for the corridor’s future, and to obtain additional input

Results · Members of the public reviewed informational displays regarding the project, then a PowerPoint presentation on the proposed four-lane boulevard alternative was given · Discussions took place during the following question and answer period, comments were recorded · Subsequent to the meeting, Assemblyman Sean Ryan asked the NYSDOT to study alternatives that would convert the Scajaquada Expressway to a two-lane city street with a 30 mph speed limit or remove it entirely from Delaware Park

Meeting: Public Meeting #2 Date September 16, 2015 Place Frederick Law Olmsted Public School 64 Time 5:00 PM Objective · Provide an update on recent traffic studies conducted as part of the proposed project to transform NYS Route 198 · Host panel discussion to respond to questions asked by members of the public

Results · There is interest in having the Scajaquada Expressway better complement its surroundings including Delaware Park · Several different alternatives, how they might operate, and their potential effects on the adjacent neighborhoods have been studied · Comments received at the meeting will be incorporated in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and the project will undergo more review

14 September 2016 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor PIN 5470.22 Public Involvement Plan and Summary

Meeting: Stakeholder Group Meeting Date November 17, 2015 Place NYSDOT Region 5 Office Time None Listed Objective · Discussions with stakeholder group regarding interim improvements · Updates on project progress

Results · General consensus that pedestrian crossings should be part of overall traffic calming, not before the rest of the measures · Stakeholders recommend transition zones at each end, and lane narrowing should be done now · Need to discuss SCC’s 13 Points at next meeting, whether they should be part of interim measures or long-range plan · Stakeholders expressed concern over safety issues due to interim measures such as stop signs and differing speeds. Visual cues suggest that it is still an expressway · Discussed other concerns of stakeholder members about various topics

Meeting: Stakeholder Group Meeting Date January 14, 2016 Place NYSDOT Region 5 Office Time None Listed Objective · Discussed design changes with stakeholder group members · Reviewed the “13 points” and applicability to interim vs long-term project

Results · Some stakeholders want the speed limit raised to 45 mph, questioned why it was changed, and asked whether it will stay at 30 mph · Parkside community and Buffalo State college expressed support for the 30 mph speed limit · NYSDOT said that as part of the NEPA process alternatives have to be considered · Discussed the traffic calming measures that were implemented and/or considered for both interim and long range plan · Asked for connections to Riverside Park, bike path, and neighborhoods. The City of Buffalo is developing plans for a better connection to Riverside Park from the Jesse Kregal Pathway · The traffic calming memo will be available to the public in the DEIS · Overview of NEPA requirements and processes regarding parks and historic resources, and options to enhance park land · Discussed options at Parkside Avenue – roundabout, improving pedestrian safety. · Discussed traffic problems and options to improve Route 198/Main/Kensington interchange · NYSDOT will review again a “10-page letter” that was submitted

15 September 2016 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor PIN 5470.22 Public Involvement Plan and Summary

Meeting: Public Meeting #3 Date February 10, 2016 Place Buffalo State College Time 7:00 PM Objective · Provide an update on the proposed project to transform NYS Route 198 from an urban expressway to a lower speed urban boulevard · Summarize the history of the project, review input received from the public and stakeholders to date, describe a vision for the corridor’s future, and to obtain additional input · Commissioner Matthew Driscoll discussed the progress and expedited timeline

Results · The NYSDOT has held numerous meetings with stakeholder and local interest groups and will continue to listen and obtain input · The project will convert the Scajaquada Expressway into the Scajaquada Boulevard with two lanes in each direction. · Design features including traffic calming measures will be put into place that make it feel more natural and comfortable to drive at the current 30 mph speed limit · Reducing the roadway to one lane in each direction or removing it completely would displace vehicles and pose problems to neighboring streets including traffic congestion and air pollution · Accommodations for pedestrians and bicyclists and at-grade crossings will be incorporated into the design · Short term actions will be taken this summer: installation of temporary gateway features, restripe and narrow travel lanes at the eastern end, install rumble strips on the western end, install additional variable message signs with speed indicators · The environmental review process will be expedited working toward releasing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement in the fall of 2016 and a construction contract in 2017 · Questions and comments during the question and answer period were recorded

Meeting: Meeting with the Humboldt Community Association/Glenwood neighborhood Date March 2, 2016 Place Sister’s Hospital Time 6:00 PM Objective · Meeting organized by Glenwood Neighbor Association · Discuss issues that the homeowners wanted to raise

Results · Residents on Humboldt Parkway feel that the 30 mph speed limit is causing more traffic to exit onto Main Street at Humboldt Parkway, which is causing negative effects including traffic congestion and air pollution · The Scajaquada project should be coordinated with efforts to improve Humboldt Parkway · The project should deal with the area east of Parkside Avenue and the Main/Kensington/Humboldt intersection · They feel there are safety issues with cars trying to exit from NYS Route 198 westbound onto Main Street, speeding on Humboldt Parkway, and the eastern transition zone

16 September 2016 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor PIN 5470.22 Public Involvement Plan and Summary

Meeting: Stakeholder Group Meeting Date May 12, 2016 Place NYSDOT Region 5 Office Time None Listed Objective · Present graphics depicting different median options as well as bicycle/pedestrian options the department is evaluating · Discuss comments and concerns from stakeholder groups

Results · Discussed the safety reasons for having a raised median, a decision will be made with the city regarding the maintenance of the landscaping · Stakeholders asked about changes to Meadow Drive in Delaware Park, and BOPC does not like a divided bike track on the road which will create additional crossing points and conflicts between bicycles and pedestrians · Questions were answered regarding pedestrian crossings, storm water retention areas, and keeping the 30 mph speed limit

Meeting: Stakeholder Group Meeting Date June 23, 2016 Place NYSDOT Region 5 Office Time None Listed Objective · Discuss pedestrian crossing at Buffalo State College · Show two concepts to create pedestrian access between Buffalo State campus and Grant Amherst Neighborhood – pedestrian bridge, and at grade crossing Iroquois Drive and Scajaquada Corridor with a bridge over Scajaquada Creek

Results · Buffalo State College had input in selecting the location of the crossing which connects to the campus sidewalk and pathway network · One stakeholder member suggested considering a complete street design and combining Iroquois Drive with the Scajaquada Corridor · Buffalo State College stated that Iroquois Drive is used as the service road to access all the buildings, so the roadway is necessary · An at grade crossing would be controlled by a HAWK signal, it was suggested to use an offset crossing to force pedestrians to turn towards oncoming traffic · Discussion took place regarding various issues and design options for pedestrian and bicycle access

Meeting: Meeting with Albright Knox Date July 11, 2016 Place Empire State Development Time 1:00 PM Objective · Further ongoing discussions of how the future NYS Route 198 can be made to work for all including the Albright-Knox Art Gallery · Develop a cohesive plan that would benefit those that live around the gallery as well as those that will visit · Discuss issues and plans for Albright Knox expansion project “AK360”

Results · NYSDOT to review current design for the Build Alternative in the vicinity of the Albright Knox Art Gallery · NYSDOT to reach out to Buffalo State College for additional discussion

17 September 2016 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor PIN 5470.22 Public Involvement Plan and Summary

Meeting: Stakeholder Meeting with Buffalo State College Date July 12, 2016 Place NYSDOT Region 5 Office Time None Listed Objective · Discuss concept plan for the section of NYS Route 198 between Grant Street and Elmwood Avenue · Alignment of the roadway would shift closer to the Buffalo State College Campus and away from Scajaquada Creek · Rerouting of Iroquois Drive and other impacts to campus circulation would be involved

Results · Buffalo State College representatives reviewed plan and identified several issues: o Impact to daily operations, including all custodial services, currently having access to Iroquois Drive · Concept conflicts with other proposed athletic facility plans · Concept conflicts with pedestrian and bicyclists accommodation plans on campus

18 APPENDIX G PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

Meeting Minutes NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33 Stakeholder Group Meeting Number 1 May 31, 2007 @ 1:00 PM NYSDOT Region 5 Offices, Buffalo NY

In Attendance:

NAME REPRESENTING

Darrell Kaminski NYSDOT Region 5 Design Craig Mozrall NYSDOT Region 5 Design Dave Hill NYSDOT Region 5 Design Nimish Shah NYSDOT Region 5Design Ken Kluck NYSDOT Region 5 Landscape Architecture Tim Bender NYSDOT Consultant Mgt. Bur. Mark McAnany Bergmann Associates Mike Croce Bergmann Associates Donna Fernandes Buffalo Zoo Robert 50 Elmview Place, Buffalo Biniszkiewicz 14207 Bernhard Wagner Parkside Community Assoc. Ruth Lampe Parkside Community Assoc.

David Lampe Delaware Park Steering Comm. Jason Symoniak Assemblymember Sam Hoyt

James Morrell NFTA Dennis Crahen Forest Lawn Cemetery Stevan Stipanovich Black Rock Riverside GNPA, Buffalo Rising Magazine Patrick McNichol New Millennium Group Brian Dold Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Seyed Ghasemi City of Buffalo DPW

The Purpose of this meeting was to gather the members of the project stakeholder group for the first time, introduce them to the project team, and explain the current status of the project and the planned process to carry it forward. A slide presentation was used to present information on the project team, environmental review process, role of the Stakeholder Group, project status, and next steps. A binder was given to each stakeholder representative containing information and graphics to be used throughout the life of the project. Mounted renderings were also available for viewing along the side of the room. Questions and answers were handled during the presentation.

Page 1 of 9 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

I. Welcome (Background)

x Consensus is that the Scajaquada is not in harmony with adjacent land uses including educational and cultural institutions. It disturbs the aesthetics of historic Olmsted designed Delaware Park. It also experiences congestion and accidents.

x City of Buffalo Expanded Project Proposal (EPP) completed in June 2005 will be used as a starting point for the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) project. Though new ideas and alternatives can be studied, the group was encouraged to build upon the alternatives presented in the EPP and develop consensus for a physically and fiscally feasible (“do-able”) project. The EPP was a necessary step to get to the current project.

x The time between development of the EPP and the current study was spent defining the scope of the study and selecting a consultant team and bringing them on board to assist the NYSDOT.

x The NYSDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) are joint lead agencies for the project. The NYSDOT is responsible for managing the environmental study and preliminary engineering processes, ensuring compliance with federal and state requirements and regulations, facilitating discussion, and ensuring opportunities for public and participating agency input. Final decision making responsibilities rest with the NYSDOT and FHWA.

x Funding has been secured from the current federal transportation funding bill for environmental studies, preliminary design, and detailed design. The current construction cost estimate is $39 Million dollars. Construction funding must be obtained from the next federal transportation bill. There is competition among projects for funding. The best way to help secure funding is to have a clear project plan in place with community consensus behind it when funds are being allocated.

II. Introductions

New York State Department of Transportation: Darrell Kaminski, PE – Regional Design Engineer Craig Mozrall, PE – Assistant Regional Design Engineer whose squad is handling the project. Dave Hill, PE – Design Squad Leader in charge of the project design and daily operations. Nimish Shah, PE – Project Design Engineer Ken Kluck – Landscape Architect Tim Bender, PE – Consultant Manager, Albany Office

John Burns, PE (not in attendance) – FHWA Project Liaison

Bergmann Associates Consultant Team Mark McAnany, PE – Consultant Team Project Manager and Principal in Charge Mike Croce, PE – Assistant Project Manager

x Stakeholder group attendees went around the room for introductions (Refer to list of attendees and attached list of invited agencies).

Page 2 of 9 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

III. Environmental Review Process

NEPA: National Environmental Policy Act x During this project the NYSDOT will integrate environmental values into the decision making processes by developing the purpose and need for the project, developing alternatives to satisfy the purpose and need and considering the environmental impacts of the alternatives.

x The NEPA scoping process is about to begin with a Notice of Intent to prepare and Environmental Impact Statement. NEPA does not recognize the EPP as a formal scoping document, however much of the information and decisions documented in the EPP will be carried forward for guidance.

x Potential economic impacts and vehicular access (to businesses) will be examined as part of the study.

EIS: Environmental Impact Statement x Due to the scope of work and level of potential impacts that may result from the project, an EIS is required. The document will describe the proposed alternatives on the environment, impacts of the alternatives, and plans to mitigate those impacts.

SAFETEA-LU: Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users x This federal transportation bill allocates funding for highways, highway safety, and public transit projects. The environmental studies, preliminary design, and detailed design of the Scajaquada corridor project are funded through this legislation.

x The Greater Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Council (GBNRTC) is the local Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). One of its functions is to set funding priorities for transportation projects within the Erie, Buffalo, and Niagara County region. To obtain funding, a project must be on the regional Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).

x Construction on the Scajaquada corridor will require funding from the next federal transportation bill and placement on the TIP.

x SAFETEA-LU requires lead agencies to give the public and participating agencies the opportunity to participate in the development of the project’s “Purpose and Need” statement, identification of the range of alternatives to be considered, and other aspects of the Environmental Review process.

SEQRA: (New York) State Environmental Quality Review Act x SEQRA requires agencies to identify and mitigate the significant environmental impacts of their proposed actions. Environmental impacts must be balanced with social and economic factors. SEQRA will be satisfied by the NYSDOT in carrying out this project.

Page 3 of 9 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

IV. Role of the Stakeholder Group

x To keep the group to a manageable size and ensure equal input from all involved, each individual group will be limited to one representative within the Stakeholder Group.

Guiding Principles: x Stakeholders are expected to present their group’s input and comments. x Participants may disagree, but shall remain respectful of each other. x Comments should always be directed to the issue at hand.

Roles and Responsibilities: x Be a “sounding board” for the project team to determine if concepts and alternatives will be acceptable to the general public. x Gather input from the represented groups. x Bring the viewpoints of the represented groups to the table. x Strive to build consensus. x “Talk the project up” to neighbors, public, and others.

x Commuters and other “outside” users of the corridor will have opportunities to provide input and be represented during planned public meetings and hearings. Comments will also be solicited via the project website and newsletters. A survey of general users was also suggested.

x Elected officials have been invited to participate in the Stakeholder Group.

x Stakeholder Group meetings should take place at defined points where the project team has useful information to present, however they may also be held regularly (i.e. monthly) to update each other and listen to any new information and/or concerns from the stakeholder representatives.

x Each Stakeholder Group meeting will have a generalized agenda. Stakeholder Group representatives will be solicited for input on that agenda prior to the meeting. E-mail is an effective way to coordinate this activity.

x Stakeholder Group meetings should be rotated among locations within and around the project area. The Parkside Lodge, Buffalo Historic Society, and Buffalo Zoo were suggested as possible locations. The Stakeholder Group members did not have any problems with meeting at the NYSDOT Region 5 offices as well.

x The next formal meeting will be scheduled with a 7:00 PM start time to see how that works in generating attendance. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays would work best.

x Anyone not previously invited, but interested in joining the Stakeholder Group, should contact Craig Mozrall at the NYSDOT for more information.

x Minutes will be written for each Stakeholder Group meeting and distributed to the entire group. Minutes may also be posted on the Scajaquada project website.

x Not all Stakeholder Groups invited were in attendance. Those that did not attend will be contacted again to encourage a greater “turn-out” at future meetings.

Page 4 of 9 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

V. Project Status

x Project officially kicked-off on March 19th.

x Peak hour turning movement data has been collected at roughly 60 intersections and 24-hour continuous volume and vehicle classification (tube count) data was collected at 72 mainline or mid-block locations.

x A coordinated plan has been developed with the GBNTRC to model traffic. The potential for various NYS Route 198 alternatives to divert vehicles onto neighboring local streets and highways will be studied. Detailed traffic analysis will be completed along the NYS Route 198 corridor. Traffic analyses will also be conducted to assess the impacts of diversion at key intersections between I-190, Humboldt, Ferry, and Hertel. The large-scale impact of diversion will be evaluated over an area bounded by I-190, NY33, and I-290.

x Effect of I-190 Toll Removal: Tube count data is available from the period before tolls were removed on I-190. Scajaquada project data was taken with tolls removed but toll barriers still in place. Additional counts will be taken after the physical toll barriers are removed and traffic has normalized. Traffic volumes will then be compared. If there is a change between the two latter cases and it is judged significant, traffic volumes for use in the project traffic analysis can be adjusted accordingly.

x Traffic forecasts will take future economic, development and population growth trends into account. The project team will consider gathering additional information on new developments (e.g. new museum, psychiatric center, and zoo expansion) and their impacts on the traffic projections as needed.

x It was noted that traffic to and from the Buffalo Zoo peaks between June and August.

x Traffic changes resulting from the reconstruction of NYS Route 5 (Main Street) in the vicinity of the NY198 will be considered.

x Traffic back-ups involving busses at the Parkside intersection were noted as a concern.

x The possibility of prohibiting trucks on NYS Route 198 was discussed and dismissed during development of the EPP. Studies were completed that showed approximately 80% of the truck traffic on the Scajaquada is destined for local outlets. For example, the Buffalo Zoo receives several deliveries of food for their animals each day, utilizing NYS Route 198.

x Truck noise was cited as an issue, especially during events such as Shakespeare in the Park. It was suggested that the noise might be attributable the use of “jake brakes” as trucks decelerate due to traffic conflicts and congestion. Noise levels will be studied as part of the environmental review process. There may be opportunities (to be investigated) to improve the physical roadway and intersection geometrics, effectively reducing truck related noise impacts.

x The address for the project website will be www.\NYSDOT.gov\Scajaquadacorridor. This website should be up and running by mid to late June 2007.

Page 5 of 9 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

x Alternatives identified for study at this time include:

Alternative 1: Null or “No Build”. Routine maintenance only.

Alternative 2: Two lanes each direction, landscaped median, traffic signals, speed limit 40-45 mph

Alternative 3A: Two lanes each direction, landscaped median, roundabouts, speed limit 40-45 mph

Alternative 3B: Two lanes each direction, landscaped median, roundabouts, speed limit 30-35 mph

Alternative 4: One lane each direction, landscaped median, roundabouts, speed limit 30-35 mph

x Alternative 4, was dismissed in the EPP and will be studied now for examination of traffic diversion only.

x The Main Street interchange is included in the project limits. If a goal is to slow traffic down through Delaware Park, it would be most effective to realize a decrease in speed before westbound traffic gets to this intersection. The alternative development process will look at feasible ways to accomplish this.

x Enforcement will not be relied upon as a primary way to influence traffic speeds. Speed reduction through geometric design and roadside character is preferred.

x The alternative development process will examine which interchanges could be converted to signalized intersections, roundabouts, or should remain grade separated.

x Pedestrian safety and vehicular flow at proposed roundabouts was cited as potential items of concern. These will be examined as part of the alternative development and traffic analysis process.

x A desire was voiced to maintain the facility’s convenience for those who use the roadway to access and patronize business and institutions within the project area.

x A reference was made to discussion during the EPP suggesting that the expressway be closed on a Sunday to “see where traffic goes”. Though they involve a lot of work and coordination, short term closures of a portion of the roadway might be considered for future cultural or recreational special events. Examples cited included closures of the Inner Loop in downtown Rochester, closures of University Avenue in Rochester, and closures of major highways in Paris, France for art events.

x The Forest Lawn Group expressed a concern over roadway profiles and grading, drainage, and plant material between Delaware and Parkside. They would appreciate an opportunity to review concepts and plans as they become available for comment.

x Maintenance of plant material and the selection of appropriate (“survivable”) species is a concern for local groups as they are often the ones who assume responsibility for upkeep after construction. Page 6 of 9 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

x A draft “Purpose and Need” statement was presented to the group. A copy was provided in the Stakeholder Group binders. This statement will be revised and refined into a shorter version as the project progresses. It will be utilized often during the development and refinement of alternatives as ultimately the preferred alternative must satisfy the purpose and need that the project was based upon.

x Studies and preliminary design are expected to take place over the next few years with publication of the Final Environmental Impact Statement and selection of the preferred alternative slated for 2011. Detailed design is tentatively scheduled for 2012 through 2013.

x Pending the availability of funding, construction would begin in 2014 and last for approximately 2 to 3 years. Improvements will be designed as a whole, but the project may be phased if necessary for funding purposes. It is expected that through traffic would be maintained on NYS Route 198 during construction, providing continued access to businesses, homes, and institutions.

VI. Next Steps (Action Items)

x The project team will attend an environmental “get start” meeting in Albany to initiate the NEPA scoping and environmental coordination process (June 14, 2007).

x Introduce the project website (June 2007).

x The Martin House and Sisters Hospital should be added to the Stakeholder list (June 2007).

x An e-mail list of Stakeholder Group members will be developed (June 2007).

x Contact those Stakeholder Group invitees who did not attend today’s meeting to invite them again to get them involved (June 2007).

x Traffic data will be compiled and summarized (June and July 2007).

x A base VisSim (microsimulation) traffic model will be developed for existing and no-build conditions along the project corridor (June - August 2007).

x A project newsletter will be developed and distributed (Summer 2007).

x A project walk-thru with Stakeholder Group members and the project team is planned. Date, time, location, schedule, and transportation for this event are to be determined (Summer 2007).

x A public information meeting is planned. Date, time, location, and format will be discussed further (Fall 2007).

x Keep the project visible to the general public via the project website, newsletters, press releases, and other press events (Ongoing effort).

Page 7 of 9 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

The above constitutes our understanding of issues discussed and decisions reached at this meeting. Please notify the undersigned, in writing, with any errors or omissions.

Best regards, BERGMANN ASSOCIATES

Mark J. McAnany, P.E. Project Manager cc: All in Attendance John Burns, FHWA BA Project 6861 file

Page 8 of 9 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

STAKEHOLDER GROUP MEMBERS NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33 PIN 5470.22 AAA Western and Central New York Albright-Knox Art Gallery Black Rock-Riverside Alliance Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Buffalo State College Buffalo Zoo City of Buffalo Common Council Representatives City of Buffalo Department of Public Works, Parks, & Streets. Delaware Park Steering Committee Erie County Department of Environment and Planning Erie County Department of Public Works Federal Highway Administration Grant-Amherst Business Association Greater Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Council Leadership Buffalo Martin House (added) Mayor of the City of Buffalo Medaille College New Millennium Group New York State Assembly, 141st District, Crystal Peoples - 141st District New York State Assembly, 144th District, Sam Hoyt New York State Department of Environmental Conservation New York State Department of Transportation New York State Senator Antoine M. Thompson Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority North American Transportation Council Parkside Community Association Sisters Hospital (added) The Forest Lawn Group The Preservation Coalition United States Army Corps of Engineers United States Congressman Brian Higgins United States Congresswoman Louise Slaughter United States Senator Charles Schumer United States Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton

Page 9 of 9 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

MEETING MINUTES

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33 P.I.N. 5470.22

Stakeholder Group Meeting #2 – Project Corridor Tour Thursday September 13, 2007 @ 3:00 PM Corridor Vantage Sites and Parkside Lodge, Buffalo, NY

In Attendance:

NAME REPRESENTING Darrell Kaminski NYSDOT R5 Design Craig Mozrall NYSDOT R5 Design Dave Hill NYSDOT R5 Design Nimish Shah NYSDOT R5 Design Douglas Macaulay NYSDOT R5 Design Christopher Church NYSDOT R5 Planning Ken Kluck NYSDOT R5 Landscape Arch Sylvia Jones NYSDOT R5 Environmental Tim Bender NYSDOT Consultant Mgt. Mark McAnany Bergmann Associates Mike Croce Bergmann Associates Mark Johns Bergmann Associates Ken Meding Bergmann Associates Dean Gowen DWG Planning & Design Elizabeth Cheteny University at Buffalo Jason Babcock Stiner University at Buffalo Connie Greco Albright-Knox Gallery Stevan Stepanovich Black Rock Riverside GNPA Sally Treanor Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society Donna Fernandes Buffalo Zoo Seyed Ghasemi City of Buffalo DPWP&S David Lampe Delaware Park Steering Committee James Morrell NFTA Bernhard Wagner Parkside Community Assoc. Justin Azzarella The Elmwood Village Assoc. Dennis Crahen The Forest Lawn Group Brian Dold Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Jesse Kregal The Scajaquada Pathway Committee Robert Biniszkiewicz Pyramid Brokerage David Lacki Buffalo-Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau Maragaret Wooster Buffalo-Niagara Riverkeeper

Page 1 of 6 The purpose of this meeting was to tour the Scajaquada Expressway Corridor together by coach bus, stopping at various locations and vantage points along the way to generate ideas, discuss issues and opportunities, and learn more about the project first hand. This event would also get the group thinking about the project’s Purpose and Need Statement (attached) which was distributed and discussed following the tour.

Tour Stop Locations

1. I-190 Ramps to Grand Street 2. Lincoln Parkway Pedestrian Bridge 3. Grant Street Interchange 4. Parkside Avenue at Agassiz Circle 5. Main Street to Humboldt Parkway 6. Delaware Avenue Interchange

Participants congregated at the Parkside Lodge (84 Parkside Avenue) at 3:00 PM, toured the corridor between 3:30 PM and 6:30 PM, and returned to the Lodge for a light dinner and follow-up discussion. Each participant was provided with a handout containing useful colored renderings and graphics and information relevant to each of the tour stops. The following are comments, concerns, and ideas shared by those in attendance during the tour and meeting.

General Discussion, Concerns, Ideas, Opportunities, etc.:

‰ Investigate the possibility of providing a pedestrian connection below the Scajaquada between Lincoln Parkway (near the Albright-Knox Art Gallery) and the multi-use path (toward the Buffalo & Eire County Historical Society Museum).

‰ Provide additional parking adjacent to Scajaquada Creek near the Albright Knox Art Gallery. There are many limousines that stage and park in this area on Saturdays.

‰ Step up law enforcement to lower speeds. Provide a constant presence as a deterrent.

‰ Create a new roundabout for NYS Route 198 and Lincoln Parkway.

‰ Remove vehicular traffic from the Olmsted Bridge on Lincoln Parkway. Retain bridge as a pedestrian and bicyclist route, connecting parkland in a more effective manner.

‰ It may be difficult to accommodate the concept section shown in the City of Buffalo’s EPP (wide planted median) near Lincoln Parkway, especially if both the existing pedestrian bridge and existing NYS Route 198 bridge over Scajaquada Creek remain.

‰ Maintain good neighborhood connections between the residential areas north of Nottingham Terrace and the Lincoln Parkway adjacent to Hoyt Lake.

‰ Participants witnessed numerous pedestrians, runners, and bicyclists using the existing pedestrian bridge over NYS Route 198 during their visit.

‰ The Scajaquada Pathway was recently completed, connecting the Delaware Park bike path to the Niagara River bike path under the I-190 and the RR bridge in the 198/190 interchange area.

Page 2 of 6 ‰ Suggestion was made that we should examine with the City the possibility of relocating or reducing the footprint of the City Maintenance facility contained within Delaware Park west of Parkside. Stakeholders commented that the driveway to the facility is in a dangerous location also, due to sight distance and accel/decel concerns.

‰ It was suggested that the polluted conditions of Scajaquada Creek are most likely due to industrial contamination from past land use operations and not significantly attributed to highway runoff.

‰ Removal of the Grant Street ramps would be seen by some participants as a significant improvement.

‰ The NYS Route 198 corridor is constrained near Grant Street between adjacent land uses and Scajaquada Creek. One participant suggested consideration of covering the creek (with a culvert or other structure) to open up more space.

‰ One participant suggested that concrete pavement should be avoided because in their opinion, it is too noisy.

‰ The design team should investigate similarities between a recent project on the Saw Mill River Parkway and the Scajaquada Expressway when addressing the proximity of Scajaquada Creek to the roadway.

‰ Slowing traffic effectively as it comes off the I-190 interchange presents a significant challenge.

‰ Establish a significant visual entrance to Delaware Park at Parkside Avenue and Agassiz Circle.

‰ There is a Locally Administered Project to reconstruct Main Street (NYS Route 5) taking place in March 2008. That project will bring the landscaping and medians from the north down to Humboldt Parkway.

‰ There is a depiction of a large Frederick Law Olmsted statue in the center of a roundabout at NYS Route 198 and Parkside Avenue in the City of Buffalo’s EPP. That depiction evoked a negative reaction from some tour participants.

‰ The Trinidad Neighborhood Association should be invited to join the Project Stakeholder Group.

‰ Are there any creative ways or alternate routes that could be improved to reduce the amount of volume using NYS Route 198 between NYS Route 33 and Parkside Avenue?

‰ A cobblestone pavement surface may help to lower vehicular speeds. Noise concerns?

‰ Construct an elevated pocket park in the triangle between Main Street and Kensington Avenue. That may be an expensive proposition.

‰ A new continuous care facility called Heritage Manor will be constructed on Fillmore Avenue.

‰ Missing trees along Humboldt Parkway were not killed because they were too close to the road, but rather because they suffered irreparable storm damage from the October 2006 snow event.

Page 3 of 6 ‰ Lower the NYS Route 198 roadway between Parkside Avenue and Delaware Avenue to reduce noise experienced in Delaware Park and to make the roadway less visible.

‰ This project should provide better visual and pedestrian connectivity between Delaware Park and Forest Lawn Cemetery.

‰ Pat Cavanaugh is a local historian, with a wealth of area knowledge. He could be contacted through Dennis Crahen.

‰ Several Participants, including Brian Dold of the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy gave favorable reviews to the concept of bringing NYS Route 198 down to meet Delaware Avenue at a modern roundabout. Traffic volumes and operations among other issues would have to be studied carefully to evaluate the true feasibility of this option.

‰ Some participants suggested that this option was not carried further during the EPP stage because that team believed that the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation would not allow vehicular (highway) traffic to be removed from the existing bridge. The NYS Route 198 bridge over Delaware Avenue was originally used for a bridal path crossover and not motorized vehicles. This may be supporting evidence for realigning the highway to a new at-grade intersection with Delaware Avenue, south of the existing bridge. The bridge could be returned to pedestrian and park vehicle use.

‰ A reference to Scajaquada Creek as an adjacent resource to consider should be added to the Purpose and Need Statement.

‰ A concern was voiced about the volume of traffic passing along the Scajaquada at Parkside Avenue. Not confident that a roundabout at this location will work with the heavy traffic loads.

‰ Participants noted that the current width of the Scajaquada may not be able to accommodate the proposed median, two traffic lanes for vehicles in each direction, and a pedestrian pathway.

The above constitutes our understanding of issues discussed and decisions reached during the site tour and meeting. Please notify the undersigned, in writing, with any errors or omissions.

Best regards,

BERGMANN ASSOCIATES

Mark J. McAnany, P.E. Project Manager cc: Tim Bender, NYSDOT Consultant Management Bureau Craig Mozrall, NYSDOT Region 5 Dave Hill, NYSDOT Region 5 All in Attendance, BA Project 6861 file

Page 4 of 6 August 7, 2007 Draft version:

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) I-190 to NYS Route 33 PIN 5470.22

Draft Purpose and Need Statement

NYS Route 198 (the Scajaquada Expressway) is an Urban Principal Arterial Expressway on the

National Highway System connecting Interstate 190 and NYS Route 33 with traffic volumes between 34,000 and 54,000 vehicles per day, a design speed of 55 mph, and grade separated interchanges. The expressway was constructed in the 1950’s through the middle of the historic,

Olmsted-designed Delaware Park. Park features on the north side of the expressway include the

Buffalo Zoological Gardens, Delaware Park Golf Course, Mirror Lake and the Buffalo and Erie

County Historical Society. These are separated from other park facilities on the south side of the expressway including the Marcy Casino, Hoyt Lake, the statue of David and the nationally renowned Albright-Knox Art Gallery. Other community resources in the expressway corridor include higher education institutions (Buffalo State and Medaille College), the historic Forest

Lawn Cemetery, the Buffalo Psychiatric Center, residential neighborhoods and some commercial centers. A number of the bridges in the corridor are historic, including the Lincoln Parkway

(south) bridge over the Delaware Park Lake outlet and the Scajaquada Bridge over Delaware

Avenue. Most of the traffic on the expressway serves the surrounding corridor with only 7% to

22% of the traffic on the expressway operating as through traffic. Delaware Park, educational and cultural institutions, residences and businesses that surround the Scajaquada corridor also generate numerous pedestrian and bicycle trips within the study area.

Page 5 of 6 The expressway facility is at odds with the context of the surrounding culturally rich community resources - acting as a barrier, dividing the park and hindering the use of these resources by the pedestrians and bicyclists. Motorists on the expressway are not able to appreciate the surrounding cultural and natural features due to the traffic speeds and volumes.

Transportation needs of the expressway itself include:

‰ a poor Level of Service (a measure of congestion) at one or more intersections

‰ higher than expected rates of accidents

‰ areas of poor pavement conditions

‰ deteriorating drainage systems that fail to function as designed

The purpose of this action is to convert the Scajaquada Expressway into a feasible and prudent transportation facility that is more in harmony with the surrounding community character. The facility should provide improved connectivity between the various features and resources in the adjacent area for vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. All modes of transportation should be coordinated to provide safe and efficient transportation throughout the affected area. The conversion should also address poor pavement conditions and failing drainage systems.

Page 6 of 6 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MEETING MINUTES

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33 P.I.N. 5470.22 Public Meeting NEPA Scoping Meeting November 28, 2007 @ 6:00 PM Medaille College Lecture Hall

In Attendance:

NAME REPRESENTING

Chris Gatchell FHWA John Burns FHWA Darrell Kaminski NYSDOT R5 Design Craig Mozrall NYSDOT R5 Design Dave Hill NYSDOT R5 Design Nimish Shah NYSDOT R5 Design Gary Gottlieb NYSDOT R5 Planning Ken Kluck NYSDOT R5 LA Steve Adams NYSDOT R5 Real Estate Sylvia Jones NYSDOT R5 Environmental Tim Bender NYSDOT Consultant Mgt. Hasibul Khan NYSDOT DQAB Mark McAnany Bergmann Associates Mike Croce Bergmann Associates Jim Boggs Bergmann Associates

The purpose of this meeting was to introduce the public to the project and to solicit initial comments on the Purpose and Need statement, on existing environmental resources in the study area and on potential environmental impacts. Each participant was provided with an agenda, a current copy of the Draft Purpose and Need statement, and an informational handout.

The meeting began with an open house at 6:00 PM during which New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) representatives were present to answer individual questions and project displays were set up for viewing. A formal presentation, utilizing PowerPoint, began at 6:30 PM. The presentation covered the following agenda items:

I: Welcome, Introductions, and Purpose of Public Outreach II. Introduction to the Preliminary Design and Environmental Analysis Process III. Importance of Purpose and Need IV. Project Overview V. Discussion (Question and Answer)

Page 1 of 5 A copy of the formal presentation graphics is available at http://www.dot.ny.gov/scajaquadacorridor. The following text summarizes discussions that took place during the question and answer period.

Topics Discussed, Public Comments Received, Questions, and Answers:

‰ The NYSDOT will publish a project newsletter in early January 2008.

‰ The next stakeholder meeting will be held in early February 2008.

‰ Q: Who has determined that this is an essential project?

R: The need for the project was identified in the City of Buffalo’s 2005 Expanded Project Proposal and is a direct result of that study’s public participation process. The Null (“do nothing”) alternative remains under consideration. Funding has been committed for preliminary engineering and environmental studies. Money for construction must be obtained from the next Federal transportation bill.

‰ Q: How much money has been committed for preliminary engineering and environmental studies?

R: A total of $4 Million dollars has been committed for this phase of the project which will last through 2011.

‰ A representative of the Buffalo Riverkeeper commended the FHWA and the NYSDOT for providing this early opportunity to learn about and comment on the project and asked if such opportunities would continue throughout the detailed design phase.

R: Public involvement will continue throughout detailed design. Landscape architecture elements could be heavily influenced by public and other interested groups (e.g., the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy) given many historic and significant local features. For example, other projects within the Region, including one in East Aurora, have featured bi-weekly aesthetics task force meetings throughout detailed design.

‰ Surface water quality, the effects of roadway runoff, and public access to Scajaquada Creek were noted as concerns by an individual representing the Buffalo Riverkeeper. It was suggested that bioengineering solutions such as natural filtration should be incorporated into the project design. Opportunities to dovetail this project with other ongoing efforts to improve Scajaquada Creek should be investigated and leveraged.

‰ Q: Do the traffic volumes collected by the NYSDOT take into account conditions after tolls were removed from I-190?

R: Yes, traffic counts were taken both after the tolls were removed from I-190 and after the toll barriers were physically removed for comparison purposes.

‰ Q: A representative of the Elmwood Village Association asked if the renderings provided at the second stakeholder group (tour) are available on the project website.

R: The project tour graphics are available on the website under the “stakeholder group” tab. Alternative renderings included in that binder were copies of those produced by the City of Buffalo in

Page 2 of 5 2005 and may be obtained from their website. There is a link to the City’s Expanded Project Proposal on the NYSDOT project website (http://www.dot.ny.gov/scajaquadacorridor).

‰ An individual representing the New Millennium Group noted that this project has evolved from what was originally a simple reconstruction project. They are pleased with the public involvement process thus far. There are other examples of corridor transformations nationwide and it should be a goal for this effort to become another great national example upon conclusion. The selected alternative should not inhibit other long-term community plans including those for the Lincoln Parkway and the Humboldt Parkway. Planned and known actions will be considered by the NYSDOT during the course of this study. Care will be taken so that the scope of the project remains focused and does not expand to try to meet all of the needs in the Buffalo area.

‰ Q: Given the extension of the study to the NYS Route 33 ramps, has consideration been given to filling in the existing expressway and developing an at-grade facility or covering the roadway as it exists today?

R: This study will generally focus its efforts in the Main Street and Kensington area on improving operations on the ramps and service roads. Raising or covering the expressway may be looked at thoughtfully during alternative development. Estimated construction costs would likely be high.

‰ A meeting participant suggested that high speeds are not prerequisite to adequate roadway capacity. They also noted that roundabouts are prevalent in other countries, including New Zealand, where they both move traffic and improve safety.

‰ Q: A representative of Buffalo State College asked if the traffic data collection effort on Grant Street had taken into account time periods when Buffalo State College was in session. They also noted significant delays on Grant Street at certain times of the day adjacent to the college. They would like to see this project do something to ease that problem.

R: Counts were taken last spring, prior to the end of the college’s academic year. Delays on Grant Street when the college “gets out” have been observed by members of the NYSDOT project team. This is an issue that could be taken up in further detail at future stakeholder meetings.

‰ A representative of the Grant Amherst Business Association suggested this project presents an opportunity to re-knit together broken neighborhoods and that the existing facility is not functioning correctly for the speeds at which it is being driven citing the lack of break-down lanes as an example. This project should look at how neighborhoods can be reconnected, for example using Lincoln Parkway. The Delaware Avenue/Nottingham Terrace ramp was cited as a difficult place to make a right turn and enter the expressway. The McKinley and Assumption schools should be involved in the project.

‰ Q: What is the best way to submit comments on the current Purpose and Need statement?

R: Members of the public may “mark-up” a copy of the draft and send it to the NYSDOT or submit revisions and comments through the project website.

‰ Q: Are adjacent neighborhood associations and/or property owners represented?

Page 3 of 5 R: There are a few private citizens, representing some neighborhood organizations on the stakeholder group. Other ways for private individuals to participate include coming to public meetings, adding their names to the mailing list, reviewing the website, and submitting comments and ideas. Members of the public are encouraged to call or write the NYSDOT for more information, with questions, or comments.

‰ Q: Are the members of the stakeholder group identified on the project website?

‰ R: The meeting minutes posted on the web site reflect stakeholders who attended and participated in each meeting. A listing of the “invited: stakeholder group member agencies will be added to the project website in the near future.

‰ Q: Will the traffic studies for the NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor Project take into account the possible future Ambassador Bridge project?

R: A Major Investment Study has not been completed for that facility at this time. Therefore, it will not be considered as part of this project. Future analyses for a new bridge must consider conditions on the Scajaquada corridor.

‰ Q: What was the thought process behind expanding the limits of this study beyond those of the City of Buffalo’s 2005 Expanded Project Proposal?

R: The City of Buffalo’s project studied the Scajaquada Expressway from Grant Street to Parkside Avenue. This project will study the facility from the I-190 interchange to the NYS Route 33 interchange, not inclusive of the interchange ramps themselves. Work on the Grant Street interchange would involve the ramps between that facility and I-190. In addition, this project seeks to produce changes in driver behavior (reduced speeds and increased awareness of pedestrians and bicyclists) before motorists reach Grant Street or Parkside Avenue (Delaware Park). Changes need to occur as soon as one leaves the ramps at each interchange. Speeds are already reduced on those ramps by geometry and the NYSDOT would like to take advantage of that condition before they accelerate to speeds in excess of the 50 mile per hour posted limit.

‰ Q: When was it determined that the limits of study would be extended beyond those covered by the City of Buffalo’s Expanded Project Proposal?

R: During scoping with the project Consultant team.

‰ Q: Has the NYSDOT been designated Lead Agency under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) or is this just assumed?

R: The NYSDOT is joint lead agency with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process and is the lead agency for the SEQRA process [under 17 NYCRR Part 15]. NYS Route 198 is a State Highway, paid for with Federal transportation funding, that is owned and maintained by the NYSDOT. This is the basis for the NYSDOT participation as Lead Agency under SEQRA.

Page 4 of 5 The above constitutes our understanding of issues discussed and decisions reached at this meeting. Please notify the undersigned, in writing, with any errors or omissions.

Best regards,

BERGMANN ASSOCIATES

Mark J. McAnany, P.E. Project Manager cc: Tim Bender, NYSDOT Consultant Management Bureau Craig Mozrall, NYSDOT Region 5 Dave Hill, NYSDOT Region 5 BA Project 6861 file

Page 5 of 5

NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

MEETING MINUTES

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33 P.I.N. 5470.22

Stakeholder Group Meeting #3 Wednesday, April 23, 2008 @ 3:00 PM Buffalo State College, Grover Cleveland Building – Room 418, Buffalo, NY

In Attendance:

NAME REPRESENTING Darrell Kaminski NYSDOT R5 Design Craig Mozrall NYSDOT R5 Design Dave Hill NYSDOT R5 Design Nimish Shah NYSDOT R5 Design Cleo Jones NYSDOT R5 Alma Williams NYSDOT R5 Ron Hayes NYSDOT R5 Sylvia Jones NYSDOT R5 Environmental Tim Bender NYSDOT Consultant Mgt. Mark McAnany Bergmann Associates Mike Croce Bergmann Associates Stevan Stepanovich Black Rock Riverside GNPA Donna Fernandes Buffalo Zoo David Lampe Delaware Park Steering Committee Bernhard Wagner Parkside Community Assoc. Justin Azzarella The Elmwood Village Assoc. Dennis Crahen The Forest Lawn Group Brian Dold Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Robert Biniszkiewicz Pyramid Brokerage

The purpose of this meeting was to provide a general project status update, review and seek additional input concerning the current draft of the “Purpose and Need” statement for the project, review the Section 106 consultation process for historic preservation issues, review comments received to date concerning the project, and discuss a plan and methodology for additional outreach and future alternative development work sessions.

The project team is still finalizing the base traffic volume information that they will then carry forward into alternative development and comparison. The removal of the I-190 toll barriers has had some effect on traffic volumes along the Scajaquada Expressway and the surrounding street network. To best assess these changes some additional traffic count information has recently been obtained that still needs to be evaluated. We expect to have a decision on the base traffic conditions to move forward with within the next several weeks. The traffic data is considered representative of typical, average daily traffic conditions.

Page 1 of 3 The following are comments, ideas and discussion points were shared by those in attendance during the meeting.

General Discussion, Concerns, Ideas, Opportunities, etc.:

‰ Stakeholder review, input and general agreement/consensus of the “Purpose and Need” statement is requested at this time so that we can move forward together in developing and comparing the project alternatives. The current version of this statement (attached) was distributed and discussed at this meeting. When asked, no major concerns or suggestions for modifications were offered by those in attendance during the meeting. The stakeholders were each provided a copy and asked to review the Purpose and Need statement again and provide their comments within the next few weeks.

‰ Getting more participation by area residents and neighborhood organizations is important as we start to develop and evaluate the project alternatives. In seeking to share information and build support for the project, a proposed methodology for developing ideas and alternatives along the corridor was presented. The project corridor can be logically segmented into 5 distinct focus area sections as presented in the meeting handouts. Future alternative design working meetings would focus on one of these sections at a time, with the meeting involving the neighborhoods and block groups that exist in or near this section of the project corridor. Stakeholders in attendance agreed with this general plan, requesting that these sessions involve more local representation than just the members of the stakeholder group.

‰ The DOT also offered to provide information in support of any future neighborhood meetings and will attend whenever asked to participate.

‰ Region 5 DOT will be reviewing the entire list of area neighborhood organizations and will be contacting them to invite them to participate in the project development process.

‰ Chuck Banas offered to share information on successful “road diet” projects across the United States. The project team will review any information provided for possible ideas and relevance to this project.

‰ The following agencies and individuals where identified as possible project Stakeholders : o Buffalo Sewer Authority o Erie County Parks Dept. o Hamlin Park Neighborhood o Canisius College

‰ Several stakeholders in attendance (Buffalo State College, Buffalo Zoo, Medaille College, etc.) stated that they want to pursue a beautified project corridor that is more in harmony with the surrounding environs, but not a drastic reduction in access or traffic capacity. Efficient truck and vehicular access via the Scajaquada corridor is considered vital to their facilities and day to day operations. A reduction in operating speeds and modifications at the interchanges would go a long way in improving conditions along the corridor.

‰ Question was raised if the City is willing to consider relocating their parks maintenance facility to another location? The DOT has had some recent discussions with the City on this matter. The facility is currently planned to remain in operation at this location. However the discussion of other possibilities will continue through this project’s evolution.

Page 2 of 3 ‰ The Section 106 Consultation process for historic properties and archaeological resources was discussed at the meeting. Stakeholders were encouraged to identify and invite any individuals who are well versed or have an interest in this aspect of the project to participate as “consulting parties”. The NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society are already engaged in this process.

‰ Pat Cavanaugh is a local historian, with a wealth of area knowledge. He should be contacted (through Dennis Crahen?) and invited to participate as a consulting party on this project.

‰ Forest Lawn Cemetery is interested in making a daytime trail connection to the cemetery, if a feasible and safe connection can be made. The trail would not be open at night within the cemetery.

‰ The Scajaquada Creek trash rack was mentioned as needing to be cleaned and maintained on a regular basis. It is believed this maintenance responsibility lies with the Buffalo Sewer Authority.

The above constitutes our understanding of issues discussed and decisions reached during the site tour and meeting. Please notify the undersigned, in writing, with any errors or omissions.

Best regards,

BERGMANN ASSOCIATES

Mark J. McAnany, P.E. Project Manager cc: Tim Bender, NYSDOT Consultant Management Bureau Craig Mozrall, NYSDOT Region 5 Dave Hill, NYSDOT Region 5 All in Attendance, BA Project 6861 file

Page 3 of 3 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

MEETING MINUTES

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33 P.I.N. 5470.22

Stakeholder Group Meeting #4 Wednesday, April 29, 2009 @ 3:00 PM Buffalo Zoo, Grover CRC Conference Room

In Attendance:

NAME REPRESENTING

Craig Mozrall NYSDOT R5 Design Dave Hill NYSDOT R5 Design Nimish Shah NYSDOT R5 Design Ron Hayes NYSDOT R5 Tim Bender NYSDOT Consultant Mgt. Mark McAnany Bergmann Associates Mike Croce Bergmann Associates Ken Meding Bergmann Associates Keith Mortimer Fisher Associates Brent Long Fisher Associates Sally Treanor Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society Tullis Johnson Burchfield Penney Art Center Teresa Glanowski Assemblymember Hoyt’s Office Brad Hamm Office of Councilmember Michael LoCurto – Delaware District Mark Lee Erie County Environment and Planning Hal Morse GBNRTC Bob Biriszkiewice Elmview Pl. Block Club Ruth Lampe PCA Katherine Winkles Buffalo Niagara River Monica Pellegrino Richardson Center Fanx Corporation Joseph E O’Donnell 17 Burbank Drive Steve Shaffer Buffalo State College Dave Lampe Delaware Park Steering Com. Kathleen Heyworth Burchfield-Penney Art Center Justin Azzarella Elmwood Village Association Brian Dold Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy

Page 1 of 4 The purpose of this meeting was to provide a general project overview and status update, including a summary review of the draft Chapter 2 EIS information that has been prepared, summarizing existing conditions and needs along the project corridor. The meeting also allowed for additional input from stakeholders concerning the current draft of the “Purpose and Need” statement for the project and discussion of a plan and methodology for additional outreach and future alternative development work sessions.

A PowerPoint presentation following the attached agenda handout was used to guide the meeting. Copies of the current “Purpose and Need” statement (attached) were distributed to attendees for further review and discussion. Also the current updated project schedule with target phased project construction dates in 2015, 2017 and 2019 (attached) was provided.

Fisher Associates was in attendance providing a working 3D model of the existing project corridor, including an accurate representation of existing peak hour traffic operations. This model was used to view significant resources and locations of interest along the corridor, areas of traffic congestion during the peak hour, high accident locations, etc.

The following are comments, ideas and discussion points that were shared by those in attendance during the meeting.

General Discussion, Concerns, Ideas, Opportunities, etc.:

‰ Stakeholder review, input, and general agreement (consensus) regarding the “Purpose and Need” statement is needed at this time so that we can move forward together in developing and comparing project alternatives. Modest changes were made in recent months; the current version of this statement (attached) was distributed and discussed at the meeting. When asked, no major concerns or suggestions for modifications were offered by those in attendance. The stakeholders were each provided a copy and asked to once again review the “Purpose and Need” statement and provide their comments within the next few weeks.

‰ Current complete documents were shown at the meeting as the progress on the project is moving forward. The Draft Chapter 2 of the EIS and Wetlands and Hazardous Waste Screening reports have been completed. Review and comments from the NYSDOT are still being made to the Draft Chapter 2 EIS report.

‰ A question was raised about the designation of NYS Route 198 as a truck route. NYS Route 198 has always been a designated truck route ever since its original planning and design in the 1950’s.

‰ A question was raised about possibly regulating NYS Route 198 to not allow truck traffic to travel its entire length. This type of restriction is not likely for the NYS Route 198 project for it may put all of the federal funding into jeopardy as this is a designated truck route. Also, a fully contiguous truck route would still have to be maintained so a designated alternative truck route would have to be identified, likely using the local streets which is not a practical.

‰ A comment was made that the Martin House may attract more traffic after its recent rehab and improvements.

Page 2 of 4 ‰ A request was made to refer to the Richardson-Olmsted Complex in the Purpose and Need statement, referring to its historic classification.

‰ A question was raised inquiring if there was a change in truck percentages along the NYS Route 198 corridor after the toll barriers came down on NYS Route 190. Removal of tolls and toll barrier appears to have caused a slight reduction in daily total traffic and daily truck traffic over the length of the Scajaquada corridor. The average daily traffic, based on an average of five sections, traveling within the corridor reduced by approximately 4,000 vehicles and the number of trucks by 200. The percentage of heavy vehicles (dual tires and at least 2 axles) remains at approximately 4% of the total traffic flow.

‰ Stakeholders mentioned the McKinley High School should be included in the stakeholder meetings.

‰ Richardson-Olmstead will send Bergmann Associates a group contact list.

‰ Stakeholders raised concern about publicity of these meetings. NYSDOT can assist with advertisement but has a limited budget. Local and community newspapers will be considered for ads and flyers. Stakeholders suggested that it will be better if these meeting notices are not placed in the newspaper’s legal notices sections. Stakeholders are asked to help with this process.

‰ An updated project newsletter has been requested.

‰ A question was raised about possibly decreasing the speed to 35 or 45mph? The alternatives to be evaluated will test lower speed limits / operating speeds in this range.

‰ Getting more participation by area residents and neighborhood organizations is important as we start to develop and evaluate the project alternatives. In seeking to share information and build support for the project, a proposed methodology for developing ideas and alternatives along the corridor was discussed. The project corridor can be logically segmented into 4 or 5 distinct focus areas (segments along the corridor). Future working meetings would focus on alternative development over one section at a time. Working meetings can involve neighborhoods and block groups that exist in or near that segment of the project corridor. Stakeholders in attendance agreed with this general plan, requesting that these sessions involve more local representation than just the members of the stakeholder group and that these sessions do not just cover a single segment but the adjoining segments as well.

Page 3 of 4 ‰ The stakeholder group is still okay with the current plan of workshops to develop alternatives. These workshops are currently scheduled to start in the summer of 2009. The general preference is to start at the Main Street and Parkside segments and work west. Working on both segments simultaneously would save time and efficiency due to constituency overlap. Buffalo State College is also interested in knowing early on alternatives in the Grant Street to Elmwood Avenue area that could influence their planned developments. A time frame of 6:30 to 8:30 PM has been chosen to conduct these workshops. Stakeholders have suggested having actual data on hand for the development of the alternatives. These workshops would be scheduled over a 1 to 1.5 year span of time.

‰ Buffalo State College can accommodate these workshops during the summer and evening periods. Burchfield Penney is another possible location to hold these workshops.

The above constitutes our understanding of issues discussed and decisions reached during this meeting. Please notify the undersigned, in writing, with any errors or omissions.

Best regards,

BERGMANN ASSOCIATES

Mark J. McAnany, P.E. Project Manager cc: Tim Bender, NYSDOT Consultant Management Bureau Craig Mozrall, NYSDOT Region 5 Dave Hill, NYSDOT Region 5 All in Attendance, BA Project 6861 file

Page 4 of 4 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

MEETING MINUTES – July 9, 2009 – Buffalo State Campus

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33

P.I.N. 5470.22

Purpose: Update on Status of Buffalo State College Development Plans and Studies, and the College’s Comments and Concerns on NY 198 project.

In Attendance:

Steve Shaffer Buffalo State College Craig Mozrall NYSDOT R5 Design Dave Hill NYSDOT R5 Design Nimish Shah NYSDOT R5 Design

Issues discussed:

Proposed Stadium:

Feasibility study progressing. 3500-4000 seats. Two sites possible – City impound lot, or off Iroquois Dr. where tennis courts currently are.

New Ramps from /to NY 198:

The previously discussed possible new off ramp between elevated section and Grant St. would bisect the City impound lot site, therefore Buff State is not in favor of this option. An exit off the 198 closer to the 190 interchange would be preferable, out letting onto the north-south street (Letchworth St.) south of the Grant/ Rockwell intersection.

Buff St. does not support new 198 off ramps onto the campus between Grant and Elmwood. The possibility of an on ramp from Iroquois Dr. onto 198 would be the only thing that would be even a consideration.

Richardson Complex – development plans have potential to increase traffic on surrounding roadway including Rockwell. This should be considered when developing alternatives in this area. Project issues that Buff state supports: x Access to Scajaquada Bike Path x New Pedestrian Bridge between Grant and Elmwood x Bike Path facilities on the south side of the expressway and Scajaquada Creek x Partnering with DOT on stormwater treatment strategies. (LaBella is currently preparing a study on retention / treatment facilities for Buff state.)

Buffalo State’s major concern with the project and proposed modification of 198 interchanges and functional classification is that is not result in any increase in delays for students and faculty. Currently students and faculty leaving in peak periods (4:30 pm example cited) can expect it to take up to half an hour to get from the parking lots onto the 198. This is a major complaint of students.

Action Items:

x DOT to find out who has ownership and maintenance responsibility for the retaining wall adjacent to Iroquois Drive near Elmwood ramps. o Based on our record plan information, we believe that the retaining wall is on Buffalo State property and is not owned or maintained by the State.

x DOT to find out who owns and maintains Scajaquada Bike Path o It is our understanding that the City of Buffalo owns and maintains the path.

x S. Shaffer to forward record plan information on existing storm water outlets and other Buff State utilities crossing the 198 corridor.

The above constitutes our understanding of issues discussed during this meeting. Please notify the undersigned with any errors or omissions.

Best regards, Dave Hill

Cc: All in attendance NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

MEETING MINUTES

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33 P.I.N. 5470.22

Interactive Design Workshop #1 Focus on NYS Route 198 from I-190 through the Grant Street Interchange Wednesday, September 16, 2009 @ 6:30 PM Burchfield Penney Art Center, Buffalo, NY

In Attendance:

NAME REPRESENTING Darrell Kaminski NYSDOT R5 Design Craig Mozrall NYSDOT R5 Design Dave Hill NYSDOT R5 Design Nimish Shah NYSDOT R5 Design Ken Kluck NYSDOT R5 Landscape Arch Mark McAnany Bergmann Associates Mike Croce Bergmann Associates Jim Dill Bergmann Associates Ken Meding Bergmann Associates Seyed Ghasemi City Hall James Lee Forest District Civic Jordan Dalton UB Dept. of Media Study Steve Shaffer Buffalo State College Mark Kubiniec Grant Amherst Business Assoc. Tullis Johnson Burchfield Penny Art Center Brad Hamm Common Council – Delaware District Mark Lee Erie County Planning Peter Burakowski Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society Brain Dold Tom Mead Pam Maglietto Marc Rebmann Kristen Allen Monica Bower Francis A Wagner Hal Morse GBNRTC Janet Sciohino Jo-Ann Mecca Bill Field Tim Scanlon Kathleen Heyworth Burchfield Penny Art Center Katy Brown Buffalo Niagara River Keeper Bill Licata Council Staff City Hall Ruth Lampe Dave Lampe Delaware Park Steering

Page 1 of 5 NAME REPRESENTING Lonnell M. Williams The Academy at School #44 Larry Brooks Buffalo Niagara River Keeper Katherize Winkler Buffalo Niagara River Keeper Carlos Gartin Peter Lisker Zachary A. Sadler Senator Antoine M. Thompson NYS Senate 60th Jennifer Diagostino Sam Hoyt Office Steven P. Riverside GNPA Stipanovazh Phil Barone Franklin Lavoie

Summary

This was the first in a series of public workshops to help the Department shape the future of the Scajaquada Corridor. The workshop presented an opportunity for the community to take an active role in guiding the future of the Scajaquada Expressway Corridor and to provide immediate and dynamic feedback on concept solutions for the segment of NYS Route 198 from I-190 through the Grant Street interchange. The goal was to develop usable outcomes, responsive to the community’s needs that will inform the project team as they move into preliminary design.

The meeting began with a welcome and introductions, followed by a brief presentation to the group as a whole. The purpose of the presentation was to familiarize those who may not have participated in the project before with its purpose and need as well as the results of past studies. Environmental considerations, roadway geometry, drainage features, traffic control, accident history, and community context were covered.

Attendees then broke into two (2) groups for a “thinking session.” Each group was facilitated by two members of the project team. The groups brainstormed ideas, talked over concepts presented at each table, and proposed improvements that would work close up (for pedestrians and bicyclists) and far away (for motorists, commuters, and trucks). Each group discussed ways to improve safety, connectivity, and to bring the facility into better harmony with the surrounding community character and natural environment.

At the conclusion of the breakout session, each group reported back. This was followed by a brief discussion to identify common points and to build consensus. The following is a summary of comments recorded at the meeting.

Page 2 of 5 Focus on NYS Route 198 from I-190 through the Grant Street Interchange

 If constructing a pedestrian connection over Scajaquada Creek from Buffalo State College to the Scajaquada Pathway, consider moving that connection farther west than the location shown on the graphics presented at the meeting. A level crossing without ADA ramps or stairs would be preferred.

 Provide improved signage and wayfinding for pedestrian and bicyclist resources as well as historic sites throughout the corridor. There are points of interest related to the War of 1812 along the Scajaquada Pathway.

 Consider the development of a portage around the existing finger dam in Scajaquada Creek to improve access for watercraft. It is important to note that the dam results in downstream currents that can be dangerous to canoes. The location for a portage should be chosen accordingly.

 Pocket parking along Scajaquada Creek is a good idea to enhance access. If constructed, Buffalo State College Student parking would need to be regulated.

 Removing the Grant Street ramps to and from westbound NYS Route 198 would allow for connection of the Scajaquada Pathway without an at-grade crossing of Grant Street.

 The removal of select vegetation to improve the visibility of Scajaquada Creek should be balanced with a desire to maintain or perhaps establish additional vegetation to protect its banks, riparian buffer, and general ecology.

 Access should be enhanced with good lighting, visible connections, and marked crosswalks. The design of at-grade crossings will be particularly important if they are to be well utilized.

 The flow of traffic at the Grant Street, NYS Route 198 eastbound ramps, and Buffalo State College entrance intersection needs improvement. There is a need to work with Buffalo State College to improve general circulation and roadway connections in this area.

 Consider installing a sidewalk along the south side of NYS Route 198. Determine if that sidewalk can be constructed at grade with Iroquois Drive rather than down along the roadway. People may prefer to walk away from moving traffic.

 Without shifting the roadway’s alignment, a sidewalk on the north side of NYS Route 198 would require a retaining wall for support. Construction of a wall could be expensive, may damage the creek’s riparian buffer, and may present a potential safety concern for water craft. Consider shifting the roadway to the south to provide this sidewalk access along the creek without negatively impacting its banks.

Page 3 of 5  The possibility of extending Letchworth Street to Tonawanda Street should be further investigated along with a dedicated eastbound off-ramp from NYS Route 198 if proposed development is supportive. Traffic around Buffalo State College is cyclical in nature. The impact of traffic on neighboring homes from an extended Letchworth Street should be considered.

 A speed transition zone must be developed between I-190 and Grant Street using visual cues to “tame” traffic speeds.

 An existing problem with headlight glare caused by opposing vehicles along the curves approaching and on the elevated section should be further investigated and mitigated if possible.

 Agreements regarding the continued maintenance of sidewalks, shared use paths, and pedestrian bridges constructed under this project will be critical to upkeep and future success. Local agencies will need to be involved and have some responsibility. Participation by local community groups is also a possibility.

 There is a desire to promote greater usage of the existing Scajaquada Pathway through good connections and sound maintenance.

 The installation of rain gardens beneath and along the elevated section of NYS Route 198 should be further investigated. This is one potential way to improve the quality of water discharged to Scajaquada Creek from the roadway.

 Diversion of traffic from NYS Route 198 on to adjacent, parallel local streets is a significant public concern.

 No preference for the proposed roundabout or signalized intersection alternatives was clearly stated. It was noted that the roundabout concept is in keeping with the Olmsted heritage of the surrounding area. More analysis is necessary.

 An increase in travel time along the corridor would be acceptable as long as traffic can be kept moving at a reasonable pace on a reliable, daily basis.

 There is a concern over the ability of traffic to negotiate around disabled vehicles or other blockages given a narrowed section.

 Police enforcement is not a desirable way to encourage lower speeds. It is desirable to encourage proper motor vehicle speeds by design of the roadway to the greatest feasible extent.

 If the Scajaquada Expressway were to be built to current standards, it would likely be a much larger facility with interchanges having a greater footprint. Reconfiguration to an urban arterial roadway is desirable alternative.

Page 4 of 5  It is important for members of the surrounding communities to reach out to their elected officials and support the identification of funding for construction of proposed improvements. At this time, only the preliminary design and environmental study activities are fully funded as part of the New York State Department of Transportation’s program.

The above constitutes our understanding of issues discussed and decisions reached during the meeting. Please notify the undersigned, in writing, with any errors or omissions.

Best regards,

BERGMANN ASSOCIATES

Mark J. McAnany, P.E. Project Manager cc: Tim Bender, NYSDOT Consultant Management Bureau Craig Mozrall, NYSDOT Region 5 Dave Hill, NYSDOT Region 5 All in Attendance, BA Project 6861 file

Page 5 of 5 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

MEETING MINUTES

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33 P.I.N. 5470.22

Interactive Design Workshop #2 Focus on NYS Route 198 from Parkside Avenue to NYS Route 33 Wednesday, November 4, 2009 @ 6:30 PM St. Mary’s School for the Deaf, Buffalo, NY

In Attendance:

NAME REPRESENTING Craig Mozrall NYSDOT R5 Design Dave Hill NYSDOT R5 Design Nimish Shah NYSDOT R5 Design Doug Macaulay NYSDOT R5 Design Alan Lesniak NYSDOT R5 Design Mike Christner NYSDOT R5 Design Tim Bender NYSDOT Consultant Mgmt. Mark McAnany Bergmann Associates Mike Croce Bergmann Associates Tom Detrie Bergmann Associates Monica Bower Lynne Adamczyk Sean Myers Charles Banas Liz Savage, SSJ Ryan Bugess Time Warner News - YNN Hal Morse GBNRTC Jim Nowicki Brad Hamm Common Council – Delaware District Dan Cadzow Sister Philip Marie Ken Kruly Tom Greene Steven Stipanovich Black Rock - Riverside GNPA Tom Ziobro Krysta Doerfler Zachary A. Sadler Senator Antoine M. Thompsons NYS Senate 60th Donna Fernandes George Zornick Peter Burakowski Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society James Rozanski Tom Cannavo Brain Dold S. S. Rick Wolf Tom Mead Buffalo Olmstead Parks

Page 1 of 5 NAME REPRESENTING Chris Colley Oswaldo Mestre Chris Fahey Congressman Higgins Chris Hawley City of Buffalo Justin Pomietlarz Jo-Ann Mecca Bill Licata Council Staff City Hall Ruth Lampe Parkside Comm. Assoc. Dave Lampe Parkside Comm. Assoc. Kristin Allen Parkside Comm. Assoc. Joan Baizer Parkside Comm Assoc. Seyed Ghasemi Mark Kubiniec Grant Amherst Business Assoc. Mark Lee Erie County Planning Michael Meyer Flynn Battaglia Architects Janice Barber Amy Minser David Gerber Todd Mitchell Albert Titus David Woollatt Pam Maglietto Rich Powers David DeBoy Bob Kilduff Nate Marton Medaille College

Summary

This was the second in a series of public workshops to help the Department shape the future of the Scajaquada Corridor. The workshop presented an opportunity for the community to take an active role in guiding the future of the Scajaquada Expressway Corridor and to provide immediate and dynamic feedback on concept solutions for the segment of NYS Route 198 from Parkside Avenue to NYS Route 33. The goal was to develop usable outcomes, responsive to the community’s needs that will inform the project team as they move into preliminary design.

The meeting began with a welcome and introductions, followed by a brief presentation to the group as a whole. The purpose of the presentation was to familiarize those who may not have participated in the project before with its purpose and need as well as the results of past studies. Environmental considerations, roadway geometry, drainage features, traffic control, accident history, and community context were covered.

Attendees then broke into three (3) groups for a “thinking session.” Each group was facilitated by a member of the project team, with two additional members available to take notes and assist with the graphics. The groups brainstormed ideas, talked over concepts presented at each table, and proposed improvements that would work close up (for pedestrians and bicyclists) and far away (for motorists, commuters, and trucks). Each group discussed ways to

Page 2 of 5 improve safety, connectivity, and to bring the facility into better harmony with the surrounding community character and natural environment.

At the conclusion of the breakout session, each group reported back. This was followed by a brief discussion to identify common points and to build consensus. The following is a summary of comments recorded at the meeting.

Focus on NYS Route 198 from Parkside Avenue to NYS Route 33

 Consider an alternative that would construct a large traffic circle at Parkside Avenue, matching the radius of Agassiz Circle. Access and traffic impacts to the adjacent homes were noted as potential concerns.

 Consider lowering NYS Route 198 five to six feet adjacent to Delaware Park. This, coupled with appropriate ground level screening, would help screen the view of passenger cars from the park.

 Add an entrance/exit to Delaware Park from NYS route 198.

 Reconfiguration of the Main/Kensington intersection should involve coordination with Sisters Hospital. Ambulances use Kensington Avenue to access the emergency room, which is located off Kensington Avenue.

 The option of constructing a tunnel beneath Parkside Avenue for NYS Route 198 through traffic was favorably received. Blasting (for rock removal) and its potential impacts to neighboring residents, along with cost and the extension of the “expressway” to Delaware Avenue were discussed as concerns.

 Consider increasing the number of connections to the local street network, especially between Main Street and NYS Route 33. This would ease the pressure on existing intersections and interchanges and reconnect neighborhoods severed by the original construction.

 It was suggested that a three-lane roundabout at the Parkside intersection would be confusing and difficult to navigate.

 It was suggested that if the Main/Kensington intersection were improved, traffic may use what is perceived as excess capacity on Main Street and migrate away from Parkside Avenue. An increase in capacity at the Parkside intersection would be undesirable.

 Consider returning Humboldt Parkway to its original condition/design prior to the construction of NYS Route 198.

 Ensure that truck access is maintained as part of any of the improvements.

 Scale the road down to a local road.

 Investigate a boulevard concept for NYS Route 198 with intersecting streets.

Page 3 of 5  A suggestion was made to test a single lane in each direction for the length of NYS Route 198 with jersey barrier for 6 months to help with an assessment of diversion.

 Consider dual roundabouts at Main Street and Kensington Avenue to maintain all current maneuvers.

 Consider improving the conditions east of Main Street. High traffic volumes, congestion, air, and noise impacts are of concern to neighboring residents. There is also a lack of connectivity and pedestrian routes across the expressway.

 Consider a pedestrian underpass at Parkside Avenue with an at-grade roundabout, however, security inside this tunnel would be of concern.

 Medaille College Students park on the north side of NYS Route 198 and cross to the college at Parkside. Create a safer crossing for pedestrians at this location.

 Move the Buffalo Parks Department maintenance garage in order to construct a pedestrian bridge closer to Parkside Avenue. Have the pedestrian crossing east of the existing garage location.

 Improve access to NYS Route 33 from Main Street.

 Consider the effects of traffic movements and their effect on the quality of life in the area.

 Add street lights for improved visibility. Consider placing lights in a location where they will not be susceptible to being struck, such as within a raised median.

 Improve pavement markings at the NYS Route 198 and NYS Route 33 interchange.

 To some, increased delay or travel time would not be a concern if the project puts the facility more in harmony with its surroundings while increasing safety, connectivity, and property values.

 What impact would improve mass transit facilities have on the corridor? Would this help relieve congestion?

 Local streets lose at least 25% of their width during the winter months due to snow banks.

 Speed reduction is a necessity in order to create a safe roadway for vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists.

 This area has an urban planning problem not a highway geometry problem.

 Increase pedestrian and bicycle accommodations to improve mobility.

 Consider having a charrette as an effective forum for alternative development and idea gathering. This would better allow for a true sharing of ideas.

Page 4 of 5  Consider a boulevard with two lanes in each direction for Humboldt Parkway surrounding two or more lanes in each direction for NYS Route 198. Intersections would be at grade and signalized.

 Streetscape improvements should be a requirement of the project.

 It is important for members of the surrounding communities to reach out to their elected officials and support the identification of funding for construction of proposed improvements. At this time, only the preliminary design and environmental study activities are fully funded as part of the New York State Department of Transportation’s program.

 Consider/Research examples such as Ocean Park Boulevard and Embarcadero Boulevard.

The above constitutes our understanding of issues discussed and decisions reached during the meeting. Please notify the undersigned, in writing, with any errors or omissions.

Best regards,

BERGMANN ASSOCIATES

Mark J. McAnany, P.E. Project Manager cc: Tim Bender, NYSDOT Consultant Management Bureau Craig Mozrall, NYSDOT Region 5 Dave Hill, NYSDOT Region 5 All in Attendance, BA Project 6861 file

Page 5 of 5 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

MEETING MINUTES

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33 P.I.N. 5470.22

Interactive Design Workshop #3 Focus on NYS Route 198 from Elmwood Avenue to Delaware Park Thursday, April 29, 2010 @ 6:30 PM Delaware Park Marcy Casino, Buffalo, NY

In Attendance:

NAME REPRESENTING Craig Mozrall NYSDOT R5 Design Darrell Kaminski NYSDOT R5 Design Dave Hill NYSDOT R5 Design Nimish Shah NYSDOT R5 Design Alan Lesniak NYSDOT R5 Design Alma Lafferty NYSDOT R5 Design Tim Bender NYSDOT Consultant Mgmt. Mark McAnany Bergmann Associates Mike Croce Bergmann Associates Tom Detrie Bergmann Associates Michael Muehlbauek T. J. Pignato Buffalo News Janice Burnett Forest Lawn Jo-Ann Meca Jeff Zimbell Bill Park City of Buffalo OSP Warren Glover Gary Witulsky City of Buffalo OSP Steve Krumm John Metzen Jennifer Diagostino NYS Assm Sam Hoyt Steven Shaffer Buffalo State College Eugene Setel David DeBoy Robert Biniszkiewicz Joseph O’Donnell Robbyn Drake Alan Oberst Buffalo-Niagara Riverkeeper Kathleen McGuigan-

Sadoff

Thomas Herrera- Buffalo Olmsted Parks

Mishler Conservancy Fran Wagner Scajaquada Cr. Canoe Club Jordan Dalton SUNY Buffalo – Media Study Kris Allen Cindy Gorski

Page 1 of 5 NAME REPRESENTING Paul Gorski Gary Gottlieb NYSDOT Andres Hverta Chuck Barnes Monica Bower Hal Morse GBNRTC Jim Nowicki Ken Kruly Tom Ziobro Krysta Doerfler Brian Dold Tom Mead Buffalo Olmstead Parks Ruth Lampe Parkside Comm. Assoc. Seyed Ghasemi Grant Amherst Business Mark Kubiniec Assoc. Mark Lee Erie County Planning Albert Titus

Summary

This was the third in a series of public workshops to help the Department shape the future of the Scajaquada Corridor. The workshop presented an opportunity for the community to take an active role in guiding the future of the Scajaquada Expressway Corridor and to provide immediate and dynamic feedback on concept solutions for the segment of NYS Route 198 from Elmwood Avenue to Delaware Park. The goal was to develop usable outcomes, responsive to the community’s needs that will inform the project team as they move into preliminary design.

The meeting began with a welcome and introductions, followed by a brief presentation to the group as a whole. The purpose of the presentation was to familiarize those who may not have participated in the project before with its purpose and need as well as the roadway’s features, traffic control, accident history, and community context for this section of the corridor. At the end of the presentation, various alternative concepts were introduced to those in attendance.

Attendees then broke into three (3) groups for a “thinking session.” Each group was facilitated by a member of the project team, with two additional members available to answer questions, take notes, and assist with the graphics. The groups brainstormed ideas, talked over alternative concepts presented at each table, and proposed improvements that would work close up (for pedestrians, bicyclists, and waterway users) and far away (for motorists, commuters, and trucks). Each group discussed ways to improve safety, connectivity, and to bring the facility into better harmony with the surrounding community character and natural environment.

At the conclusion of the breakout session, each group reported back. This was followed by a brief discussion to identify common points and to build consensus. The following is a summary of comments recorded at the meeting.

Page 2 of 5

Focus on NYS Route 198 from Elmwood Avenue to Delaware Park

 Good pedestrian and bicyclist accommodations are extremely important along this segment of the corridor. The Scajaquada Pathway and Delaware Park ring road are valuable existing resources. The project should take advantage of opportunities to add to and enhance the existing network of paths and sidewalks. More plentiful and convenient pedestrian connections were requested including access to/from the Wegmans Plaza from Buffalo State College.

 A consensus emerged that modern roundabouts with more than two through travel lanes would not be desirable along the Scajaquada corridor. This directly applies to a three (3) lane alternative concept presented for the junction of NYS Route 198 and NYS Route 384 (Delaware Avenue). Concerns were raised that while “Olmsted-esque”, roundabouts would create large expanses of pavement, a complex system of pavement markings and signing leading to driver confusion, long pedestrian crossings, and significantly reduce capacity on NYS Route 198.

 Traffic signals are proficient at handling heavy peak hour through volumes while providing gaps for lower volume side street movements. Many attendees were in favor of the signalized alternatives presented and requested that traffic signals be fully investigated as alternatives to roundabouts where ramps are eliminated. It was noted that signalized intersections do allow some direct vehicular and pedestrian conflicts that do not exist in roundabouts. It was also noted that signals can increase the potential for vehicle idling, which is perceived as a potentially negative impact to Delaware Park (e.g. idling trucks).

 Removal of the existing ramp in the southwest quadrant of the Elmwood Avenue interchange could allow for future use of that property by Buffalo State College. A desire to eliminate the eastbound off ramp to Iroquois Drive was also stated. In general, a desire to eliminate ramps and increase green space while addressing safety concerns was expressed.

 Removal of the existing ramp in the southwest quadrant of the Delaware Avenue interchange would visually and acoustically benefit the atmosphere of Delaware Park adjacent to Hoyt Lake.

 Consider lowering NYS Route 198 between Lincoln Parkway and Delaware Avenue and Delaware Avenue and Parkside Avenue to improve physical and visual connectivity while potentially reducing the impact of traffic noise. This might also increase opportunities to site and construct pedestrian bridges that reflect the style of Frederick Law Olmsted.

 Consider raising the profile of NYS Route 198 where it passes over Scajaquada Creek to allow for a pedestrian underpass.  A suggestion was made to fully reconnect Lincoln Parkway across NYS Route 198. A modern roundabout or signal could be used to control this new full access intersection.

 The creation of a “boulevard feel” along NYS Route 198 was generally met with a favorable response. It was noted that while narrowing the pavement is desirable from a

Page 3 of 5 traffic calming and pedestrian access perspective, adequate space should be retained to accommodate regular maintenance activities and incident management. The use of non-expressway design features was encouraged.

 Consider the use of street trees with an appropriate spacing to give motorists on NYS Route 198 the perception that they are moving faster than they actually are.

 Consideration should be given to providing direct connections to and from heavy traffic generators where feasible. It was suggested that a direct exit from Buffalo State College to NYS Route 198 could take some traffic load off the local street system (Elmwood Avenue).

 A comment was made that since NYS Route 198 had been resurfaced in 2009, traffic noise had increased. It was suggested that quieter pavement treatments be investigated as part of the design process.

 A suggestion was made to consider crossing NYS Route 198 and NYS Route 384 (Delaware Avenue) at grade, off the existing Delaware Avenue bridge, at a signalized intersection. This would allow for the use of the Delaware Avenue bridge by pedestrians and bicyclists.

 Consider a boardwalk in lieu of a paved pathway along the southern shore of Scajaquada Creek at the western end of the project to protect the riparian buffer.

 It was suggested that the focus of efforts along the entire corridor should be the protection and enhancement of community assets rather than handling traffic.

 A participant asked why design concepts couldn’t start with 10 foot or 11 foot lane widths and work their way up to 12 foot if necessary rather than vice versa? It was explained that NYS Route 198 is a Qualifying Highway on the New York State Designated system of Truck Access Highways. According to accepted design standards, 12 ft lanes meet the minimum standard for a Qualifying Highway and 13 ft lanes are typical. The current alternatives begin with 12 ft wide lanes. Lanes 11 ft wide may be considered in the future as a design exception.

 A participant asked if trucks could be prohibited from NYS Route 198. It was explained that it is a Qualifying Highway on the New York State Designated system of Truck Access Highways and truck access needs to be provided unless a suitable alternative route was developed, which does not exist today.

 Some participants expressed a desire to maintain the Scajaquada’s function as a through roadway. It would not be desirable to turn the roadway into a local street. The diversion of traffic to local streets would be of concern, especially under winter (snowy) conditions.

 Consider the feasibility of adding on-street parking along NYS Route 198.

 Consider the integration of features that enhance the experience of users other than motorists. For example, consider bridge treatments that would be seen by and appeal to pedestrians and canoeists, even if they cannot be seen by passing motorists.

Page 4 of 5

 A suggestion was made to explore the possibility of allowing two-way traffic over the existing Lincoln Parkway bridge.

 Ensure that the drainage system is properly designed to address both water quantity and quality.

 Investigate ways to light the roadway that will not be prone to damage each winter and spring from plowing operations and errant vehicles (i.e. move the lights farther away from the roadway than they are today).

The above constitutes our understanding of issues discussed and decisions reached during the meeting. Please notify the undersigned, in writing, with any errors or omissions.

Best regards,

BERGMANN ASSOCIATES

Mark J. McAnany, P.E. Project Manager cc: Tim Bender, NYSDOT Consultant Management Bureau Craig Mozrall, NYSDOT Region 5 Dave Hill, NYSDOT Region 5 All in Attendance, BA Project 6861 file

Page 5 of 5 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

MEETING MINUTES

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33 P.I.N. 5470.22

Stakeholder Group Meeting #5 Thursday, April 28, 2011 @ 3:00 PM Delaware Park Marcy Casino, Buffalo, NY

In Attendance:

NAME REPRESENTING Craig Mozrall NYSDOT R5 Design Frank Billittier NYSDOT R5 Design Dave Hill NYSDOT R5 Design Peter Hart NYSDOT R5 Design Tim Bender NYSDOT Consultant Mgmt. Mark McAnany Bergmann Associates Mike Croce Bergmann Associates Tom Detrie Bergmann Associates Cheryl Liberatore Bergmann Associates James Lee Forest District Civic Assoc. Bernard Wagner Darwin Martin House Kristi Moscato Wegmans Russell Weaver Senator Mark Grisanti Brad Hamm Councilmember Michael LoCurto Gary Witulsky City of Buffalo OSP Justin Azzarella Elmwood Village Assoc. Ruth Lampe Parkside Comm. Assoc. Dave Lampe Buffalo Park Steering Comm. Jennifer Diagostino NYS Assemblyman Sam Hoyt Renata Kraft Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper Steven Shaffer Buffalo State College Henry Szymula Forest Lawn Group Nate Martin Medaille College Masten District Common Todd McAlister Council Tom Kelly - Thomas Herrera- Buffalo Olmsted Parks

Mishler Conservancy Hal Morse GBNRTC Buffalo Olmstead Parks Tom Mead Conservancy Seyed Ghasemi City of Buffalo DPW Mark Kubiniec Grant Amherst Bus. Assoc. Mark Lee Erie County Planning

Page 1 of 8 Summary

The purpose of this meeting was to update the Stakeholder Group on the status of the project, discuss schedule, present future no-build traffic volumes, and provide early insight from the analysis of alternative traffic data. The meeting also included a summary of ideas from last year’s series of Interactive Design Workshops. Attendees were given an opportunity to review and comment on a conceptual layout of a feasible build alternative.

Project Status Update:

 Frank Billittier introduced himself to the group. Craig Mozrall has assumed the role of Acting Regional Design Engineer within the Department and Frank has taken over leadership responsibilities for the Scajaquada Corridor project.

 A significant amount of traffic data was generated and obtained from the GBNRTC over the course of the past year. Analysis of that data began in earnest this April.

 The design team is targeting summer 2012 for the selection of a preferred alternative. Overall, the project is on target for completion of the Environmental Impact Statement in 2013. This would allow for construction between 2016 and 2020. As noted at previous meetings, construction funding has not yet been identified.

Regional Traffic Forecast Model Results:

Background

 The morning and evening peak hours of commuter traffic along NYS Route 198 occur from 7:30 AM to 8:30 AM and 4:15 to 5:15 PM, respectively. These representative periods are being studied. There are other times and locations where traffic is heavy, such as along Grant Street during the Buffalo State College peak (3:30 PM). Consideration to these will also be given in the design.

 Attendees were provided with copies of existing (Year 2008) and future no-build (Year 2040) traffic volumes for the morning and evening peak hours. It was noted that some minor adjustments may be made to future volume projections as the study progresses.

 GBNRTC’s travel demand model was used to generate traffic forecasts for the future no-build and build (alternative) conditions on and around the Scajaquada Corridor. It was also used to make informed assessments of potential traffic diversion. The model is based on population and employment trends, households and planned developments, and origin/destination information. In-person interviews and surveys were also conducted to help calibrate the model results during the early stages of model development.

 The GBNRTC travel demand model meets Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) standards for calibration and validation.

 Forecasts of population and employment changes have been made based on past trends and with input from a committee of local experts.

Page 2 of 8

 A modest increase in population and employment is anticipated across the Buffalo region through 2035. Immediately adjacent to the Scajaquada Corridor, a slight population increase on the order of 2% is expected during this time period, primarily resulting from increased student housing and dormitory facilities in the vicinity of Buffalo State College. Employment within the Scajaquada Corridor is expected to drop by 11% by the year 2035.

No-Build Traffic Information

 No-Build traffic projections suggest roughly 10% growth in traffic throughout the corridor between 2008 and 2040, or approximately 0.3% per year. The design should anticipate that increase.

 As traffic builds, peak hour congestion at the following locations is anticipated to grow:

o Intersection of NYS Route 198 at Parkside Avenue o Westbound NYS Route 198 off-ramp to Nottingham Terrace and Delaware Avenue o Intersection of Grant Street and the NYS Route 198 ramps

 In addition to those along the corridor, up to 36 “outlying” intersections (signalized and unsignalized) will be studied on parallel and alternative routes to assess the potential effects of traffic diversion onto alternative routes. Some congestion occurs at these intersections today, primarily along the Elmwood and Delaware corridors. Known peak hour congestion on these routes can discourage traffic from using them as diversion routes off of the NYS Route 198 corridor.

Initial Traffic Diversion Results

 Initial results suggest traffic will not divert away from NYS Route 198 as much as previously expected. Early thoughts on why include:

o Lack of parallel routes with convenient alternate access to I-190 and NYS Route 33. o NYS Route 198 acts locally as principal access to the regional transportation system. o The times to reach, use, and traverse parallel routes remain longer than the time required using NYS Route 198, even with large increases in delay factored in. o Most trips using NYS Route 198 (upwards of 80%) begin at or are destined for areas within the corridor so most of the traffic has a local origin or destination.

 Additional delay and travel time information will be presented at a future stakeholder meeting as it is developed.

 Initial results show the average diversion realized along NYS Route 198 as follows:

o -15% for Alternative 2 (four lane arterial with traffic signals at 40-45 mph) o -20% for Alternative 3A (four lane arterial with roundabouts at 40 – 45 mph) o -25% for Alternative 4 (two lane arterial with roundabouts at 30-35 mph) o < 5% diversion at the Parkside and Main/Kensington intersections under any scenario

 The following corridors received diverted traffic:

Page 3 of 8

o South of NYS Route 198 - Forest, Delavan, Ferry, and Main o North of NYS Route 198 – Amherst, Hertel, Military, Delaware, Nottingham, and Colvin

 Early diversion results on I-190 and NYS Route 33 show +3% and -6%, respectively.

Signals vs. Roundabouts (Comparisons)

 Initial results suggest single and multi-lane modern roundabouts will not have adequate capacity to handle the anticipated traffic demand, even with anticipated diversion factored in.

 Participants at the Interactive Design Workshops generally did not approve of modern roundabouts with more than 2 circulating lanes for this corridor.

 Multi-lane roundabouts are more operationally complex than their single-lane counterparts having an increased number of conflict points. Experience has shown an elevated risk of sideswipe accidents related to lane departures.

 Questions have been raised regarding pedestrian accessibility (especially for the blind) at modern roundabouts. Though pedestrians need only cross only one direction of traffic at a time, they must rely upon the proper behavior of motorists (yielding) in multiple lanes to complete their movement.

 Recent information on Roundabout experience in the United States is available in the Transportation Research Board’s NCHRP Report 672, “Roundabouts: An Informational Guide – Second Edition.”

 Signalized intersections are generally better suited to handle heavily peaked traffic that is not balanced over multiple approaches when compared to modern roundabouts.

 While pedestrians must still rely on motorists obeying the “rules of the road” for crossing safety at signalized intersections, the signals do assign phases for crossing. There is an opportunity to incorporate median refuges at signalized intersections, which can offer some of the same benefits of two-stage crossing realized at a roundabout.

 Initial results suggest signalized intersections with a minimum of two through lanes in each direction and auxiliary (turn) lanes can provide enough capacity to accommodate the projected peak hour volumes with a modest increase in congestion, operating at or just over capacity during the peak hour in 2040.

Interactive Design Workshop(s) - Results

 Significant conclusions drawn from the interactive design workshops were reviewed. Please refer to the meeting handout attached to these minutes.

Page 4 of 8 Initial Concept (Work in Progress) of a Feasible Build Alternative

 The initial concept under development is based on Alternative 2. It involves changing NYS Route 198 into a four-lane, median divided arterial with signalized intersections as replacements for the existing higher speed ramps. Its development has been informed by the results of the interactive design workshops, Olmsted Park plans, etc.

 The concept offers the following benefits, which are in keeping with the project’s Purpose and Need (current statement reviewed at the meeting).

o Non-expressway, principal arterial facility o Relative overall safety improvement o Improved pedestrian connectivity o Reduced travel speeds o Improved harmony with surrounding community character and environment o Does not significantly erode the existing level of service

 Issues to consider at the local street connections include concentrated traffic volumes at fewer locations, increased congestion, long pedestrian crossings, longer traffic signal cycle lengths, and potential impacts to adjacent property. It should be noted that these issues exist exclusive of whether signals or roundabouts are used on NYS Route 198.

 The concept will result in an increased travel time across the NYS Route 198 corridor. Travel time projections are currently being developed and will be shared at a future Stakeholder Group meeting.

 Air quality and noise impacts will be investigated as the study progresses. Changing from an expressway (free flow) to stop-and-go traffic (signals and/or roundabouts) may result in an increase in emissions and noise.

 Profile adjustments to improve visual and physical connectivity between Lincoln Parkway and Delaware Avenue and Delaware Avenue and Parkside Avenue are being evaluated. Snow drifting and increased winter maintenance activities must also be considered.

 The Department is committed, per the Purpose and Need Statement, to maintaining an arterial roadway through this corridor. NYS Route 198 will not be eliminated by this project. However, feasible alternatives will attempt to accomplish the shared goal of bringing the corridor into better harmony with its surroundings.

 Light poles were shown in the median on the conceptual typical sections distributed at the meeting for illustrative purposes only, though this is a desirable treatment. Final decisions on the locations of light poles will be made as design progresses.

 Proper handling and treatment of storm water and desired surface water quality enhancement measures, as deemed feasible, will be part of the project’s design.

 If the roundabout alternative with a 30-35 mph speed limit were dismissed, the possibility of a reduced speed limit could still be investigated in conjunction with a different alternative. It is important to note that speed limits are set by the anticipated

Page 5 of 8 (and after construction, actual) 85th percentile speed. That term is defined as the speed which 85% of the traffic travels at or exceeds under free-flow conditions.

Comments on the Conceptual Alternative

 In lieu of moving NYS Route 198 closer to Buffalo State College and away from Scajaquada Creek to accommodate a sidewalk on that side of the highway, consider the feasibility of an easement for sidewalk construction and maintenance by Buffalo State College on the south side of the road.

 Buffalo State College will send parking lot counts to the design team (lots adjacent to Grant Street).

 Buffalo State College would prefer to see a pedestrian overpass moved farther west, to line up with a gap between the residence halls.

 A path connection that eliminates the need to cross Grant Street is desirable. Improved pedestrian accommodation is desirable at the Grant Street intersections.

 Review the possibility of having an eastbound and westbound NYS Route 198 connector roadway at the Grant Street interchange, where the present day ramps reside. This would split the large volume of traffic destined to NYS Route 198 across two intersections instead of one.

 Consider relocating the parking, canoe launch, and creating a pocket park between the proposed Elmwood Avenue connector from NYS Route 198 and the Elmwood Avenue overpass.

 Further investigate connectivity for Lincoln Parkway across NYS Route 198. Pedestrian connectivity was generally thought of as more important than vehicular connectivity. An at-grade crossing of NYS Route 198 for pedestrians could be accomplished in conjunction with a new signalized intersection at Lincoln Parkway or via an underpass where NYS Route 198 passes over Scajaquada Creek.

 Consider a canoe launch just west of Lincoln Parkway, south of NYS Route 198. Canoes could portage around the dam.

 Interest remains in possibly relocating the existing parks maintenance facility. A concern was voiced regarding moving equipment in and out of the facility. It is not anticipated that the Scajaquada project will impact the existing facility or its access to the extent that the site is no longer viable. Without a significant impact, federal funds cannot be used to fund relocation. Consideration will be given to improving access to the facility as design progresses. If the City has plans to move/eliminate the existing building, that information should be shared with the design team. The NYSDOT plans to have a separate meeting with the City Parks Department to discuss this facility and its future in greater detail.

 Maintain a minimum of two lanes out of Medaille College and approaching NYS Route 198 at Parkside Avenue.

Page 6 of 8  It was stated that recent pedestrian improvements (pedestrian signals, marked crosswalks, curb ramps) at the Parkside intersection have vastly improved the ability to cross at that location.

 Retain the existing sidewalk on the west side of the Medaille College entrance drive as part of the concept shown.

 Consider a grade separated pedestrian crossing of NYS Route 198 just west of Parkside Avenue to improve connectivity between the southern neighborhoods, Medaille College, and Delaware Park.

 Consider improved vehicular access to Delaware Park. Explore a new entrance to the parking area from NYS Route 198 westbound and/or a new right-in/right-out.

 The Olmsted Parks Conservancy would still like to see Agassiz Circle formally reestablished. Restoration of the circle is at odds with accommodating the high volume of traffic projected to continue to utilize this intersection well into the future. Preliminary results show only 4% diversion would occur here. Construction of a tunnel allowing through traffic to bypass the intersection would be costly (estimated at $120M) and would extend the higher speed “expressway feel” to Delaware Avenue. Another option is to reflect Agassiz Circle in other elements such as pedestrian facilities, landscape features, etc around the intersection.

 The goal at the Main and Kensington “triangle” is to reduce conflict points, improve safety, and promote smoother operation. Multiple options have been screened including a single point urban intersection, elevated median u-turns, a one-way connector bridge at Kensington Avenue, and a two-way connector bridge. Capacity, connectivity, impacts and cost need to be balanced here. Consideration could also be given to closing off access to Kensington Avenue at Humboldt Parkway. This could significantly affect Sisters Hospital.

 No level of improvement at Main and Kensington is expected to provide enough additional capacity to draw measurable traffic away from the Parkside intersection with NYS Route 198.

Next Steps:

 Complete the Year 2040 Future No-Build traffic analyses  Update draft Chapter 2 of the EIS  Continued alternative development  Continued assessment of alternatives from a traffic analysis standpoint including capacity, delay, and travel time.  Review progress at the next Stakeholder Group meeting, targeted in another 3 months.

The above constitutes our understanding of issues discussed and decisions reached during the meeting. Please notify the undersigned, in writing, with any errors or omissions.

Page 7 of 8 Best regards,

BERGMANN ASSOCIATES

Mark J. McAnany, P.E. Project Manager cc: Tim Bender, NYSDOT Consultant Management Bureau Frank Billittier, NYSDOT Region 5 Dave Hill, NYSDOT Region 5 All in Attendance, BA Project 6861 file

Page 8 of 8 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

MEETING MINUTES

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33 P.I.N. 5470.22

Buffalo Olmsted Parks Board Meeting Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 9:00 AM Delaware Park Marcy Casino, Buffalo, NY

In Attendance:

NAME REPRESENTING Frank Billittier NYSDOT R5 Design Dave Hill NYSDOT R5 Design Mark McAnany Bergmann Associates Mike Croce Bergmann Associates Thomas Herrera-Mishler Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Brian Dold Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Tom Mead Buffalo Olmstead Parks Conservancy Greg Robinson Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Charles Gordon Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Tony James Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Richard Cummings Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Otis Glover Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Victor Rice Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Gary Mucci Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Ruth Lampe Parkside Comm. Assoc. Dave Lampe Delaware Park Steering Comm. Peter Flynn Flynn Battaglia Architects, P.C. Mark Mistretta Wendel-Duchscherer

Summary

This was a joint meeting of the Design Review Committee and Long Range Planning Committee of the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Executive Board. The purpose was to provide an update on the NYS Route 198 Scajaquada Corridor project. The goal of this meeting was to continue a productive two-way dialogue where the project team revisits the BOPC vision for a transformed corridor while also sharing the complexities of the planning process and real traffic issues with the BOPC that are leading to some of the initial conclusions.

Introductions were followed by a brief history of the Scajaquada Corridor presented by Brian Dold. The presentation covered past comments made by the BOPC. Representatives of the NYSDOT and Bergmann Associates next provided an update on the traffic analysis and alternative development process. The meeting concluded with a summary of next steps.

By the end of the meeting, attendees generally agreed that due to existing and proposed traffic demands, it is unlikely that the Scajaquada Corridor project will be able to recreate Agassiz Circle in the image of Frederick Law Olmsted’s original vision. NYS Route 198 serves as the primary gateway to Buffalo’s regional network of arterials and interstates for

Page 1 of 3 the homes, businesses, and cultural institutions located along the corridor. There are no other convenient ways to access I-190 and NYS Route 33. As a result, even with geometry and speed limit changes along NYS Route 198, only 15% to 20% of traffic is expected to divert. Furthermore, less than 5% of vehicles would divert away from the NYS Route 198 and Parkside Avenue intersection.

The Department is committed to planning a non-expressway alternative that meets many of the Conservancy’s goals, however in the interest of the community, economy, and overall mobility; it is not prudent to build a facility that would introduce significant additional delay. An opportunity remains to use pedestrian facilities, landscaping, or other streetscape elements to reflect the original circle in the ultimate plan, even if the circular roadway itself cannot be reestablished.

Given the most current traffic data available, the design team has initially concluded that a modern roundabout with no more than two circulating lanes would have insufficient capacity to handle existing and projected traffic. It would be especially difficult for Parkside Avenue traffic to enter the intersection. This desired concept however, will continue to be tested and thoroughly evaluated using an animated traffic model. The results of that model will be shared with the project’s stakeholders, including the BOPC, at a future meeting.

Future traffic projections are based on the Greater Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Council’s travel demand model which predicts traffic patterns based on population, employment, and origin-destination data. The model has been validated to Federal Highway Administration Standards and calibrated to local conditions.

It is important to note that while the design team anticipates a signalized intersection at Parkside Avenue will perform better than its roundabout counterpart, it too will continue to suffer from congestion during the morning and evening peak traffic periods. Options that would eliminate congestion, such as a grade separated tunnel are considered too costly to build and/or unnecessarily disruptive to the unique character of the surroundings. They would likely also result in a higher speed traffic condition extending even further west of Parkside.

The Design Team shared graphics depicting an initial concept for a feasible build alternative. The design is a work in progress with much more evaluation and decision making still to occur. This alternative introduces a landscaped median along NYS Route 198, removes many of the existing expressway ramps, creates at-grade traffic signal controlled intersections, improves pedestrian connectivity, reduces vehicular speeds, and improves overall safety. Given these improvements, driver expectancy would be better matched with the facility’s form and function.

Items the BOPC would like to see considered as design progresses:

x The speed limit reduced to 30-35 miles per hour x A “complete streets” arterial boulevard with “Olmsted Character”

x An improved streetscape with appropriate gateway features

x Improved access to Delaware Park from NYS Route 198 and Parkside Avenue

Page 2 of 3 x Relocation of the existing pedestrian overpass x Safer pedestrian crossings that develop a strong linkage between parts of the park x Extension of Letchworth Street from Grant Street to Niagara Street, matching the character of Rockwell Road (Note: the BOPC did not express a preference for roundabouts or signalized intersections at the Grant Street interchange) x Narrowing of Delaware Avenue to two through lanes south of and beneath the NYS Route 198 overpass. x Introduction of a curve into the alignment of NYS Route 198 near the McMillan Monument that more closely resembles the historic alignment

The BOPC voiced concerns against:

x Pull-off parking adjacent to Scajaquada Creek x Opening the existing Lincoln Parkway bridge to two-way traffic. The BOPC preferred an approach where the pedestrian experience on the bridge would be maintained or upgraded.

It was noted that the City of Buffalo may be studying the future viability of the park maintenance facility. The BOPC uses only a small part of the existing facility. The NYSDOT will be holding a separate in-person meeting with the City to discuss future plans for the buildings.

Next Steps:

‰ Complete the Year 2040 Future No-Build traffic analyses ‰ Update draft Chapter 2 of the EIS ‰ Continued alternative development ‰ Continued assessment of alternatives from a traffic analysis standpoint including capacity, delay, and travel time. ‰ Review progress at the next Stakeholder Group meeting, targeted in approximately 3 months. The above constitutes our understanding of issues discussed and decisions reached during the meeting. Please notify the undersigned, in writing, with any errors or omissions.

Best regards,

BERGMANN ASSOCIATES

Mark J. McAnany, P.E. Project Manager

cc: Tim Bender, NYSDOT Consultant Management Bureau Frank Billittier, NYSDOT Region 5 Dave Hill, NYSDOT Region 5 All in Attendance, BA Project 6861 file

Page 3 of 3 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

MEETING MINUTES

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33 P.I.N. 5470.22

Stakeholder Group Meeting #6 Wednesday, February 15, 2012 @ 3:00 PM Delaware Park Marcy Casino, Buffalo, NY

In Attendance:

NAME REPRESENTING Craig Mozrall NYSDOT R5 Design Frank Billittier NYSDOT R5 Design Dave Hill NYSDOT R5 Design Peter Hart NYSDOT R5 Design Tim Bender NYSDOT Consultant Mgmt. Mark McAnany Bergmann Associates Mike Croce Bergmann Associates Tom Detrie Bergmann Associates James Lee Forest District Civic Assoc. Brad Hamm Councilmember Michael LoCurto Ruth Lampe Parkside Comm. Assoc. Steven Shaffer Buffalo State College Nate Martin Medaille College Hal Morse GBNRTC Seyed Ghasemi City of Buffalo DPW Mark Lee Erie County Planning Heath Lagoe Fisher Associates Lorenzo Rotoli Fisher Associates Stevan Stipanovich 119 Bidwell Pkwy, Buf 14222 William Murray Forest Lawn Cemetery Steve Balesteri Senator Grisanti Newell Nussbaumer 121 Norwood, Buf 14222 Buffalo Olmsted Parks Brian Dold Conservancy David Vitka Catholic Health Gary Constantino Catholic Health Michael Hoffert City of Buffalo Street Lightings Buffalo Olmsted Parks Greg Robinson Conservancy Bob Biniszkiewicz Elmview Place Block Club

Page 1 of 6 Summary

The purpose of this meeting was to update the Stakeholder Group on the status of the project and share an updated concept for the feasible build alternative (Alternative 2). Traffic simulation results for the feasible build alternative were also shared. Graphics illustrating the feasible build alternative were made available for review. Segments of the graphic were shown and described during a slide presentation. Attendees were given an opportunity to review and comment on the graphics at the close of the meeting.

Project Status Update:

‰ While the detailed design and construction phases remain unfunded at this time, the Department is moving forward with the development of the preliminary design and Environmental Impact Statement. Having a completed Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision at the end of this process may help with securing future funding, if it becomes available.

‰ The design team continues to target summer 2012 for the selection of a preferred alternative. Overall, the project remains on target for completion of the Environmental Impact Statement near the close of 2013.

Description of the Feasible Build Alternative (Alternative 2):

‰ As described in the purpose and need statement, the intent is to convert NYS Route 198 to a “non-expressway” facility. The feasible build alternative would change the existing facility into a median divided arterial and provide:

x An improved driver, bicyclist, and pedestrian experience x Improved pedestrian connectivity x Enhanced safety x A better match between the roadway’s design and operating speeds

‰ NYS Route 198 Viaduct: The design team is beginning to give thought to the development of appropriate gateway features that will draw motorist attention to the change from an expressway environment to an urban arterial. These would be located on approach to the proposed Grant Street connector intersection.

‰ Grant Street: Existing ramps would be removed and replaced with two connector roadways. Both the intersections with Grant Street and NYS Route 198 would be signalized. A proposed addition to the Jesse Kregal Pathway would pass beneath the proposed westbound connector roadway where it crosses over Scajaquada Creek.

‰ Buffalo State College: A new pedestrian bridge is being considered to cross over NYS Route 198 linking a central campus walkway with the Jesse Kregal Pathway. This connection would facilitate future access to Wegmans and/or the Amherst Street corridor.

Page 2 of 6 ‰ Elmwood Avenue: Existing ramps would be removed and replaced with one connector roadway. Both the intersection with Elmwood Avenue and NYS Route 198 would be signalized. Removal of the existing NYS Route 198 westbound off ramp to Elmwood Avenue northbound would eliminate an existing vertical clearance “pinch point” over the Jesse Kregal Pathway.

‰ Elmwood Avenue Bridge: The NYSDOT is currently studying a separate project to replace the existing Elmwood Avenue bridge over NYS Route 198. If timing works out, that project could be integrated with the corridor project.

‰ Iroquois Drive: The exiting Lincoln Parkway bridge over the waters between Hoyt Lake and Mirror Lake would become a pedestrian only facility. A new roadway would connect NYS Route 198 (eastbound only) with Iroquois Drive at the site of the former ramps. A signal would be installed at the intersection of the connector roadway and Iroquois Drive (in front of the Albright Knox gallery). It would be possible to add a new pedestrian feature (plaza) around the statue of David in homage to the historic “West Bluff Concourse.”

‰ Stakeholders have asked for a direct connection between the Lincoln Parkway Bridge and the Jesse Kregal Pathway at Lincoln Parkway. The design team investigated several different ways to realize a grade separated crossing. A connection beneath the existing bridge would be both difficult to build and maintain and be cost prohibitive (estimated $1 million cost).

‰ Existing Pedestrian Bridge: The design team considered lowering NYS Route 198 to allow installation of a new, ADA accessible bridge, however the cost of doing so was judged prohibitive given the following considerations. The structure itself is in good condition and warrants rehabilitation rather than replacement at this time. Though not in the park itself, there is an available ADA accessible route over the Elmwood Avenue bridge. Pending NYS Government approval, this feature is expected to be dedicated as the “9/11 Memorial Bridge” by 9/11/13. This would be accompanied by the creation of a small memorial at the bridge site. The selection of this site was made in part due to the visual prominence (twin spiral ramp towers) which would be eliminated with its removal.

‰ Delaware Avenue: Existing ramps, including the ramp connecting NYS Route 198 westbound with Nottingham Terrace, would be removed. Removal of the interchange would eliminate accidents associated with stop controlled ramps and congestion associated with the Nottingham ramp which occurs primarily during the evening peak hours. The existing ramps would be replaced with a single connector roadway between NYS Route 198 and Delaware Avenue (NYS Route 384). Both new intersections would be signalized.

‰ Curves introduced on NYS Route 198 west of the bridge over Delaware Avenue would more closely reflect the historical parkway design.

‰ There is the potential to create a storm water facility that mimics the shape of the former “East Bay” and to restore an old pathway alignment connecting to the McMillan Monument.

Page 3 of 6 ‰ A one to 2 foot lowering could be accomplished along NYS Route 198 between the Delaware Avenue bridge and Buffalo Parks Maintenance Facility. The ability to lower further is constrained by the adjacent Buffalo Police radio station, proximity to South Meadow Drive, access to the parks maintenance building, and snow drifting concerns.

‰ The Buffalo Parks Maintenance Building will remain. The removal and/or relocation of 8 parking spaces in front of the facility adjacent to NYS Route 198 would improve sight lines for vehicles approaching NYS Route 198. This would need to be done in cooperation with the City of Buffalo Department of Public Works, Parks, and Streets.

‰ Parkside Avenue: The existing signalized intersection would be retained at this location. The NYS Route 198 westbound auxiliary lane leading away from the intersection would be extended to balance lane utilization on the westbound approach, thus reducing peak hour congestion. This improvement would involve some right-of-way acquisition from Delaware Park.

‰ There is the potential to add a new access to and from Delaware Park to the west of Parkside Avenue.

‰ Consideration is being given to a triple-left configuration on Parkside Avenue. This feature would cut morning queue lengths in half. The “slip ramp” to westbound NYS Route 198 could potentially be removed, eliminating one pedestrian crossing. Few changes to intersection geometry and little additional pavement would be needed to create the triple left.

‰ Main Street & Kensington Avenue: The current concept would simplify the intersection eliminating the “triangle” formed at Main Street (NYS Route 5) and Kensington Avenue by constructing a new bridge for Kensington Avenue over NYS Route 198. Issues under investigation include the ability to meet design standards on NYS Route 198 beneath the proposed bridge, potential impacts to a pump station and subterranean drainage system, potential impacts to the adjacent retaining walls and their foundations, possible impacts to the NFTA subway, reduced weaving lengths at the Humboldt Parkway exchanges, and difficult truck turning movements. It is known that the proposed changes would not significantly improve capacity or operations. The potential benefits do not appear to outweigh the scope of civil engineering changes necessary or the significant cost of those changes. Other configurations including single point intersections and roundabouts have already been considered and dismissed for similar reasons.

‰ Travel Speed: Today, average operating speeds on NYS Route 198 are approximately 49 mph. The feasible build alternative in its current form is anticipated to result in average mid-block speeds of 44 mph. This would be a 10% reduction.

‰ Travel Time: While the addition of signals to the corridor would increase delay, it is estimated that on average the time it takes to get from one end of the corridor to the other (now 4 to 6 minutes) would generally increase by up to one minute during peak hour periods. Travel time would decrease slightly in the westbound direction (up to one minute) during the evening peak. This would result from the elimination of congestion generated the combination of geometry and traffic control at the westbound off ramp to Nottingham Terrace and Delaware Avenue.

Page 4 of 6 ‰ Diversion: As discussed at a previous meeting, significant volumes of vehicular traffic are not expected to divert from NYS Route 198 to the local street system (less than 15% on average). There are no convenient, parallel routes and NYS Route 198 provides necessary access to the regional network of arterials and interstates for nearby homes, businesses, and cultural institutions.

‰ Traffic Operations: Intersections under the feasible build alternative would operate near or at capacity during the morning and evening peak hour in the design year, 2040. Some individual movements would continue to suffer peak hour congestion and delay, however the vehicular system would function acceptably overall. Pedestrian crossing distances and times were taken into consideration as part of the analysis.

Stakeholder Comments on the Feasible Build Alternative (Alternative 2):

‰ Consider a roundabout at the new intersection on Iroquois Drive.

‰ Consider the construction of a tunnel beneath NYS Route 198 near the site of the existing pedestrian overpass.

‰ Consider how Buffalo State’s peak traffic periods may affect traffic on Grant Street and along the connectors to NYS Route 198.

‰ The improvements along Parkside Avenue appear to facilitate the movement of traffic. Will we be encouraging more traffic to use this intersection?

‰ Proposed lighting should be installed within the new median wherever possible.

‰ Can the proposed right-in, right-out driveway from Delaware Park near Parkside be converted to right-in only? This would prevent frustrated drivers on Parkside Avenue (during the morning peak) from using the parking lot and driveway as an alternate route to access NYS Route 198 westbound. It would also eliminate an access point in the middle of the proposed (extended) auxiliary lane.

‰ Can the proposed right-in, right-out driveway be located or redesigned to reflect the missing fourth quadrant of Agassiz Circle?

‰ Investigate the potential impacts of reducing or eliminating some access at the Main Street and Kensington Avenue intersections with the Humboldt Parkway to improve operations and safety at the “triangle.”

‰ Would the proposed improvements at the Main Street and Kensington Avenue intersections with the Humboldt Parkway result in an air quality improvement near the Catholic Health (Sister’s Hospital) campus? Not likely, but air quality will be studied as the Department develops the Environmental Impact Statement.

‰ A preference was stated for sidewalks and pathways with separation from the roadway.

Page 5 of 6 ‰ Consider improving pedestrian safety by adding refuges at large intersections wherever possible.

‰ Consider other ways (narrower lanes, 40 mph speed limit) to reduce projected speeds.

Next Steps:

‰ Revise the concept for the feasible build alternative based on comments received at this meeting.

‰ Complete traffic analyses for the feasible build alternative.

‰ Address NYSDOT Main Office and FHWA comments on Draft Chapter 2 of the Environmental Impact Statement when available.

‰ Meet again with the Olmsted Parks Board and other interested groups regarding the feasible design alternative.

‰ Continue environmental studies.

‰ Continue the development of conceptual landscape, streetscape, and gateway features for the corridor.

‰ Develop Draft Chapters 3 (Alternatives) and 4 (Environmental) of the Environmental Impact Statement

The above constitutes our understanding of issues discussed and decisions reached during the meeting. Please notify the undersigned, in writing, with any errors or omissions.

Best regards,

BERGMANN ASSOCIATES

Mark J. McAnany, P.E. Project Manager cc: Tim Bender, NYSDOT Consultant Management Bureau Frank Billittier, NYSDOT Region 5 Dave Hill, NYSDOT Region 5 All in Attendance, BA Project 6861 file

Page 6 of 6 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

MEETING MINUTES

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33 P.I.N. 5470.22

Buffalo Complete Streets Coalition and Bike / Ped Advisory Group Representatives Friday, March 16, 2012 @ 10:00 AM City Hall, Room 502, Buffalo, NY

In Attendance:

Dave Hill NYSDOT Region 5 Peter Hart NYSDOT Region 5 Chris Church NYSDOT Region 5 Mark McAnany Bergmann Associates Eric Schmarder City of Buffalo – DPW Gary Witulski City of Buffalo Justin Booth Complete Streets Coalition Alan Oberst Complete Streets Coalition Leslie Green Options Buffalo Mark Mistretta Buffalo Green Fund Evelyn Vossler Black Rock-Riverside Good Neighbors Planning Alliance Amy Weymouth GBNRTC Jessie Gouck Barbara Rowe Vision Niagara Aliesa Adelman Wendel

Summary This meeting was held to present the status of the project development and share an updated concept for the feasible build alternative (Alternative 2) under consideration. A PowerPoint presentation and rendered plan view graphics were used at the meeting.

Project Status Update:

‰ While the detailed design and construction phases remain unfunded at this time, the Department is moving forward with the development of the preliminary design and Environmental Impact Statement. Having a completed Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision at the end of this process will help with securing future funding.

‰ The design team continues to target summer 2012 for the selection of a preferred alternative. Overall, the project remains on target for completion of the Environmental Impact Statement near the close of 2013.

Page 1 of 6 Description of the Feasible Build Alternative (Alternative 2):

‰ As described in the purpose and need statement, the intent is to convert NYS Route 198 to a “non-expressway” facility. The feasible build alternative would change the existing facility into a median divided arterial and provide:

x An improved driver, bicyclist, and pedestrian experience x Improved pedestrian connectivity x Enhanced safety x A better match between the roadway’s design and operating speeds

‰ NYS Route 198 Viaduct: The design team is beginning to give thought to the development of appropriate gateway features that will draw motorist attention to the change from an expressway environment to an urban arterial. These would be located on approach to the proposed Grant Street connector intersection.

‰ Grant Street: Existing ramps would be removed and replaced with two connector roadways. Both the intersections with Grant Street and NYS Route 198 would be signalized. A proposed addition to the Jesse Kregal Pathway would pass beneath the proposed westbound connector roadway where it crosses over Scajaquada Creek.

‰ Buffalo State College: A new pedestrian bridge would cross over NYS Route 198 linking a central campus walkway with the Jesse Kregal Pathway. This connection would facilitate future access to Wegmans and/or the Amherst Street corridor.

‰ Elmwood Avenue: Existing ramps would be removed and replaced with one connector roadway. Both the intersection with Elmwood Avenue and NYS Route 198 would be signalized. Removal of the existing NYS Route 198 westbound off ramp would eliminate an existing vertical clearance “pinch point” over the Jesse Kregal Pathway.

‰ Elmwood Avenue Bridge: The NYSDOT is currently studying a separate project to replace the existing Elmwood Avenue bridge over NYS Route 198. If timing works out, that project could be integrated with the corridor project.

‰ Iroquois Drive: The exiting Lincoln Parkway bridge over the waters between Hoyt Lake and Mirror Lake would become a pedestrian only facility. A new roadway would connect NYS Route 198 (eastbound only) with Iroquois Drive at the site of the former ramps. A signal would be installed at the intersection of the connector roadway and Iroquois Drive (in front of the Albright Knox gallery). It would be possible to add a new pedestrian feature (plaza) around the statue of David in homage to the historic “West Bluff Concourse.”

‰ Stakeholders have asked for a direct connection between the Lincoln Parkway Bridge and the Jesse Kregal Pathway at Lincoln Parkway. The design team investigated several different ways to achieve a grade separated crossing. A connection beneath the existing bridge would be both difficult to build and cost prohibitive (estimated $1 million cost) and difficult to maintain.

Page 2 of 6 ‰ Existing Pedestrian Bridge: The design team considered lowering NYS Route 198 to allow installation of a new, ADA accessible bridge, however the cost of doing so was judged prohibitive given the following considerations. The structure itself is in good condition and warrants rehabilitation rather than replacement at this time. Though not in the park itself, there is an available ADA accessible route over the Elmwood Avenue bridge. Pending NYS Government approval, this feature is expected to be dedicated as the “9/11 Memorial Bridge” by 9/11/13. This would be accompanied by the creation of a small memorial at the bridge site. The selection of this site was made in part due to the visual prominence (twin spiral ramp towers) which would be eliminated with its removal.

‰ Delaware Avenue: Existing ramps, including the ramp connecting NYS Route 198 westbound with Nottingham Terrace, would be removed. Removal of the interchange would eliminate accidents associated with stop controlled ramps and congestion associated with the Nottingham ramp during the evening peak hours. The existing ramps would be replaced with a single connector roadway between NYS Route 198 and Delaware Avenue (NYS Route 384). Both new intersections would be signalized.

‰ Curves introduced on NYS Route 198 west of the bridge over Delaware Avenue would more closely reflect the historical parkway design.

‰ There is the potential to create a storm water facility that mimics the shape of the former “East Bay” and to restore an old pathway alignment connecting to the McMillan Monument.

‰ A one to 2 foot lowering could be accomplished along NYS Route 198 between the Delaware Avenue bridge and Buffalo Parks Maintenance Facility. The ability to lower further is constrained by the adjacent Buffalo Police radio station, proximity to South Meadow Drive, and access to the parks maintenance building.

‰ The Buffalo Parks Maintenance Building will remain. The removal and/or relocation of 8 parking spaces in front of the facility adjacent to NYS Route 198 would improve sight lines for vehicles approaching NYS Route 198. This would need to be done in cooperation with the Buffalo Parks Commission.

‰ Parkside Avenue: The existing signalized intersection would be retained at this location. The westbound auxiliary lane leading away from the intersection would be extended to improve overall traffic flow.

‰ There is the potential to add a new access to and from Delaware Park to the west of Parkside Avenue.

‰ Consideration is being given to a triple-left configuration on Parkside Avenue. This feature would cut morning queue lengths in half. The “slip ramp” to westbound NYS Route 198 could potentially be removed, eliminating one pedestrian crossing. Few changes to intersection geometry and little additional pavement would be needed to create the triple left.

‰ Main Street & Kensington Avenue: The current concept would simplify the intersection eliminating the “triangle” formed at Main Street (NYS Route 5) and Kensington Avenue by constructing a new bridge for Kensington Avenue over NYS Route 198. Issues

Page 3 of 6 under investigation include the ability to meet design standards on NYS Route 198 beneath the proposed bridge, potential impacts to a pump station and subterranean drainage system, potential impacts to the adjacent retaining walls and their foundations, possible impacts to the NFTA subway, reduced weaving lengths at the Humboldt Parkway exchanges, and difficult truck turning movements. It is known that the proposed changes would not significantly improve capacity or operations. The potential benefits do not appear to outweigh the scope of civil engineering changes necessary or the significant cost of those changes. Other configurations including single point intersections and roundabouts have already been considered and dismissed for similar reasons.

‰ Travel Speed: Today, average operating speeds on NYS Route 198 are approximately 49 mph. The feasible build alternative in its current form is anticipated to result in average mid-block speeds of 44 mph. This would be a 10% reduction.

‰ Travel Time: While the addition of signals to the corridor would increase delay, it is estimated that on average the time it takes to get from one end of the corridor to the other (now 4 to 6 minutes) would increase by up to one minute during the peak hour.

‰ Diversion: As discussed at a previous meeting, significant volumes of vehicular traffic are not expected to divert from NYS Route 198 to the local street system. There are no convenient, parallel routes and NYS Route 198 provides necessary access to the regional network of arterials and interstates for nearby homes, businesses, and cultural institutions.

‰ Traffic Operations: Intersections under the feasible build alternative would operate near or at capacity during the morning and evening peak hour in the design year, 2040. Some individual movements would continue to suffer peak hour congestion and delay, however the vehicular system would function acceptably overall. Pedestrian crossing distances and times were taken into consideration as part of the analysis.

Comments:

A productive exchange of ideas and comments occurred throughout the meeting with the following items of discussion noted:

x It was noted that the Grant Street corridor is on the GBNRTC 2008 Bike/Ped Master Plan. NY198 project related improvements to Grant Street should also tie into and incorporate any planned enhancements that improve bicycle and pedestrian mobility along the corridor.

x The existing NY198 is posted at 50 mph. General consensus by attendees is that a lowered posted speed limit is preferred. The project design does attempt to improve safety and reduce anticipated travel speeds along the corridor. However, corridor land use constraints (Scajaquada Creek, Delaware Park, Forest Lawn Cemetery, etc.) prevent any significant geometric alignment modifications that could further reduce speeds. A possible 40 mph posted speed limit is being investigated but studies to date indicate 45 mph is more representative of future driver behaviors along this corridor. It was noted that a greatly reduced speed limit cannot be arbitrarily assigned if actual

Page 4 of 6 operating speeds are expected to be much higher as safety and liability issues must be accounted for. More analysis and discussion is needed on the issue and it will be further investigated moving forward.

x Bike path connections and crossings from Nottingham Terrace and across Elmwood Avenue should be an important consideration. These connections will be factored into the future project design and connectivity analysis.

x It was noted that there is a project being let to introduce a multi-use path along the west side of Elmwood Avenue from Iroquois to Forest. The City provided the NYSDOT a set of the project plans to be copied and returned. The design team will incorporate these improvements into the overall project design and connectivity analysis.

x Justin Booth was invited to be a Stakeholder Group Representative for the Complete Streets Coalition /Buffalo Bike & Ped Advisory Board for the NY198 corridor project.

x Discussion that the proposed Delaware Avenue interchange conversion to signalized intersection(s) will likely lead to an increase in the traffic on Nottingham Terrace for those drivers coming from the north and east of Delaware/Nottingham seeking to go westbound on NY198. These changes in traffic patterns are noted and are reflected in the traffic modeling analysis.

x A request was made to see if the usable sidewalk width could be increased across the recently reconstructed NY198 bridge over Delaware Avenue. No major geometric or structural changes will be made to this historic bridge. However it may be possible to gain some additional sidewalk width by incorporating narrower traffic barriers or narrower travel lanes across the bridge. This possibility will be assessed during detailed design.

x Is there room for a sidewalk along the east side of Delaware Avenue from the new southern intersection north to Nottingham Terrace? The preliminary plans currently don’t show one. This possibility will be evaluated.

x It was noted that flooding occurs in the eastbound left hand travel lane of NY198 along the Delaware Park frontage, between the Delaware northbound on-ramp and the maintenance garage. A large pool forms and vehicles hit the puddle and splash all the way onto windshields of oncoming westbound cars. This was noted as being an ongoing issue for the past several years after heavy rains. Dave Hill will bring this situation to the attention of the NYSDOT Maintenance group to see if drainage system cleaning or repairs are needed.

x Brian Dold asked us what the maximum vertical grade is that can be used on a roadway of this kind. Subsequent to the meeting, it was confirmed that a maximum grade of 7 % - 8% can be considered for a “rolling” principal arterial roadway, dependent on the posted speed limit / design speed limit that is being applied. However, it was noted at the meeting that the fixed elevations of abutting land uses and bridges to remain along the NY198 corridor will prevent the introduction of significant grade changes from what exist today. Profile adjustments will be considered wherever feasible, if deemed beneficial, as the design process evolves.

Page 5 of 6 x General agreement at the meeting that the design should strive to maximize the distance from the proposed future Delaware intersection to the parks’ existing restroom facility, and minimize the overall size of the intersection to the extent possible. However, only subtle changes from what is currently depicted are expected to be feasible. This will be further evaluated as the design process evolves.

x A question was raised as to how to handle sheet flow runoff within the Delaware park parking lot near Parkside Avenue. In addition to closed drainage system opportunities, permeable pavement and rain gardens were discussed as alternative measures for consideration.

x Meeting attendees noted that the Mayor recently approved funding for a traffic calming study for all of Parkside Avenue. The NY198 project design will certainly seek to incorporate and complement any feasible recommendations that are identified. The City will need to share the study results with the NYSDOT when they are available.

x Triple left turns were noted as an operational and safety concern of Chris Church, NYSDOT. More review and discussion on the topic will be conducted at later date in determining the viability or real need to establish triple lefts at Parkside Avenue.

x Incorporation of interpretive displays at Agassiz Circle were suggested. This idea will be discussed with the Olmsted Conservancy and can be a final design detail if deemed appropriate.

x Parallel parking on NY 198 along the Delaware Park meadow was suggested, either as a separate lane or using the right hand travel lane during off peak travel times. More discussion will be necessary with Olmsted Conservancy, as well evaluation with the NYSDOT Traffic and Safety Unit to determine the feasibility and need.

x Justin Booth asked for PDF copy of the rendered plan view displays of feasible Alternative 2. These will likely be made available in the near future and also posted to the project web site.

The above constitutes our understanding of issues discussed and decisions reached during the meeting. Please notify the undersigned, in writing, with any errors or omissions.

Best regards,

BERGMANN ASSOCIATES

Mark J. McAnany, P.E. Project Manager

cc: Tim Bender, NYSDOT Consultant Management Bureau Frank Billittier, NYSDOT Region 5 Dave Hill, NYSDOT Region 5 All in Attendance, BA Project 6861 file

Page 6 of 6 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

MEETING MINUTES

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33 P.I.N. 5470.22

Buffalo Olmsted Parks Board Meeting Monday, March 26, 2012 @ 1:00 PM Delaware Park Marcy Casino, Buffalo, NY

In Attendance:

NAME REPRESENTING Frank Billittier NYSDOT R5 Design Dave Hill NYSDOT R5 Design Mark McAnany Bergmann Associates Mike Croce Bergmann Associates Thomas Herrera- Buffalo Olmsted Parks Mishler Conservancy Buffalo Olmsted Parks Brian Dold Conservancy Buffalo Olmsted Parks Greg Robinson Conservancy Buffalo Olmsted Parks Tony James Conservancy Buffalo Olmsted Parks Otis Glover Conservancy Buffalo Olmsted Parks Gary Mucci Conservancy Buffalo Olmsted Parks Kevin Hanna Conservancy Ruth Lampe Parkside Comm. Assoc. Frank Kowsky DRC Andrea Schillaci DRC Steve Ricca LRPC Andy Rabb COB-DPW/DRC Judy Dean LRPC Ann Harding-Joyce LRPC Dean Gowen DWG Planning & Design Buffalo Olmsted Parks Kevin Hanna Conservancy

Summary This was a joint meeting of the Design Review Committee and Long Range Planning Committee of the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Executive Board. The purpose was to review rendered plan view graphics of the feasible build alternative, Alternative 2, presented by the NYSDOT at a recent NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Corridor) Stakeholder Meeting (2/15/12). Members of the Olmsted Parks Conservancy offered draft comments on the Alternative using a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation.

Page 1 of 4 Introductions were followed by a brief review of Alternative 2 by Mark McAnany using the rendered plans. Brian Dold presented the Olmsted Board’s draft comments on and suggestions for Alternative 2 using a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. The following are items from the draft BOPC comments presented at the meeting:

x Utilize practical features that have realistic maintenance and operation requirements while emphasizing historic quality and character.

x Restoration of historic grades: In areas where ramps would be removed, the BOPC would like to see the landscape returned as closely as possible to its historic grade and character.

x Restoration of historic alignments: For example, while the curvature introduced to the west of Delaware Avenue resembles the historic alignment, the BOPC would like to see additional curvature that more fully matches the historic condition.

x The shape of water quality features should reflect historic features (e.g. shorelines) wherever possible.

x Alternative bicycle routes (paths, bike lanes, etc.) that encourage bicycle traffic to bypass the Jesse Kregal Pathway adjacent to the Erie County Historical Society building and the Japanese Gardens. The path was characterized as a “victim of its own popularity” in this area, leading to conflicts between slower (passive) pedestrians and faster (active) bicyclists. The construction of a new pedestrian bridge over Scajaquada Creek just west of Mirror Lake in conjunction with a bicycle facility along NYS Route 198 westbound on the bridge over Scajaquada Creek was suggested by the BOPC as one possibility. Other path alignments around Mirror Lake were also shown.

x Pedestrian connectivity beneath the Elmwood Avenue bridge in conjunction with the removal of ramps and auxiliary lanes.

x Reduction of travel speeds on NYS Route 198 at all times of the day through the inclusion of streetscape and traffic calming elements along the corridor. For example, the BOPC maintains standards for lighting along Olmsted “parkways.” The selected design speed (40 to 50 mph under consideration) and anticipated operating speeds (currently targeting 40 to 45 mph) are of concern to the BOPC.

x Consideration of westbound, on-street, parallel parking adjacent to Delaware Park and South Meadow Drive, in conjunction with the elimination or narrowing of the proposed green median.

Page 2 of 4 x A replacement Elmwood Avenue bridge over NYS Route 198 that is more attractive than the current structure and evokes the design of the original Elmwood Avenue bridge.

x Move the proposed “Iroquois Connector” on to the Three Tribes (Lincoln Parkway South) Bridge. This could be done in conjunction with reducing pavement width on Lincoln Parkway and the construction of a modern roundabout at the intersection of Lincoln Parkway and Iroquois Drive. The feasibility of making this change, while retaining the existing bridge, and connecting to NYS Route 198 with adequate sight distance would need to be studied further. The existing Three Tribes Bridge is owned and maintained by the City of Buffalo.

x Lowering NYS Route 198 west of Delaware Avenue and the existing tennis courts to allow for the future construction of a new pedestrian overpass.

x Relocation of NYS Route 198 farther away from the existing Comfort Station (Bath House) than it is currently shown in the Alternative 2 plans. At the meeting, the BOPC indicated it considers the existing Comfort Station has historic value and its location is a good fit for park activities.

x Pedestrian access to Forest Lawn Cemetery at Delaware Avenue. The BOPC suggested that the Forest Lawn Group has asked about this. In the past, the Forest Lawn Group indicated preference for no new access to the design team.

x Minimization of the green median concept (width) adjacent to Delaware Park to maintain the “park buffer” along both sides of NYS Route 198.

x Improved physical connectivity between the Buffalo Parks Maintenance Facility and Delaware Park. Maintenance equipment, including large mowers need to get from one side of NYS Route 198 to the other. These movements were characterized as heavy during the morning (7 a.m.) and evening (3 p.m.) peak periods. Currently this equipment is brought up to Meadowview Place. Ideas discussed included:

o Formal access to Meadowview Place o Alternative entrance and exit configurations at NYS Route 198 o An actuated signal to allow access to NYS Route 198 eastbound only o An actuated signal to allow a crossing of NYR Route 198 o Tunnel beneath NYS Route 198 o New bridge over NYS Route 198 just west of Parkside Avenue in conjunction with a lowered Parkside Avenue intersection (see below)

x Lower the NYS Route 198 and Parkside Avenue intersection (+/- 15 ft). The intent was to separate pedestrian movements from vehicular traffic and hide the intersection from view of the park. Substantial infrastructure investments in retaining walls and pump stations would be required to realize this modification.

Page 3 of 4 x Landscaping that evokes the form of Agassiz Circle

x Consider alternative alignments and locations for entrance to and exit from Delaware Park on NYS Route 198 west of Parkside Avenue.

Closing Comments:

The City of Buffalo representative noted that they have not, as of yet, endorsed the additional paths, water quality features, and green median treatments for construction or maintenance.

The City of Buffalo indicated they have no plans for projects to improve the intersection of Main Street and Kensington Avenue. Previous information suggested that a milling, resurfacing, and landscape enhancement project was being considered for Main Street south of NYS Route 198.

The NYSDOT asked the BOPC for a written determination as to whether the existing Comfort Station (Bath House) must remain or if a new facility at a different location would be preferred.

Next Steps:

The BPOC indicated that formal comments and a copy of the presentation would be provided the NYSDOT and design team in the near future.

The above constitutes our understanding of issues discussed and decisions reached during the meeting. Please notify the undersigned, in writing, with any errors or omissions.

Best regards,

BERGMANN ASSOCIATES

Mark J. McAnany, P.E. Project Manager

cc: Tim Bender, NYSDOT Consultant Management Bureau Frank Billittier, NYSDOT Region 5 Dave Hill, NYSDOT Region 5 All in Attendance, BA Project 6861 file

Page 4 of 4 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

MEETING MINUTES

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33 P.I.N. 5470.22

Buffalo Olmsted Parks Board Meeting Monday, March 26, 2012 @ 1:00 PM Delaware Park Marcy Casino, Buffalo, NY

In Attendance:

NAME REPRESENTING Frank Billittier NYSDOT R5 Design Dave Hill NYSDOT R5 Design Mark McAnany Bergmann Associates Mike Croce Bergmann Associates Thomas Herrera- Buffalo Olmsted Parks Mishler Conservancy Buffalo Olmsted Parks Brian Dold Conservancy Buffalo Olmsted Parks Greg Robinson Conservancy Buffalo Olmsted Parks Tony James Conservancy Buffalo Olmsted Parks Otis Glover Conservancy Buffalo Olmsted Parks Gary Mucci Conservancy Buffalo Olmsted Parks Kevin Hanna Conservancy Ruth Lampe Parkside Comm. Assoc. Frank Kowsky DRC Andrea Schillaci DRC Steve Ricca LRPC Andy Rabb COB-DPW/DRC Judy Dean LRPC Ann Harding-Joyce LRPC Dean Gowen DWG Planning & Design Buffalo Olmsted Parks Kevin Hanna Conservancy

Summary This was a joint meeting of the Design Review Committee and Long Range Planning Committee of the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Executive Board. The purpose was to review rendered plan view graphics of the feasible build alternative, Alternative 2, presented by the NYSDOT at a recent NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Corridor) Stakeholder Meeting (2/15/12). Members of the Olmsted Parks Conservancy offered draft comments on the Alternative using a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation.

Page 1 of 4 Introductions were followed by a brief review of Alternative 2 by Mark McAnany using the rendered plans. Brian Dold presented the Olmsted Board’s draft comments on and suggestions for Alternative 2 using a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. The following are items from the draft BOPC comments presented at the meeting:

x Utilize practical features that have realistic maintenance and operation requirements while emphasizing historic quality and character.

x Restoration of historic grades: In areas where ramps would be removed, the BOPC would like to see the landscape returned as closely as possible to its historic grade and character.

x Restoration of historic alignments: For example, while the curvature introduced to the west of Delaware Avenue resembles the historic alignment, the BOPC would like to see additional curvature that more fully matches the historic condition.

x The shape of water quality features should reflect historic features (e.g. shorelines) wherever possible.

x Alternative bicycle routes (paths, bike lanes, etc.) that encourage bicycle traffic to bypass the Jesse Kregal Pathway adjacent to the Erie County Historical Society building and the Japanese Gardens. The path was characterized as a “victim of its own popularity” in this area, leading to conflicts between slower (passive) pedestrians and faster (active) bicyclists. The construction of a new pedestrian bridge over Scajaquada Creek just west of Mirror Lake in conjunction with a bicycle facility along NYS Route 198 westbound on the bridge over Scajaquada Creek was suggested by the BOPC as one possibility. Other path alignments around Mirror Lake were also shown.

x Pedestrian connectivity beneath the Elmwood Avenue bridge in conjunction with the removal of ramps and auxiliary lanes.

x Reduction of travel speeds on NYS Route 198 at all times of the day through the inclusion of streetscape and traffic calming elements along the corridor. For example, the BOPC maintains standards for lighting along Olmsted “parkways.” The selected design speed (40 to 50 mph under consideration) and anticipated operating speeds (currently targeting 40 to 45 mph) are of concern to the BOPC.

x Consideration of westbound, on-street, parallel parking adjacent to Delaware Park and South Meadow Drive, in conjunction with the elimination or narrowing of the proposed green median.

Page 2 of 4 x A replacement Elmwood Avenue bridge over NYS Route 198 that is more attractive than the current structure and evokes the design of the original Elmwood Avenue bridge.

x Move the proposed “Iroquois Connector” on to the Three Tribes (Lincoln Parkway South) Bridge. This could be done in conjunction with reducing pavement width on Lincoln Parkway and the construction of a modern roundabout at the intersection of Lincoln Parkway and Iroquois Drive. The feasibility of making this change, while retaining the existing bridge, and connecting to NYS Route 198 with adequate sight distance would need to be studied further. The existing Three Tribes Bridge is owned and maintained by the City of Buffalo.

x Lowering NYS Route 198 west of Delaware Avenue and the existing tennis courts to allow for the future construction of a new pedestrian overpass.

x Relocation of NYS Route 198 farther away from the existing Comfort Station (Bath House) than it is currently shown in the Alternative 2 plans. At the meeting, the BOPC indicated it considers the existing Comfort Station has historic value and its location is a good fit for park activities.

x Pedestrian access to Forest Lawn Cemetery at Delaware Avenue. The BOPC suggested that the Forest Lawn Group has asked about this. In the past, the Forest Lawn Group indicated preference for no new access to the design team.

x Minimization of the green median concept (width) adjacent to Delaware Park to maintain the “park buffer” along both sides of NYS Route 198.

x Improved physical connectivity between the Buffalo Parks Maintenance Facility and Delaware Park. Maintenance equipment, including large mowers need to get from one side of NYS Route 198 to the other. These movements were characterized as heavy during the morning (7 a.m.) and evening (3 p.m.) peak periods. Currently this equipment is brought up to Meadowview Place. Ideas discussed included:

o Formal access to Meadowview Place o Alternative entrance and exit configurations at NYS Route 198 o An actuated signal to allow access to NYS Route 198 eastbound only o An actuated signal to allow a crossing of NYR Route 198 o Tunnel beneath NYS Route 198 o New bridge over NYS Route 198 just west of Parkside Avenue in conjunction with a lowered Parkside Avenue intersection (see below)

x Lower the NYS Route 198 and Parkside Avenue intersection (+/- 15 ft). The intent was to separate pedestrian movements from vehicular traffic and hide the intersection from view of the park. Substantial infrastructure investments in retaining walls and pump stations would be required to realize this modification.

Page 3 of 4 x Landscaping that evokes the form of Agassiz Circle

x Consider alternative alignments and locations for entrance to and exit from Delaware Park on NYS Route 198 west of Parkside Avenue.

Closing Comments:

The City of Buffalo representative noted that they have not, as of yet, endorsed the additional paths, water quality features, and green median treatments for construction or maintenance.

The City of Buffalo indicated they have no plans for projects to improve the intersection of Main Street and Kensington Avenue. Previous information suggested that a milling, resurfacing, and landscape enhancement project was being considered for Main Street south of NYS Route 198.

The NYSDOT asked the BOPC for a written determination as to whether the existing Comfort Station (Bath House) must remain or if a new facility at a different location would be preferred.

Next Steps:

The BPOC indicated that formal comments and a copy of the presentation would be provided the NYSDOT and design team in the near future.

The above constitutes our understanding of issues discussed and decisions reached during the meeting. Please notify the undersigned, in writing, with any errors or omissions.

Best regards,

BERGMANN ASSOCIATES

Mark J. McAnany, P.E. Project Manager

cc: Tim Bender, NYSDOT Consultant Management Bureau Frank Billittier, NYSDOT Region 5 Dave Hill, NYSDOT Region 5 All in Attendance, BA Project 6861 file

Page 4 of 4 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

MEETING MINUTES

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33 P.I.N. 5470.22

Stakeholder Group Meeting #7 Thursday, March 21, 2013 @ 3:00 PM Delaware Park Marcy Casino, Buffalo, NY

Summary

The purpose of this meeting was to update the Stakeholder Group on the status of the project and share an updated concept for a revised feasible build alternative (Alternative 2A). Graphics illustrating Alternative 2A were shared along with a 3D animated model. The meeting concluded with a question and answer period.

Approximately 50-60 persons attended this meeting. In addition to the assigned stakeholders and agency representatives, several individuals from the general public and local advocacy groups were also in attendance. The following graphics and video clips related to the meeting content will also be posted on the NYSDOT Project Website for viewing by the Stakeholders and general public:

 Photo-simulations  Overview Plans (Alternative 2A)  Updated Purpose and Need Statement  Animation of the proposed roundabout on Iroquois Drive near the Art Museum  Animation of the Parkside Avenue – NYS Route 198 traffic signal  Animation of the Grant Street – NYS Route 198 intersections  Animation of the Elmwood Avenue – NYS Route 198 traffic signal  Animation of the Delaware Avenue – NYS Route 198 intersection

Project Status:

 The Purpose and Need Statement has been updated. This document, along with the Range of Alternatives and Methodologies has been reviewed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and their comments are currently being addressed.

 The project design team has developed a pre-draft of the Design Report/Environmental Impact Statement. The full document will be shared with the public after NYSDOT, FHWA, and other required agency reviews have occurred.

 Several comment letters are on record including those received from the following groups. Written comments from other project stakeholders are welcome.

o The Olmsted Parks Conservancy o Parkside Community Association o Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board

Page 1 of 5 o Western New York Environmental Alliance o City of Buffalo Councilmember Michael LoCurto

 A Record of Decision on the project and a preferred alternative are expected by the close of 2014.

 Final design and construction funding have not yet been identified for the project. Community support and consensus on a preferred alternative remain critical to obtaining funding and realization of a transformative project. We encourage comments pertaining to the proposed draft preferred Alterative 2A, with specific suggestions to improve the project both in relation to the needs of your organization as well as for all users and stakeholders.

Feasible Alternatives:

 A total of nine (9) alternatives were initially considered, including the no-build (maintenance alternative) and an alternative that would seek to bring NYS Route 198 into conformance with existing expressway (freeway) design standards (Alternative 1A). All alternatives were screened against the Purpose and Need. Two feasible alternatives remain under consideration:

o Alternative 2: Four-lane median divided boulevard with signals, 45 mph speed limit

This alternative would transform NYS Route 198 from an urban expressway into an urban arterial between the I-190 and NYS Route 33 ramps. The design speed would be 50 mph. The posted speed limit would be 45 mph. Interchange ramps at Grant Street, Elmwood Avenue, and Delaware Avenue would be replaced with connector roadways and signalized intersections on NYS Route 198. The new arterial would feature two 12 ft wide travel lanes in each direction with 2 ft curb offsets. Both the outside and inside edges of the new roadway would be curbed. The median would be raised, landscaped, and include lighting and guiderail. Pavement, drainage systems, signing, and marking would also be improved or replaced to address existing deficiencies. The alternative would include landscape, streetscape, and other enhancement features to bring the facility in greater harmony with the surrounding community character and natural environment.

o Alternative 2A: Four-lane median divided boulevard with signals, 40 mph speed limit, and reduced lane widths

This alternative would be similar to Alternative 2, but instead utilize a design speed of 45 mph and a posted speed limit of 40 mph in response to stakeholder requests for a lower speed limit. To support this change and in the spirit of the FHWA publication Flexibility in Highway Design, travel lane widths would be reduced from 12 ft to 11 ft and curb offsets would be reduced from 2 ft to1 ft.

 Travel time increases across the corridor would be limited to 1 minute or less, even with the introduction of traffic signals and a lower speed limit. Westbound evening peak hour travel times would actually improve by 1 minute given the elimination of congestion associated with the ramp to Nottingham Terrace and Delaware Avenue.

Page 2 of 5

 In assessing “complete streets” features and possibilities, the design team recommends an overall narrowed roadway pavement width solution, incorporating narrower travel lanes and curb offsets to induce lower speeds, while also improving connectivity and functionality of the parallel corridor trail system. Bike lanes were evaluated and are not recommended as they will greatly increase the overall pavement width and parkland impacts while also physically promoting increased vehicular speeds along the corridor.

 It is anticipated that a low profile barrier (20 inches high) application would be used along the median of NYS Route 198. It would likely be colored and textured to replicate the stone look of the existing bridge over Delaware Avenue.

 Water quality in Scajaquada Creek would be improved. Impervious areas (pavement) along mainline NYS Route 198 would be reduced by 20%. A water quality treatment area would be incorporated between the proposed Elmwood Avenue Connector, Elmwood Avenue, NYS Route 198, and Scajaquada Creek. There are other opportunities for linear water quality treatment features along the corridor, particularly at its western end.

 Speed transition zones would be instituted between I-190 and Grant Street and NYS Route 33 and Main Street. Overhead (expressway style) guide signs would be removed between Grant Street and Parkside Avenue.

 New lighting along NYS Route 198 would be primarily installed within the raised median and match the City of Buffalo approved style for larger Olmsted parkways. Pedestrian scale lighting would also be used in specific locations, including the proposed pedestrian space on the existing Lincoln Parkway bridge over Scajaquada Creek.

 Landscaping and gateway features would be incorporated to enhance the aesthetics of the project area and place NYS Route 198 in greater visual harmony with its surroundings.

 New signalized pedestrian crossings of NYS Route 198 with refuge islands would be installed at Elmwood Avenue, Delaware Avenue, and Parkside Avenue. A new pedestrian bridge could link Buffalo State College with the Jesse Kregal Pathway and the adjacent Grant-Amherst Neighborhood.

 New shared use path connections would allow pedestrians and bicyclists to travel from the project’s western limit to Parkside Avenue on a separate, parallel facility. Experienced bicyclists would still be able to use NYS Route 198 between Grant Street and Parkside Avenue although a designated bike lane will not be constructed due to space limitations and the competing goal of lowering speeds along the corridor.

 Today NYS Route 198 passes through Delaware Park but does not have a continuous dedicated right-of-way. A transfer of parkland would be necessary to formally establish highway boundaries for the improved arterial. The 4(f) and 6(f) park land conversion processes will be important parts of the project approval effort moving forward.

Page 3 of 5 Key Points from the Q & A:

 A modern roundabout would not have adequate capacity to handle the anticipated traffic demand throughout the project design year (2040) at the Parkside Avenue intersection. Furthermore, traffic would not divert in significant amounts to alternative routes, increasing congestion and safety issues that already exist in this area.

 No feasible major build alternative has been identified for the Main Street (NYS Route 5) and Kensington Avenue “triangle” that would significantly improve operations and safety without significant property impacts and construction cost. Even with significant impacts and costs incurred, the measure of increased operational benefits achieved would be fairly low. Moving forward, more localized intersection improvements are still being evaluated in an ongoing attempt to improve safety and operations at this location. The results of these potential solutions will be provided once available.

 No improvement at the Main Street (NYS Route 5) and Kensington Avenue “triangle” would encourage any meaningful amount of traffic to abandon Parkside Avenue and use this location as an access point to NYS Route 198. Main Street is already a highly utilized corridor.

 The proposed intersections along NYS Route 198 have been designed to accommodate the design vehicle – a full size tractor trailer. That is necessary to support the viability of adjacent commercial businesses and cultural institutions that rely on truck deliveries.

 The Environmental Impact Statement will contain a Smart Growth Analysis as required by New York State law.

 A request was made that consideration be given to elimination of the yield controlled connector roadway between Nottingham Terrace at Lincoln Parkway and NYS Route 198 westbound.

 The proposed connector between NYS Route 198 eastbound and Iroquois Drive cannot be eliminated as it is necessary to keep some traffic off the proposed Elmwood Avenue Connector or it will not function acceptably.

 A 30 or 35 mile per hour posted speed limit is not a realistic expectation for NYS Route 198. The speed differential that would occur between the small percentage of motorists obeying the posted limit and those traveling at a comfortable speed (expected to be 40- 44 mph under Alternative 2A) would degrade safety for all users along the corridor.

Next Steps:

 Issue a project newsletter

 Continue the development of the Draft Design Report / Environmental Impact Statement

 Conduct NYSDOT and Agency reviews of the Draft Design Report / Environmental Impact Statement

 Continue ongoing environmental analyses including noise and cultural resource studies

Page 4 of 5  Continue the 6(f) conversion process for the coordination of parkland transfer

 Hold a public information meeting

The above constitutes our understanding of issues discussed and decisions reached during the meeting. Please notify the undersigned, in writing, with any errors or omissions.

Best regards,

BERGMANN ASSOCIATES

Mark J. McAnany, P.E. Project Manager cc: Tim Bender, NYSDOT Consultant Management Bureau Frank Billittier, NYSDOT Region 5 Dave Hill, NYSDOT Region 5 All in Attendance, BA Project 6861 file

Page 5 of 5 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

MEETING MINUTES

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33 P.I.N. 5470.22

Subject: Main St. / Kensington Alternative Assessment Review Location: Parkside Community Association Office Date: Tuesday, April 23, 2013 Time: 3:00 PM to 5:15 PM

This meeting was held to present a summary overview of the various alternative solutions that had been assessed in seeking feasible and prudent improvements at the Main Street, Kensington Avenue and NYS198 / Humboldt Parkway intersection(s), aka the “Terrible Triangle”….

In support of this discussion, Mark McAnany provided a summary matrix handout that detailed a range of alternatives considered at this location, their anticipated benefits and drawbacks/fatal flaws and rough order of magnitude costs. A PowerPoint presentation with handouts was also utilized that provided context and issues associated with the subject location and also depicted plan view design concepts of each of the alternatives tested.

The alternatives tested ranged in scope and scale from approximately $1 million+/- for localized improvements to $35 million +/- for a major reconfiguration concept. The specific ideas included:

A. Retain Existing Configuration (localized enhancements) $1 million +/- B. Remove Kensington Avenue Bridge $2 million +/- C. New Kensington Avenue Bridge $16 million +/- D. NYS198 At-Grade with Modern Roundabout $18 million +/- E. NYS198 Below Grade with Modern Roundabout $33 million +/- F. Single Point Intersection, Allowing Through Movements $26 million +/- G. Single Point Intersection, Restricting Through Movements $26 million +/- H. Single Point Intersection, Including NB Kensington Movement $29 million +/- I. Indirect Left Turns (Humboldt) with New Bridges $26 million +/- J. Diverging Diamond $35 million +/-

As discussed at the meeting, the results found Alternatives B through J to be either fatally flawed, having excessive impacts or providing insufficient operational benefits to justify their high costs and associated impacts. As such, the NYS198 project will move forward with the expectation that more modest, localized improvements will be made at the Main and Kensington location, although all new ideas will be tested if additional ideas are identified.

In addition to the alternatives presented, discussion was held concerning a very recent concept that has been identified that would provide for a realigned southern intersection configuration, possibly eliminating a troublesome conflict point and island crossing within the intersection. This concept has not been detailed as of yet and is still being investigated. This modification holds promise as potentially providing some safety and operational benefits and will certainly be investigated further. All in attendance were in support of investigating and implementing this improvement if determined to be feasible. The results of the upcoming investigations will be shared with this group once finalized.

Page 1 of 2 Discussion also occurred concerning evaluations conducted to date and the resulting improvements targeted for the Parkside intersection in conjunction with the NYS198 project. Roundabout intersection treatments had been investigated at this location but determined not to be feasible – fatally flawed – as they did not have anywhere near sufficient capacity to process the traffic that will continue to utilize this route in the future, factoring in all expected diversion of traffic and future travel/transit pattern trends.

The proposed feasible alternative(s) for the NYS198 project would retain a signalized intersection at Parkside with several modifications incorporated. The proposed modifications incorporate modest changes to enhance safety and operational efficiencies; plus an anticipated 10 MPH reduction in posted and operating speeds. Changes include narrowed lane widths (resulting in an overall reduction of 10 feet in pedestrian crossing distances across the NYS198), expanded pedestrian refuge islands within the intersection, gateway signing and a new park entrance off of NYS198.

Following this meeting, additional relevant information pertaining to the Parkside intersection analysis and preliminary design was forwarded on to the Parkside Community Association. The PCA will review this information and the details of the currently proposed improvements at Parkside and provide a list of comments and questions to the NYSDOT for consideration. A follow up meeting can be held if necessary to discuss any additional thoughts pertaining to the future Parkside Avenue approach and intersection with the NYS198. The intersection can be modified further in response to any proposed modifications the City may elect to make to Parkside in the future.

Next Steps:

1. Bergmann and NYSDOT will continue to evaluate the feasibility and benefits of the realigned southern intersection concept at Main and Kensington. A plan view layout and Synchro traffic analysis will be prepared in determining the expected benefits and operational issues associated with these modifications. Follow up information will be provided concerning this idea once available.

2. PCA will review the preliminary design for the Parkside intersection with NYS198 and provide a list of questions and comments. If needed, a follow up meeting will be held to further discuss potential improvements at this location.

The above constitutes our understanding of issues discussed and decisions reached at this meeting. Please notify the undersigned, in writing, of any errors or omissions.

Best regards,

BERGMANN ASSOCIATES

Mark J. McAnany, PE Project Manager

Page 2 of 2 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

MEETING MINUTES

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33 P.I.N. 5470.22

Subject: Review of Draft Preferred Alternative 2A Location: Albright-Knox Art Gallery Date: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 Time: 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM

Bryan Gawronski Albright-Knox Art Gallery Jennifer Bayles Albright-Knox Art Gallery Maria Scully-Morreale Albright-Knox Art Gallery Kenneth Walker Albright-Knox Art Gallery Dave Hill NYSDOT Region 5 Mark McAnany Bergmann Associates

This meeting was held to present a summary overview of the various alternative solutions that had been considered for the corridor and also review in detail the features of Draft Preferred Alternative 2A. In support of this discussion, Mark McAnany provided each attendee a set of plan view renderings of Alternative 2A and the associated set of photo-sim “existing” and “proposed” comparison images, a copy of the Purpose and Need Statement, and conceptual renderings of the proposed roundabout on Iroquois Drive, positioned along the north side of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery.

An hour and a half information exchange occurred in answering any questions the art gallery representatives had concerning the project. The gallery representatives in attendance considered Alternative 2A to be a significant improvement over existing conditions, improving safety and beautifying the corridor while also providing the necessary accessibility to and from their facility. They uniformly were in support of the roundabout on Iroquois Drive and agreed that it had the potential to be a significant gateway feature to the art gallery.

Art gallery representatives were encouraged to provide any follow-up questions or comments they may have concerning the project and the details associated with Alternative 2A. They were also asked to submit their comments or opinions in writing so the gallery’s viewpoint and ideas/concerns are part of the official record.

The project website was identified as a helpful source of information for art gallery officials in seeking additional information. https://www.dot.ny.gov/scajaquadacorridor/outreach

The above constitutes our understanding of issues discussed and decisions reached at this meeting. Please notify the undersigned, in writing, of any errors or omissions.

Best regards,

BERGMANN ASSOCIATES

Mark J. McAnany, PE Project Manager

Page 1 of 1 NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

MEETING MINUTES

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33 P.I.N. 5470.22

Subject: Public Meeting Location: Bulger Communications Center, Buffalo State College Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2014 Time: 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM

This meeting was held in conjunction with Assemblyman Sean Ryan. It was the latest in a series of public meetings to discuss a proposed project to transform NYS Route 198, the Scajaquada Expressway, form an urban expressway to a lower speed urban boulevard. The purpose was to summarize the history of the project, review input received from the public and stakeholders to date, describe a vision for the corridor’s future, and to obtain additional input.

The meeting began with an open house at 5:00 PM where members of the public were invited to review informational displays regarding the project and to ask questions of New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) staff one-on-one. The event then transitioned to a formal meeting administered by Assemblyman Sean Ryan.

A short PowerPoint presentation on the proposed four-lane boulevard alternative was given by NYSDOT staff. The presentation covered the following agenda items:

I. Welcome II. Project History and Input to Date III. Vision for the Corridor IV. Next Steps V. Questions and Answers

Graphics and handouts made available at the meeting can be found on the world wide web at https://www.dot.ny.gov/scajaquadacorridor/ (Community Outreach tab).The following text summarizes discussions that took place during the question and answer period.

Comment: The project should include features that will enhance water quality in Scajaquada Creek. More pedestrian and bicyclist amenities are welcome. Aesthetic enhancements should be included on the proposed pedestrian bridge over NYS Route 198 at Buffalo State College. The history of the 1901 Pan Am Exhibition should be highlighted at the proposed (Lincoln Parkway bridge) terrace. The history of the name Scajaquada should be highlighted in the center island of the proposed roundabout.

Response: These suggestions can be considered as design progresses. The current vision plan includes features to improve the quality of stormwater runoff before it reaches Scajaquada Creek.

Page 1 of 5 Comment: The segment of the corridor between Niagara Street and Elmwood Avenue is still considered parkland and should be treated appropriately. The Scajaquada Expressway should be made into a parkway with a 30 mile per hour speed limit and “complete street” features.

Response: The exact limits of Delaware Park are currently being investigated. The proposed vision plan would turn the Scajaquada Expressway into a “parkway-like” facility. The roadway cannot be designated a parkway because in New York State, that designation legally prohibits use by commercial trucks. Posted speed limits of 30 and 40 miles per hour remain under consideration.

Comment: The proposal as presented is still a highway through a park. The Scajaquada should become a 2-lane street. Past mistakes should be erased. The project should focus on more than moving local vehicular traffic. Local traffic can use city streets.

Response: Extensive traffic modeling has been completed in cooperation with the Greater Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Council. Studies have shown that while some traffic will divert, heavy demand for travel on NYS Route 198 will continue, even as a two-lane street. This would result in congestion at access points to the corridor, affecting adjacent neighborhoods.

Comment: The project should be about moving people not traffic. Has a transit (trolley) solution been considered? NFTA should be at this meeting to discuss how they would apply transit.

Response: NFTA is a member of the project stakeholder group. The current vision plan would make the corridor more transit friendly. If desired by the NFTA, bus stops could be located along the redesigned corridor.

Comment: What will happen if you remove the highway? The Buffalo Zoo, colleges, hospitals, and adjacent businesses all depend on NYS Route 198. The community at-large has not asked for its complete removal. Transportation drives a sustainable economy including new development and industry.

Response: Additional studies can be conducted to assess the potential effects of removing NYS Route 198.

Comment: Delaware Park is a beautiful community resource. The Scajaquada Expressway is a barrier. Today it is not possible to get across. Restore Agassiz Circle, reconnect Delaware Park. The current expressway lies on parkland, not lands owned by the State of New York.

Response: Delaware Park is a valuable community resource. The current vision plan would substantially increase the number of pedestrian crossing locations in an effort to reconnect Delaware Park. Right-of-way implications will undergo further study as design continues.

Comment: The Scajaquada Expressway should never have been built. Its construction changed behavior and this project can change that again. We should add value to the community not subtract from it. The removal of the Embarcadero Freeway (California) did not cause “carmageddon” and neither would the removal of the Scajaquada Expressway. A 30 mile per hour speed limit is needed. There should be fewer and narrower lanes.

Response: The current vision plan recommends narrower lanes to balance traffic calming with truck accommodation. Additional studies can be conducted to assess the potential effects of reducing the Scajaquada Expressway to a two-lane city street and reducing the posted speed limit to 30 miles per hour.

Page 2 of 5

Comment: The current proposal has too many traffic lights. It should include roundabouts. There should be a roundabout at Lincoln Parkway. The depressed section at Main Street and Kensington Avenue should be filled and local street continuity restored. The Scajaquada needs to be a local street, not an expressway.

Response: Single-lane roundabouts have been studied and would not have adequate capacity to handle the anticipated vehicular demand. Past public and stakeholder input suggested that multi-lane roundabouts were not desirable in the context of the Scajaquada Corridor and Delaware Park because they would not provide better pedestrian accommodation as compared to signals. Consideration can be given to the impacts of bringing the intersection of NYS Route 198, NYS Route 5 (Main Street) and Kensington Avenue up to grade.

Comment: The Scajaquada Corridor should have a lower speed limit and less traffic. The plan as proposed is better than what is out there today but does not go far enough. Traffic will find alternate routes. This is a chance to correct a past mistake. The Main Street and Kensington Avenue intersection should also be improved.

Response: The current vision plan includes a proposed reduction in the posted speed limit. Both a 40 and 30 mile per hour speed limit remain under consideration. Several options have been reviewed that would make improvements at the Main Street and Kensington Avenue intersection. The currently preferred option, which could be incorporated into a build alternative pending further study of potential impacts and costs, would eliminate the triangular island at the southern tip of the intersection, thus improving both pedestrian and vehicular safety.

Comment: The City of Buffalo is missing out on an opportunity to enhance the community by making this a neighborhood street. The existing “curly que” pedestrian bridge should be removed. The proposal for a new pedestrian bridge at Buffalo State College is good. The proposal to convert the Lincoln Parkway Bridge into a terrace is good. The Expressway itself should be removed and replaced with a 30 mile per hour street with one lane in each direction and roundabouts. If drivers utilize that street at 40 miles per hour, they should be ticketed.

Response: Additional studies can be conducted to assess the potential effects of reducing the Scajaquada Expressway to a two-lane city street and reducing the posted speed limit to 30 miles per hour.

Comment: I am pleased with the proposal as it represents a step in the right direction, however it is not good enough. Will the exit by the tennis courts [from NYS Route 198 westbound to Nottingham Terrace and Delaware Avenue] be removed? What can the public do to help the NYSDOT make this a parkway? This is a political problem, not an engineering problem. Why does Ohio Street get a complete street and Delaware Park gets this? Make the Scajaquada Corridor something grossly different.

Response: Yes, the current proposal would eliminate the exit by the tennis courts. As previously noted, changing the Scajaquada Expressway into a parkway would legally require the elimination of commercial truck traffic.

Comment: Hertel Avenue and Delaware Avenue downtown have one lane in each direction and traffic moves just fine. The Scajaquada Corridor needs only one lane in each direction and bicycle lanes. More accommodations are needed for pedestrians. The road through the park is not needed. If a road must remain, it should be much smaller so Delaware Park can be brought back to what it once was.

Page 3 of 5 Response: Additional studies can be conducted to assess the potential effects of reducing the Scajaquada Expressway to a two-lane facility or removing it in its entirety.

Comment: I agree that this proposal is not there yet. Why is level of service back in the Purpose and Need Statement? Can we talk about a totally different design if we don’t reference level of service? The current plan is just a variation on an expressway. A 30 mile per hour design is needed. The design should adhere to the Institute of Transporation Engineers’ “Recommended Practice for Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares – A Context Sensitive Approach.” If we wouldn’t think of designing the Scajaquada Expressway the same way today, why wouldn’t we correct that mistake?

Response: Potential impacts to traffic must be considered, along with other potential cultural, environmental, and economic impacts as a requirement of the federal funds being used to progress the study. Many of the features for the proposed boulevard are consistent with the ITE recommended practice cited by the commenter.

Comment: Trucks provide vital services to the adjacent neighborhoods and institutions. They should not be banned from the Scajaquada Corridor.

Response: Comment noted.

Comment: The speed limit should be set at 30 miles per hour. Those that don’t travel the speed limit should be ticketed. The proposed 20% reduction in impervious area is a step in the right direction. What other proactive approaches can be taken to improve water quality? Can rain gardens be constructed adjacent to bicycle paths? Can pervious pavements be used? Simply reducing the amount of runoff produced is not sufficient.

Response: The incorporation of additional “green” features that would improve stormwater quality prior to reaching Scajaquada Creek and reduce runoff can be considered as design progresses.

Comment: Analyses should not be quantified using vehicular LOS. Multimodal LOS should be used. What timeframe are you studying? This corridor should not be sized to accommodate peak hour traffic. Do the models take into account time-shift behavior? Was the NFTA involved? How can we get them to do more? Buses would get people off the road.

Response: Multimodal accommodation is a key component of the current vision plan, however peak hour vehicular traffic operations do require consideration. NFTA is a member of the project stakeholder group. Coordination with the NFTA on potential bus service and stop locations will continue as the design develops.

Comment: A posted speed limit of 40 miles per hour is too high for pedestrians. Speed limits need to be enforced by the police. Can we add features to the corridor that would encourage regular enforcement? Will the traffic signal systems be programmed to be pedestrian activated and be adaptive to different traffic patterns at different times of day rather than pretimed?

Response: Currently both 40 and 30 mile per hour posted speed limits are under consideration. Features that encourage speed enforcement can be considered as design progresses. The current vision plan calls for actuated traffic signals with pedestrian push buttons. Traffic control equipment would be capable of being programmed with different time of day plans.

Page 4 of 5

Comment: The expressway should not be totally removed. Can we do something like the “Big Dig” in Boston? The truth is some people like the Scajaquada Expressway and there are locations out there where people are envious of Buffalo for its well-connected network of highways and streets. It is not reasonable to think that 40 to 60 thousand vehicles a day will just disappear. If the roadway is changed to a 35 mile per hour city street it will cause gridlock. Hertel Avenue already has lots of traffic and that should not be made worse. Remember that gridlock results in idling vehicles and more pollution. This plan is trying to reach balance. Accidents are also a concern. We should not lull people into a false sense of security with an artificially low speed limit. The Scajaquada Expressway is vital to businesses and people rely on it for quick travel to the ECMC [Erie County Medical Center].The area can be beautified with more berms and hedges. New bridges should incorporate a stone facing. Olmsted was a man of his time so to assume he would not adapt to the 21st Century is wrong and short sighted. He would not have denied the existence of the automobile.

Response: Comments noted. The current vision plan seeks to balance the needs and accommodation of all users along the corridor.

Comment: I represent Niemiec Builders Supply and I am not in favor of eliminating truck traffic from the Scajaquada Corridor. If you do, it will send that traffic to the local streets and result in congestion. Trucks need to be accommodated on the Scajaquada Corridor. Drainage issues along the corridor should be corrected. I like the way the proposal looks but I am concerned that the high concrete median will be dangerous and that the narrowed road will leave no room for breakdowns. I am in favor of the traffic lights but not so many. The Grant-Amherst Business Association wants Scajaquada Creek cleaned so people can use this resource. How will the proposed changes affect the creek? A lower speed limit looks good. Get it done.

Response: The current vision plan would accommodate trucks on the Scajaquada Corridor. Features would also be incorporated to improve the quality of stormwater before it is discharged to Scajaquada Creek.

Comment: There are other viable alternative routes. Go on a “Scajaquada Diet.” Try it and see for yourself.

Response: Comment noted.

Subsequent to the meeting, Assemblyman Sean Ryan asked the NYSDOT to study alternatives that would convert the Scajaquada Expressway to a two-lane city street with a 30 mile per hour speed limit or remove it entirely from Delaware Park.

The above constitutes our understanding of issues discussed and decisions reached at this meeting. Please notify the undersigned, in writing, of any errors or omissions.

Best regards,

BERGMANN ASSOCIATES

Mark J. McAnany, PE Project Manager Page 5 of 5

MEETING MINUTES

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33 P.I.N. 5470.22

Subject: Public Information Meeting Location: Frederick Law Olmsted School Date: Thursday, September 16, 2015 Time: 5:00 PM

This meeting provided an update on recent traffic studies conducted as part of the proposed project to transform NYS Route 198, the Scajaquada Expressway, from an urban expressway to a lower speed urban boulevard. There was also a panel discussion. Members of the public were asked to provide written questions for a panel. The panel read and responded to questions after the formal presentation.

The presentation covered the following agenda items:

I. Welcome II. Project History III. Update on Project Alternatives IV. Panel Discussion & Questions V. Closing

A copy of the presentation delivered at the meeting can be found on the World Wide Web at https://www.dot.ny.gov/scajaquadacorridor/ (Community Outreach tab). Major summary points are as follows:

 There is much interest in having the Scajaquada Expressway better complement its surroundings, including Frederick Law Olmsted’s Delaware Park.

 The long term plan, first laid out in the City of Buffalo’s Expanded Project Proposal (EPP) in 2005, was a median divided, four lane boulevard with roundabouts connecting NYS Route 198 to Grant Street, Elmwood Avenue, and Parkside Avenue. The plan also included a traffic signal where NYS Route 198 connected to Delaware Avenue. The proposed speed limit was 30 miles per hour. The plan included sidewalks, shared use paths, and bicycle lanes.

 The NYSDOT has had a leadership role in moving a project forward since 2007. It is working with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) toward the development of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

 Public involvement has been an integral part of the process. A stakeholder group representing 3 dozen different agencies, organizations, etc. was formed and have been actively engaged in the process.

 The purpose of the action is to convert the Scajaquada Expressway into a feasible and prudent transportation facility that operates in a safe manner and in greater harmony with the surrounding community character and natural environment.

Page 1 of 3  As of this time, several different alternatives have been studied, including: - An expressway - A median divided, four-lane boulevard with signals - A median divided, four-lane boulevard with roundabouts - A median divided, two-lane street - An undivided, two-lane street - Removal of the roadway between Elmwood Avenue and Parkside Avenue

 Studies of how these alternative might operate and their potential effects on the adjacent neighborhoods were done in conjunction with the Greater Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Council (GBNRTC).

 Travel time studies were conducted along the corridor and on two convenient, parallel routes. When the expressway was posted at 50 miles per hour, the data showed that a trip along the Scajaquada took about 6 minutes. After the speed limit changed to 30 miles per hour, the same trip took about 1 ½ minutes longer. A trip between the same two points, along the alternate routes, took between 13 and 17 minutes. The alternate routes are longer and use city streets with signals.

 Other results from the studies include: - Changing the projected speed limit from 40 mph to 30 mph is not expected to result in a large increase in diversion

- Changing from a 4-lane boulevard to a 2-lane street is also not expected to result in a large increase in diversion. This is because it would take longer to utilize one of the alternate routes and they aren’t particularly convenient as a replacement for a direct trip along the Scajaquada. The result would be significant peak hour congestion and delay along the Scajaquada.

- Removing the roadway between Elmwood Avenue and Parkside Avenue would divert a large amount of traffic to the local street system.

 Comments received at tonight’s meeting will be incorporated into the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The project will undergo more review. The DEIS will eventually be made available for public review and comment. A formal public hearing will also be held as part of the process. Eventually a preferred alternative will be selected and the DEIS will be finalized.

 The project is estimated to cost on the order of $120 million to construct and could take up to four years depending on how it is phased. Phasing decisions will be made during detailed design. Currently a source of funding for the final design and construction phases has not been identified.

Page 2 of 3 The panel discussion followed. Written questions received from the public were read by Regional Director Darrell Kaminski and answered by members of the panel which included Rosemary Powers (NYSDOT), Craig Mozrall (NYSDOT), Hal Morse (GBNRTC), and Mark McAnany (Bergmann Associates). The proceedings were recorded by a stenographer. Readers may refer to the official transcript for a complete record of the panel question and answer session.

The above constitutes our understanding of issues discussed and decisions reached at this meeting. Please notify the undersigned, in writing, of any errors or omissions.

Best regards,

BERGMANN ASSOCIATES

Mark J. McAnany, PE Project Manager

Page 3 of 3 DRAFT Meeting Notes

Stakeholder Meeting - NY 198 Scajaquada Corridor Interim Improvements Date Held: November 17, 2015 Location: 100 Seneca Street. Buffalo, NY

Attendees: · Stakeholders: See attached sign in sheet · NYSDOT: Rosemary Powers, Darrell Kaminski, Craig Mozrall, Dave Hill, Renjit James

Meeting Summary:

1. Rosemary Powers/Darrell Kaminski – Welcome / Introduction

2. Brian Dold – Presented project history from Stakeholder perspective.

3. Craig Mozrall – Presented PowerPoint summary of Interim Improvements.

4. Justin Booth – Recommended transition zones at each end. 190 to Grant, Parkside to 33.

5. Amber Small – Suggested lane narrowing in these transition areas should be done now.

6. Mike DeLuca – Asked for classification change update.

7. NYSDOT - Sent letter to FHWA requesting to change from Principal Arterial Expressway to Principal Arterial Other.

8. Kent Bostock – Asked for justification behind these interim changes which are inconveniencing thousands of motorists.

9. NYSDOT - Public safety is the primary factor.

10. General Stakeholder Consensus - Re: Ped x-ings – Stakeholders want these in as part of a holistic overall traffic calming, not before all of the rest of the measures.

11. Mike DeLuca - Incorporate the recommended SCC’s 13 Points, including signage replacement, plus short-term EPP recommendations. [It was noted that there were not, in fact, short term recommendations in the EPP – these were from a draft version and were not published in the approved EPP - they were investigated in development of the EPP and were eliminated from further consideration.]

12. 13 Points – It was agreed that next meeting will go through each of the 13 Points to discuss whether these can be incorporated and whether they should be a part of the interim measures or the long-range plan.

13. Melissa Brown - Current problems exist with the Nottingham / Elmwood area due to the closure of the Elmwood off ramp. Stakeholder Meeting - NY 198 Scajaquada Corridor Interim Improvements Date Held: November 17, 2015 Page 2 of 3

14. Bryan Gawronski – Drives NY 198 several times a day for work at Albright Knox - seems more dangerous now, than before, due to the interim measures such as stop signs, differing speeds, inconsistencies. Seems like the expressway is having little bit of an “identity crisis”.

15. Amber Small – Agreed that speed differential is a problem and people need to be encouraged to go slower. “Visual cues.” Stated that current cues suggest that this is an expressway.

16. Matt Carver – Offered that the left turn into Medaille is now easier coming from NY 33 due to interim changes.

17. Mike DeLuca – Suggested narrowing ramps from NY 33 down to one lane to encourage slower speeds on the NY 33 to Parkside section of westbound NY 198.

18. Brian Dold – Offered short-term recommendations for signing on NY 33 and I-190 – should not say Scajaquada “Expressway”; add rumble strips, luminaries, Gateway signing entering NY 198.

19. Discussion on removal of center median barrier guiderailing to help change visual cues – stakeholders suggested to remove it now. Darrell Kaminski stated the center curbed median would have to be removed. Stakeholders asked why if it is only a 30 MPH roadway. Safety is the concern with removing this, due to the possibility of higher speed vehicles striking the curb and vaulting into the opposing lanes..

20. Mike DeLuca - Suggested re-striping an offset to push traffic AWAY from the center median rather than toward it. Justin Booth disagreed and suggested striping for a right- hand bike lane protected by plastic reflector bollards be incorporated. Craig Mozrall suggested that some drainage inlet grates may be an issue with pushing traffic toward outside curbline [this would have to be looked at].

21. Brian Dold – Suggested putting guiderails next to travel lane within existing pavement.

22. NYSDOT & City of Buffalo Response – Problem with snow removal, problem with deflection of guiderail and vaulting concerns with curb within deflection distance. 23. Mike Deluca – Asked if a one-lane option a consideration for interim improvements.

24. NYSDOT – No, it’s too big of a change in travel patterns to be considered as an interim improvement.

25. Councilman Feroleto – Concerned about enough sight distance for x-walks due to speeding trends.

26. NYSDOT – Sight distance is considered in evaluating the suitability of any crossing.

27. Justin Booth – Suggested following list of NACTO guidelines for interim and long-range measures.

28. Matt Carver - Whatever changes proposed at the Route 198/Parkside intersection should fully consider, and be safe for, all the students/faculty walking over from the Delaware Park side of NY 198. Stakeholder Meeting - NY 198 Scajaquada Corridor Interim Improvements Date Held: November 17, 2015 Page 3 of 3

29. Melissa Brown – Suggested that a white paper for the general public be provided on where we are in the process, how the process works, etc.

30. Rosemary Powers - In response to stakeholder concerns, stated that NYSDOT is concerned not only with traffic but with health, property values, economic development, land use planning, etc.

31. Next Steps:

a. Rosemary Powers – Would like to have additional meetings ASAP, January and again in February, hoping to come to a decision and move to construction

b. NYSDOT – Stated meeting on the NY 198 EIS project will be held in December. [Due to non-availability of staff and the holiday season, the meeting will be rescheduled.] DRAFT Meeting Notes

Stakeholder Meeting - NY 198 Scajaquada Corridor Interim Improvements Date Held: January, 2016 Location: 100 Seneca Street. Buffalo, NY

Attendees: · Stakeholders: See attached sign in sheet · NYSDOT: Roderic Sechrist, Darrell Kaminski, Dan Hitt, Craig Mozrall, Dave Hill, Catherine Leslie, Renjit James · Agenda: See attached Agenda

Meeting Summary:

1. Roderic Sechrist/Darrell Kaminski – Welcome / Introduction

2. Craig Mozrall – Presented the discussion of the “13 points”, and applicability to interim vs long-term project

3. Tim Dressler – Objects to the 30 MPH speed limit and wants speed limit returned/changed to 45MPH. Spend the $150 million for other infrastructure projects. Do not cause inconvenience to the 65,000 drivers using the Scajaquada. Keep the Scajaquada an Expressway. If park users do not want to see the expressway, build a landscaped berm to block the view.

4. NYSDOT – The EIS will evaluate all the options and speed limits

5. Ed Willis – At what point did the 30 MPH become reality? DOT recommended a speed limit of 45 in 2012.

6. NYSDOT – Governor reduced the speed limit to 30MPH for safety reasons after the fatal accident. The EIS process will determine the appropriate long range speed limit.

7. Mike DeLuca - In the November meeting Rosemary Powers said the speed limit is going to be 30 MPH. Did it change?

8. NYSDOT - As part of the NEPA process we do not want to be decisional before the process is complete. The 30 MPH exists now, and we are looking at 30 MPH as an alternative.

9. Craig Mozrall – Discussed the various traffic calming measures which were implemented and/or considered for both the interim and long range plan.

10. Andy Rabb – Maintenance of the raised landscaped median is a problem. Therefore the City would prefer the landscaping on either side rather than in the middle.

11. Renata Kraft – Agrees with Andy’s suggestion. Stakeholder Meeting - NY 198 Scajaquada Corridor Interim Improvements Date Held: January 14, 2016 Page 2 of 6

12. Bradley Bethel - Scajaquada was a historic parkway. Should look into something bigger and better. Consider a connection to Riverside Park, bike path and connection to neighborhoods, and brown field development opportunities.

13. Andy Rabb – There are plans being developed by the City of Buffalo to provide a better bike connection to Riverside Park from the Jesse Kregal Pathway.

14. Ed Willis – Where is the police enforcement? Rather than spending money to rebuild the roadway, hire more police officers for traffic enforcement on Route 198.

15. Brian Dold – Is the traffic calming memo available for public.

16. NYSDOT – The memo will be included in the DEIS which will be available for public review when completed.

17. Tim Dressler – Add an overpass over and tunnel under the expressway for pedestrians and bicyclists and leave the Expressway alone.

18. Mike Deluca – The position of the SCC is that the Park was there first and then the roadway was constructed.

19. Kent Bostock – It should be a balancing act between competing values. What can be done short term and long-term.

20. Dan Hitt (NYSDOT) – Gave a brief overview of National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) requirements including 4(f), 6(f) and 106 processes regarding parks and historic resources

21. Renata Craft – Is sidewalk considered as a transportation or recreation facility?

22. NYSDOT – It can be considered either. Will discuss with FHWA for their interpretation in this case.

23. Steve Shaffer – At Buffalo State College we are advocating a bicycle friendly campus. Suggest building the sidewalk on the south side of the corridor with a connection to the Jesse Kregal Path.

24. Renata Kraft – Was the elimination of the “redundant” Iroquois drive and using the reconstructed 198 considered by Buffalo State College?

25. Steve Shaffer – Buffalo State has talked about removing Iroquois Drive, but has not pursued it to any degree. It is an internal campus roadway necessary for circulation within the campus.

26. Mike Deluca – Can we put in on street bike lanes on the roadway instead of including the median? Who determines what is park land?

27. NYSDOT – The determination is made first by the owner (NYSDOT) and then FHWA/NPS

28. Kent Bostock – Is there any temporary option to lease land to enhance park property. Stakeholder Meeting - NY 198 Scajaquada Corridor Interim Improvements Date Held: January 14, 2016 Page 3 of 6

29. NYSDOT – Any changes in the park for more than 6 months would require 6(f) and section 106 involvement.

30. Bradley Bethel – A roundabout should be considered at the intersection of Route 198 and Parkside Avenue.

31. NYSDOT – A single lane as well as a multilane roundabouts were analyzed for this location and it showed that with the amount of traffic, the roundabout would fail.

32. Mike Deluca – Currently pedestrians have to cross 8 lanes of traffic. Less lanes should be the goal at Parkside. Reduce lanes coming from Route 33. Take out the WB slip lane at the intersection. Reduced lanes at this intersection would improve the pedestrian crossing.

33. Mike Finn – The whole intersection will be looked as a system, balancing the need for traffic, pedestrian crossing. etc.

34. NYSDOT – Discussion regarding the Route 198/Main Street/Kensington Avenue interchange. Several options were looked at including an at grade roundabout.

35. Mike Deluca – Was an at grade intersection looked into? Is concerned about some of or all of the 20,000 vehicles using Parkside to avoid the Route 198/Main Street interchange.

36. NYSDOT – An at grade intersection would not operate acceptably at the location of Rte198/Main Street if 198 traffic volumes were included.

37. Darrell Kaminski asked “What is the difference between point 2, 3 and 7 in the “13 points”?”

38. Justin Booth – Point 2 suggests additional crossings, Point 3 says if additional crossings are added, make them safe, and point 7 is requests provisions for all modes through and along the Scajaquada Corridor.

39. Ed Willis – what is 7 & 8, Sidewalks or Pedestrians on the road?

40. NYSDOT – What was the intent. Sidewalk adjacent to the road?

41. Justin Booth – Continuous and connected pathways was the focus. Not point to point facilities.

42. Mike Finn – Citywide master plan did not include the 198 corridor.

43. Justin Booth – Citywide master plan was meant for the City’s on-street facilities.

44. Bradley Bethel - The intent should be connecting different parts of the park longitudinally and transversely. Don’t just focus on vehicles. Wants to connect Agassi Circle and Parkside Community

45. Ed Willis – There are several existing crossings. Stakeholder Meeting - NY 198 Scajaquada Corridor Interim Improvements Date Held: January 14, 2016 Page 4 of 6

46. Amber Small – There are crossings but some of them are not ADA compliant. Not everybody can use them.

47. Renata Kraft – Mentioned that there are two academic campuses on this corridor.

48. Steve Shaffer – Buff State was originally concerned with reducing the speed limit. As it turns out 30MPH did not cause “carmogedon”. Endorses 30 MPH.

49. Mike Deluca – Parkside community feels that the 30MPH has reduced the noise level and benefits the community.

50. Renata and Bradley – There are other instances in other cities where parkways/expressway were removed and it did not cause big traffic back ups. E.g. Embarcadero.

51. Nicole Matteson – People advocate for speed limit on a sliding scale. Is NYSDOT considering a sliding scale like from 55mph to 40 mph to 30 mph. The ends still look like expressways (visual cues).

52. Seth Amman - The ends still look like expressways. The design doesn’t fit.

53. Mike Deluca - Noise, speeds not appropriate for the area. Less lanes.

54. Amber Small – Advocates for 30 MPH

55. NYSDOT – Concern over the 30 MPH speed limit. Conflicting views with 30 MPH vs a step down.

56. Seth Amman – Too much length for speeding at the ends. Design changes needed.

57. Justin Booth – Transition Zones at the ends should be implemented.

58. Tim Dressler – Petitions are coming from the expressway advocates/travelling public.

59. Mike Deluca - There is community support for 30 mph. 3,500 signatures.

60. Kent – To reduce traffic, put toll booths

61. Louis Haremski – DOT is fixated on the throughput. In other cities where parkways/expressway were removed, the traffic found other routes. The same thing will happen here. Traffic diversions will help business along the routes.

62. NYSDOT – We have the follow the NEPA process and determine the environmental impacts and mitigate the impacts along the detour routes.

63. Renata Kraft – We respect the NEPA process

64. Ed Willis – DOT should be organizing a survey to find out what people, including the travelling public, want. Get feed back from the trucking association, AAA, etc.

65. Louis Haremski – The Route 198/I-190 interchange also should be looked into. Maybe eliminate the elevated viaduct section Stakeholder Meeting - NY 198 Scajaquada Corridor Interim Improvements Date Held: January 14, 2016 Page 5 of 6

66. Mike Deluca – Frustrating, we are covering the same issues and providing disjointed feedback. Nothing getting accomplished.

67. NYSDOT – What do you want?

68. Mike Deluca – Short term, interim and long term.

69. DOT - it is hard to piecemeal. Short term is what we implemented, long term requires going through the NEPA process.

70. Mike Deluca/Amber Small – What is short term and long term? What can DOT do right now to make it safer?

71. Justin Booth – What is the outcome of the meeting supposed to be? How can we change the process to look at expressways around the state? Can DOT look at the “10 page letter” based on the recommendations for the short term improvements in the EPP and respond. Rosemary said we will address the short term measures in February or March.

72. NYSDOT – Noted that we were asked at the last meeting to discuss the 13 points at this meeting. Asked if the 10 page letter was referencing recommendations from a draft version of the EPP and not the actual published EPP? Those recommendations were eliminated in the EPP process. NYSDOT will look at the “10 page letter” and respond.

73. Bradley Bethel – Need to look at 190 and 33

74. NYSDOT – We are trying to get a reasonable project without expanding too far on either side to the expressways.

75. Brian Dold – Draft EPP short term aspects should be included. High crash locations, access point modifications, stop signs. Can we make changes at these locations? Would like a “green, yellow red” response to each suggestions in the”10 page letter”.

76. Mike Deluca/Ed Willis – Do we have traffic data and accident after the speed was changed? And can we get it?

77. NYSDOT – Yes we took traffic counts in summer. NYSDOT will share the traffic data. We are still waiting for the accident data. What is your take of speed limit of 30 MPH in the park vs outside of the park?

78. Ed Willis – Why is 30 MPH the magic number? Is it the speed differential?

79. Brian Dold – Safety. The accident severity and the fatality rate is much lower below 30 MPH as compared to above 30 MPH.

80. Renata Kraft – It is the perception of speed and impediments like parking pedestrian activities, bikes etc.

81. NYSDOT – We have to have some give and take to transform the expressway. Stakeholder Meeting - NY 198 Scajaquada Corridor Interim Improvements Date Held: January 14, 2016 Page 6 of 6

82. Ed Willis – NYSDOT has to do a better job of public outreach. Survey, contact AAA, trucking association etc.

83 Mike DeLuca - DOT has done a great job with public outreach. They have had over 30 meetings including stakeholders meeting, public meeting etc.

84. Next Steps: Share meeting notes; NYSDOT will look again at “10 page letter”; work will continue on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (which will be made available for public review and comment when the draft is complete); we will discuss scheduling another stakeholder meeting.

MEETING MINUTES

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I-190 to NYS Route 33 P.I.N. 5470.22

Subject: Public Meeting Location: Bulger Communications Center, Buffalo State College Date: Wednesday, February 10, 2016 Time: 7:00 PM

This meeting provided an update on the proposed project to transform NYS Route 198, the Scajaquada Expressway, from an urban expressway to a lower speed urban boulevard. The purpose was to summarize the history of the project, review input received from the public and stakeholders to date, describe a vision for the corridor’s future, and to obtain additional input.

The meeting started at 7:00 PM. Assemblyman Sean Ryan provided opening remarks and thanked everyone for their work on the project thus far. He also thanked Commissioner Matthew Driscoll for making this project a priority and coming to Buffalo to discuss the Scajaquada Expressway. Assemblyman Ryan explained that the Commissioner would discuss the expedited timeline to change the Scajaquada from an expressway into a roadway.

Commissioner Driscoll thanked everyone in the room for attending the meeting and for their opinions and efforts in this project thus far. He then proceed to deliver the presentation.

The presentation covered the following agenda items:

I. Welcome II. Project History III. Action Plan IV. Next Steps

A copy of the presentation delivered at the meeting can be found on the World Wide Web at https://www.dot.ny.gov/scajaquadacorridor/ (Community Outreach tab). Major summary points are as follows:

 The NYSDOT is continuing to work through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, in conjunction with the community and various stakeholders, to arrive at the best options for redesigning the Scajaquada.

 The Department is committed to a safe transportation network that serves all users including pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists. It is also committed to providing solutions that are compatible with Frederick Law Olmsted’s Delaware Park.

 This project is a land use planning effort. The Department wants the solution to be responsive to community needs. Over 30 meetings have been held with stakeholders and local interest groups. Ideas have been presented and many comments and suggestions have been heard. The NYSDOT will continue to listen and obtain input.

Page 1 of 6  This project will convert the Scajaquada Expressway into the Scajaquada Boulevard. It will have two vehicular lanes in each direction. The Scajaquada now has a 30 mile per hour speed limit. Design features, including traffic calming measures, will be put into place that make it feel more natural and comfortable to drive at 30 miles per hour.

 Reducing the roadway to one vehicular travel lane in each direction or removing it completely would displace up to 50,000 vehicles per day and pose many problems including traffic congestion and air pollution on neighboring streets which would detract from the city’s quality of life.

 When the road was originally designed and constructed there was a focus on moving vehicular traffic efficiently. Today our focus is to ensure that the road is compatible or in harmony with the surrounding environment and its users.

 The design will incorporate accommodations for pedestrians and bicyclists. At-grade crossings will be incorporated into the design.

 The historical context of Delaware Park, along with community and stakeholder input, will be used to inform design, aesthetic, and sustainable decisions.

 Large overhead signs will be removed. The new boulevard will have more modest signage.

 Gateways will be established to announce arrival at historic Delaware Park.

 Analyses necessary to realize these changes will be complete within one year.

 The following short term actions will be taken by the start of this summer:

- Installation of temporary gateway features - Travel lanes at the eastern end of the corridor will be restriped and narrowed - Rumble strips will be installed on the western end of the corridor - Additional variable message signs with speed indicators will be installed

 The Department will have discussions with the City of Buffalo to explore the possibility of a separate project to improve safety at the intersection of Main Street, Kensington Avenue, and Humboldt Parkway.

 The environmental review process will be expedited. The Department will be working toward a final decision with the community by the end of 2016. Final design will happen next year. A construction contract will be issued in 2017.

 Continued participation and input from the public will be important. The Department expects to release a Draft Environmental Impact Statement in the fall of 2016 followed by a formal Public Hearing. There will also continue to be other attritional opportunities for input.

The following text summarizes discussions that took place during the question and answer period. Comments and responses have been paraphrased for brevity.

Comment: Consideration needs to be given to the part of the Scajaquada that does not run through Delaware Park. Part of the corridor, at the eastern end, runs through a minority community? What will be done there?

Response: Please continue to stay involved in meetings moving forward as the Department is here and willing to listen to your concerns. As previously stated, this project is a land use planning effort.

Page 2 of 6 Comment: Before ground is broken and adjustments are made, please get the full scope of exactly what is going on, especially as it relates to truck traffic in residential areas.

Response: Thank-you.

Comment: If a majority of people in Buffalo were to come out and advocate for keeping their expressway, do we get to keep it or is the decision already made?

Response: The intent is to make a boulevard workable for everyone and to progress the plan laid out during this meeting. If the overwhelming majority of people were opposed to something, obviously that will be considered.

Comment: How, within the State’s proposed five-year budget, will the Department deliver on the promise to the community? Current funding levels are unable to keep up with the burden of maintenance on the existing system. Will the funding come from federal sources as well as state sources or will it increase the burden on our own state agencies?

Response: This project will not result in additional financial burden. Funding is in place. It is estimated that construction will cost around $100 million, but that can change during the design phase. The upcoming transportation budget is more than adequate to not only maintain but to enhance systems across the State of New York. The project will be built, but not at the cost of doing maintenance work across the state.

Comment: I’m opposed to this idea. We need an expressway. Other highways and expressways feed the Scajaquada at high speed. I suggest areas outside of the park before Delaware Avenue and beyond Grant Street have a higher speed limit.

Response: Thank-you.

Comment: We need to find middle ground. A 30 mile per hour speed limit is not really a boulevard: it is a street. Crosswalks and traffic lights are a street. The proposed changes won’t get people to drive 30 miles per hour. It can be made better and still be 45 miles per hour. Who will be responsible for maintaining the proposed median when the work is done?

Response: The median is conceptual. Whether or not there should be a median is a discussion the Department will have with the stakeholders.

Comment: Does the current proposal cover the entire length of NYS Route 198 from I-190 to NYS Route 33 or does it cover just the area in Delaware Park?

Response: The current proposal is focused primarily on the roadway from Grant Street to Parkside Avenue. The extent of reconstruction is equally focused in those areas. The Department does not envision this project doing major work outside these limits. The proposed plan does not preclude future studies of those areas

Comment: Right now the speed limit is 30 miles per hour for the entire length of NYS Route 198. In my opinion it should remain that way. I think it is ridiculous to have part of the same street be 50 miles per hour and then go down to 30 miles per hour and back up to 50. Will 30 be enforced? When the corridor is redesigned it should not look like an expressway if you want people to drive at 30.

Response: We will be looking at that as part of our study.

Page 3 of 6 Comment: I think it should be increased to 40 or 45 toward the western end at least. I would also like to keep the expressway pretty much as it is. The expressway serves the whole area, not just the community around the park. It seems like a decision has been made and it’s not going to be that way. Would adding level crossings and bike lanes increase safety? I don’t think the traveling public has been well represented in the decision making process. I urge a compromised solution and to find out what the Scajaquada Expressway users would like to see.

Response: Thank-you.

Comment: If the roadway is going to be a 30 mile per hour street, it should just be a regular street and not a gateway. It doesn’t need barriers. I like the idea of medians tricking people into thinking they should go slower. I would also like to see more mention of addressing human health concerns. We need to do this project right because it won’t happen again in our lifetimes.

Response: Thank-you.

Comment: We have a unique opportunity here to change what has been a detriment for so many into what can really be an asset for the community. My request is that we seriously look into the transition zones. I really want to put forward that this is one of the most important aspects of the project. If we don’t address them, and the speed that drivers are moving as they pass through them, this project will never succeed. Also, who will maintain the facility once the work is done?

Response: The transition zones are important. The Department will identify signage and other techniques to address these areas. Maintenance responsibility for the road will remain with the Department.

Comment: A boulevard, by definition, is still wider than a street. I’m thinking it would be better to have it as a street (30 miles per hour and less than two vehicular lanes in each direction). What is proposed isn’t really reintegrated into Delaware Park because you still have this very wide, four lane roadway, even if it is a narrower four lane roadway. You should set people up, when they exit I-190 or NYS Route 33, for the expectation that they are entering a city street, like Best Street.

Response: Thank-you.

Comment: I would point out to my highway user friends that the difference in traveling the route of the Scajaquada Expressway between 50 miles per hour and 30 miles per hour is a minute and a half on average. Reducing the speed of the Scajaquada Expressway will inconvenience very few. I quit the Scajaquada Expressway about a year ago. I have found it just as convenient to use Delaware Avenue and Lafayette to get to NYS Route 33. Returning more cars to the city streets will increase commercial prospects.

Response: Thank-you.

Comment: Those here who think that eliminating the road, or reducing the road to 30 miles per hour, will suddenly make their lives difficult, have overlooked the realities. Putting more cars onto city streets will in fact enhance the economic vibrancy that has grown in Buffalo today.

Response: Thank-you.

Page 4 of 6 Comment: I ride a bike but I also own a car. I do use the Scajaquada on a regular basis but I also walk it and bike it. We need to be looking at how we reduce car trips, not just how we avoid car delays and car congestion. How do we change our process so we don’t get stuck in the same box? This conversation keeps coming up and the first state that has really looked at revamping their Environmental Impact Statements is California. It is time for our state to reimagine how we utilize our legacy infrastructure.

Response: Thank-you.

Comment: Making the Scajaquada a four lane, lower speed highway or boulevard seems like a compromise to me. We now need to move forward and make the design one we can all live with. We talk about how we move 50,000 cars more gently and safely through the park, but what we really should be thinking about is how we move those people. I encourage you to include NFTA in the planning. They are going through the process of redesigning and reevaluating themselves, so this redesign should be one of the things that they consider as part of their process.

Response: Thank-you.

Comment: I would like to see the speed limit increased. It is excruciating at 30 miles per hour and to have stop signs. I have seen so many rear-end accidents. I know it’s a transition thing and you will get there but there are a lot of cars getting messed up in the process. How much longer are we going to do construction assuming this goes forward? What will be done with the Parkside Avenue intersection?

Response: We anticipate the project will take two full years of construction if it is done all at one time. A decision on phasing will be made during detailed design. We have studied the Parkside Avenue intersection for years and will continue to look at ways it can be improved as we move forward.

Comment: In my mind this is an economic development project. Infrastructure development is important for business recruitment and retention.

Response: Thank-you.

Comment: It is important to understand that Delaware Park was here nearly 150 years ago. The highway was put through this beautiful park. I want to applaud what is happening here tonight. I think it’s important to focus on land use, quality of life, and economic development. I encourage us to continue educating and coming together and having more of these meeting. I believe in the process you are following and encourage more dialogue.

Response: Thank-you.

Comment: What I see here is “lipstick on a pig”. The boulevard is the lipstick on the pig highway. I don’t see this road getting any narrower and giving land back to the park. This and other roads would never be built today. There is a solution to that: remove this road. The NYSDOT should be looking to the future. There are several cities that have taken down their highways and it has been nothing but positive. Why do you think Buffalo can’t get by as other cities like Milwaukee and San Francisco got by without those highways?

Response: I would like to clarify that the freeway removed in Milwaukee was a spur of a large and complex transportation system. This plan includes walkable solutions. We believe that this is not “lipstick on a pig”, rather it will convert the expressway into a boulevard with the elements outlined tonight. The park is an asset. Lots of people use it. The Albright-Knox Museum is another example. It is prudent to support those assets in a way that protects people, provides walkability, and allows automobiles to safely traverse through the area in a safe and manageable way.

Page 5 of 6 Comment: I am an avid cyclist. I want to say thank you for including bike facilities in your overall plan for changes. Will there be dedicated bicycle lanes?

Response: We don’t know that answer yet. That is part of the discussion the Department would like to have with the stakeholders.

Comment: I speak for the faculty members of Medaille College. I applaud the efforts being made to slow down the Scajaquada. There is a lot of foot traffic at the Parkside Avenue intersection. The road needs to be slowed down way before that point to protect those users. How would narrowing the road impact access to the Medaille campus as it has its only entrance from NYS Route 198? Please think about rush hour traffic as an issue.

Response: The Department intends to narrow the lanes, but not eliminate them. These issues will be addressed as part of the Environmental Impact Statement process.

The above constitutes our understanding of issues discussed and decisions reached at this meeting. Please notify the undersigned, in writing, of any errors or omissions.

Best regards,

BERGMANN ASSOCIATES

Mark J. McAnany, PE Project Manager

Page 6 of 6 STAKEHOLDERS MEETING AT SISTER’S HOSPITAL MARCH 2, 2016 - 6:00 PM

Attendees: Heather Sporn, Craig Mozrall and Patrick Meredith 35 community members attended the meeting.

Larry Williams gave an introduction: -He lived on Humboldt Parkway since the 1950s. His family came from the south and his Father worked 2 jobs to own a house.

-He’s been working to restore his parent’s house.

-He thinks the 30 MPH speed limit is causing more traffic to exit onto Main Street at Humboldt Parkway. He wants something done to reduce the traffic effects.

-Larry introduces Assistant Commissioner, Patrick Meredith.

-Larry mentioned many issues to Patrick when they walked around the neighborhood.

-Steven Stepniak said that the City looks forward to working with DOT to address some issues at Main, Humboldt and Kensington.

-Patrick Meredith said that DOT will work with the City to address some immediate needs and notes that the DOT will engage the community.

-Larry mentioned issues with parking in the neighborhood.

-City Councilman, Ulysees O. Wingo, Jr., wants to know what can be done on Humboldt Parkway from Parkside to Delevan. He wants an answer from the DOT.

-Warren Galloway said the State of New York made some changes without considering all the effects that instituting a 30 MPH speed limit would entail. -The way the west side of Main Street and the east side of Main Street are treated is not equal. All the focus has been on Delaware Park. - The traffic back ups have been worse. There is an air pollution problem.

-Patrick talked about finding out what the best way is to get information out.

-Brad Bethel from ROCC talked about the connection between Parkside and Ferry Street on Humboldt Humboldt Parkway. He says the Scajaquada project and Humboldt need to be coordinated. -Mike DeLuca complained abut traffic in the neighborhood but said that traffic has not gone up since the speed limit was changed, it has always been horrible according it him. -He said the project must deal with the area east of Parkside. -Deal with the Main Street-Kensington-Humboldt Parkway intersections. -Said there should not be a need for 2 lanes coming off of the 33 in each direction.

-Larry Williams said given Canisus College, Medaille College and Sister’s Hospital, may be the Bishop’s office should be talking. -Drivers have no regard for pedestrians on Main Street. -Property values are dropping. What can be done to stop that? -The communities along Humboldt have been split by the expressway and pedestrians need access across the roadway. -There is soot on the houses that needs to be addressed.

-A different homeowner said there is a safety issue with all the cars trying to exit the 198 westbound onto Main Street. The safety issue needs to be addressed. Vibrations from the traffic are damaging foundations. -Make changes to the eastern transition to improve safety. -People speed on Humboldt Parkway. This needs to be addressed.

-Larry Williams said both sides of Humboldt have problems. Need more signage on Humboldt. -Expressway does not look like a 30 MPH street.

-ROCC member stated that there is a need for more signage to show where the speed limit on the 33 inbound speed goes up.

-Stephanie Barber from the ROCC states” the Fumes in the bathtub section are causing health issues.

-Mike DeLuca wants to see a community planner to work with the community groups. -He also wants Kensington Ave closed between Humboldt east and west.

-The group wants another meeting to start solving problems. When will that be?

-Stephanie Barber brought up air quality issues on Humboldt in the bathtub section, again. DRAFT Meeting Notes

Stakeholder Meeting - NY 198 Scajaquada Corridor Interim Improvements Date Held: May 12, 2016 Location: 100 Seneca Street. Buffalo, NY

Attendees: · Stakeholders: See attached sign in sheet · NYSDOT: Darrell Kaminski, Craig Mozrall, Dave Hill, Renjit James

Meeting Summary:

1. Darrell Kaminski – Welcome / Introduction

2. Craig Mozrall – Presented the discussion of the graphics depicting the different median options as well as the bicycle/pedestrian options, the department is evaluating. Also mentioned about the open house on May 19th.

3. Brian Dold – Is DOT looking for overall comments or just for the median and pedestrian (multimodal) options?

4. NYSDOT – We are looking any comments you might have.

5. Mike DeLuca – How would a 4’ median look like?. Are there any improvements east of Parkside Ave and west of Grant Street?

6. NYSDOT – We are working on finalizing the proposed work for the transition areas. We may have something to show for the open house.

7. Amber Small – Who is going to take care (maintenance) of the landscaping in the median? Are there any pedestrian crossings at the maintenance facility with the 20’ wide median option?

8. DOT – NYSDOT maintains the existing grass median. We had discussions with the city and they had concerns about the maintenance of the median. Along with the decision on a median option, a decision will be made regarding the maintenance of the landscaping.

9. Mike DeLuca – Any changes to the park road (Meadow drive) to eliminate cut through traffic.

10. NYSDOT - We met with COB and Parks to discuss the concerns and possible solutions. We haven’t finalized any work. We have come up with couple of solutions, and will work with Parks and COB to implement the best option.

11. Sarah Reid – Why can’t we close the entrance from Lincoln Parkway at Nottingham?

12. NYSDOT – It is currently being utilized by many vehicles. By eliminating this entrance, we will be sending more vehicle along Nottingham to Elmwood Avenue. Stakeholder Meeting - NY 198 Scajaquada Corridor Interim Improvements Date Held: May 12, 2016 Page 2 of 3

13. Lou Harmeski – Removing the exit/entrance ramp from Iroquois Drive will help Albright Knox Art gallery.

14. NYSDOT – NYSDOT was at the Architecture firm presentation last week. By having the ramp at that location did not seem to have any impacts on the Art Gallery Expansion.

15. Sarah Reid – Why do we need a 4’ wide median. Why can’t we have just yellow stripes.

16. NYSDOT – Due to safety concerns, it was decided to include at a minimum 4’ wide median.

17. Kent Bostock – Are we going to add any parking within the existing Delaware Ave. interchange after the reconstruction.

18. Sarah Reid/Mike Deluca/Amber Small – Is the speed limit going be changed. Is guide rail going to be installed in the median? People are going to use the wide median as walkway

19. NYSDOT – No intention of changing the speed limit. We are not planning on putting any median barrier as part of the design.

20. Sarah Reid – Should provide the smallest median possible

21. Mike Deluca – From the displays, it looks like the same design from 2 years ago. What is the difference between the 45mph design and the 30 mph design? Was hoping for significant changes from the previous design.

22. NYSDOT – Pointed out few of the differences between the 45 mph and the 30mph design.

23. Mike Deluca/Louise Harmeski – Provide an at grade pedestrian crossing at Buffalo State College, not a pedestrian bridge. Also remove the existing pedestrian bridge at Lincoln Pkwy.

24. NYSDOT – At Buffalo state college there is grade difference which would require a pedestrian over bridge. Will check the elevations to see if an at grade ped crossing would work at this location. Regarding the removal of ped bridge at Lincoln parkway, we heard from a group of people who would like us to remove the bridge and from another group of people who wants us to keep the bridge. Our intention at this time is to maintain the existing bridge.

25. Sarah Reid – What are we doing for storm water retention. Buffalo State would like to have a crossing from Buff state to the north side of the creek.

26. NYSDOT – We have couple of locations identified, but haven’t decided on the type or location.

27. Justin Booth – NYSDOT is missing out on a great opportunity to improve/transform this corridor from I-190 to Route 33, not just between Grant Street and Parkside Avenue. We need to design this corridor for 25 mph so that people will travel at 30mph. There should be connectivity between Buffalo State and the Humboldt metro Station. A bike track as Stakeholder Meeting - NY 198 Scajaquada Corridor Interim Improvements Date Held: May 12, 2016 Page 3 of 3

shown in Delaware Park is not acceptable. There should be a separate on street bike track provided as part of this project. We expected more of a transformative project, not this same old same old “crap”. If NYSDOT is showing all these same design at the Open House, I expect people are going to be very upset and there will be fallout.

28. Kent Bostock – Roads are designed for transportation to accommodate cars and trucks

29. Louise Harmeski – Building the Route 198 corridor has hurt the Grant/Amherst business district by diverted traffic from Grant Street and Amherst Street. Redesign the roadway to carry only half of the traffic and rest of the traffic will go through the business district.

30. Brian Dold – Connect the multi use paths to the intersections. We (BOPC) are not big fans of a divided bike track on the ring road. This will create addition crossing points as well as additional conflict point between bicycle and pedestrians. DRAFT Meeting Notes

Stakeholder Meeting - NY 198 Scajaquada Corridor Improvements Date Held: June 23, 2016 Location: 100 Seneca Street. Buffalo, NY

Attendees: · Stakeholders: See attached sign in sheet · NYSDOT: Patrick Meredith, Heather Sporn, Craig Mozrall, Dave Hill, Renjit James

Meeting Summary:

1. Patrick Meredith/Craig Mozrall – Welcome / Introduction. Meeting setup to discuss pedestrian access between Buffalo State Campus and Grant Amherst Neighborhood. Two concepts – One is grade separated (pedestrian Bridge) and one showing at grade crossing Iroquois drive and Scajaquada Corridor, and a bridge over the Scajaquada Creek.

2. Heather – The drawings are just base point for discussion/concepts/general layout not design “do not take it literally

3. Justin Booth – Where is the location of the proposed crossing and why that location was picked.

4. Craig Mozrall – The proposed location has an existing pedestrian facility connecting to the Buffalo State Campus sidewalk/pathway network.

5. Patrick Meredith – Did Buffalo State have input in the location of the pedestrian crossing and is there any logic in having this at any other location.

6. Justin Booth - Okay with the proposed location.

7. Steven Shaffer – Buff State did have input in selecting the location of the crossing. From engineering as well as an economic point of view, the location makes sense.

8. Renata Kraft - We should consider the complete street design not a access controlled roadway. We should take the time and go back to the drawing board and consider a complete street design which would provide a city street which would accommodate all modes. Also consider eliminating redundant transportation facility by combining/eliminating Iroquois Drive with Scajaquada corridor. This would provide more room for the restoration of Scajaquada Creek.

9. Patrick Meredith - This will have a very large impact on the Buff State campus

10. Steven Shaffer – Ideally college would like to reduce the pavement footprint in front of the college. Logically Iroquois drive is the service road which should serve all the building efficiently. Have concerns about the operational and access issues. Stakeholder Meeting - NY 198 Scajaquada Corridor Improvements Date Held: June 23, 2016 Page 2 of 5

11. Renata Kraft – Realizes the gravity of this option on the design as well as the schedule and on Buffalo State campus. But, this is our one chance to consolidate. Reconnect the street grid to the campus.

12. Steve Shaffer – Security is not a concern. Would like to reconnect the campus to the community. Want to be a part of the community. Would like to promote the campus as creek side campus with access to the creek

13. Lou Haremski - Re-establishing the historical alignment of creek should be goal also.

14. Renata Kraft – Restore the creek to its original width, shallow depth. The obstacle is the roadway. Sees this as an opportunity to accomplish this goal.

15. Justin Booth – At grade crossing will provide room to create access to the creek.

16. Lou Harmeski – Can utilize the additional room between the creek and the relocated roadway for creek access. Limited access means expressway, drivers tend to speed. Make drivers worry about what is on the road.

17. Renata Kraft – Being on a bridge is scary. Sometimes it does not feel safe. The pedestrian bridge across I-190 is an example, broken bottles, garbage and some times people just hanging out, making it feel little uncomfortable.

18. Justin Booth – Safety is a concern. Put the crossing at grade where it is more visible and more desiarable.

19. Sarah Reid – Families also stay at the dorm. The crossing will give an opportunity for families to cross the roadway and creek to access the play ground north of the creek.

20. Renata Kraft –If the crossing is at grade, would there be a traffic control device

21. Patrick Meredith – If the crossing is at grade, it will be controlled by a hawk signal. The cross walk will be on a curve, may need to install advance warning.

22. Justin Booth – Provide an offset crossing. This will force the pedestrian to turn towards the oncoming traffic and look.

23. Renata Kraft – What if this is a complete street with sidewalk not a limited access roadway.

24. Heather Sporn – We could put a street here providing accessibility for pedestrians, bicycles, refuge for pedestrian with medians.

25. Renata Kraft – If cars are going slow, we do not need to provide refuges for the pedestrians.

26. Steven Shaffer – Provide separate walkway

27. Sarah Reid – If we put a median, it gives an environment/impression to the drivers that they can speed. Stakeholder Meeting - NY 198 Scajaquada Corridor Improvements Date Held: June 23, 2016 Page 3 of 5

28. Lou Harmeski – Design to make it look like a city street. Like Delaware Avenue. No need for median, just double yellow line.

29. Renata Kraft – The original street grid was deigned when this area had double the population

30. Craig Mozrall – In 1950, did we have double the number of Cars?

31. Reneta Kraft – No we did not, but had better mass transit, people walked or biked. I do not want Buffalo to be the laughing stock

32. Patrick Meredith – Does Buffalo State college have any preference in the type of crossing, pedestrian bridge or at grade?

33. Steven Shaffer – I do not see any disadvantage of having an at grade crossing.

34. Patrick Meredith – How wide should the crossing be to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclist.

35. Justin Booth 10 feet minimum, provide a wider section for maintenance vehicles.

36. Craig Mozrall – Shoreline Trail is 13 feet wide.

37. Renata Kraft – Have consideration given to allow vehicular traffic over the bridge over Scajaquada Creek. This would allow connecting to the street network.

38. Justin Booth – This will allow to connecting to the street network

39. Mike Finn – There is a City Park between the creek and the end of the street. Any option to take property from the park will have to consider 4(f) and 6(f) issues.

40. Steve Shaffer/Sarah Reed – Does not see the reconnect as an advantage.

41. Heather Sporn – We will need a wider street bridge crossing the creek.

42. Renata Kraft – Does not matter. The issue is not a creek issue.

43. Steve Shaffer – Goal to reconnect to the park would served better if the bridge over the creek is just a pedestrian bridge rather than a combined ped/vehicular bridge.

44. Lou Harmeski – As a member of the Grant/Amherst business associations point of view, the landing point be not at the backyard of Wegmans. Push it to the west to Bush/Howell Street. 45. Lou Harmeski – What will be the Work Zone Traffic Control Method used during construction of this project.

46. Craig Mozrall/Pat Meredith – Most probably this project will be built in sections. We will look at all different options and come up with best method to minimize the impact on the travelling public and the surrounding community. Also since this is an important corridor, we have to take into consideration Governor Cuomo’s Drivers First initiative. Stakeholder Meeting - NY 198 Scajaquada Corridor Improvements Date Held: June 23, 2016 Page 4 of 5

47. Lou Harmeski – During construction if we provide only one lane in each direction, it make people slow down and get used to the slower traffic. This train/encourage drivers to go at 30mph when the new slower speed roadway/boulevard is open for traffic.

48. Heather Sporn - We are committed to enforce speed through design features.

49. Mike Finn – City of Buffalo will be supportive of pedestrian connection between Buff State and the neighborhood. Will work to integrate Jesse Kreigal pathway. State should maintain the bridge. If we are looking at reconnecting the city street grid, people living along the dead end street as well as COB has concerns. Can work together to remove the trash rack/finger dam in the creek. Would need to get input from the community regarding the ped/bicycle path.

50. Sarah Reed – Access to the creek as well as the park will be great benefit for the students.

51. Justin Booth – Would like to see a separate/protected on-street bike path for commuters along the corridor. Something similar to what is being built on Niagara Street.

52. Steve Shaffer – Buff State have a concern about campus wide storm water treatment. Would like to use DOT property to treat storm water.

53. Craig Mozrall – We could accommodate that as a part of this project under a betterment agreement for construction and future maintenance between the Campus and the DOT.

54. Justin Booth – Is there an opportunity for DOT to come up to with a plan to combine Iroquois and Route 198.

55. Steve Shaffer – Would like to know who has ownership and maintenance jurisdiction of the retaining wall between the campus and Route 198.

56. Craig Mozrall - None of the DOT record plans show that DOT actually built the retaining wall. Hence it should have been built by the University/NYS Dormitory Authority as part of the campus construction

57. Craig Mozrall - DOT will send the historic ROW plans to Buff State.

58. Steve Shaffer – The wall needs to be prepared. In the meantime Buffalo State would like to put banners, logos or some kind of branding on the wall. Who owns the rusty fence?

59. Patrick Meredith. Isnt a portion of Iroquois Drive on state right of way?

60. Sarah Reid – It is possible.

61. Patrick Meredith/Dave Hill – At the public information meeting, Buff state had discussed if it would be possible to provide a right in right out access from the new Route 198 between Grant Street and Elmwood Avenue.

62. Steve Shaffer – Buff State is spending great effort to improve the entrances at Grant Street and Rockwell as well as Elmwood and Rockwell. The intention is to make these the main entrance into the campus and provide way finding signs from Rockwell. WE do not want to encourage/promote the entrance from the back side (Iroquois Drive) of the Stakeholder Meeting - NY 198 Scajaquada Corridor Improvements Date Held: June 23, 2016 Page 5 of 5

campus. A connection to the new signalized intersection of Route 198 and the Elmwood Connector would be of no benefit to the campus. May be just a right only exit to EB Route 198 may be beneficial but not a priority to the campus. A pedestrian crossing across the road and the creek would be beneficial and critical to the campus.

63. Dave Hill – Are there continuous sidewalks there.

64. Steve/Sarah – no.

65. Craig Mozrall – We are trying fit a path between the creek and the roadway. We have room there, but would have to provide some positive barrier between the road and path where they are very close to each other.

66. Steve Shaffer – The intent of Buffalo State is to keep all the vehicular traffic on the perimeter and make the interior of the campus more pedestrian friendly.

67. Patrick Meredith – Are you (Buff State) working with any engineering firms in the effort to rebuild Iroquois Drive.

68. Steve Shaffer – Not yet, but will be in few months. We expect to bring an engineer on board as the state completes the EIS in the fall.

69. Patrick Meredith – Any thoughts/comments from Assemblyman Ryan’s staff.

70. Alex Lynch/Cody Meyers – Just reiterating what have been said. We can’t miss this great opportunity to make something great. An at grade pedestrian crossing will be preferred. A city street design would be preferred.

71. Patrick Meredith – Should we have included anybody else in today’s discussion.

72. Justin Booth – Olmstead Parks should have been included in this meeting. They maintain a portion of the Jesse Kreigal Path. They should be consulted on the design of the bridges over the creek.

73. Renata Craft – Albright Knox should be included.

74. Patrick Meredith – We will put together the meeting notes and send it to out. Also we will have more meeting to discuss this project. DRAFT Meeting Notes

Stakeholder Meeting - NY 198 Scajaquada Corridor Improvements Date Held: July 12, 2016 Location: 100 Seneca Street. Buffalo, NY

Attendees: · Buffalo State College: William Benfanti, Steven Shaffer, Sarah Reid · NYSDOT: Patrick Meredith, Heather Sporn, Craig Mozrall, Renjit James

Meeting Summary:

1. Craig /Patrick Heather – Welcome / Introduction. Meeting setup to discuss options to combine Iroquois Drive and Scajaquada Expressway between Grant Street and Elmwood Ave, thus creating space between the creek and new roadway. Explained the option of combining these two roadways and eliminating the redundancy.

2. Steve/Sarah – Why is there a wide median?

3. Craig/Heather – The median is being provided to shadow the turn lanes. And is narrower away from the turn lanes. Also it provides for the pedestrian refuge.

4. Sarah/Steve – The building is at the end of the dormitory building the building where we get all our mail delivered and picked up, and is also where the custodial staff picks up all their supplies. With the new configuration, it makes it difficult to the staff to pick up and deliver mail and the custodial supplies. They would have to get out to the new Scajaquada Blvd, turn around at Elmwood Ave and get back into the campus. Also we are trying to convert the internal roadway into a pedestrian only (except emergency vehicle traffic) roadway and were planning to keep all the vehicular traffic on the out side loop (Iroquois Drive).

5. Heather – According to your plan to make the internal road pedestrians only, what was your plan for the vehicular traffic

6. Steve - Buff State were going to rebuild Iroquois as it stands and provide vehicular access on that roadway. Smaller delivery vehicles will be allowed on the internal roadway. Would prefer to have more room closer to the campus than providing another bike/ped lane.

7. Craig – The path between the campus and the roadway will be provide better access for the students and the one between the creek and the roadway will provide access to the creek.

8. Steve - One option Buff State would like and the one NYSDOT wouldn’t like is the option of one lane in each direction with a two way left turn lane for the WB traffic to turn into the campus. Short of that, everything else will have a big impact on the operation of the campus. Stakeholder Meeting - NY 198 Scajaquada Corridor Improvements Date Held: July 12, 2016 Page 2 of 3

9. Sarah - Buff State would like to guide/direct visitors to come through the Rockwell entrance which is the better part of the campus, not on the back side of the campus. All the existing signage is being directed towards the Rockwell entrance. There are access to the parking lots from Iroquois Drive.

10. Steven – How would the trucks access the loading dock/bay

11. Craig – Trucks would have to parallel park or back into the loading dock.

12. Patrick – During move in or move out day how do the students bring in their stuff

13. Sarah - They are allowed to short term parking along the internal roadway. There is no direct access from Iroquois drive to the apartments. No overnight parking on the internal roadways, except Iroquois

14. Patrick – Under the proposed scenario approximately 50 parking spaces will be lost.

15. Steve/Sarah – We cannot reduce the number of faculty/employee parking which is a union negotiated benefit. The number of student parking may be reduced.

16. Heather – What if we provide an access with an u-turn or a right turn bay.. We cannot have random entrances and exits from Scajaquada. Have to have discrete safe entrances.

17. Steve/Sarah – We would like to have people to get to Iroquois drive or the building without going out to the Scajaquada Blvd.

18. Steve – Thinking about this to maintain the connectivity, we would need to add two or three more entrances from Scajaquada. This will allow anybody get around without going too far out of their way. All the three parking lots are connected. It may increase the traffic on Scajaquada from all the staff and students using Scajaquada to get around the campus.

19. Sarah/Steve – Can NYSDOT provide way finding signs with building names on Scajaquada?

20. Craig/Patrick –If the signage is on Scajaquada, the signs would have to follow the federal standards and not to the same level as what the campus can do on Iroquois.

21. Craig – The difficulty here is that to maintain the accessibility and service we have to maintain stubs of Iroquois open. Also where we are proposing to send traffic is where buff state is proposing to closing to traffic.

22. Heather – Since Buffalo State is planning to make some of the roads pedestrian only, needs to keep Iroquois Drive open for localized/internal circulation. This precludes NYSDOT from combining these two roadways. Scajaquada will become the campus road and may not be safe.

23. Steve – The discussion with River Keepers, there was a discussion about connecting the street grid Stakeholder Meeting - NY 198 Scajaquada Corridor Improvements Date Held: July 12, 2016 Page 3 of 3

24. Craig – There was no street grid connected. There was only a railroad bridge over the creek.

25. Patrick – By connecting the roads will reduce the property value of houses on the dead end streets on the north side of the creek.

26. Sarah – Can we provide some space between the creek and the road without combining the roadways?

27. Craig Then we would have to build a retaining wall between Scajaquada and Iroquois. Is that the look we want?

28. Steve – That is why we would suggest the number of pathways and reduce the width of the median. Do we need a separate commuter bike path?

29. Heather Would by reducing the length of the consolidated roadway be better

30. Sarah – This option will have a big impact on Buff State’s plan to build a soccer field with under ground parking in the area where the new connecting roadway is proposed.

31. Steve – Why is the option of moving Jesse Kriegel Park to the north and widening the creek to the north is not being explored.

32. Heather/Craig – Would like to include the work as part of this project. Also, the creek banks are steeper on the south side and there are sections of bank vertical with sheet piling. Lot more mature trees and the slopes lend to be worked on the south side.

33. Steven Shaffer – Would we still need the other ramp either it is a round about or signalized intersection

34. Craig – It would require a wider ramp to accommodate all the movement especially the heavy left turning movements.

35. Craig – Please take the plan sheets and take a look at it discuss it internally and let us know your comments as soon as possible. APPENDIX G PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

Newsletters New York State Department of Transportation NYS Route 198 Region 5 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor 100 Seneca Street I•190 to NYS Route 33 Buffalo, NY 14203 PIN 5470.22 Return Service Requested Project News Issue 1 March 2008

The Scajaquada Study Is Underway This is the first in a series of newsletters designed to keep the public informed and The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), involved.

is assisting the NYSDOT in conjunction with the Federal Highway Administration with studies and design (FHWA), has begun a study that will build upon past work In This Issue for the Scajaquada Expressway Corridor. conducted by the City of Buffalo and result in the publication Introduction 1 Project News of an Environmental Impact Statement (see page 2 ) for the NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor Project. NEPA, EIS, & Purpose and Need 2

Built in the 1950's and running through the middle of the Project Timeline 2 historic Olmsted•designed Delaware Park, the Scajaquada Alternatives Overview 3 Contacts What's in the Works? Expressway is an Urban Principal Arterial Expressway and part of the National Highway System. This divided highway, with Contact Information 4 The NYSDOT is coordinating with the GBNRTC to obtain traffic grade separated interchanges, carries between 39,000 and Write: projections from the regional travel demand model. This is a tool 80,000 vehicles per day at speeds at or above 50 miles per Mr. Darrell Kaminski, PE used by planners and engineers to forecast traffic volumes and hour between Interstate 190 and New York State Route 33 Regional Design Engineer patterns into the future. The results are based on actual traffic counts, (The Kensington Expressway) each day. NYSDOT Region 5 population changes, land use patterns, and more. The GBNRTC is updating their model based on new traffic counts taken after the 100 Seneca Street This study will examine the feasibility of transforming the physical removal of toll barriers from I•190. The most up to date Buffalo, NY 14203 information will be used to evaluate alternatives for the Scajaquada Scajaquada Expressway into a feasible and prudent principal Attention: Mr. Craig Mozrall, PE Expressway. We are also refining the Purpose and Need Statement urban arterial (non•expressway) facility that is more in and beginning the cultural resources review process. harmony with the surrounding community character and Call or E•mail: natural environment. The reconfigured facility shouldThe study area covers 3.3 miles of the Stakeholder Group Members: Our next meeting Mr. Craig Mozrall, PE Scajaquada Expressway between the Interstate is planned for spring 2008. Looking forward to provide improved visual and functional connectivity between Assistant Regional Design Engineer 190 and Route 33 interchanges. No work is seeing you there! the various features and adjacent resources for motorists, planned on these interchanges as part of this NYSDOT Region 5 bicyclists and pedestrians. Those resources include Delaware 100 Seneca Street The Scajaquada Corridor project will offer many project. The viaduct at the project’s western Park, Forest Lawn Cemetery, and Scajaquada Creek. end recently underwent rehabilitation and Buffalo, NY 14203 opportunities to learn more about the study and separate work is planned for a bridge provide input through public meetings, stakeholder (716) 847•3033 connecting eastbound NYS Route 33 (the [email protected] consultation, and other means. Stay informed by Kensington Expressway) to NYS Route 198. signing up for our mailing list (see contact NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF Scajaquada Project News www.NYSDOT.gov/scajaquadacorridor information at left) or visiting us online at ... TRANSPORTATION 1 Issue I 4 March 2008 www.NYSDOT.gov/Scajaquadacorridor. Project Timeline Who is involved?

You— The Public! March 2007: Ongoing: Data Fall 2008: Establish 2010: Complete 2011: Publish Final 2013: Complete 2014: Begin Study Begins Collection and Purpose & Need preliminary engineering Environmental Impact Detailed Design Construction The New York State Department analysis. studies and designs. Statement of Transportation (NYSDOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) are joint lead agencies. Don’t forget your umbrella: Scajaquada: 2007 in review Watching the cars go by NEPA, EIS, & Purpose and Need Other local transportation March: Study gets underway agencies include the Greater NEPA stands for the National · A recommended course of Buffalo Niagara Transportation April: Data collection efforts begin and Environmental Policy Act of 1969. action based on the benefits Council (GBNRTC), City of Buffalo project website goes online. It requires an interdisciplinary and impacts identified by the Department of Public Works, and approach to the planning and study in relation to theMay: Project Stakeholder group is formed and Erie County Department of Public decision making process for any Purpose and Need. meets for the first time Works.. action that would adversely June: Project team attends environmental kick•off meeting. At the heart of an EIS is a Agencies such as the New York impact the environment. The Initial field traffic data collection completed. statement of the project’s State Department of process is designed to help Purpose and Need. This statement August: A traffic forecasting plan is put in place for the Environmental Conservation and decision makers quantify the establishes why an action must be Scajaquada corridor the United States Army Corps of benefits • and the impacts • of undertaken and is necessary to Engineers will provide potential solutions to September: Stakeholder group meets to tour the entire study determine what are the environmental review and permit transportation challenges. area reasonable, prudent, and administration. There are also many otherpracticable alternatives. October: Traffic re•counted after physical removal o f toll barriers on I•190. State and local elected Officials Federal and State regulations You can view up to the minute traffic The NYSDOT, FHWA, involved include representatives of the that must be addressed as part of November: First Public Scoping Meeting is held at Medaille conditions on the Scajaquada Expressway agencies, stakeholder group, and Buffalo Common Council and the the project development College at Parkside Avenue and around New York the public will each have an Mayor’s office. process, or in other words, State by going to the following link: “covered by the NEPA umbrella.” opportunity to provide input to Development of Alternatives We have also organized a project the Purpose and Need statement http://www3.travelinfony.com/carsgoogle Stakeholder Group. Over 30 Major transportation projects as it evolves over time. The Alternatives will be developed to evaluate the feasibility of individuals and organizations must begin with an current Purpose and Needtransforming the Scajaquada Expressway corridor, building have been invited to participate Environmental Impact Statement statement for the project on is the area’s historic and cultural character, while meeting first hand in the project process, (EIS). An EIS is a complex available at www.NYSDOT.gov/ the needs of motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The provide input, and review project document covering: Scajaquadacorridor. Please visit concepts studied by the City of Buffalo and documented in milestones. You can find a the website and send anyits 2005 planning report will be used as a starting point. · Whether there is a complete list of stakeholder group comments you have. transportation need and how The "no action" alternative will be included as a basis for members at www.NYSDOT.gov/ significant it is; Due to the complexity of the comparison of the build alternatives. Build alternatives would Scajaquadacorridor. issues at hand and the number of effectively change the roadway's functional classification, Consulting Parties · The potential alternatives exist detailed studies to be completed, reduce operating speeds, and improve safety between I•190 for addressing the need, the NYSDOT expects to publish and Route 33. In each case, the reconstructed roadway might Are you a member of an organization or including the alternative of the Final EIS for the Scajaquada include new curbs, highway drainage, sidewalks, bicycle an individual well•versed in doing nothing; Corridor in 2011. There will be paths, and shared•use facilities. Lighting, signing, and archaeological or historic resources and many opportunities for the public landscaping would also be enhanced. · The potential impacts that may interested in a more detailed review of to offer input over the next the Scajaquada Corridor project under result from each alternative Today the posted speed limit is 50 miles per hour. The several years. the National Historic Preservation act? If considered; and NYSDOT will investigate alternatives that promote the so, please contact the NYSDOT for more reduction of that speed limit to between 45 and 30 miles per information (see reverse) on how you can hour using geometry and roadside elements. The study will Scajaquada Creek is considered an become part of the Scajaquada team. also investigate the possibility of replacing grade separated important natural resource within 2 interchanges with signalized intersections or modern the project corridor 3 roundabouts. NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor I•190 to NYS Route 33 PIN 5470.22 Project News Issue 2 September 2009

Project Background This is the second in a series of newsletters designed to keep the public informed and The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), involved. in conjunction with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is continuing our study of the NYS Route 198In This Issue (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor . Background 1

Built in the 1950's and running through the middle of the Contact Information 1 historic Olmsted•designed Delaware Park, the Scajaquada Expressway is an Urban Principal Arterial Expressway and part Interactive Design Workshops 2 of the National Highway System. This divided highway, with grade separated interchanges, carries between 37,000 and 65,000 vehicles per day at speeds at or above 50 miles per hour between Interstate 190 and New York State Route 33 (The Kensington Expressway) each day.

The project team is examining the feasibility of transforming the Scajaquada Expressway into a feasible and prudent principal urban arterial (non•expressway) facility that is more in harmony with the surrounding community character and For More Information natural environment. The reconfigured facility should provide improved visual and functional connectivity between the various features and adjacent resources for motorists, Call or E•mail: bicyclists and pedestrians. Those resources include Delaware Mr. Craig Mozrall, PE Park, Forest Lawn Cemetery, and Scajaquada Creek. Assistant Regional Design Engineer NYSDOT Region 5 100 Seneca Street Buffalo, NY 14203 (716) 847•3033

NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF www.NYSDOT.gov/scajaquadacorridor TRANSPORTATION 1 New York State Department of Transportation Region 5 100 Seneca Street Buffalo, NY 14203 Return Service Requested

Public Workshop Series Begins September 16th

You’re Invited to a series of interactive design improve safety, connectivity, and to bring the workshops that will help shape the future of the facility into better harmony with the surrounding Scajaquada Corridor. community character and natural environment.

The project team has held a series of stakeholder At the conclusion of the breakout session, groups group meetings, including a walking tour of the will report back. There will also be time for Scajaquada Expressway, gathered public input, discussion, to identify common points, and to conducted field work, and collected databuild consensus. throughout the corridor. With a preliminary understanding of the study areas’ physicalEach meeting will focus on a segment of the context, issues, and opportunities, its time to corridor, allowing us to probe the issues and begin collaborating on the development ofopportunities unique to each area and to tap the alternative solutions. experiences of those who live, learn, work, and play in the immediate vicinity. These workshops present an opportunity for the community to take an active role in guiding the The first two workshops have been scheduled for: future of the Scajaquada Expressway Corridor and to provide immediate and dynamic feedback on Interactive Design Workshop Number 1 conceptual solutions. The goal is to developFocus on I•190 to Elmwood Avenue usable outcomes, responsive to the community’s Wednesday September 16, 2009 needs , that will inform the project team as we 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM move forward with preliminary design. Burchfield Penney Art Center 1300 Elmwood Avenue Each meeting will begin with a brief presentation Buffalo to the group as a whole. This will help familiarize those who may not have participated in theInteractive Design Workshop Number 2 project before with its purpose and need. Focus on Parkside Avenue to NYS Route 33 Wednesday November 4, 2009 Attendees will then break into smaller groups for 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM a “thinking session,” each facilitated by a member St. Mary’s School for the Deaf of the project team. Each group will brainstorm 2253 Main Street ideas, talk about concepts, and proposeBuffalo improvements that work close up (for pedestrians and bicyclists) and far away (for motorists,We look forward to seeing you there! commuters, and trucks). We will look for ways to

The study area covers 3.3 miles of the Scajaquada Expressway (NYS Route 198) between the Interstate Scajaquada Project News 190 and NYS Route 33 interchanges. Phased Issue 2 construction is planned to begin in 2015. September 2009 2 www.NYSDOT.gov/Scajaquadacorridor. APPENDIX G PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

Press Releases FOR RELEASE: IMMEDIATE CONTACT: Susan Surdej Tuesday, October 23, 2007 716•847•3239

NYSDOT TO HOST A SCOPING MEETING ON SCAJAQUADA EXPRESSWAY PROJECT Wednesday, November 28 at 6 p.m. at Medaille College Lecture Hall

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Regional Director Alan E. Taylor, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration, today announced that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)/SEQR on the NY Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor project in the City of Buffalo, Erie County.

NY Route 198 is an Urban Principal Arterial Expressway on the National Highway System connecting Interstate 190 and NY Route 33 (Kensington Expressway), with traffic volumes between 34,000 and 54,000 vehicles per day, a design speed of 55 mph, and grade separated interchanges. The Scajaquada Expressway is subject to congestion and higher than expected accidents rates. There are also areas of poor pavement conditions and failing drainage systems. The expressway facility is at odds with the context of the surrounding culturally rich community resources, including a nationally renowned art gallery, an historic Olmsted•designed park, an historic cemetery, historic buildings, higher education institutions and residential neighborhoods. The Scajaquada Expressway acts as a barrier, dividing the park and hindering the use of these resources by the community, including pedestrians and bicyclists. A transportation facility is needed that balances the need to be in harmony with the surrounding community character with the need to provide safe and efficient transportation service for all modes of transportation through the affected area.

The range of alternatives will include no action and give consideration to design components derived from a previous study that investigated changing the expressway character of the existing facility by eliminating grade separated interchanges and providing design elements appropriate to an arterial, including at•grade intersections with signals or roundabouts. Alternatives studied may include rehabilitation of the existing roadway, as well as full reconstruction including new curbs, highway drainage, sidewalks, bicycle paths and shared•use facilities, improved highway lighting and signing, and landscape enhancements. Areas of concern emphasized in the study will include potential environmental impacts upon the adjacent

•more• neighborhoods, parks, cultural resources, air quality and surface waters from construction, traffic and traffic noise. Additional input from Participating and Cooperating Agencies, and from the public, will be necessary before a final decision will be made regarding the full range of alternatives to be studied.

A series of public information meetings will be held in the City of Buffalo between November 2007 and February 2010, including a public hearing. Public notice will be given of the time and place of the meetings and hearing. The Draft EIS, when prepared, will be available for public and agency review and comment.

A formal NEPA scoping meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 28, 2007, between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Medaille College Lecture Hall, located at 18 Agassiz Circle in the City of Buffalo. The meeting will be an informal open house with a brief formal presentation at 6:30 p.m. Department of Transportation representatives will be present to receive comments and answer individual questions.

For further information, or to request a sign language interpreter or assistive listening device system, please contact Craig Mozrall, Assistant Regional Design Engineer, at (716) 847• 3033.

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Contact: Susan Surdej, (716) 847-3239 Release Date: September 11, 2009

NYSDOT TO HOST PUBLIC DESIGN WORKSHOPS ON SCAJAQUADA EXPRESSWAY PROJECT

Wednesday, September 16 at 6:30 p.m. at Burchfield Penney Art Center The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), in conjunction with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), will host two public design workshops on the continuing study of the NY Route 198 corridor, Scajaquada Expressway, in the city of Buffalo, Erie County.

The project team is examining the feasibility of transforming the Scajaquada Expressway into a non-expressway facility that is more in harmony with the surrounding community character and natural environment. The public is invited to a series of interactive design workshops that will help shape the future of the Scajaquada Corridor.

The first workshop will be held on Wednesday, September 16, 2009, between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. at the Burchfield Penney Art Center, located at 1300 Elmwood Avenue in the city of Buffalo. It will focus on the segment of the corridor from Interstate 190 to Elmwood Avenue, allowing the project team to probe the issues and opportunities unique to each area, and to tap the experiences of those who live, learn, work, and play in the immediate vicinity.

A second workshop, focusing on the segment of the Scajaquada Expressway corridor from Parkside Avenue to NY Route 33, Kensington Expressway, will take place Wednesday, November 4, 2009, between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s School for the Deaf, located at 2253 Main Street in the city of Buffalo.

These workshops present an opportunity for the community to take an active role in guiding the future of the Scajaquada Expressway Corridor, to provide immediate and dynamic feedback on conceptual solutions and help develop usable outcomes that are responsive to the community’s needs.

For further information, or to request a sign language interpreter or assistive listening device system, please contact Craig Mozrall, assistant regional design engineer at (716) 847-3033 or write to the New York State Department of Transportation, 100 Seneca Street, Buffalo, New York 14203 and reference Project Identification Number 5470.22.

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FOR RELEASE: IMMEDIATE CONTACT: Susan Surdej Wednesday, October 28, 2009 (716) 847-3239

NYSDOT TO HOST SECOND PUBLIC DESIGN WORKSHOP ON SCAJAQUADA EXPRESSWAY CORRIDOR PROJECT Wednesday, November 4 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s School for the Deaf

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), in conjunction with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), will host the second in a series of public design workshops on the continuing study of the NY Route 198 corridor, Scajaquada Expressway, in the city of Buffalo, Erie County.

The project team is examining the feasibility of transforming the Scajaquada Expressway into a non-expressway facility that is more in harmony with the surrounding community character and natural environment.

This workshop will be held on Wednesday, November 4, 2009, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.at St. Mary's School for the Deaf, located at 2253 Main Street in the city of Buffalo. It will focus on the segment of the corridor from the Parkside area to the NY Route 198 interchange with NY Route 33.

The public workshop presents an opportunity for the community to take an active role in guiding the future of the Scajaquada Expressway Corridor, to provide immediate and dynamic feedback on conceptual solutions and help develop usable outcomes that are responsive to the community’s needs.

For further information, or to request a sign language interpreter or assistive listening device system, please contact Craig Mozrall, assistant regional design engineer, at (716) 847- 3033, or write to the New York State Department of Transportation, 100 Seneca Street, Buffalo, New York 14203 and reference Project Identification Number 5470.22.

### 2014-04-04 Page 1 of 3

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Contact: Susan Surdej, (716) 847-3239 Release Date: April 04, 2014

PUBLIC MEETING ON SCAJAQUADA EXPRESSWAY PROJECT SESSION SET FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9 AT 5 P.M. AT BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE

NYSDOT TO HOST PUBLIC MEETING ON SCAJAQUADA EXPRESSWAY PROJECT Session Set for Wednesday, April 9 at 5 p.m. at Buffalo State College

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) ), in partnership with New York State Assemblyman Sean Ryan, will host a public meeting on Wednesday, April 9, 2014, to discuss a proposed project to transform NY Route 198, the Scajaquada Expressway, from an urban expressway to an urban boulevard in the city of Buffalo, Erie County.

The information session will run from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Bulger Communications Center at Buffalo State College, located at 1300 Elmwood Avenue in the city of Buffalo. The meeting will include informational displays and a formal presentation on the project, which will start at 6 p.m. Department representatives will be present to receive comments and answer individual questions.

The purpose of this project is to transform the Scajaquada Expressway into a functional urban boulevard that operates in a safe manner, and is in greater harmony with the surrounding community character and natural environment. This involves providing improved visual and functional connectivity between the various features and resources throughout the adjacent area. Vehicular, bicycle, pedestrian and public transportation would be better connected to provide additional opportunities for public access.

The purpose of the meeting is to obtain comments on the transportation alternatives being studied from individuals, groups, officials and local agencies.

For further information, or to request a sign language interpreter or assistive listening system, please contact Frank Billittier, assistant design engineer, at (716) 847-3222, or write to the New York State Department of Transportation, 100 Seneca Street, Buffalo, New York 14203, and reference Project Identification Number 5470.22.

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Contact: Susan Surdej, (716) 847-3239 Release Date: August 31, 2015

STATE DOT TO HOST PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING ON SCAJAQUADA CORRIDOR PROJECT

Session Set for Wednesday, September 16 at 5 p.m. at Frederick Law Olmsted Public School 64, Buffalo

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) will host a public information meeting on Wednesday, September 16, from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. to discuss proposed project alternatives to transform New York Route 198 -- the Scajaquada Expressway -- from an urban expressway to an urban boulevard that is in harmony with the surrounding community in the city of Buffalo, Erie County. The meeting will be held in the auditorium at Frederick Law Olmsted Public School 64, located at 874 Amherst Street at Lincoln Parkway in the city of Buffalo.

The meeting will include an informal open house with displays about the proposed project. A formal presentation and panel discussion about project objectives and the alternatives being studied is scheduled for 7 p.m. State Department of Transportation representatives will be available to receive public comments and answer questions.

NYSDOT has conducted a thorough analysis of several options to reconfigure the Scajaquada Expressway Corridor, engaging elected officials and the community. The Department presented its findings at a public meeting in April 2014. At that meeting, state and local elected officials and community representatives asked that NYSDOT consider two additional alternatives. The new alternatives would reduce the Scajaquada Corridor to one lane in each direction with a 30 mile per hour speed limit or completely remove the Scajaquada Corridor between Elmwood and Parkside Avenues. NYSDOT has completed its evaluation of those proposals and will present its findings at the upcoming public meeting.

An overview of the safety and traffic calming improvements being implemented on the corridor this year also will be presented.

Governor Cuomo ordered NYSDOT to reduce the speed limit on the Scajaquada Corridor from 50 miles per hour to 30 miles per hour on May 31, a day after a 3-year-old boy was killed and his 5-year-old sister was seriously injured when a car jumped the curb and struck the children inside Delaware Park. Additional safety improvements are scheduled to be implemented during this construction season and completed this year.

NYSDOT also has initiated the process to change the functional classification of the roadway as a “principal urban arterial – expressway.” The new classification will be determined through study and discussions with elected officials, the public and other stakeholders. The classification helps determine the role of the roadway, its design, speed limits and future development. The reclassification is intended to help bring the roadway into harmony with Delaware Park and other adjacent properties.

Additional safety improvements implemented this year include:

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◾ Guide rail was installed in June to separate vehicle and pedestrian traffic. A permanent guide rail system is being designed that will be more in keeping with the aesthetics of the Frederick Law Olmsted-designed Delaware Park. ◾ To calm traffic, the roadway was restriped in August to create narrower lanes, hatched striping on wide areas of the shoulders was added to provide additional visual cues to motorists, and “stop” signs were installed to replace “merge” signs at ramps. ◾ Temporary, flashing speed notification signs were installed in June. Permanent “Reduced Speed Ahead” signs with flashing beacons will be installed this fall to provide advanced warning of the lowered speed limit. ◾ New signal controlled pedestrian crossings with raised, high visibility crosswalks will be installed this fall. New pathways also will be constructed connecting these signalized crossings to existing pedestrian and bicycle paths inside of Delaware Park.

For further information, or to request a sign language interpreter or assistive listening system, please contact Craig Mozrall, regional special projects manager, at (716) 847-3238, or write to the New York State Department of Transportation, 100 Seneca Street, Buffalo, New York 14203.

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https://www.dot.ny.gov/portal/page/portal/news/press-releases/2015/2015-08-31 8/17/2016 TRANSPORTATION PROJECT REPORT DRAFT DESIGN REPORT / DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT / DRAFT 4(f) EVALUATION APPENDIX H Public Comments and Responses

November 2016

PIN 5470.22 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Grant Street Interchange to Parkside Avenue Intersection City of Buffalo Erie County DRAFT DESIGN REPORT / DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT / DRAFT 4(f) EVALUATION

November 2016

Public Comments

PIN 5470.22 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Grant Street Interchange to Parkside Avenue Intersection City of Buffalo Erie County NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received I think some representative of the trucking industry should be a part of the stakeholder group and mentioned it at the meeting. If the trucking group you originally invited doesn't exist anymore, you should find another representative organization. You might also want to get someone from the Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau or Advancing Arts & Culture to attend the meetings. These two organizations are investing a lot in marketing the None Delaware Park cultural institutions to out of town visitors and we want to make sure that visitors 1 1 x 6/7/2007 (Member of the E-mail from Niagara Falls find it easy to get to and from the cultural venues. I don't want the Community) stakeholder group to only represent supporters of the downgrading of the Scajaquada or you will defeat the whole purpose of having the stakeholder meetings in the first place. I know that our visitors are going to be unhappy with this change if it leads to greater wait times to get to our parking lot. That's 400,000 people a year.

Though the anti-highway people may love the idea of removing a vital expressway in the center None of Buffalo, you can't turn the expressway into another Delaware Ave. without a new alternative 2 2 x 7/30/2007 (Member of the Web Site expressway. If there is no routing for a new expressway to replace the Scajaquada, then it is Community) VERY important to leave it as is, and just fix it when and where needed.

I voiced concerns about the volume of traffic passing along the Scajaquada at Parkside None Avenue. I do not think the proposed roundabout at this location will work with the heavy traffic 1 3 x 10/18/2007 (Member of the E-mail loads. I also do not believe that the current width of the Scajaquada can accommodate the Community) proposed grassy/treed median, tow traffic lanes for vehicles in each direction, and a pedestrian pathway. Please reflect that in the minutes. Of the listed alternatives, I believe 3A, 3B, or 4 are the best and especially like the idea of the speed limit being reduced to between 30 and 45 mph. I do not think that the project should be undertaken unless traffic circles are inserted in order to slow down traffic (simply lowering the speed limit will not accomplish slower traffic, as evidenced by nearby Route 33) and ideally, a None larger median should be inserted so that the road becomes appropriate for its surroundings -- 3 4 x 11/14/2007 (Member of the Web Site city neighborhoods and Delaware Park. Traffic moves entirely too fast on this road, which is Community) very curvy, traverses Delaware Park (utilized by joggers, dog walkers, golfers, etc. that are endangered by high-speed traffic), and has dangerously poor drainage during heavy rainfall. I hope that DOT seriously considers advancing one of the alternatives I identified above and improves this dangerous eyesore.

Ideally alternative four is the way to go, but two lanes just isn't going to cut it. 3B is the next None best solution, I just question how non-Scajaquada traffic is going to be able to enter round-a- 4 5 x 11/28/2007 (Member of the Web Site bouts during peak commuting times. I'd also suggest incorporating some of the features that Community) existed prior to the construction of the highway such as the decorative bridges near Elmwood Avenue and widening the creek if feasible. I'm glad this project is being done and advocate alternative 3B or 4, however, it should be done None within a much quicker time frame. 2016 is an absurdly long time to wait for something that has 5 6 x 11/28/2007 (Member of the Web Site long been needed in this neighborhood. And if you are aiming for 2016, it will likely take even Community) longer. DOT should set aside money in the next 1-2 years for this project and construction should start within that same time frame. This should be below grade with land bridges with grass and plantings and come out to grade None at Parkside and out to grade at approximately the museum district. If you know the BIG DIG 6 7 x 11/28/2007 (Member of the Web Site this would be the "small dig". Your proposals for this as I read are very minor. We need to Community) take back this road and create more park area, in Switzerland most highways go under the city, we need to be more creative. It is important that the new parkway corridor has a 30 mph set speed limit. Delaware Ave. (running under the current expressway) has a similar speed limit and is also a separated four Written lane parkway as was proposed and illustrated at the second public meeting. This is the original Elmwood Village 7 8 x 11/28/2007 Comment request from the City. Consider connecting the Lincoln Pkwy. bridge the rest of the way across Association Sheet the new Scajaquada Parkway to connect the two sides of the Museum District and residential neighborhoods. Possibly create another at grade intersection or traffic circle. Thank you.

Now that there is talk about downgrading the 198, is there any way a study could be done to None eliminating the 33? Suburban residents could easily use the subway or the 190 for access to 8 9 x 3/11/2008 (Member of the Web Site downtown and Humboldt Parkway would still function as an artery to the city center for city Community) residents. Downgrading the 198 is a start but we should return Humboldt Parkway to its former glory as well. I hope that the "Scajaquada Expressway" could become the "Scajaquada Parkway". If you do not make the appropriate changes to the roadway, i.e. eliminating massive on/off ramps, lowering speed limits, and making the parkway more inviting for park users as well as drivers, None Written you are diminishing the fact that this road exists through one of the most beautiful parks in the 9 10 x 4/23/2008 (Member of the Comment area, if not the country. Therefore, please consider traffic data, for this is important, however Community) Sheet you must think differently about this project, start from scratch and without a doubt remember the environment. Somebody already screwed up with this plan. It's my hope that you guys can correct it. Thanks. None The highest impacted group, residents of Agassiz, Meadowview and Burbank Terr. and Dr. are 10 11 x 4/26/2008 (Member of the Web Site not represented. Community) Similar to the Buffalo Zoo, the Darwin Martin House, located on Jewett Parkway, is and will be Martin House Written visited by thousands of visitors, the majority coming from out-of-town. As a major local tourist 11 12 x 4/23/2008 Restoration Comment destination, access to the Martin House which is mid-way between the Main Street and Corporation Sheet Parkside Avenue exits, is critically important to the site. Signage and exits must be clear and "visitor friendly".

1 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Just need to clarify an issue/question raised in the meeting minutes regarding the "trash rack"... Is this the rack in Delaware Park near Hoyt Lake where the Creek is diverted underground, or is this the trash rack/finger dam near Buffalo State College? If it is the former, the City of Buffalo is responsible for its maintenance/cleaning. However, Riverkeeper works with several stakeholders to coordinate a biannual cleaning of the trash rack/finger dam near Buff State. Historically, there has been some debate on who is responsible, and there are three major players: 1) Army Corps, 2) City of Buffalo, and 3) Buffalo Sewer Authority. None of which have None taken ownership or responsibility. The Corps built the rack, but it has been the City of Buffalo 12 13 x 5/13/2008 (Member of the E-mail and sometimes our volunteers that have cleaned it...usually with assistance by the City's Community) underwater recovery team. Also - you should probably add the Corps to your list of stakeholders, not just the permit guys, but either the remediation/O&M section. I'd like to suggest Margaret Wooster to your list of "Consulting Parties". She is a local expert on the history of Scajaquada (European and Native American) and would be useful to the team working on the Cultural Assessment. She is an employee of Riverkeeper and can be reached at 852-7483 or e-mail, [email protected]. Thanks for the continued opportunity for input.

I'm in a hurry. But what comes to mind is: 1. Archeology - Unbeknownst to everyone is the fact that Scajaquada bears the name of the Neutral Nation, the original - primeval people. Forest Lawn and Scajaquada must hold very important sites of this 2000-4000 - even 10,000 year old occupation. There is reason to think so. 2. David - The Statue of David, unbeknownst to everyone, is in fact the single most important None Written work of art in the City - The City is actually designed on this figure. The road signs block the 13 14 x 9/16/2009 (Member of the Comment view. Consider the VIEW! Community) Sheet 3. Robert Moses was a stooge for GM - They paid him to under the table to ruin urban centers like Buffalo. Honoring the work of Robert Moses is an insult to the work of OLMSTED, Richardson, Ellicott, et al. I just want you to know that the Expressway was NOT a good idea. It was an attacked upon the integrity of the City of Buffalo. Remediate the mess! Got to run. Call if you have questions. Thanks. -Franklin I attended the meeting of 4 November of those residents interested in the Parkside Community Section of the Scajaquada Corridor. While impressed with the affability and thoughtfulness of the planners and engineers coordinating the discussion, I perceived a lack of engagement with Parkside the concerns about quality of life issues related to traffic issues. These issues for us go way Written Community beyond the immediate sites of congestion, accidents, and speed violations on the expressway 14 15 x 11/4/2009 Comment Association Traffic itself, and are really defined more as quality of life questions than introstructive matters. A basic Sheet Committee observation I took from the meeting is that people are tired of living with the unintended consequences of policies created by social engineers 60 years ago. It is impossible to repeal the past, but there is nonetheless a broad consensus that there is a need to go in a different direction. Do not do blasting for "tunnel" along expressway - significant damages to buildings that already None Written experienced blasting (for current underpass and subway). 15 16 x 11/4/2009 (Member of the Comment Community) Sheet

While it is important to address the traffic flow issues and to reduce the number of accidents, there should be more focus on how to integrate the parkway with the surrounding neighborhoods. It's a shame that this expressway literally drove a stake through a once vibrant neighborhood and now has to be revisited after so much damage has been done. But now we have a chance to get it right. One of the most effective ways to plan for the best solution is to None Written set up a charrette (collaborative design sessions) that would involve municipal officials, 16 17 x 11/4/2009 (Member of the Comment developers, and residents. This way more voices can be heard and have more ownership of Community) Sheet the project. The people behind this expressway cared about how to get traffic from point "A" to point "B" quickly with no regard to our parks and neighborhoods, and as a result we are left with a dangerous roadway and a portion of our City's fabric torn in two. My hope is to see a slower, quieter parkway (ex. Bidwell, Lincoln) that has more trees and walking & biking lanes. Also, easier access from/to the cemetery and Delaware Park. Thank you.

Route 198 needs to be converted into a slower parkway by being integrated into Humboldt Parkway and extending it beyond Agassiz Circle, which could be made into a roundabout. After all, the Scajaquada west of Agassiz was supposed to be a parkway as planned in the 1920's before it was instead built as an expressway in the late 1950's. This new Scajaquada Parkway also needs to be redirected west of the Grant Street Tops store, across the former Tee-to-Green land and along the railroad tracks, then across a bridge to Fort Erie's Bridgeburg district and on to the QEW. Such a bridge should be for all kinds of vehicles and not "trucks-only". Eventually, the Niagara Thruway (Interstate 190) can also be done away None with between Michigan Avenue and Interstate 290. 17 18 x 11/23/2009 (Member of the Mail Also the portion of the Kensington-King Expressway (Route 33) south of the split with the Community) Scajaquada, also needs to become integrated with Humboldt Parkway, doing away with the expressway, and extended to Elm Street and also integrated with the few streets that parallel the expressway (BFNC Drive, Virginia Street, Galveston Place, Cheery Street, Tupper Street, and Goodell Street) that intersect with Elm and instead of changing Fillmore Avenue to be an "Olmstead-Humboldt makeup." Humboldt Parkway could also, therefore be reconnected at the 33-198 split and there could be a traffic circle or traffic light where this restored Humboldt Parkway, the remaining portion of the Kensington-King Expressway from there to the airport, and Delevan Avenue.

2 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received #19 - The Parkside Community Association’s Traffic Committee has addressed concerns regarding the current state of the intersection of Main Street and Kensington Avenue in the City of Buffalo. Discussion sessions by the Committee have led to the creation of three proposed options for reconfiguring the intersection to safely improve traffic flow. The Committee has concluded that the major difficulty with this intersection is the presence of southbound traffic on Kensington Avenue at two locations: its juncture with the eastbound section of Humboldt Parkway and its terminus at Main Street. Specifically, traffic wanting to travel from the southbound lane of Main Street onto eastbound Humboldt, or wanting to continue travel along eastbound Humboldt to NY-198 east has a difficult time getting through Kensington for a variety of reasons: 1. Because a two-way Stop condition exists at the intersection of Kensington — eastbound Humboldt, it is not uncommon for traffic traveling southbound on Kensington to back up at the Main Street signal and block the eastbound Humboldt cross- street, creating further back ups. 2. It is difficult for traffic traveling eastbound on Humboldt to assess oncoming traffic conditions northbound at Kensington due to the acute angle of the streets, and due to sight interference from vehicles queued on southbound Kensington which None 19 are held up at the signal at Main. 3. Pedestrians travelling along Kensington, especially to/from 18 x 12/8/2009 (Member of the Hand Delivery PART ONE the Hospital and residences north of NY-198 to/from the transit station and various educational Community) institutions south of Kensington further exasperate the situation, as the crosswalk at eastbound Humboldt is very busy during the typical rush hours. 4. As an alternative, some drivers traveling southbound on Main turn left onto Kensington at the signal adjacent to the Transit Station, then right onto eastbound Humboldt. This maneuver is difficult due to the acute angle of Kensington from Main, and throws more traffic onto northbound Kensington, further complicating things for eastbound traffic on Humboldt at the Kensington Stop sign. As an approach to help address these issues, the Committee is presenting three options of intersection reconfiguration for your consideration. Some of these options have minor variations that could be carried from one option to the others, as needs dictate: 1. Option No. 1 - Southbound traffic on Kensington Avenue would be re-routed onto westbound Humboldt Parkway. From there, traffic wishing to continue south on Main Street would turn left on Main after a brief ride on Humboldt. Main Street north of westbound Humboldt would have an island as part of the reconstruction project. The three southbound lanes would be configured as shown.

Continuing southbound, the left lane across the bridge would have a left turn (onto Eastbound Humboldt) signal with delay as required to clear the bridge and reduce back ups. Traffic will continue to travel northbound on Main Street (and onto Kensington) as it does now, but the lanes would be reconfigured and marked as shown, becoming a one-way from Main to westbound Humboldt. The transit drop-off lane could be deleted if not required. The traffic signal at Kensington and Main could effectively be eliminated as it serves no vehicular purpose. The intersection could be marked with a Stop for northbound Kensington traffic. Continuing northbound on Kensington to westbound Humboldt, the street would be split into two lanes, a dedicated left onto Humboldt (which, by the nature of the traffic patterns would be seldom used) and a dedicated continuation lane for northbound Kensington. Traffic that continues north on Main would have a dedicated left turn onto westbound Humboldt to ease the transition onto the “island" section of Main. 2. Option No. 2 - This Option is similar to Option No. 1, in that southbound traffic on Kensington is halted at westbound Humboldt. This Option illustrates several potential variations: Continuing southbound on Main Street, after the intersection of westbound Humboldt, the left lane across the bridge would become a dedicated left turn lane None 19 onto eastbound Humboldt (this is a variation that may be incorporated into the other options as 18 x 12/8/2009 (Member of the Hand Delivery PART TWO desired). Northbound Kensington from Main would have traffic only lanes (no transit lane) with Community) some sort of barrier/island/decorative element added to reduce street width as necessary. Striping across the bridge is reconfigured as required. The Stop at Kensington - eastbound Humboldt is replaced by a signal, timed with the signal at Main - eastbound Humboldt (this is a variation that may be incorporated into Option No. 1 as desired). 3. Option No. 3 - This Option closes off the block of Kensington between Main and eastbound Humboldt to traffic completely. Traffic wanting to travel north on Kensington would turn right onto eastbound Humboldt, and then left onto northbound Kensington (without a Stop) at that intersection. Another striping variation across the northbound Kensington bridge is shown. The street could be closed off with barriers as described in Option No. 2. A traffic signal is shown between the two Transit Stations across Main at the abandoned intersection with Kensington. This signal solely serves pedestrians that need to cross over Main. This requirement should be studied carefully, as there is no striped crosswalk currently at this location and Its presence would slow traffic greatly if not required or redundant. If it is determined to be a necessary element, this is a variation that may be incorporated into the other options as desired.

We understand that a proper study of the existing conditions and other factors (e.g. traffic None signaling capabilities, school and transit bus patterns, equipment costs, etc.) will be required to 19 18 x 12/8/2009 (Member of the Hand Delivery implement any effective plan. We are confident that a successful solution can be reached. PART THREE Community) Please contact the Committee if clarification of the attached is required, and we look forward to further discussion of this matter.

3 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received #20 - Thank you for replying to my input regarding this project. I guess I still do not see the supposed benefits of this project. SAFETY: How is introducing drivers on the corridor to more cross traffic safer? Currently, they are only exposed to cross traffic at Parkside drive. You could be creating 5 more heavily trafficked and dangerous intersections where pedestrians and bicyclists on Elmwood, Delaware, Grant, Main, and Niagara would now have to cross another major street (the 198). How is this safer for them? Currently, they safely travel below the 198. These same 5 future intersections will increase traffic congestion and introduce even more cross traffic throughout North Buffalo's already busy thoroughfares, namely Main Street, Delaware Avenue, Elmwood Avenue, Grant Street, and Niagara Street. Even if any signals along the 198 are timed well, does the NYSDOT have authority to make sure all of these new cross streets would be timed well? How does this improve the area? None Overall, how does more cross traffic (where there currently is none) make the corridor safer for 19 20 x 12/9/2009 (Member of the E-mail anyone? Whether your are talking about motorists, pedestrians, or bicyclists, all trying to Community) navigate through and across the corridor, you will have increased risks for accidents. AIR POLLUTION: Another fact is (and I will be submitting estimated calculations) that shifting the 198 from and expressway to stop and go traffic will generate more air pollution for all residences along the entire corridor, even if only 7-22% of the traffic volume is through traffic. You will actually INCREASE the carbon footprint of the area and force drivers to generate more greenhouse gases. How will my increased exposure to air pollution (since I live in the area) be compensated (along with all other residences). FUEL EFFICIENCY: Motorists will experience lowered fuel efficiency. Again, I'll do some calculations, but an average drop of 5 mpg from highway to city driving is a reasonable number off the top of my head At this number, through traffic will burn 1 extra gallon of gasoline per day. Will the NYSDOT send me a check for the extra $750 / year?

QUALITY OF LIFE: With these new intersections and the resulting stopped traffic, residents along the corridor will get to experience more exposure to loud idling delivery trucks, throbbing sound systems, and the fabulous sound of a car with a modified exhaust system accelerating from a stop. If you lived around here, you would know what I'm talking about. We would also get to breath in the aforementioned increase in air pollution. This will include that great diesel exhaust from construction and delivery trucks, because we all know that in reality, most diesel trucks are not cleaner and quieter. Are you actually trying to drive people out of the city? Instead of dropping the grade of the entire corridor, you should build more bicycle / pedestrian None 19 PART 20 bridges which connect the 2 sides of Delaware Park, make improvements to the Scajaquada x 12/9/2009 (Member of the E-mail TWO PART TWO creek bike path, add security cameras and lighting along this bike path, and add greenery to Community) any medians. These actions would actually provide some benefits. Any other option will increase traffic congestion throughout North Buffalo, decrease safety for all stakeholders along the corridor, cost North Buffalo and corridor motorists more just to go to work, and increase air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and noise in the area. Do you actually think this is a good idea? If I started a petition opposing this entire project, how would I make sure it becomes part of the review process and/or EIS?

#21 - The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy appreciates the opportunity to comment on the NYS 198 Scajaquada Expressway Upgrade Project. The BOPC would like to provide these comments at this point of the process in the hopes that our suggestions will be integrated into the following sets of concepts for the subsequent sections of the corridor. This project is very important to the BOPC because a large portion of the corridor is within the Fredrick Law Olmsted designed Delaware Park. Appropriate redesign of Rte. 198 can go a long way towards repairing the damage to the historic resource of Delaware Park suffered when the expressway was initially constructed in the 1950’s. The project has been outlined in the award winning Buffalo Olmsted Park System Plan for the 21st Century as Project #1 - Support and participate in the upgrade of the Scajaquada Expressway to a Parkway, in the Delaware Park section. In general, it is the opinion of the BQPC that this project will only achieve our goals if the travel speed is reduced to 30-35 mph and the corridor take on the character of an Olmstedian Parkway/Avenue engineered for slower speeds with pedestrian amenities. Buffalo Olmsted What follows are specific comments based upon graphics presented at public meetings on Parks 20 21 Sept 19th 2009 and Nov 4th 2009. x 1/29/2010 Conservancy Mail PART ONE PART ONE Associate LA Brian NYS Rte. 198 Scajaquada Expressway (Focus: From 1-190 to Grant St. Interchange) Dold Notes: The Olmsted impact within this corridor involves the connectivity to the adjacent Olmsted Scajaquada Creek Trail. As the first section of the 198 corridor presented publically we have some general comments on the streetscape improvements which we hope to be considered throughout. Some of the design concepts in this corridor that we request involvement in are: General comments for this section of the corridor include: • BQPC recommends reconsideration of the location of the pedestrian bridge across Rte. 198 and the Scajaquada Creek to include an alignment integrated into the circulation patterns on the Buffalo State College campus and tied into the Scajaquada Bike Trail. (*See attached graphic #1) • BOPC is strongly in favor of the elimination of the connector ramp connecting to Grant Street on the north. The elimination of the ramp provides tremendous opportunity for shoreline and bike trail restoration.

4 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received • BOPC recommends the inclusion of all streetscape elements adding to the traffic calming potential of the corridor’s character, including: Pedestrian scale lighting, bike lanes, street trees, sidewalks, and ornamental gateway elements at either end of the corridor. • The BOPC suggests integration of improvements to the corridor along the north side of Buffalo State College campus to be fully integrated into the College’s master plan vision for Iroquois Drive, including: reconfiguration of the slopes and R.O.W; to allow for pedestrian amenities along Iroquois Dr, to allow for a more permeable relationship between the College and the community to the north. • The BOPC recommends the removal of the pull-off parking on the west bound travel shown in the plan. There is concern as to the overall value of the parking spots balanced with the likelihood of unauthorized parking. • The BOPC has no clear preference for a roundabout or signalized intersection at this time. Our priority is on safe pedestrian crossing at the intersection. • The BOPC is advocating for the inclusion of the Letchworth Extension and Rte. 198 off ramp Buffalo Olmsted within the scope of this project. Parks 20 21 - It is recommended that the character of the roadway section west of Grant St continue the x 1/29/2010 Conservancy Mail PART TWO PART TWO character of Rockwell Rd to the east including: a planted median, pedestrian scale lighting, 5’ Associate LA Brian sidewalks. Dold - Good urban design principles are recommended to align the roadway and intersection with Tonawanda St to improve vehicular access and maximize development potential of the adjacent sites. - Adequate provisions and clear connections for pedestrians and cyclists at the intersection of the Letchworth Extension and the Scajaquada Trail will be required as a part of this roadway extension. NYS Rte. 198 Scajaquada Expressway (Focus: Parkside to NYS Rte. 33) Notes: The Olmsted impact within this corridor concerns the entire boundaries of this section of the project, historically taking the form of Humboldt Parkway and a grand entrance to Delaware Park at Agassiz Circle. General goals within this section will be to restore, to the greatest extent possible, the historic alignment of roadways and pedestrian connections, and at a minimum provide for greater vehicular and pedestrian access to the park at Agassiz Circle.

The vehicle counts within this section of the corridor are immense; it is the opinion of the BOPC that major improvements to the access to Rte. 198 at Main St and vice versa are required to achieve restoration go4als at Agassiz Circle. General comments for this section of the corridor include: • The BOPC is strongly in favor of the 2 lane roundabout alternative at Agassiz Circle modified to include the restoration design elements (*See attached graphic #2 & #3). Modifications include: improved access to Delaware Park, restored pedestrian trail connections, improved pedestrian crossing locations. • The BOPC recommends reconstruction of parkway character along the old Humboldt Parkway roadways, to the greatest extent possible, including pedestrian scale lighting, street trees in 10’ tree lawns and 5’ sidewalks. • The BOPC is of the opinion that none of the current proposed alternatives for the Main St interchange adequately achieve the goal of improved access and traffic flow. The study sample AASHTO configuration potentially achieves these goals if modified to this interchange Buffalo Olmsted effectively. It is the recommendation of the BOPC that this alternative be studied further. (*See 20 Parks 21 attached graphic #4) The attached graphic achieves what BOPC believes to be, a well PART x 1/29/2010 Conservancy Mail PART THREE functioning intersection providing efficient traffic flow in all directions as well as improved THREE Associate LA Brian pedestrian crossings and streetscape character. Difficult to show in the graphic, but important Dold to include would be a pedestrian island in the crosswalks on Main St. • Safe egress and access to the Delaware Labor Center is an important objective for BOPC. Thank you for this opportunity to comment on the preliminary plans presented at the first two design workshops. The BQPC looks forward to a productive dialog with the community, the NYSDOT and consultant Bergmann Assoc. towards our goal of making the Rte. 198 an improved corridor. Should you have any questions with regards to the comments here in, please feel free to contact Associate LA Brian Dold, 716.280.8118, bdold©buffaloolmstedparks.org. This project is very important to the BOPC because a large portion of the corridor is within the Fredrick Law Olmsted designed Delaware Park. Appropriate redesign of Rte. 198 can go a long way towards repairing the damage to the historic resource of Delaware Park suffered when the expressway was initially constructed in the 1950’s. The project has been outlined in the award winning Buffalo Olmsted Park System Plan for the 21st Century as Project #1 -

5 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Support and participate in the upgrade of the Scajaquada Expressway to a Parkway, in the Delaware Park section. In general, it is the opinion of the BQPC that this project will only achieve our goals if the travel speed is reduced to 30-35 mph and the corridor take on the character of an Olmstedian Parkway/Avenue engineered for slower speeds with pedestrian amenities. What follows are specific comments based upon graphics presented at public meetings on Sept 19th 2009 and Nov 4th 2009. NYS Rte. 198 Scajaquada Expressway (Focus: From 1-190 to Grant St. Interchange) Notes: The Olmsted impact within this corridor involves the connectivity to the adjacent Olmsted Scajaquada Creek Trail. As the first section of the 198 corridor presented publically we have some general comments on the streetscape improvements which we hope to be considered throughout. Some of the design concepts in this corridor that we request involvement in are: General comments for this section of the corridor include: Buffalo Olmsted • BQPC recommends reconsideration of the location of the pedestrian bridge across Rte. 198 Parks 20 21 and the Scajaquada Creek to include an alignment integrated into the circulation patterns on x 1/29/2010 Conservancy Mail PART FOUR PART FOUR the Buffalo State College campus and tied into the Scajaquada Bike Trail. (*See attached Associate LA Brian graphic #1) Dold • BOPC is strongly in favor of the elimination of the connector ramp connecting to Grant Street on the north. The elimination of the ramp provides tremendous opportunity for shoreline and bike trail restoration. • BOPC recommends the inclusion of all streetscape elements adding to the traffic calming potential of the corridor’s character, including: Pedestrian scale lighting, bike lanes, street trees, sidewalks, and ornamental gateway elements at either end of the corridor. • The BOPC suggests integration of improvements to the corridor along the north side of Buffalo State College campus to be fully integrated into the College’s master plan vision for Iroquois Drive, including: reconfiguration of the slopes and R.O.W; to allow for pedestrian amenities along Iroquois Dr, to allow for a more permeable relationship between the College and the community to the north. • The BOPC recommends the removal of the pull-off parking on the west bound travel shown in the plan. There is concern as to the overall value of the parking spots balanced with the likelihood of unauthorized parking. • The BOPC has no clear preference for a roundabout or signalized intersection at this time. Our priority is on safe pedestrian crossing at the intersection. • The BOPC is advocating for the inclusion of the Letchworth Extension and Rte. 198 off ramp within the scope of this project. - It is recommended that the character of the roadway section west of Grant St continue the character of Rockwell Rd to the east including: a planted median, pedestrian scale lighting, 5’ sidewalks. - Good urban design principles are recommended to align the roadway and intersection with Buffalo Olmsted Tonawanda St to improve vehicular access and maximize development potential of the Parks 20 21 adjacent sites. x 1/29/2010 Conservancy Mail PART FIVE PART FIVE - Adequate provisions and clear connections for pedestrians and cyclists at the intersection of Associate LA Brian the Letchworth Extension and the Scajaquada Trail will be required as a part of this roadway Dold extension. NYS Rte. 198 Scajaquada Expressway (Focus: Parkside to NYS Rte. 33) Notes: The Olmsted impact within this corridor concerns the entire boundaries of this section of the project, historically taking the form of Humboldt Parkway and a grand entrance to Delaware Park at Agassiz Circle. General goals within this section will be to restore, to the greatest extent possible, the historic alignment of roadways and pedestrian connections, and at a minimum provide for greater vehicular and pedestrian access to the park at Agassiz Circle.

The Parkside Community Association’s Traffic Committee met on February 9, 2010 to review the DOT / Bergmann Scajaquada Corridor Project proposals presented in November 2009. After much discussion, the committee felt it could not fully support any of the proposed designs, in particular with regards to the Parkside Avenue - Route 198 intersection. The committee did agree that the key to a workable Parkside - Route 198 solution depends heavily on a redesign of the Route 198 - Main Street - Kensington Avenue intersection, a key point previously raised at the November meeting. Parkside The Traffic Committee concluded with the following questions for you: Community 21 22 x 3/6/2010 Mail - As a follow through on the citizen input given in November's public meeting, has the DOT / Association Traffic Bergmann collaborative come up with any new concepts for the East end of the Scajaquada Committee Corridor? - Would you be willing to meet with the Traffic Committee again to review any new concepts that you may have and to answer our questions concerning the current proposals? - Has a date been set for the Delaware Avenue stakeholders' meeting? Additionally, at the previous meeting, there was a comment regarding the need and purpose statement for the project. We have included an edited version of this that we believe better addresses what is needed from the project. Pedestrian connections, as well as bikeways and access for canoe/kayak recreation on Scajaquada Creek, are of utmost importance. These connections should be enhanced and increased from the current conditions, as the roadway is downgraded and improved. Additional Written footbridges should be added, pathways connected, and funds should be utilized to develop pull Scajaquada Canoe 22 23 x 4/29/2010 Comment off/parking areas for canoe and kayak access. The philosophy of expressway downgrade Club Sheet should include a commitment to pedestrian and recreational access. In addition to public access, the environmental resource of the creek should be enhanced through advanced stormwater runoff management and maximization of green space.

We are concerned that the alternatives incorporating roundabouts will reduce Rte. 198 capacity Written Buffalo State to a degree which will cause unacceptable diversion of traffic onto Grant St. and Elmwood Ave. 23 24 x 4/29/2010 Comment College Congestion on Grant and Elmwood adjacent to the Buffalo State Campus is already severe at Sheet rush hours.

6 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Elmwood Avenue intersection- The removal of the west bound 198 exit to Elmwood Ave. that cuts in front of the Historical Society is a must. The proposed round-about at the other exit is not favored. Rather a widening of this exit to allow for vehicles to turn north and yield South on Elmwood (as it does now) has a more direct connection while maintaining the traffic flow. This of course is if the exit can queue the number of vehicles while waiting to turn North on Elmwood. At the Elmwood exit/entrance on the South side of the 198, these seem to work fine with the exception that they are close together at the 198. Measures to elongate the ramps and adding any additional length between would help. With slower traffic, these ramps should work better as well. Another idea is to eliminate the east David W. DeBoy, bound entrance ramp at Elmwood and to improve the entrance ramp at Architect, Lincoln Parkway as the only east bound entrance ramp. This alleviates 24 25 x 5/13/2010 Architecture - E-mail the ramps close together and deletes a ramp. Environmental Delaware Avenue intersection- Design - Planning A much tougher connection considering the historic bridge. The removal of the west bound 198 exit to Nottingham Terrace past the tennis courts is a must. Diverting the entire 198 to a round-about at the Delaware curves is favored, leaving the historic bridge as the main pedestrian connector of the meadows side of the Park and the lake side of the Park. This is the best solution to join the two sides of the Park, and would create a nice traffic calming effect at the round-about of the S curves. Also, in general, the 198 recessed and with berms at each side and tree lined is favored. A nice example of this is the roadway through Central Park, NY or Cleveland's Metro Parks system.

A friend mentioned to me that it might be beneficial to email the State DOT regarding the proposed Scajaquada reconstruction project slated to begin in 2016. I am in total agreement that Route 198 "is perceived by many as a barrier located in the middle of Delaware Park" as your website states. I commend the DOT for recognizing Route 198 as an obstacle in an historic Olmsted Park. I would love the Scajaquada to None be downgraded (really upgraded) to a landscaped boulevard through one of 25 26 x 7/14/2010 (Member of the E-mail the most beautiful areas of Buffalo. In looking at the Alternatives Community) proposed on the website, clearly the only two acceptable choices should be Alternative 3B or Alternative 4. Slowing traffic down would enhance the area greatly as I feel unsafe traveling at the existing posted speed limit of 50 mph. This roadway runs through one of the most important landmarks in Buffalo; lets take the time and get it right so people can enjoy Delaware Park from an enhanced and landscaped roadway instead of a quick cut-through. Thanks. As I was looking over the Scajaquada Corridor Project (No. 5470.22), I felt the need to None comment on it. I am very much in favor of Alternative 3B, so long as there are bumps outs for 26 27 x 1/11/2011 (Member of the Web Site pedestrian crossings. I know the considerable loss of speed of traffic, but that loss will be nulled Community) by the gain in quality of life. Less pollution and more opportunities for pedestrians to take control of a public park without the interference of an expressway. Hi, I am a 25+year resident of Fordham Drive and use the Lincoln Street on ramp to the 198 dailey to go to work. I am opposed to the removal of this on ramp as it will add to my travel time to work. as an alternative I recommend you consider closing the Delaware avenue on ramp to None the 198 west as it requires one to go from a standing start to 50 mph. Another request is to 27 28 5/31/2013 (Member of the E-mail install a "do not block intersection" sign at that off ramp (198 west to Delaware Ave). People Community) constantly block the intersection in an attempt to queue up to turn left from Nottingham to Delaware Ave (North) and block the intersection for people wanting to turn right on Delaware (South). Another input: Please consider some modifications along the Scajaquada creek to allow None canoe/kayak traffic to pass from Hoyt lake to the Niagara River. A simple portage is possible 27 29 5/31/2013 (Member of the E-mail from Mirror Lake which connects to Hoyt Lake to the Scajaquada Creek but there is a rake in Community) the creek with sheet piling on either side which prohibits a portage to the next stage of the creek which in turn blocks access to the Niagara River. None Please add me to the contact email list for the Scajaquada project and notify me of any 28 30 6/2/2013 (Member of the E-mail changes. Community) Thank you for sharing these plans. They are very interesting and I support many of the new None features. An addition suggestion would be to change the traffic light at the intersection of 27 31 6/6/2013 (Member of the E-mail Elmwood and Nottingham (and the Elmwood connector) to a traffic circle. I believe that there Community) was a circle there originally.

7 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received I’m not able to attend a meeting scheduled 11/5/13 at Olmsted School 64, so I wanted to write to you stating my opinion/concerns. I really only have one, at this time. I’ve been inquiring for a long time why there needs to be an entrance to the Scajaquada at Lincoln Pkwy. and Nottingham. There are (3) entrances within (1) mile of each other in this particular area. 1. Delaware at Nottingham 2. Lincoln at Nottingham 3. Elmwood at Nottingham None The Delaware and Elmwood entrances make sense, as these (2) streets are main, truck route, 28 32 11/4/2013 (Member of the E-mail streets. Community) It never made sense to me (or my neighbors) why a 3rd entrance was constructed from a residential street. All types of vehicles (busses, trucks, etc.) fly down Lincoln Pkwy., from Great Arrow and/or Amherst St. to get to the Scajaquada entrance. Mind you, it’s because there are no restrictions to their speed, i.e. no stop signs, stop lights. It’s a straight run. This does not make sense. I’m encouraged that this may be the right time to close that entrance off. This would certainly enhance the parklike setting in this area whereby bikers, runners, and walkers don’t have to worry about crossing that entrance to get to the path. Thank you for listening. I'm emailing to express my displeasure at the proposed plans for the Scajaquada. Currently, and with any of the proposed plans, we have a high-use roadway running through our park. Even without the minor detail that the park is part of what many consider to be Frederick Law Olmsted's masterpiece, running a road through it makes no sense. Any sort of road that isn't designed to stitch the park together — a road built to conform to the park, rather than to make a shortcut through it — will still divide the park and its surrounding neighborhoods with high traffic volumes.

Your project homepage states: "Employing 'context sensitive' and 'flexibility in highway design' principles, our team will evaluate the feasibility of transforming over three miles of the Scajaquada Expressway into a landscaped boulevard featuring new at-grade intersections, enhanced pedestrian and bicyclist accommodation, improved aesthetics, and decorative lighting in an effort to reduce operating speeds, improve overall safety, and develop a community gateway." None 29 33 A nice sentiment, but being "context-sensitive" will lead to disaster if you've got the wrong 11/5/2013 (Member of the E-mail PART ONE PART ONE context to begin with. The fact that you're pushing for flexible "highway design" proves it. The Community) road isn't a highway, nor was it meant to be. It's part of a park.

Even with a 30 or 35 mph speed limit, you'll likely get cars and trucks driving 40 or 45 mph if you continue to see the road as a highway or a connector. You would end up with something akin to the "S curves" on Delaware Ave., where the speed limit is 30, yet people routinely drive 40 to 45. That landscaped median with trees doesn't seem to slow the cars at all. Nor do the bike lanes or sidewalk. Have you ever tried crossing Delaware at Forest or Nottingham, at either end of the "S curves?" It's incredibly unpleasant, and carries a certain degree of danger, mostly because people treat those intersections as an impediment to what they see as a higher- speed roadway disguised by a median and stoplights. How could something similar act even remotely as "a community gateway?" If you want a gateway, you need a road that welcomes people rather than acting as a shortcut. (On a side note: What exactly do decorative lighting and improved aesthetics do to slow traffic? Unless you expect drivers to slow down so they can properly admire the ornamentation on the street lamps or the exquisite arrangement of shrubs on the roadside, that's nonsensical.) How would New Yorkers and New York City react if someone were to propose running 6th and 7th avenues straight up through Central Park? Do you think they'd say yes if at-grade intersections and decorative lighting were added to sweeten the deal?

Delaware Park is a park. Unless I'm mistaken, the definition of "park" has nothing to do with being a decorative green wrapper for the road running through it. The only solution that fits is to sever the park completely from the Scajaquada. If drivers need to get to the 33, why not let them spend a few extra minutes on the 190, which drops them off at the foot of the 33? Those extra few minutes spent driving — which seem to be the rallying point for those dedicated to None 29 33 the Scajaquada as an expressway — are insignificant compared to the immensely positive 11/5/2013 (Member of the E-mail PART TWO PART TWO effect removing the expressway would have on the city and on the quality of living of anyone in Community) it.

Consider how many more people might use Delaware Park as a whole if the 198 were removed. Consider the value of a park restored to its intended function and blueprint, and the credibility that would bring to a city that, at least in its promotional copy, prides itself on being awash in landmarks and history. Consider taking a walk from the History Museum to the Albright-Knox to Forest Lawn to the Zoo, all without having to cross noisy roadways with cars driving so fast you'd rather not, for your own safety. If that's not worth a few extra minutes in a car, then what is?

8 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Hello and thank you for the continued process on the evolving design of Route 198. I would like to say that I think the design process is coming along greatly and that I am very happy that the DOT is involving the public with questions or comments. I would like to say however, that the design that is favored for the intersection of Route 198 and Parkside (Agassiz Cir.) does not reflect Olmsted's design for the circle. I would hope that the DOT would be sensitive and caring as to the nature of the circumstances. I am very pleased that the DOT is interested in making the Scajaquada blend in more with Delaware Park, however in my opinion, it should be slowed down more and the roundabout option should be seriously considered when approaching Agassiz Cir. I also do not think the proposed new speed limit is acceptable for a park. 30 to 35 is obviously more safe and would work well with it's surroundings. The signalized intersections in the park are more useful and helpful in the park sections of the 198 because it can help pedestrian movements and facilitate the flow of traffic easily. I totally agree with this part of the design. These designs (with maybe an addition of a few sidewalks) None are near-perfect. But again, A roundabout should be considered at Agassiz Cir. because of 30 34 11/13/2013 (Member of the E-mail Olmsted's original design and because it is the main entrance to the park. Slower speeds and a Community) more narrow route could easily handle roundabout traffic. We must also take into account that by changing the traffic patterns on Route 198, we will probably also lose traffic to Amherst St., E/W Delevan Ave., and other east-west city streets. This could in fact be a variable in determining what to put where on the Scajaquada. Regarding the Scajaquada between the east bound and west bound Humboldt Pkwy.; Is there any way to actually incorporate the two as one? I really think it would be absolutely beautiful. Bridges over the 198 carrying Main and Kensington are not the right decision. The question I really have, is that why can't they be at-grade, signalized intersections? Even if Humboldt and the 198 are separated? According to the design, there will be at-grade intersections dotting the 198 through out the park. Would it be possible here too? Again, Humboldt Pkwy is Olmsted designed, and we should probably try and stay as close to his design as possible. A wide (or wider than the current design) green median would be far more attractive than a small, pavement-surrounded one. Again, thank you for the public's involvement. I hope we can all come together on a design we all like.

#35 - I wanted to thank you very much for your continued participation in making Buffalo a better city. My words alone cannot describe how long we have waited to revive our Outer Harbor. The sale of roughly 400 acres is a stepping stone for possibilities that still has yet to be seen. As Buffalo continues to move forward, I wanted to provide an update on two growing movements among city residents to reclaim crucial components of the Olmsted Park System. The Restore Our Community Coalition, a group devoted to reviving Humboldt Parkway on the East Side (NYSDOT Project 5512.52), has made progress over the summer bringing our concerns to the attention of local and state officials. We were able to bring State Senator Tim Kennedy into one of our meetings back in July, and we have been corresponding with staff members from Assembly member Crystal Peoples-Stokes and Congressman Brian Higgins for their involvement. Our current challenge is to utilize funding from the Wendt Foundation to hire additional staff members for an Environmental Impact Study. There is also planned real estate on 1001 Humboldt Parkway recently acquired by Community Action Organization from Kalieda, that may someday determine that path of the neighborhood's property values. RROCC is doing everything to generate public awareness about the neighborhood's rich history, its None 35 present-day challenges, and long-term solutions for Humboldt Parkway in relation to the 31 11/18/2013 (Member of the Letter PART ONE Kensington Expressway (Route 33). Another group, the Citizens for a Civilized and More Sane Community) Scajaquada, hopes to restructure the Scajaquada Expressway (Route 198) into a boulevard. The city has held three public forums this year regarding a series of proposals explored by DOT (Project 5470.22) to potentially alter the expressway into a roadway more compatible with its immediate surroundings. Scajaquada Expressway has been long-criticized for cutting through Delaware Park, which has not only had a negative impact on the park itself, but also limits access around the park. DOT has only been pushing one of four solutions, which is a lukewarm response to the main problems behind the existing expressway. They have yet to attend any of our public meetings themselves, and Assembly member Sean Ryan has led the last two meetings to encourage more public input. This pas week, residents of Parkside Avenue, near both Delaware Park and Scajaquada Expressway, staged a protest against the freeway traffic. (Details are in the enclosed article.) Along with the ongoing controversy behind the Skyway (Route 5), in relation to waterfront redevelopment, there are plenty of incentives for major overhauling for our local highway system. Buffalo is finally taking the correct steps to fix the poor planning choices that we have suffered from for the past 60 years.

There are many examples of similar studies in other cities, such as Seattle, St. Louis, and None Dallas, that have proven successful. Rather than serve as a barrier of bad ideas of the past, 35 31 11/18/2013 (Member of the Letter we are urging the Department of Transportation to contribute to our city's upward momentum. PART TWO Community) The proper funding for both Humboldt and Scajaquada should be highly considered when setting our annual state budget. Thank you for your cooperation! I like the improvements in appearance and connectivity. Please work on better synchronization of lights (signals) on the connecting streets - Main, Hertel, Parkside, Ferry, Delevan, Amherst, None Written etc. to help with both obeying speed limits and other traffic laws and improve gas mileage for all 36 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment vehicles traveling through the city. This should help with additional vehicles on those roads. I Community) Sheet prefer the lower proposed speed limit; notice the high incidence of "out of control" accidents.

I fully support the Boulevard in the Park proposal to "Green" the Scajaquada Corridor. It is long overdue! The 198 Expressway is a huge barrier to city dwellers to enjoying the neighborhood and Delaware Park. As a bicyclist I find there is no comfortable way to cross it from my Written neighborhood on the south side to the Meadow, Ring Road and the north side, the pedestrian 37 4/9/2014 Sierra Club Comment bridge's railing is too low and doesn't feel safe when seated on a bike. The traffic is noisy and Sheet disturbs the tranquility of the ride. Cars on Delaware and Elmwood are aggressive to bicyclists. On Delaware speeding is the norm by the S curves. The speed limit on the Scajaquada should be lowered to 35 mph or less.

9 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received I appreciate the considerable work involved in the proposal. I read and support the mission statement. The proposal looks excellent to me and it would be a wonderful improvement for the city that citizens and visitors would enjoy into the future. The quite complicated interchange None Written of Kensington, Humboldt, Main and 198 had several proposed solutions worthy of extended 38 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment public dialogue to reach the best decision. I was breathing better after reviewing the proposal Community) Sheet due to the extensive expansion of green space, It seems like the pictures of top green space were already affecting the atmosphere!

Please re-connect our neighborhoods and parks - add as many traffic circles as possible None Written instead of lights. Agassi Circle is screaming to become a circle again! I like concept #4 Main 39 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment Street @ Rt198 - circle concept slowing down traffic is not a bad thing adding as much new Community) Sheet green space and bike paths should be a priority. The proposed project is a VAST improvement over existing conditions, but it is my strong belief that if we are to spend the money to make improvements to Rte. 198 now, these improvements should go further to improve pedestrian and bicycle access to the waterfront of Scajaquada Creek, and access to cross the 198 at more points. More crosswalks with more frequent stop signs or traffic signals are necessary to adequately slow traffic and to provide human-scale connections across the road/creek. Consider a new signal and crosswalk and stop instead of Written Buffalo State the pedestrian bridge; a more direct crossing at the proposed "terrace" at Lincoln Pkwy (in the 40 4/9/2014 Comment College SBDC current proposal, it is still necessary to use the pedestrian bridge to get "over" the expressway); Sheet another crossing near the police station on Ring Road; and consider making the 198 an at- grade re-envisioning of Humboldt Pkwy past Parkside, rather than a below grade neighborhood killing expressway. Also, what purpose does the new green raised median serve, if it is inaccessible to both pedestrians and cyclists? None. Thanks for all your hard work and accessibility during this process.

Written Just do it! 41 4/9/2014 Voice-Buffalo Comment Sheet None Written Please demo entire Scajaquada. Do not replace it. Downgrading is not good enough. Public 42 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment space and non-vehicular traffic should dominate corridor. No cars. Community) Sheet While it certainly feels like this new plan is a significant improvement from what we have now and from what was proposed last, it still feels like we are afraid to actually add significant ??? And attempt to restore this park back to what it was like. This plan still doesn't feel like a None Written complete street and it still feels like cars are still the priority. What about at-grade bike lanes? 43 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment Please give us one lane and bike lanes. What about a ???? or light rail? What about a 30 Community) Sheet miles per hour speed limit? All of these are possible and clearly desired by the majority of people tonight. I like the direction, but more needs to be done.

I appreciate that NYSDOT is allowing input. You have already noticed no doubt, that this topic is very touchy and elicits a lot of emotion out of people. With good reason too! I've lived and drove and ran all around this expressway dreaming of a day that it can change completely. Seeing todays plans, I can understand your point of view, but the public opinion are asking for None Written a large, policy change, not just a modification. Plenty of business thrive by using local roads, 44 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment and so can north Buffalo. I'm afraid that by having a separate road (bridges off ramps) will set Community) Sheet the tone that this road is still an expressway. People will still drive 45 or more and pedestrians won't use these elements. Please review the Harlem Road in Cheektowaga round about and how an eventual change (did not come without some problems) to the road crossings brought a more attractive environment, calmer travel and better experience for everyone.

None Written I love the changes! I'm looking forward to the new additions. 45 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment Community) Sheet 1. All the renderings look nice and I can tell a lot of thought and work went into it the design, but I would like to see renderings of complete removal of the 198 Scajaquada with a traffic study showing where the traffic would disperse to. If 80% of current traffic is "local traffic" there Written could easily find alternate routes. Traffic going eastbound198 is jumping on the 198 so it has Congregation 46 4/9/2014 Comment quick access to the 33 downtown which could be rerouted to Main St. and Niagara St at each Cycling Club Sheet end of the current 198 (each street Main & Niagara are multilane) 2. If complete removal isn't possible the corridor must be down sized as much as possible to give the feel of a parkway. 30 mph or less most important if corridor can't be removed.

Traffic on the 198 should be posted at a maximum of 35 mph. As we know, 40 mph means 50 None Written to 60 mph, much too fast for this park. Consider using 1 lane for auto traffic in each direction 47 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment with bike lanes in each of the outer lanes. Linwood Ave, a one way street was converted to a Community) Sheet one lane street with bike lanes (2 directional) to use the other land. Traffic immediately quitted by 15 mph immediately. 1. Given that the future viability of Medaille College may be at risk, will Medailles stakeholder needs and wants be given equal weight as other more viable stakeholders? 2. What Frederick Law Olmstead design principles are being used throughout the design? (an all new over-pass and bridges be in Olmstead Design?) (Architect stone) 3. What private or government entity will be responsible to maintain the grass, trees, flowers, etc. on the medians? 4. In what None Written ways have snow removal and de-icing needs been built into the plan? 5. Will there be more or 48 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment less parking at and around the "Albright-Knox" area of Delaware Park near Hoyt Lake, the Community) Sheet Marcy Casino, etc. If less parking, where will people be able to park? 6. Just an idea to help communicate the design concepts - develop an audio visual virtual tour video that can be shown at public meetings and posted on the internet. For example during the 1903 Pan American Exposition, Thomas Edison sat in a gondola and filmed his trip through the canals of the Exposition. This film footage is at the Buffalo Historical Society.

10 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Main Street option #8 or put Main Street up to grade. Agassiz Circle - add pedestrian bridge on south east side of circle to improve pedestrian traffic over rte. 198 - could be designed as a None Written "gateway" to Delaware Park and the new Parkway - Agassiz Circle - make roundabout with 49 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment signals similar to Niagara Sq on a smaller scale. Between Main St. and Elmwood - one lane Community) Sheet each way with on street parking on each side between Delaware and Agassiz Circle. 30 MPH Limit between Elmwood and Main St. 1. Remove "NYS RTE 198" off Delaware Park Lane 2. Re-design "Rte. 198" from Rte. 33 to Parkside - a) large circle at Main St - Big Traffic / Exit fix. b) Restore circle at Agassiz Circle None Written and Parkside (lower traffic increase beauty) 3. Redesign Rte. 198 from 190 Thruway to have it 50 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment end at Grand St. (i.e.. Traffic spills out into Grand and Black Rock and Buffalo St College) 4. Community) Sheet Re-name each (split) sections of Rte. 198 (i.e.. give them 2 distinct names). Why? Feed traffic off 33 to Main St. - Feed traffic off 190 to Grant and Amherst - keeps bus / truck traffic away from Park and Museum Areas. Dear NYSDOT, It is clear that public sentiment and opinion is way ahead of you. Please prove None Written yourselves nimble enough to catch up. I hear us tasking you not to simply beautify, I hear us 51 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment telling you to depave. We want our park restored. Your cosmetic work is outstanding but in the Community) Sheet end, it is still Revlon on a pig. Thank you for hearing us out. I really appreciate it.

Lots of great work here. Love the elevated median, terrace, decrease of pavement, increase of accessible crossings!!! Please address ramp off at Niagara Street. Very important intersection for cars pedestrians, bikes!! HELP!! Reference to Gateway elements - is this public art opportunity? Please develop our participate in developing master plan for public art that Written incorporate method of outreach to artists, selection, public participation, maintenance, etc. No 52 4/9/2014 Vision Niagara Comment plop art!! DREAM: Look at removing Rte. 33! or somehow bring back the neighborhood by Sheet taking out the dissecting quality / attributes of this expressway. Regarding discussion of recently done expressways, to serve business and org (Buff State, ZOO) - can we look at Beltline to accommodate some of those needs / services? Trains to more goods/ people.

I'm very excited about these plans! Thank you! I bicycle past and around the Scajaquada Written everyday and this will make my route enormously safer and more pleasant. My only question is 53 4/9/2014 Buffalo State Comment who will maintain the bike paths during winter? Presently separate paths get little to no Sheet attention during the colder months. I prefer to commute by bike year round. Thanks for everything! The proposals featured in today's meeting shows a lot of potential. As always, I am pleased with the prospect of making Scajaquada more pedestrian - friendly for visitors of Delaware Park. I would highly consider implementing a roundabout in the Parkside corridor, if not the Main and Kensington corridor. Accessibility is a serious concern for both corridors, as too Restore Our Written much traffic goes through each day that is appropriate for a park setting. There should also be 54 4/9/2014 Community Comment easier access between the maintenance building and Meadow Lane, given their proximity to Coalition Sheet one another. The speed limit should be 35 mph, instead of 40. There should also be discussion about rebuilding the Elmwood Avenue bridge, in respect to its surroundings. The plans as of now are great, but still need refinement in order to actually work once implemented.

I support the community comments that have come in abundance. 30 mph - maximum, 15 None Written mph preferred. Parkway design - larger median and less lanes. Bike storage if bicycle is to be 55 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment used as transport not just leisure. Beautiful landmark terrace is wonderful. Please calculate Community) Sheet and include the TOTAL distance of connected bike lanes with these additions of 2.4 mi.

Lincoln Parkway Bridge: I'm glad this vehicle on ramp is being eliminated. I have always felt that merging from here is dangerous, and know people that have personally gotten into accidents here. Delaware Exit: Glad to see a light being installed here - the right hand turn here always caused accidents due to the sudden slowdown, and drivers attempting to merge left to avoid cars that are turning. Medaille / Delaware Park Crossing: Looks like a step in the None Written right direction, but more needs to be done to make pedestrians feel safer crossing. It's very 56 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment hard to cross all four lanes while some lanes are turning left off of Parkside. Speed Limit: Community) Sheet would like to see it reduced to 30 mph, (city street limits), as people exceed by roughly 10 mph. I fear a 40 mph speed limit would actually translate to 50 mph operating speed. If you want drivers to operate at 30 - 35 mph, wouldn't setting the speed at 40 mph be counter productive? Will there be any sections in which someone can make a u-turn?

I love the plan….I hope this will lower the speed and traffic volume - on Lincoln Pkwy between None Written Amherst and Nottingham (a school zone and residential neighborhood). I'm not sure that the 57 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment entrance to Re 198 is necessary at Lincoln Pkwy? Increasing the bike paths is wonderful. I Community) Sheet hope I live to see this come to fruition. Thank you! I'm excited about the project. I have a love/hate relationship with the 198 as I use it everyday None Written to drive to work. I love the convenience but hate the expressway cutting through an Olmstead 58 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment park. If the project can make things user friendly for pedestrians and safer for everyone, then I Community) Sheet am in support of it. The beautification aspects are also exciting.

Written Plan is too much like highway. Takes too much parkland for additional lanes and median. Too 59 4/9/2014 Olmsted Comment much pavement in Agassiz Circle. Problems at Main Street must be solved. Speed limit must Sheet be solved.

11 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Congratulation!! Everything looks like a real improvement! 1. Priority is to get the creek itself to become clean and sustained. 2. Priority solve the "screwball highway" features: Exits and on ramps. Done… 3. Improve pedestrian and cycle access and connections. Done.... Suggestions: 1. Move the traffic sign over expwy that blocks view of the DAVID as viewed Visionary Artist from Elmwood overpass. It's unnecessary placement. 2. Pedestrian bridge from SUCB to Written Deciphering the Jesse Kregal Pathway ought to be a very special signature piece in the Calvert Vanx Style. 3. 60 4/9/2014 Comment Sacred Landscape The new traffic circle in front of AKAG on Lincoln Pkwy ought to have a statue as recognition of Sheet of Buffalo Niagara the Mother of the Nations this is the lost and forgotten significance of the Scajaquada: it is the name of the original human beings - the 4 children of SKY WOMAN at the beginning of all. To acknowledge this extremely significant detail of forgotten lore - ignites the fire in the soul - anima mundi this is the light which draws pilgrims from around the world.

Plans should include: - Turn-outs / "overlooks" at Delaware Park Meadon (West Bound) and Hoyt Lake (East Bound) - Lower speed limit between Parkside and Grant St. - Shoulders None Written (perhaps not continuous) to allow disabled vehicles and police to stop - Make bike path more 61 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment park like - Make roadway between Parkside and Grant more street like perhaps restricting truck Community) Sheet use. Trucks can still reach Zoo, Buff State, etc. by coming from I-190 & 33 without going across the city on 198 Proposed work fails to address the freeway setting with a stop light (Parkside). The accidents will continue. The study, especially the emphasis on how most traffic has a destination within the corridor, is myopic. Buffalo is a 15 min city (i.e. - it only takes 15 min to get from any point to any other - and the router thruway or not doesn't matter! Connectivity is a hip term, but it needs to include ??? where x-ing is unsafe (e.g. between crescent and Parkside). I have lots of photos of Jay-Walkers there and a video of 2 Medaille College students x-ing at night. Could Written continue the stone wall on S. side of Humboldt to Agassiz Circle. That would also block some 62 4/9/2014 UB/Medaille Comment tire noise from the neighborhood. I don't believe this project goes far enough to address the Sheet past's mistakes, but I am glad it is going as far as it appears to be going. Traffic rules treat traffic like a single entity, but it's not - it's made up of people with specific "paths" aimed at specific "projects" (basic "Time Geography"). If you fix the roads correctly, all the people in the city will reorganize their paths to make their projects work, organically. And your focus won't be realize, unless you are anti-city and pro-urban sprawl. Go Parkway!!!!

1. Has the State officially agreed to maintain the median? 2. Is there enough depth in the medians to support the growth of the trees? Will there be irrigation? 3. Will there be enough None Written room for snow/removal? 4. Where will disabled vehicles pull off? 5. Please carefully examine 63 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment removing the slip ramp at Parkside. 6. Was Agassiz Circle every really a circle? (I had Community) Sheet thought it was never completed) 7. Please address the issue of why we don't have enforcement the state needs to give Buffalo the right to adjudicate moving violations!! There's no incentive for police to give tickets currently. I believe that the BEST solution is to return the 198 to the status of a true parkway, that is, a park roadway similar to what Frederick Law Olmsted designed. I do NOT mean a parkway in the sense it has come to mean - i.e. a high-speed road within a landscaped setting. This is a road through a nationally significant park, listed on the national Register, and the design should enhance the park, and allow public use of the park as originally designed. Right now the present 198 cuts the park in half and makes it impossible (without danger to life and limb) to go None Written from one side of the park to the other. This is unacceptable, and park user connection to the 64 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment two sides of the park is essential. Several features of the present design are particularly Community) Sheet disturbing, such as the poor pedestrian access across the roadway, and the abandoning of the Lincoln Parkway bridge. I believe that this bridge should retain vehicular traffic, and in fact be reconnected to Lincoln Parkway on the north side of the park, thus inserting an additional traffic light at that location, which will enhance pedestrian access across the roadway. Another issue the amount of paving, especially at the Delaware intersection (interchange).

Offer local artists the opportunity to paint murals to defer graffiti / vandalism - Hoyt Lake Ped. Bridge, Zoo, Etc. Create a series of Public Arts to promote the Buffalo Arts Community. The median façade could be designed by local artists - metal and low profile posts - open space. Add stop signs and crosswalks between stoplights to further help reduce traffic speed - bridges Written can be painted along pathways. Community market (seasonal) by Hoyt Lake Bridge area for Local Artist & 65 4/9/2014 Comment local small businesses similar to xmas market in Union Square in NYC, Orchard Street in the Designer Sheet lower East side and Madison Sq. Pk. More park, cut traffic down to only one lane, expand project to Niagara Street and Buffalo River Squaw Island. Create more public space like Broadway in NYC open public space to help divert and slow traffic. Completely revert the park section and make the Hoyt Lakeside a pedestrian plaza area to house public events, markets, art, music, etc. I'm writing to express my displeasure with the reconstruction plans unveiled on April 9th. The plans to downgrade the expressway to a boulevard appear to be little more than cosmetic improvements. I urge the DOT to reconsider the downgrading of the expressway to a true parkway (accommodating pedestrians and bicycles). Delaware Park has the potential to reclaim its place as a beautiful urban sanctuary. This project on its current course does not None achieve that and is therefor yet another waste of taxpayer dollars. If the current design and 66 WEPI #23 4/11/2014 (Member of the Web Site engineering team is incapable of achieving the project goals stated on this website I urge the Community) DOT to delay this project to a future date. A clear trend is emerging nationally in urban and transportation design to find innovative ways to better integrate vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles. Eventually, this trend will be felt at the NYS DOT. If this project is executed now with the current design that opportunity will be lost for at least another generation.

At the last public meeting on April 9, 2014, Stoplights were put in place instead of roundabouts. None Why is this? Modern roundabouts would offer much better traffic calming and aesthetics. 68 WEPI #22 4/11/2014 (Member of the Web Site Please see to it that roundabouts throughout the corridor are seriously considered. Thank you. Community)

12 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received As a citizen who commutes from the west side of Buffalo to Williamsville every day via the 198 and the 33, I am very disturbed about the prospect of turning the 198 back into a park-like low speed limit road. This route is absolutely necessary for travel from the city to the eastern suburbs. The problems now are related mostly to the area at Parkside and the exit to the 33. If the right lane at Parkside could be designated right turn only for access to Medaille and then None to Main Street, and if the lane then became an exit only lane for access to the 33, this would 69 WEPI #22 4/11/2014 (Member of the Web Site alleviate a lot of the problem. What strikes me most every morning is the number of motorists Community) who race down the middle lane and cut into the exit lane right at the last minute - very rude and very dangerous. Lowering the speed limit to 30 or limiting the road to two lanes would only make the road useless for its intended purpose - a quick thoroughfare to the suburbs. I've taken the I-290 but that seems like the long way around. If you have another option that involves creating a different expressway out to the suburbs, I'd be all for that!

We were very disappointed in the presentation about downgrading Route 198 yesterday. This ugly highway has divided Delaware Park and the two adjoining neighborhoods north and south of the expressway for years. An expressway should never have been built through green None space. So lets fix this mistake and remove the expressway in its entirety and restore the vision 70 WEPI #20 4/10/2014 (Member of the Web Site of Frederick Law Olmsted forthwith. How can you put an expressway, even a downgraded Community) expressway with diesel fumes and all the noise from traffic next to tennis courts, a golf course and Meadow Drive where thousands of people run, walk and bicycle every day? The are alternate routes available for all this traffic now that did not exist when the expressway was built. NYDoT Engineers, I don't understand the parameters of your Scajaquada Expressway project. Who provided the project requirements in the first place? The plan presented makes no sense from your stakeholders? points of view. Who is the project sponsor? If the project sponsors goal is to upset all stakeholders you're well on your way. Slowing down the ?Scajaquada Expressway? will aggravate commuters who are a major stakeholder in this project. Not None considering the removal of the expressway is aggravating Buffalo citizens the other big 71 WEPI #19 4/10/2014 (Member of the Web Site stakeholder. So I ask again what are the project parameters? Who are you trying to please with Community) this project? Please show us a traffic plan that utilizes our east-west avenues, the 33 and belted highway system and eliminates the Scajaquada Expressway from Elmwood to Main Street. Or just save the tax payers $22 million and do nothing until the highway rots into uselessness. I'm not usually this snarky I'm just upset with the arrogance of the NYDoT staff who presented this plan yesterday. Patrick Martin

My comment towards the plans proposed 4-9-2014 is: WOW, have you ever driven the road you want to change so drastically? I have driven it, almost daily, for 29 years. If you want to improve traffic flow, you need to widen this roadway, not narrow it and reduce the speed limit. A shoulder, install fog lines, move the street lights off the edge is how you can spend that 22 million dollars. Improve the roadway and live with the fact it shouldn't have been put there in the None first place. 72 WEPI #18 4/10/2014 (Member of the Web Site Now, if you want to come back with an amount of money to fix the problem I propose you bury Community) the road. Think: Boston and the Big Dig. Cover the roadway and recreate the park. Rebuild the roadway, allow cars to exit and enter but, PUT IT UNDER GROUND. You get to keep both objectives but you have to spend 10-100 times more money, period. Buffalo's Big Dig!

When my wife and I bought a house near Buffalo's Olmsted park system, it wasn't because of the highways. We understood that planning was under way to remediate this problem highway. It should never have been run through a historic park in the first place. Any proposal which maintains high-speed separated traffic would be completely insensitive to what makes this place special. I'm sure Manhattan gets congested, but no one would allow an expressway across Central Park. In fact, they chose to re-integrate the West Side Highway into Lower Manhattan's street grid and included space for pedestrians and bicyclists. Just as we in Buffalo are trying to choose here, where there are far fewer challenges. There are several problems with a high-speed road through the park. It makes it difficult to walk from one part of the park to another. The drone of engines and tires drowns out the birds. The only safe and legal way to cross the highway on bicycle is the foot bridge by Lincoln Parkway, which can add miles to an otherwise short trip (there are no sanely rideable bike lanes on the streets which cross, and sidewalk riding is illegal in the city). Cars routinely crash through the chain link fence and onto the tennis courts. Due to high speeds and lack of sidewalks, the sculptures above Hoyt Lake go underappreciated. More drivers choose to navigate through the None park because you can drive faster (I do it too), impacting air quality in one of the few green 73 WEPI #17 4/10/2014 (Member of the Web Site spaces available to residents. Even property values suffer--it's not as classy when your park Community) entrance doubles as a highway on-ramp. The roadway runs through a park full of people. It's optimistic to expect every driver to stay on the road. When a vehicle careens into a jogger, it shouldn't be going so fast as to be fatal. According to studies, that means it should be going at most 30 MPH, since fatality rates rise rapidly above that threshold. It's common to see drivers exceeding posted speeds by 10 MPH, so the logical speed limit would be 20 MPH. I hope you can see 30 as a reasonable compromise; anything faster would be reckless. I understand you're worried about congestion on route 198 and surrounding streets, but would it really reach problem levels? I'm from Buffalo, and for most of my life the problem has been empty streets with shuttered store fronts. It seems like in order to solve the non-problem of people driving an extra two minutes, you're reinforcing the problem of neighborhood blight by incentivizing people to avoid our retail districts (and pollute our park while they're at it). Supposing congestion did become serious: what about alternatives? Buffalo has never tried modern coordinated signals on any of the streets in question.

13 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received PLEASE do not slow the speed limit on the 198 to 40 mph or 30 mph! Also, PLEASE do not eliminate 15 on/off ramps! A lot of people in the area use this quick and easy expressway to None dodge street traffic and get to work on time. I work downtown and use the 198 every day. The 74 WEPI #16 4/10/2014 (Member of the Web Site proposed changes would slow down traffic and cause much more unnecessary congestion, Community) aggravation, and accidents. PLEASE consider my plea and those of others that use the 198 to get to work every day! The Scajaquada Expressway should be removed. Why have designs for this necessity not been explored? I have lived, worked, and gone to school in the surrounding neighborhood since I moved to Buffalo in 2007 and I drive on the 198 weekly but I sure would NOT miss it if it None were not there. I have plenty of other options to get around the city and there is never so much 75 WEPI #15 4/10/2014 (Member of the Web Site traffic on the expressway that other streets wouldn't be able to handle it. Community) For the sake of future generations of Buffalonians, I urge you to aggressively pursue the elimination of this eyesore.

None If it's anything like the roundabouts, it is a very bad idea to fix up the Scajaquada corridor. 76 WEPI #14 4/10/2014 (Member of the Web Site A bunch of bad ideas. Community) After attending the public meeting at Buffalo State College last night, I am most impressed by the work your department has put into this design project. If the plan is implemented with full funding, it will go far in reversing the self-inflicted harm of decades past and toward creating a healthier and more connected city. None 77 4/10/2014 (Member of the E-mail And yet, I must agree with so many of the comments and challenges from the audience. I Community) believe we can do even better, with a lower speed limit of 30 miles per hour.

A crisis of rising expectations may create a real headache for those charged with meeting those expectations, but it is also a tribute to the great and hard work your department has so far completed. I have used the Scajaquada Expressway regularly while living in Buffalo and this structure would not be missed considering its intrusive and obstructive nature in the development of None Buffalo. I urge NYDOT to remove the Scajaquada Expressway altogether. The structure is a 78 WEPI #13 4/10/2014 (Member of the Web Site reminder of poor urban planning and a lack of consideration for the layout of Buffalo's park Community) system.

It would be a grave mistake to consider anything else. First, thank you for keeping the public involved on the Rte. 198 plans; it's refreshing to have DOT make that available to us. Second, please strongly consider removing it so that we can None reconnect Delaware park and revitalize one of the greatest urban parks in Western NY. The 79 WEPI #12 4/10/2014 (Member of the Web Site citizens of Buffalo will forever be grateful and it will be remembered as one of the best Community) decisions in our city (i.e. Skyway removal, toll removal, maybe Kensington redo?). We will remain diligent for this cause. Thanks for your time and consideration. Hello. I am considering moving back to Buffalo. The removal of the Scajaquada Expressway None from Delaware Park would be one more reason why I would want to return to Buffalo. This is a 80 WEPI #11 4/10/2014 (Member of the Web Site once in a generation opportunity to restore an Olmsted Park, and it should not be lost. Community) After attending the meeting last night regarding the future of the 198, I was surprised and disappointed at the attitude of some of the presenters when the subject of complete removal None was brought up. This expressway is a barrier and a detriment to all the neighborhoods it slices 81 WEPI #10 4/10/2014 (Member of the Web Site through. Full removal should be on the agenda and should be considered. Since this project Community) uses taxpayer dollars, it should be put forth that a complete removal study and option should be considered. SERIOUS downgrade, more than presented, or complete removal are key.

Love that the 198 Scajaquada project is finally going somewhere. I am strongly in favor of reducing the highway to a parkway spanning from Grant St to Parkside. The roadway should be None a single lane in each direction with bike lanes and pedestrian access. Reducing the speed to 82 WEPI #9 4/10/2014 (Member of the Web Site 40 does little to calm traffic through the park. We have to remember, this is a road through a Community) PARK. Let's make a change for the better instead of more of the same. Thank you.

None Restore Agassiz Circle and remove the Parkside traffic light. Drop the speed limit to 40mph 83 4/10/2014 (Member of the Web Site and add much more landscaping to make it blend into the park. That is all you need and all the Community) bulk of the community will support. Make this "highway" and true "park" way. The present proposal (40 mph, etc.) still honors the None auto over the person. Multiple Traffic Circles, 30mph, at grade crosswalks, etc. will make this 84 WEPI #8 4/10/2014 (Member of the Web Site corridor much more part of the park and much less a highway ripping through Buffalo's most Community) beautiful park. I believe it was a mistake to put the 198 through the middle of a park. However, the mistake has been made. Thousands of people rely on the 198 every day. To make it into a 30 mile an hour street, where you have to stop at a red light every 150 feet would be a huge mistake. Look at Delaware. It takes 15 minutes to get from the Cemetery to downtown and that is 30 None miles an hour. Additionally, this would then cause too much strain on other streets. 85 WEPI #7 4/10/2014 (Member of the Web Site Community) Please do not get bullied by the biker and the other people who think that 40 miles an hour is to fast. I think the proposal you currently have on the table is a good compromise. I personally, would love to see it stay at 50 mph, however, I understand the desire to create something new. So, I feel your current plan should be acceptable to all.

Please do not allow a pedestrian bridge to connect Amherst Street to SUNY Buffalo State. This None will only allow for more crime to occur on the campus. It will create direct access to the drug 86 WEPI #5 4/9/2014 (Member of the Web Site dealers and convicts from the area to prey on vulnerable students. Buffalo State is already Community) ranked in the top 25 Most Dangerous College's in the US. This bridge will help push them towards #1.....

14 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received I attended the public meeting on 4/9/2014 and have a question about the Grant Street overpass. Why can't that be made into an at-grad intersection on the 198. This would eliminate 2 on/off ramps and at least 1 traffic light. It seems like any added cost to the project would be None more than made up for by the decrease in the amount of infrastructure that would need to be 87 WEPI #6 4/10/2014 (Member of the Web Site maintained into the future. It would add to the improved environmental impact because of the Community) decrease in pavement. Also, why can't the same thing be done for the Elmwood Avenue overpass? Creating intersections rather than continuing the mistake of having overpasses would be a huge improvement for this park project.

I write to you as a concerned citizen about renovating the 198. I read about some of DOT's ideas and I think they are moving in the right direction As someone who lives close to Delaware park and loves the Delaware/Elmwood area, I think restoring the park to its original status (without a highway) would be ideal. But I also know problems of vehicular traffic and movement persist. So why not a compromise? Short of building the 198 in an underground tunnel, I think that the most effective and park- friendly solution for everyone would be to reduce the highway to one lane (max 25 mph) and make the other lane a dedicated bicycle lane. This would encourage more biking in the city and build on the great work being done by groups like GObike Buffalo. I already use my bike frequently to drive to and from Wegmans and the Allentown/Elmwood area. Having more None biking options would actually decrease the number of vehicles (including my own) on the road 88 4/11/2014 (Member of the E-mail and would encourage more people to frequent local businesses and shops, not to mention the Community) public health benefit we'd get from that cycling. I think such a forward-thinking plan would ultimately strengthen the community and make Buffalo an even better place to live. Please keep in mind the trend toward urbanization in cities is increasing, so more and more younger people are moving back to cities and they want safe, accessible, environmentally- friendly options that promote strong communities. We have to think about the future, so integrating biking with car transportation will become increasingly important as Buffalo grows more dense in urban areas. I think this would be the perfect opportunity to make Buffalo a real destination for a new generation of young people.

I would like to see the 198 completely removed, and that footprint turned into a green corridor None Written linking Delaware Park to the Black Rock Canal/Squaw Island. 89 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment Community) Sheet I am appreciative of the plans to reduce pavement by 20% and install retention basins in the Scajaquada Corridor; however I would like to see greater emphasis on green infrastructure. Although it may seem early for such considerations, If you engineer the curbs to lead to rain gardens in the preliminary steps, it would simplify any required modifications later on. I would None Written like to know if any consideration is being put into using permeable pavement for all new 90 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment additions. Will greenery be incorporated into the infrastructure of new pedestrian bridges? Community) Sheet What measures will be taken to ensure proper drainage on the pedestrian bridges? (unlike the disaster at Hudson Street) Will there be stoplights at all cross-walks? I also seriously think the speed limit should be 30 mph!!! Thanks.

#91 - I was very pleased with the information presented at the recent public meeting abut the Scajaquada Corridor hosted by Buffalo State earlier this month. We are generally very pleased with the design development and take this opportunity to provide some more detailed feedback. The proposed sidewalk/multi-use trail along the north edge of campus (between route 198 and Iroquois Drive) is a wonderful addition to the plan. We expect it to enhance safety and it also aligns with our goal to provide improved access for pedestrians and cyclists on campus. Clarification as to the position of this trail, especially in relation to the large concrete retaining wall (east of the proposed pedestrian bridge) is necessary. Will this retaining wall be repaired, be rebuilt in a new location or be eliminated entirely? Having more information as to your intent will allow the college to better plan for our eventual re-paving of Iroquois Drive. We remain supportive of the pedestrian bridge which will connect the campus with the Jesse kregal pathway and the Amherst Street community. We would like to see an entrance to route 198 at the proposed "Elmwood Connector" from Iroquois Drive. An exit from 198 to Iroquois Drive is NOT desired. This entrance to route 198 would help alleviate the congestion we see at both SUNY Buffalo Grant Street and Elmwood Avenue around 4:30 pm. The proposed sidewalk/multi-use trail east 91 4/21/2014 Mail State of the Elmwood connector is shown routed through a campus storm water retention and treatment basin. This structure or the path will have to be relocated. The college would also like to explore the opportunity to acquire rights to use additional property to allow for planned expansion of storm water detention/treatment structures. The configuration of the proposed sidewalk/multi-use trails near the Campus House needs further review. This is a congested area on campus and it may be possible to simplify the confusing routes currently shown. There has been much discussion regarding reducing the speed limit to be posted on route 198. Buffalo State has no objection to reducing the posted speed limit to 30 mph provided such a reduction does not change the design of the roadway in a substantive way. Should substantive design changes be necessary for the speed limit change, we will comment once they have been presented for our review. If desired, we would be pleased to meet with appropriate D.O.T. or consultant team representatives to discuss our comments in greater detail. Thank you for the continued opportunity to help shape this important project.

15 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received #92 - 1. In an ideal world, I would like to see the complete removal of the Scajaquada Expressway between Grant Street and Parkside Avenue. I believe that would allow the main traffic generators on the route to be served (Buffalo State College on the Grant Street end and the Buffalo Zoo and surrounding neighborhoods at Parkside) while allowing no intrusion of an expressway into the park. However, I realize that for various reasons, this is unlikely to happen. Here are my comments on the proposed plan as it stands: 2. All in all, given the constraints, I feel it is a very good plan. I appreciate all of the design team's hard work up to this point and it is clear that you really are listening to community input, which I didn't expect given DOT's reputation. Specific elements of the plan I am especially in support of are: the addition of traffic lights at all the intersections where they are included; the addition of the low walled median with trees in the center; and I especially like the statistic that the highway will have 20% less pavement than it currently does. The pedestrian crossings, including the crosswalks and especially the new pedestrian bridge at Buffalo State College, are much appreciated, as are all the historically-sensitive landscape improvements and lighting. The reuse of old bridges as pedestrian plazas is very cool idea that I really love. I like the None Written roundabout next to Albright-Knox museum because the formality of it's aesthetic works with the 92 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment museum, but in general roundabouts are bad for pedestrians since the traffic in them never Community) Sheet stops, so I support one only there. I'm glad the rest of the interchanges have been changed to traffic lights. My three requests for design changes are a reduction in maximum travel speed to 30 mph (see item #3), and improvement in bicycle connectivity (see item #4), and removal of the slip ramp to the parking area (see item #5) 3. I fully support the introduction of pedestrians into this environment and am very happy to see all of the pedestrian crossings included. These are very important elements of the community's vision to stitch the park back together. Please keep all the pedestrian crossings in the plan. However - when you introduce pedestrians onto what was formerly an expressway, there is the real risk of injuries or deaths. According to multiple studies, increasing the speed of traffic doubles the rate of pedestrian fatalities in incidents from about 40% to 30 miles per hour to more than 80% at 40 miles per hour. Thus, the street needs to be limited to a maximum speed limit of 30 mph, and the speed limit needs to be enforced by the design as much as possible. In addition to all the traffic calming measures already included in the design, I suggest doing that by timing the traffic lights to a traffic speed of 30 mph at all times. Do not "optimize" the lights to actual speeds during rush hour because that would defeat the purpose. Some drivers will speed up to more than 30 mph between#93 - Thought: lights but Coming many will home eventually from the realize meeting that last there's night no about point 9pm in going in front beyond of my the house, speed I noted the intense stream of traffic (eliminating 198) or a good part of this traffic (changing 198 to a Boulevard) heading North on Parkside; what a mess! I must say I am embarrassed by my community's narrow minded selfish comments. This only reinforce my concern that we are about to make a serious mistake in ending the present existing design (think redesigning downtown Main street for autos after their elimination 35 years ago). I know there are changes needed for this road but I do not think we should eliminate the limited access highway set-up. Please reconsider the following: - Reduce speed to 40 MPH to reduce average speed to 44- 48. - Change the westbound Delaware Ave. access to exit only. This would allow a more curving exit due to the eliminated entrance mode. An existing entrance to 198 west already exists at Nottingham/Lincoln Parkway. The feed-in is smooth and safe. - Repair the drainage system as should have been continuously done over the years. We will now pay for maintenance with bond funds. - Set up the proper signage and lane controls at the 198/Parkside interchange so we do not have 3 thru-rows of west-moving traffic headed into 2 lanes. The short feed-in lane for traffic from Parkside to west on 198 should be that - a feed in None Written 93 lane only. - Maintain the existing lane width with the present break-down lanes that allow for Classification 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment PART ONE safe off-lane repairs. Change the center guard rails to the standard concrete barriers now Community) Sheet exiting on Route 33. I think they could be extra wide to allow for the installation of the pleasingly designed street lights talked about at the meeting. I am not in favor of the raised planted median which takes away the break-down lanes. This design looks very nice when first installed but winds up catching all the debris from vehicles and surrounding area especially due to its inaccessibility for maintenance. - The Route 198 division into "two Delaware Parks" will continue to exist. The simple answer is to add two or three additional pedestrian/bike overpasses presently beautifully done at Lincoln Parkway. This could be strategically located just east of Delaware Avenue, near Buff State and more west near the Tops Market. - The biggest problem as I see it is the two east-bound Delaware Avenue entrances to the 198. I have personally solved the access bind for entering cars by always staying in the left hand lane when passing through that area. I have to cringe when I see drivers desperately coming into the 198, causing the right lane vehicles to put on their brakes and use 4 letter words I can not hear. Geographically these ramps could be redesigned (see enclosed map) to allow some length of feed-in lanes and change the stop to yield signs.

These feed-in lanes along with the reduced speed limit could make this safe enough to allow smooth traffic flow. Would it against traffic rules to add a "BEAR TO LEFT" sign as the 198 east-bound traffic approaches the Delaware Avenue ramps? These changes I have suggested would be in the $10 to $15 million range and not the $80 to $100 million quoted at the meeting last night. The ideas I have would allow safe, smooth None Written 93 "limited access" travel, in both directions non-stop between the Parkside interchange to the 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment PART TWO Route 190 Niagara River expressway. Isn't this the design criteria we should plan for? This Community) Sheet keeps the volume of traffic pretty much the way it is and not adding to traffic in surrounding side streets (Parkside Avenue is already too busy!). And it does not take away in my mind a beautiful park with all its uses - walking, jogging, bike riding, golfing, small boating, sports and theater. Thank you for allowing this debate and your consideration of my thoughts. We have read Alan Bozer’s letter to you dated 22 April 2014 regarding the future of the Scajaquada Expressway. We would enthusiastically add our support to his proposals. As our None City is emerging into a new era we, the citizens, have a golden opportunity to correct past 94 4/23/2014 (Member of the E-mail mistakes. As our new found prosperity develops and more people move downtown the parks, Community) once more, will fulfill their role as an idyllic refuge from our busy lives. Yours sincerely, Victor and Corinne Rice

16 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received #95 - I am a trustee of the board for the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy and a concerned Buffalo city resident. This is in response to the request for comments addressing the proposed changes to the Scajaquada Corridor in the above-captioned project, and reiterates comments made by some of my colleagues on the board, and the overall position of the Conservancy. However, of course, I comment as a citizen. As an individual, I am not speaking on behalf of nor do I have the authority to speak on behalf of the Conservancy. I have resided in the City of Buffalo for over 10 years, and always utilized the Olmsted Parks, including Delaware Park. I have watched the evolution of the parks. While Delaware Park is currently in the best condition I have ever seen, the Scajaquada Corridor that cuts it in two remains an unsightly and festering wound. First Choice: The Scajaquada Corridor should be removed from Delaware Park from Agassiz Circle until Grant Street. Completely. It was a fundamental mistake for it to be run through Delaware Park in the first place. Were someone to propose running an expressway through our parks today, public meetings would quickly bring the community’s resistance to the surface. Unfortunately, it appears that the public comment process was not in effect when the Scajaquada Expressway was put through. We None 95 are living with the consequences of that mistake. The removal of the Scajaquada Corridor from 4/22/2014 (Member of the E-mail PART ONE Agassiz Circle to Grant Street will allow us to use Delaware Park as it was originally Community) anticipated, and to the greatest beneficial effect (including enjoyment of the Park, increase property values, reduced crime, etc.…)..Removing high-velocity vehicles and commercial traffic will reduce noise in the Park considerably. It will also remove the sold barrier that prevents the use of the Park as a whole instead of as two separate parcels. Even if Delaware Avenue was left in its current position (again, Delaware Avenue was not envisioned when the Park was put in, so far as I know), the stone bridge from The Meadow across Delaware Avenue to the Hoyt Lake area would allow unfettered movement between the two parts. And we would not have quantities of gasoline and diesel fumes to breathe as we walk. There would be an opportunity for peaceful contemplation of nature as was intended by Olmsted when he designed this great Park as a refuge from busy city life. Accordingly, my first comment is that the Scajaquada Corridor should be removed completely between Agassi Circle and Grant Street in order to un-do the mistake of a generation ago and to restore Delaware Park to a unitary whole.

Second Choice: If complete removal of the parkway is not possible, then traffic calming and traffic reduction should be the goal. The following are my comments on this point as an alternative, albeit less desirous than removing the expressway completely: 1. Agassiz Circle should be restored to a true traffic circle, and Humboldt Parkway should be restored as a parkway between Agassiz Circle and the Kensington Expressway (Route 33). I viewed an option at the public meeting on April 9, 2014 that showed a traffic circle at the convergence of Main Street with Kensington Avenue and Humboldt Parkway. That device would calm traffic before it arrived at Agassiz Circle and greatly contribute to a lesser traffic speed, which is not possible at this point with traffic coming off the Kensington Expressway at full speed into the Scajaquada Expressway. 2. No commercial traffic! I remember a time when the Scajaquada Expressway at least did not have 18-wheel trucks and other commercial vehicles. There was a sign that prohibited them. The distraction from these trucks by way of noise is bad enough, but they also spew diesel fumes into the area as well as being unsightly. Mention was made at the April 9 None 95 public hearing that the expressway is necessary to move commercial goods – that suggests 4/22/2014 (Member of the E-mail PART TWO that there was no way to move commercial goods before the Scajaquada, which cannot be Community) true. Besides, Buffalo is a well-developed city with many good east-west truck routes to which the commercial traffic can be diverted with minor time loss. 3. All traffic/pedestrian intersections should be at grade. Installation of traffic lights will help. In particular, the rendering that showed a crossing of the expressway at the Point of The Meadow that allows pedestrians, bicycle traffic, etc. to progress from The Meadow down to Hoyt Lake should be installed. Why not a stop sign? 4. Reduction of traffic speed to 25 - 30 MPH. Inasmuch as Delaware Park is a destination and well used, and as pedestrians and bicycles will be crossing the lanes of any street put there, there is every reason to have a reasonably safe speed limit. Higher speeds result in more frequent and serious accidents. The addition of traffic circles will assist in slowing traffic down. 5. Allow parking on the corridor: after 6:00 P.M. in the evenings, and on weekends. This will enhance access to the Park and relieve parking burdens on other nearby roads (e.g. Nottingham Terrace). It will also serve to slow traffic. Thank you for accepting these comments. While the DOT's proposed plan for the Scajaquada Corridor is greatly improved over past plans, it still falls far short. The raised median is unnecessary -- curbs should match those None found throughout the Olmsted parkways. Traffic should be slowed to a MAXIMUM of 30 mph. 96 WEPI #32 4/18/2014 (Member of the Web Site This road has always been a shameful intrusion on our historic Delaware Park -- every effort Community) MUST be made to return as much of the park as possible to its original condition. The objective should NOT be to move traffic at the same rate -- it MUST be to accommodate ALL users of the park, including pedestrians and bicyclists. None I will not be able to attend the April 9th meeting. I would like to see Rte. 198 removed in its 97 WEPI #4 4/2/2014 (Member of the Web Site entirety from Delaware Park. It does not belong there. Community)

17 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Regarding the above mentioned project, I for one am totally against it. Living in N. Buffalo, I want to get from point A to point B in the least amount of time. This project is nothing more than Assemblyman Sean Ryan's pandering to special interest for political gain. This proposed plan will place more cars on city streets, creating more congestion and more pollution, since cars will be on the road for longer periods of time. The access we currently have to Delaware Park, Buff State and Albright Knox Art Museum is just fine. I would like to know where these people None live that are pushing for this project. I'll bet the majority of them live in the Elmwood Avenue 98 4/23/2014 (Member of the E-mail district, south of the Scajaquada #198 expressway and are happy traveling down Elmwood Community) Avenue towards the city of Buffalo to get to where they want to go. These are the same people that seem to speak out against any progress in the city because it doesn't suit their ideas of keeping Buffalo nothing more than a horse and buggy town. Please consider the city residence North of the Scajaquada that need the #198 to get to and from work and other destinations around the Western New York region conveniently, quickly and without frustration.

I live in North Buffalo and use the 198 to get various places but I would prefer it was removed entirely and the park and creek restored. There are many other routes I could take rather than the 198 and it would be worth it to have the park fully restored and the creek upgraded from what is currently not much better than a dirty stream to a real water attraction and asset in our neighborhood. At the very least, if complete removal cannot be pursued, the speed limit needs None to be brought down to 30 MPH. If it is 40 MPH then people will drive at least 50 MPH and it will 99 WEPI #33 4/22/2014 (Member of the E-mail not be safe to cross and will not bring the park back together. For either possibility perhaps Community) there could be trial periods where the 198 is closed completely or slowed down to 30 MPH for days or weeks at a time to see how it would work. I believe people would adapt and we would have a much more walkable and livable park and surrounding area. Just because a bad decision to build a highway through a park was made in the past does not mean we need to live with it forever.

None nothing in body of email 100 4/16/2014 (Member of the E-mail Community) In response to the request for comments addressing the proposed changes to the Scajaquada Corridor in the above-referenced project, I wish to echo the sentiments of my colleague and friend, Alan Bozer, as stated in his email to you below. As a child, I would often visit my grandmother at her home on Humboldt Parkway, just a few doors away from Agassiz Circle. None My father, having grown up there in the 1940s and 1950s, recalled the days when the view 101 4/22/2014 (Member of the E-mail from the front porch was a pastoral parkway. The Scajaquada (as well as the Kensington, Community) which is a topic for another day) is a mistake for which we have paid dearly over the years. As a City of Buffalo resident for the last 10+ years, Delaware Park is my backyard. I urge you to please use this opportunity to make things right.

#102 - This is in response to the request for comments addressing the proposed changes to the Scajaquada Corridor in the above-captioned project. I have resided in the City of Buffalo all my life, and always around Delaware Park. I have watched the evolution of the parks. While Delaware Park is currently in the best condition I have ever seen, the Scajaquada Corridor that cuts it in two remains an unsightly and festering wound. First Choice: The Scajaquada Corridor should be removed from Delaware Park from Agassiz Circle until Grant Street. Completely. It was a fundamental mistake for it to be run through Delaware Park in the first place. Were someone to propose running an expressway through our parks today, public meetings would quickly bring the community’s resistance to the surface. Unfortunately, it appears that the public comment process was not in effect when the Scajaquada Expressway was put through. We are living with the consequences of that mistake. The removal of the Scajaquada Corridor from Agassiz Circle to Grant Street will allow us to use Delaware Park as it was originally anticipated, and to the greatest beneficial effect. Removing high-velocity vehicles and commercial traffic will reduce noise in the Park None 102 considerably. It will also remove the sold barrier that prevents the use of the Park as a whole 4/22/2014 (Member of the E-mail PART ONE instead of as two separate parcels. Even if Delaware Avenue was left in its current position Community) (again, Delaware Avenue was not envisioned when the Park was put in, so far as I know), the stone bridge from The Meadow across Delaware Avenue to the Hoyt Lake area would allow unfettered movement between the two parts. And we would not have quantities of gasoline and diesel fumes to breathe as we walk. There would be an opportunity for peaceful contemplation of nature as was intended by Olmsted when he designed this great Park as a refuge from busy city life. Accordingly, my first comment is that the Scajaquada Corridor should be removed completely between Agassi Circle and Grant Street in order to un-do the mistake of a generation ago and to restore Delaware Park to a unitary whole. Second Choice: If complete removal of the parkway is not possible, then traffic calming and traffic reduction should be the goal. The following are my comments on this point as an alternative, albeit less desirous than removing the expressway completely:

18 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received 1. Agassiz Circle should be restored to a true traffic circle, and Humboldt Parkway should be restored as a parkway between Agassiz Circle and the Kensington Expressway (Route 33). I viewed an option at the public meeting on April 9, 2014 that showed a traffic circle at the convergence of Main Street with Kensington Avenue and Humboldt Parkway. That device would calm traffic before it arrived at Agassiz Circle and greatly contribute to a lesser traffic speed, which is not possible at this point with traffic coming off the Kensington Expressway at full speed into the Scajaquada Expressway. 2. No commercial traffic! I remember a time when the Scajaquada Expressway at least did not have 18-wheel trucks and other commercial vehicles. There was a sign that prohibited them. The distraction from these trucks by way of noise is bad enough, but they also spew diesel fumes into the area as well as being unsightly. Mention was made at the April 9 public hearing that the expressway is necessary to move commercial goods – that suggests that there was no way to move commercial goods before the Scajaquada, which cannot be None true. Besides, Buffalo is a well-developed city with many good east-west truck routes to which 102 4/22/2014 (Member of the E-mail the commercial traffic can be diverted with minor time loss. PART TWO Community) 3. All traffic/pedestrian intersections should be at grade. Installation of traffic lights will help. In particular, the rendering that showed a crossing of the expressway at the Point of The Meadow that allows pedestrians, bicycle traffic, etc. to progress from The Meadow down to Hoyt Lake should be installed. Why not a stop sign? 4. Reduction of traffic speed to 25 - 30 MPH. Inasmuch as Delaware Park is a destination and well used, and as pedestrians and bicycles will be crossing the lanes of any street put there, there is every reason to have a reasonably safe speed limit. Higher speeds result in more frequent and serious accidents. The addition of traffic circles will assist in slowing traffic down. 5. Allow parking on the corridor: after 6:00 P.M. in the evenings, and on weekends. This will enhance access to the Park and relieve parking burdens on other nearby roads (e.g. Nottingham Terrace). It will also serve to slow traffic. Thank you for these comments. I wall be happy to comment further if invited to do so.

As a former WNY resident I am glad to see the DOT taking a serious look at this project. I think the project idea is sound and should be pursued as currently outlined. I know many favor None getting rid of The Scajaquada totally or making it two lanes but the reality is that's impossible. 103 WEPI #31 4/16/2014 (Member of the E-mail Slow down traffic, make it look park like, and make it safe for bicycles and peds and you'll have Community) pulled off a miracle. Kudos to the DOT on this one. Don't give in to the parkies or the self serving politicians, the current plan makes sense. When thinking about bicycle facilities it is more then just the mode type and should include a focus on the different type of users. Here is some good information: http://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/158497. In my opinion, the facilities currently planned cater to those interested but concerned - kids, families and recreational None riders. This mix becomes difficult when you also add pedestrians, and dogs, and skateboards, 104 5/6/2014 (Member of the E-mail etc. all along the same facility. When this is done the commuter cyclist will avoid that route out Community) of safety concerns and will prefer to ride in the roadway. With a 30mph street option including bicycle lanes, this then becomes a safe, quick commuter route for bicyclists.

Hi Darell, I am very excited to hear that changes to the Scajaquada are in the works. I currently bike through Delaware park daily and believe the proposed plan would be very beneficial to bikers and pedestrians. Below are a few thoughts I have about the plan: Although the Scajaquada pedestrian overpass allows me to cross over the busy highway, it is an eyesore None and only aides in dividing the park. The Delaware/Nottingham exit/entrance ramp is dangerous 105 5/8/2014 (Member of the E-mail for bikers, joggers, and pedestrians. Often, cars do not stop fully at the stop sign if the light is Community) green at Nottingham and Delaware. Eliminating this ramp or reducing the speed limit for those coming off the expressway would make it much safer. Ideally, I think removing the expressway completely would make transportation much safer for bikers and pedestrians. However I think this plan is an awesome step! Please feel free to contact me with any comments or questions.

None Please be a voice for option 3b to calm this mess of a "highway" the modern roundabouts with 106 5/8/2014 (Member of the E-mail a 30-35 mph speed limit is the best option. Community) None Dreadful and dangerous highway. It's impossible to cross on foot or that horrific bridge that 107 WEPI #42 5/8/2014 (Member of the Web Site cuts the neighborhood off. Slow it down, bring on bike paths, and make it someplace safe that Community) everyone can use. None The best option for the 198 project is 3 b. the modern roundabouts with a 30-35 mph speed 108 WEPI #38 5/8/2014 (Member of the Web Site limit. This current highway has fractured neighborhoods and created dangerous traffic and Community) pedestrian situations for the sake of 3-4 min shorter commute. Undo this mess! None I am writing to express my support of Sean Ryan's Scajaquada expressway plans. I want to 109 WEPI #30 4/14/2014 (Member of the Web Site change the Scajaquada to a parkway with bike lanes, crosswalks, traffic control, low speeds Community) (30 mph). We need to reclaim the park. Thank you for you time with this. As a lifetime resident of Buffalo there is nothing more detestable than the throughways which None have reduced my quality of life. As for the 198, I would like to see the speed limit posted at 25 110 WEPI #26 4/11/2014 (Member of the Web Site mph, Lincoln parkway reconnected, street level pedestrian crossings, and bike lanes. Community) None I would like to see the section of the 198 that goes thru Delaware park to be reduced speed, 111 WEPI #41 5/8/2014 (Member of the Web Site stop signs or lights at the exit/entrance ramps and trees added to median and sides of the road Community) None Living in the neighborhood I am an advocate for the 30MPH speed limit! 112 WEPI #36 5/7/2014 (Member of the Web Site Community)

19 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received I was unable to attend the public meeting held on April 9th. 2014, but I thought it was important to express my opinion regarding the Scajaquada Corridor (RTE 198) Project. Ideally, I would like to see this highway returned to a 30MPH parkway with bike lanes, additional cross-walks and use of traffic circles for entry and exit ramps. The vast majority of people that use RTE 198 do not travel the entire distance of the corridor, which indicates that they are simply accessing None local areas adjacent to the expressway. A reduced speed limit will not necessarily cause 113 WEPI #29 4/14/2014 (Member of the Web Site congestion as commuters can use alternative routes to get to their destination or simply add 1 Community) or two minutes to their travel time with a 30MPH speed limit. I urge you to consider a revised proposal that provides a more pedestrian and park friendly alternative than the DOT's proposal of simply adding trees, light posts and calling the expressway a boulevard. Thank you for your consideration.

I strongly support complete removal of New York State Route 198, the Scajaquada Expressway, from Route 190 to Route 33. Prior to the construction of the Scajaquada Expressway in the 1960s, the city of Buffalo's population was close to 600,000 and Erie County's population was close to 1.1 million people; without the expressway, people still got where they needed to go without much difficulty. The lack of an expressway did not hinder the growth of the city. How then is the continuing existence of this expressway justified, when the city has shrunk by more than half, to less than 300,000, and Erie County's population has shrank as well, to slightly more than 900,000? Yes, many people use the Scajaquada Expressway - I'm one of them, and I use it frequently. But I will gladly accept a slightly longer travel time if it means that the crown jewel of our park system will be restored. And if the None Scajaquada Expressway is removed, much of its current traffic will instead travel via regular 114 WEPI #25 4/11/2014 (Member of the Web Site city streets, which is great! This would be a great boost to local businesses along such streets. Community) The greatest benefit, of course, of a complete removal of the Scajaquada Expressway would be a renewal of Delaware Park, which has been scarred so badly by the expressway's existence. Removing this expressway would go a tremendous way toward improving the aesthetic of the city's cultural district including the Albright-Knox, Burchfield-Penney, History Museum, Richardson Complex, Buffalo Zoo, and Darwin Martin House. All of these institutions would be strengthened by a common bond shared across a reinvigorated Delaware Park. Buffalo has suffered greatly due to bad designs from the past. Not all of those mistakes can be fixed, but fortunately this one can. Please remove the Scajaquada Expressway in its entirety so Delaware Park may be restored.

re Rte. 198, Scajaquada Parkway - I support reducing auto speed, adding more pedestrian and None bicycle lanes and crossings, reconnecting both sides of the Park, and carrying these 115 WEPI #40 5/8/2014 (Member of the Web Site improvements onto the adjacent streets and walkways, from Main Street to Niagara Street. Community) Although it may have been a mistake to route the expressway through the park, it has become such an important road that removing it or limiting speed and traffic on it would be a disaster. Certainly it could be spruced up, especially in the area nearest the park, and I would suggest as a model Lakeshore Drive in Chicago. There a high-volume road similar to Scajaquada runs None through Lincoln park and other park land for miles. It is very attractively landscaped, and 116 WEPI #35 4/24/2014 (Member of the Web Site underground pedestrian passageways give access to the park and the bordering residential Community) areas to runners, walkers, cyclists, bathers and boaters. Chicago has the solution we need to integrate necessary auto traffic with the needs of citizens using the park. And they show it can be done in an aesthetically and environmentally pleasing manner.

In November 2009 I attended a meeting for the Scajaquada roadway project at St. Mary's School for the Deaf. I believe at the time, the project was in the process of an environmental review. I was surprised when I found out that the alternatives being considered (as is required by NEPA) were essentially variations of one alternative - making traffic improvements to potentially mitigate operational issues related to the roadway. To add to my surprise, the NYSDOT simply refused to consider what the majority of the room was requesting - alternatives that changed the entire character of the roadway. Last week (April 9, 2014), I attended a meeting of the same topic and to my shock, I was seeing essentially the same None project but with labels and terms such as ?pedestrian refuge? and ?boulevard?. The whole 117 WEPI #28 4/13/2014 (Member of the Web Site presentation was an attempt, in my opinion, to placate the people attending and once again Community) avoid what the public is asking for. It is clear to me that what the public is asking for is a project with a larger scope and set of goals. The public wants the DOT to consider a set of alternatives that would change the designation of the roadway from Primary Arterial to a designation that allows for a road that is more consistent with the character and history of the park and surrounding neighborhoods. I hope the DOT can muster the courage to look past their models and assumptions and change the context of the project to include a broader set of alternatives and options. Until this happens these public meetings will continue to be a farce and an insult to those attending.

I prefer Alternative 3A or 3B. Roundabouts will keep the traffic flowing and are better in terms of emissions. I also would like to see a roundabout ... in addition to Main Street/198 ...also at Parkside and 198. I also hope there will be a pedestrian bridge between the Buffalo State college dorms to the area of Amherst Street near Wegmans... not near Grant Street where people can already cross (or you could install two pedestrian bridges). This would be very good None for the campus and for the neighborhood. One thing that would be good would be to also 118 WEPI #24 4/11/2014 (Member of the Web Site consider the intersection of Amherst Street and Grant (and on to Military and Grant). If you Community) could make a Left Turn going north onto Austin it would make a good alternative to the final leg of the 198 to the 190. If traffic is to be slowed through the park we need to prevent resultant congestion on the nearby streets. Same goes for the intersection of Amherst Street and Elmwood Avenue. You should put a pretty roundabout there. Thanks!!!

20 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received As a resident of area around RT198 corridor and user of park system on BOTH sides of RT 198 I ask that when the DOT considers changes to this area that EVERY attempt is made to None allow greater access from one side of Delaware Park to the other as originally intended. I am 119 WEPI #39 5/8/2014 (Member of the Web Site not asking for removal of street, but that any calming effort be made whether slower speed, Community) narrowed lanes, pedestrian crosswalks, etc. Please make this a quieter Blvd. versus high speed parkway As residents who are directly impacted by this project, we offer our recommendations for consideration: 1. Decrease speed limit to 30 mph 2. Transform expressway into a single lane both directions 3. Be mindful of the problem already present with the entry ramp at the corner of Lincoln Parkway and Nottingham Terrace. Many drivers already go through the stop sign without stopping, thus, endangering residents who cross the street at this intersection as well None as people accessing the park spaces north of the expressway. The straight shot onto the 120 WEPI #34 4/23/2014 (Member of the Web Site expressway from Lincoln Parkway is especially problematic. Once the exit is closed at Community) Delaware Avenue, this problem is only going to increase, as there will be even more traffic entering the expressway here. We are also daily users of the expressway (e.g., to get to work) and have to budget our time; however, we feel that the adjustments we would have to make are small compared to the benefits we would enjoy as a city .

After driving down the 198 the other day and noticing how little of the expressway borders Delaware park and having taken this road many times as a student at Buffalo State years ago, I would like to voice my opposition to the changes being proposed. My drive down the 198 passed by a cemetery, part of Delaware Park, Buffalo state college, Scajaquada Creek and business/industry. As a student of Buffalo State college from 1990-1992 I dreaded this drive and was so glad to be done with it when graduating after 2 years. I can't imagine with the opening of the Buffalo Medical Campus in the years to come and the nearly 20,000 people that will have to commute downtown daily, how we would take away an expressway that will help some of us get to/from work and others to find alternatives ways to get home when traffic None accidents and weather close off the 33 and 190. Some of us would have Delaware and Main 121 WEPI #27 4/13/2014 (Member of the Web Site streets to get to the 198 and thereby find a faster way to get to/from work. Without it, we will be Community) stuck in the city with numerous, non-coordinated traffic lights through questionable neighborhoods and longer commutes. We already have one bridge to allow pedestrians and bicyclists to cross the 198 and I'm sure several more could be built to allow unfettered access to these two parts of the park without jeopardizing their health and safety and slowing down traffic even more. A recent news bite said it best a few days ago that Frank Olmstead would not have designed the park today knowing the type of community Buffalo has become versus the way it was during his time. Likewise, he would have taken into account today's transportation needs to move people to and from the places they needed to go without making their commute more difficult. Mike

#122 - Mrs. Surdej, This is regarding PIN 547022. With all of the recent "re-attention" given to this project and the dramatized aftermath of the April 9th open meeting, I would like to reiterate my opposition and concerns from December 2009, updated and/or detailed below. My suggestions for other improvements still stand. I am a commuting homeowner of the Parkside area. Mr. Ryan, You need to take into account ALL stakeholders for this area. Dramatic sound bites in front of a noisy expressway only show how you are politicizing this issue for a vocal minority, jumping on board the latest wave of anti-car initiatives. How will your vocal minority like more air pollution and more inherent danger (the results of more stop and go cross-traffic)? Go ahead, keep punishing commuters while installing no regional/mass-transit alternatives or upgrades. We'll just take our money and property taxes to the suburbs. Given that my tax money pays your salary, I demand that you take some time and rationally take in and read ALL of the points and concerns which I detail below. SAFETY: How is introducing drivers on the corridor to more cross-traffic safer? Currently, they are only exposed to cross-traffic at Parkside Drive. You can be creating 4 or 5 more heavily None trafficked and dangerous intersections where pedestrians and bicyclists on Elmwood, 122 5/20/2014 (Member of the E-mail Delaware, Grant, Main, and/or Niagara would now have to cross another major street (the 198). Community) How is this safer for them? Currently, they safely travel below or over the 198. These same 5 future intersections will increase traffic congestion and introduce even more cross traffic throughout North Buffalo's already busy thoroughfares, namely Main Street, Delaware Avenue, Elmwood Avenue, Grant Street, and Niagara Street. Even if any signals along the 198 are timed well, does the NYSDOT have authority to make sure all of these new cross streets would be timed well? Buffalo and NYS are abysmal at light timing. How does this improve the area? Furthermore, the 198 is a major corridor for emergency vehicle passage, able to bypass cross- traffic in intersections. The impact of delayed response times and increased transit risk for emergency vehicles must be accounted for. How will this be safer? Will this affect my homeowners insurance? Overall, how does more cross-traffic (where there currently is none) make the corridor safer for anyone? Whether you are talking about motorists, pedestrians, emergency vehicles or bicyclists, all trying to navigate through and across the corridor, you will have increased risks for accidents. Hello,AIR POLLUTION: I am writing inAnother regards fact to theis that route shifting 198 downgrade the 198 from project an expressway that is currently to stop in and go None development. I have found that as of April 15, 2014 the project is being re-examined to 123 9/5/2014 (Member of the Web Site introduce a lower speed limit. Would you mind giving me an overview of the status of this Community) project? I have not been able to find any updates online as of April 14. The expressway should be left as is. The volume of traffic merits an unencumbered route, as there are already significant choke points at peak times. If more people do come to the area, None the situation will only worsen. Additionally, other east/west route will be over run as people seek 124 11/2/2014 (Member of the Web Site to avoid the "improved" roadway. Perhaps the expressway is so busy because it is the quickest Community) and simplest way across town and that's what people ultimately want. DOT dollars are needed more for other projects.

21 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received #125 - Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the NYSDOT proposed Scajaquada project. I presently live in the Elmwood area of Buffalo. The purpose of the Scajaquada corridor project should be to eliminate the Scajaquada as an Expressway and to make Delaware Park one seamless park. Specifically: 1. Reconfigure the bizarre interchange at #190, Tonawanda St., and Niagara St. Make Niagara Street the main north-south connector for truck traffic. Improve Amherst Street as a connector to Grant Street. 2. Scajaquada from #190 Interchange to Elmwood Ave becomes a Boulevard, with exit and entrances at Grant Street and Elmwood Aver at the History Museum, comprised of two leans of vehicular traffic in each direction with a green median, and speeds would be 40 mi/hr. There would be a traffic signal at the Elmwood exit. (I lived for many years in the t Willowridge section of Amherst. Willow ridge Drive was my exit onto Niagara Falls Blvd - the same place where 2 women were killed crossing this year. A view years ago the car my friend was driving was hit exiting Ted's just 2 blocks north on NFB and I remember when 2 young people were killed None Written 125 walking on NFB over the Ellicott Creek Bridge. Every time I crossed the Willow ridge 4/24/2014 (Member of the Comment PART ONE intersection I was terrified, waiting until all the traffic stopped and racing across before the light Community) Sheet changed. Walking along the sidewalk on NFB was almost as bad, always feeling unnoticed and unsafe as cars raced by. Being next to a traffic lane one realized just how fast 45 miles per hour is.) 3. Scajaquada a from Elmwood Aver to Parkside becomes a Parkway with a single lane for vehicles and a bikeway in either direction, separated by a green median. Speeds would be reduced to 30 miles per hour. There would be ample walkways on either side for pedestrians. Speed calming elements would be included. The existing Delaware Ave exits and entrances would be eliminated. A new entry and exit from Delaware Ave further to the east would be controlled by a traffic signal. There would be a connection to the Meadow Circle road. 4. Scajaquada to Min Street exit and to downtown and the Kensington would be reconfigured. 5. A "gateway" of some significance should be installed at west and east entrances, so that all travelers would be aware of entering Delaware Park (it is a historical park and not an expressway) and the traffic changes to be expected.

My comments on the NYSDOT proposed alternate: 1. I object to the planned 3.3. mile Scajaquada Boulevard from #190 to Main Street. Having worked in Buffalo for over thirty years, I tried to plan my work schedule to and from work to avoid heavy traffic times. After this public meeting, I followed Mr. Tyan's suggestion and not taken the Scajaquada in my travels east and west. Instead I used Delevan Ave over to Main Street. I have taken Amherst Street and Hertel Aver All of these are acceptable roadways. However, there are also residential areas in some portions. I do not think it is right to improve one area while making life unpleasant for neighbors elsewhere. Therefore, the Scajaquada project must include other improvements to other routes. (I am amazed at the size of trucks traveling down Elmwood Aver taking the entire street and I question the laws that allow such massive vehicles.) 2. I have examined the proposed changes around the Elmwood Ave/ Albright Knox/ Lincoln None Written 125 Parkway area, with a traffic circle and a "terrace" and cannot quite put it together as to traffic 4/24/2014 (Member of the Comment PART TWO pattern or purpose. It seems to me to be a hodge-podge of unrelated, unnecessary elements. Community) Sheet Simplify. Eliminate pavement and expand the green space. 3. NYSDOT future pictures shown on the screen and in the brochure are deceptive. Camera angles distort the future images and make them appear less intrusive. The accompanying narrative was hard to follow. Pervious pavements, proper water treatment facilities and creek improvements are essential additions. Appropriate plantings and raised structures work well to calm traffic. Meandering pathways and historic traffic lights are embellishments. These may be requirements or enhancements only, but they do not render the "boulevard" concept acceptable. I thank you for holding these public meetings. I hope NYSDOT will respond to the public's desire for restoring Delaware Park to its distinctive place Buffalo's history. It is a vision much grander than "moving traffic efficiently" from west to east across the city.

22 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received #126 - I support the following aspects of the project: wide grass median with trees/lights and short remaining wall, water treatment features (if kept free from debris), additional pedestrian and bicycle paths, signalized intersections (both access to NYS Route 198 for vehicles and crossings for all others), and a new pedestrian bridge. I believe that Delaware Park should not be split by a 40mph thoroughfare. I support a 30 mph design. Niagara Falls Boulevard from Kenmore to Sheridan visually appears to be a high mph route but, in my experience, supports the 35mph speed limit. I know that roadway design can and does dictate vehicular speeds and expect that you can further amend the proposal to that end. This limited access road is a monumental safety hazard and menace for all, detracts greatly from the park setting, and contributes noxious fumes and noise pollution. The modifications to NYS Route 198 should include the complete street model; pedestrians and both commuting and recreational bicyclists deserve safe and well-lit routes. Some commercial traffic limitations should be included, particularly for wide loads and heavier vehicles such as those trailing construction equipment. This route should become a bus route with stops at the intersections, thus enabling access for students, shoppers, tourists, and Written Parkside workers. 126 4/24/2014 Comment Community Assn. I am soundly against adding a new ramp from the NYS Route 198 West into Delaware Park. Sheet This ramp is an open invitation for these trying to avoid traffic. The Ring Road was neither designed nor built for heavier traffic and will deteriorate rapidly. I shudder to think of the mayhem resulting from speeding traffic vying with the myriad park users and know that injuries and fatalities will result. This additional traffic would brutalize the park experience and detract from the entire historic neighborhood. This redesign must also address the Parkside/Scajaquada Intersection. I recommend that the new design actively discourage vehicular speeding onto Parkside, provide greater safety for pedestrians crossing in all directions, and eliminate the NYS Route 198 West slip ramp onto Parkside. Please do not put a circle at that intersection, as neither pedestrians nor bicycles would ever be able to cross safely except at 3 am. One of the best ways I have seen to enhance this project and address traffic conditions is the redesign of the Main Street/Humboldt Parkway intersection. One of the designs illustrated prior to the public meeting showed what I think would be a viable project to address this intersection; it showed the off ramp from the NYS Route 198 East as offset further south to align almost directly with Humboldt. I understand that there are issues with the subway infrastructure and #127 - I attendedtrust that the youApril will 8th find public a creative meeting solution and presentation to this challenge. at Buffalo Thank State you. College on the proposed redesign of the Scajaquada Expressway Corridor, have read through the "Proposed Alternative…" drawings and documents, and will comment on the redesign. The proposed designs are a step in the right direction but the vision and resulting plan is flawed and misses an opportunity to make major changes to improve our community. Rather than make a high-speed expressway through our largest park look more attractive, function a bit more smoothly for traffic, and put in some tweaks so pedestrians can navigate around it, this is a great once-in-a-century (half century?) opportunity to restore significant quality of life to this PARK area. Here is a general scope or vision of what ought to be done. 1. Change this from an expressway/highway going through Delaware Park to a scenic drive through the park (whatever you call it). Do this at least from Main Street (or possible the intersection at Parkside) through the park until at least Grant Street, or possibly further on where the Scajaquada joins I-190. 2. Reduce the speed limit to 20 or 30 mph MAXIMUM. Reducing speed from 50 to 40 does not get the speed down to city speed: 30 mph. Furthermore, this highway from at least None Written Parkside until Elmwood (or Grant) does not go through a typical city neighborhood, but through 127 4/14/2014 (Member of the Comment a park and scenic area, past major museums. Ideally, the speed limit ought to be less than Community) Sheet elsewhere in the city. 3. Reduce the number of lanes from 4 to 2-3 and use the space saved for greenery, walking and/or biking lanes, or possible turning lanes at intersections. 4. Add traffic circles similar to those near Kleinhans, Richmond/West Ferry Circle, Colonial Circle, etc., and/or turning lanes at intersections. 5. Instead of pedestrian bridges, put crosswalks along the road at ground level, and convert the circular/bridge crossing near Lincoln Parkway to ground level crossing. You could install a high-speed expressway at any area of the city and once it was there argue that people need it. In fact, there are many timely ways to reach homes in and around Delaware Park through existing city streets. And a street though a park is no place to run a truck route. Trucks can get into and around Buffalo to industrial and other areas of the city using the I-90, I-190 and I-290, and feeder roads like Military Road, Vulcan, etc. If the designers are following a retain-the-expressway concept mandate, please tell me and others whom we need to contact to seek a change in the mandate; otherwise, please, please use this opportunity to redesign this part of the Scajaquada as a city park street to, - Improve #128-the quality There of are life manyfor the good thousands features of opeople this plan. who However,use Delaware there Park, needs by to reintegrating be major changes the Park to the Parkside to 198 corner: 1. Meadville College entrance is fine. 2. 198 towards Main St. is fine. 3. The opposite side of the intersection are the problems. None Written All traffic at that intersection should be required to enter through the red light. (much safer for 128 4/17/2014 (Member of the Comment pedestrian traffic) The third lane from the 33 should be a turn only lane off the 198 to Parkside. Community) Sheet The Parkside to 198 towards Delaware intersection should not have a merge lane. This is the biggest problem with the existing intersection. The 198 should be two lanes on this side from Parkside. The new park exit should not allow any mergers out to the 198. (map photo included)

23 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received #129 - 1. We at Niemiec Builders Supply and the Grant Amherst Business Association love Scajaquada Creek. Obviously not in it's current condition but it will be improved in the future so let's all plan on it. There is great recreational potential and this should be recognized in the scope of this project. Kayak, canoe, paddle boats, row boats, sightseeing tours etc....we need access ramps to launch. It would be a mistake not to take this into consideration with the rebuilding of Rte. 198. 2. A good thought heading Orth on Grant St. Over Bridge there needs to be a change. Currently the left lane is only to get on Rte. 198 East and the right lane goes north over the bridge. This causes huge backups on Grant Street. There is no reason that both leans going north should be able to go straight over the bridge with also doing a left turn on Rte. 198 East if desired. 3. Current draft has way too many signals. I personally feel that is a huge mistake. This will surely cause more traffic jams and backups. More than likely these backups will end up on Niagara St, Grant St., Elmwood Aver, etc....obviously not helping anything. Lowering the speed will be the cure. Written 4. I do like the way the concrete median looks (like Erie Canal Theme) However at any speed 129 4/25/2014 Niemiec Builders Comment that will rip a car or truck apart and create a major expense to fix it. There should be pull off Sheet areas for broken down vehicles. 5. Can the road be installed crested or banked to alleviate the drainage problems that currently exist. Right now in wet weather Rte. 198 is very hazardous because of standing water. 6. In the current draft the turns I see are way to tight. You should take in full size tractor trailers and consider softening the radius. Would be ice to see much wider bike paths. Possibly a tunnel (Delaware Park area) covered with a berm to give people the complete walking experience from one side to the other. 7. To date no one has contacted us at Niemiec Builders Supply. A community minded business helping the neighborhood for 62 years. I personally have been to all meetings dating back to the start of this idea. We are very disappointed seeing the possibility of our driveway being altered drastically without even approaching us. Not very professional at all. We are extremely concerned with our driveway entrance. Also please spell our name correctly. 8. Signal pole on my corner is constantly getting hit. It needs to be relocated so this dangerous situation can be corrected. Just come and look at the big box on pole. One time I remember the box getting knocked almost right off. #129 - part of Niemiec Notes) - As an avid cyclist, I like the proposed multi-use paths. This None Written seems like a safe and sensible way to allow both pedestrian and cyclist access to this area. 130 4/25/2014 (Member of the Comment One item I do not see addressed is actual access to the creek. With the increase of popularity Community) Sheet of canoeing and kayaking in this region. I believe it would be a mistake not to include a boat launch or some form of safe access to the water. #131 - Please restore our Olmsted park. No compromise with smaller roadway. Give us this back: (picture attached) and please meet with former Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist when he is in Buffalo for the Congress for New Urbanism in Buffalo, June 2 to June 8. June 5 at 3:45 to 5:00 PM Norquist will be speaking about "Strategies for Achieving Freeway Removal". The Mayor of Syracuse, Stephanie Miner, will be a presenter 0 of course you know about the effort to rid Syracuse of the destructive highways through their downtown. I am hard pressed to think of anything more contrary to the goals of ANY park than speed, noise, and pollution. Especially our national Historic Landmark Olmsted Parks. I don't blame the DOT for not understanding fifty years ago how detrimental highways would be to cities. But now there is no excuse. Many cities have demolished highways and there are no negative results, only positive outcomes. I remember the dire predictions for New York City if an interstate wasn't constructed on Manhattan's west side. No interstate was built, Manhattan has prospered. The rush to build highways in cities, beginning in the 1950s, has only served to ruin the value of our cities - Buffalo included. The Congress for New urbanism (CNU), The Preservation None 131 Institute, and others have written extensively about this issue. The DOT must look beyond 4/27/2014 (Member of the Mail PART ONE vehicle counts and speed; you must read about how to improve our LAND. The DOT must not Community) simply prioritize the convenience in automobile and truck travel. City residents LVIE here. Our land is not here only for the benefit of people who only want to drive fast. We saw how the DOT, against the wishes of almost every interested group, built a new Route 5 along Buffalo's outer harbor for the convenience of residents in Hamburg and Evans. The alternative parkway would have taken 80 fewer acres from the people of Buffalo that would have been available for development (more property taxes) and recreation. But the DOT decided to build in Buffalo for the convenience of out of town commuters. Please consider the unfairness of that act. Buffalo land for the convenience of suburbanites. How about a 4 lane divided highway through Hamburg along Route 5? There are more than a dozen stop lights along that route between Evans and Buffalo. So what that land would have to be taken from Hamburg businesses and residents? These commuters can travel 40 MPH and stop at several traffic signals on their commute while in Hamburg but couldn't travel 40 MPH (or better yet 30 MPH) with a few stoplights along Buffalo's outer harbor? WHY? Please give me just ONE reason why?

24 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received "Because they don't want to" is not an acceptable reason. "Getting to work faster" is not an acceptable reason. I know you think "faster" = "better". It is not. Faster vehicles KILL more people than slower vehicles - it does not matter how wide the lanes and shoulders, how strong the guard rails, how bright the lights. "Faster" = "deadlier". You know this is true. Sure, there are Buffalo residents who like the convenience of getting to the airport in 20 minutes. I enjoy that too. But how many times a year does that matter to me? YOU are the DOT - tell me how many times a year the average Buffalo resident drives to the airport. Now tell me how much priority should be given to that argument. Would here be anything lower on the scale of priorities? I understand a lumber yard on Grant Street can't imagine their business without a fast, wide Scajaquada. But Kenmore Lumber and Frontier Lumber (Elmwood Avenue in Kenmore and north Buffalo) had fine lumber yards without nearby access to a highway. Until Home Depot None opened - also not near a highway. They didn't go out o business because they weren't near a 131 4/27/2014 (Member of the Mail highway - they went out of business because a national chain big box store opened nearby. PART TWO Community) It is easy to forget that when Buffalo had it's peak population there were no highways. Sure, there are more cars now - because more roads, more parking lots, and less density, brings about more cars and more roads and less density. And greater infrastructure costs that we cannot afford. Now you will want to frighten me by telling me that suburbanites will stop coming into Buffalo to work and shop. I'm not concerned. Buffalo has so much more to offer than any other place in the region. The trend of people wanting what is in the suburbs (formerly cheap farmland and deadly mall shopping) is becoming less and less attractive. Read about the trends. The trend of more people wanting more automobiles has reversed. Your highways are not worth upgrading. Downgrading highways, especially highways in cities, will be the future. Let's get to that future before it is too late. (map photo inserted here).

#132 - The proposals for traffic improvement at Main/Humboldt/Kensington is a bit of an overkill. The easier way to handle the problem is to remove the Kensington extension to Main St. Route the southbound traffic from Kinsington to Humboldt Pkwy and make the Northbound None Written traffic enter from Humboldt Pkwy (E) and turn the bridge over the 198 into a one way no turn 132 5/23/2014 (Member of the Comment only. Lights can be timed to make the traffic going to the 33/198 interchange from Sisters Community) Sheet Hospital to make the traffic flow smoother than it does today. If you need to spend the extra money, cover the triangular hole between the main & Kensington bridges and add a plaza or signature sculpture to welcome drivers to the Scajaquada Parkway.

We really enjoyed the presentation at Buff State. It was very informative and well done. Our feeling is that the Scajaquada Expressway was a colossal mistake in the first place, and therefore should be removed. Short of that, your plan is pretty nice and the speed limit should be 35 (30?) mph just like the rest of the city. The mess at Parkside and Medaille is Written outstanding. Cars heading west, if not familiar with the situation get stuck on the extreme right 133 4/9/2014 Olmsted Member Comment with no way forward! The exit onto Delaware Avenue is also a disaster - an accident waiting to Sheet happen. There are numerous east - west cross streets available for Trucks, etc. - Hertel, Amherst, Delavan, Ferry and Utica to name a few. Let's put our beautiful historic park back together again. Sincerely yours, Alison C. Johansson and Jean J. Johansson

I enjoyed the presentation. I understand many in the audience want the whole 198 ripped out. None Written However, I understand the position of the DOT and the competing stakeholders. My feeling is 134 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment this - if the project moves forwards as scheduled, it is critical that the Grassy Median be Community) Sheet maintained! If not - it will look overgrown or dry and burnt - if you go through with more natural elements they must be taken care of! At the Parkside Community Association (PCA) Board of Directors meeting on April 15th, we discussed the rising number of calls by the community for the complete removal of the Scajaquada Expressway. While the PCA is not taking a position on this, we do believe this alternative should be added to the study's alternatives so that the public could weigh the impact Parkside such a removal would have on our city streets and the east/west routes. We are encouraged 135 4/23/2014 Community Assoc, Mail by the recent announcement that the DOT will be studying a 30 mph option and the potential of President converting a section of the roadway into a city street. These additional studies, along with studying the complete removal of the Scajaquada, will go a long way towards building community consensus. We ask that you carefully consider this request. Thank you. Monica Cichon, President 1) Signage for Cultural/Tourism Attractions must be considered. (For years, we've tried to get Martin House Written signs to the Martin House, to No avail.) 2) speed Limit should be 30 mph / same as every 136 4/9/2014 Restoration Comment other road in the city. 3)Median as designed is not good in terms of appearance and Corporation Sheet functionality. 4) Planned re-routing and elimination of certain exit/end. is good. We have read Alan Bozer's letter to you dated 22 April 2014 regarding the future of the Scajaquada Expressway. We would enthusiastically add our support to his proposals. As our None City is emerging into a new era we, the citizens, have a golden opportunity to correct past 137 4/23/2014 (Member of the Mail mistakes. As our new found prosperity develops and more people move downtown, the parks, Community) once more, will fulfill their role as an idyllic refuge from our busy lives, Yours sincerely, Victor and Corinne Rice As a resident of the area, and a frequent traveler on the 198, I cannot express enough how vital it is that we downgrade the road BEYOND what is presented. Our park system is a national treasure - and an item that makes our city attractive and vibrant. The fact that we run a None Written highway through it is a joke on a national scale. The road must be downgraded to 30 mph and 138 4/9/2014 (Member of the Comment at a setting fitting of an Olmsted Park. As someone who uses this road daily, I can assure you Community) Sheet that the extra 3 minutes the journey will take is well worth restoring our heritage, access to parks and identity as a city. Please do the right thing for the next generation.

25 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received The current (9-24-15) changes to NY 198 have made it far more likely to cause traffic accidents. STOP signs have been installed with no warning of their placement on former acceleration ramps . Frustrated drivers caught on a 30 MPH highway will not reach their destination in the time they used to and the roadway clearly will provide for more than 30MPH. I seldom use this roadway since it is likely to lure any driver to more than 30 MPH because of its divided 4-lane design. Since it is clearly desired to remove traffic from NY 198, but connections to divided highways already exist, it would be prudent to remove all the roadway from Elmwood Avenue connection to Main Street connection and install a grass surface. This is prudent because a divided highway through a public pedestrian park is unreasonable, an oxymoron, and alternative None vehicular and bicycle roadways already exist serving Delaware Park and radial highways 139 9/24/2015 (Member of the E-mail through it. Community) The remaining parts of NY 198 should be considered access roads to the divided highways (I190 and NY 33) connecting them to the local streets (Main and Elmwood) until frequently running public mass- transit has been provided to replace NY33 (re-establish Humboldt Parkway as a tree lined Parkway with a transit line), and similar transit service is provided on Amherst Street while reducing traffic lanes there. Any money that MIGHT BE SPENT on making the existing NY198 “safe” for vehicles and pedestrians should instead be spent on public transit to provide fast travel along major corridors from the City Transportation Center to the airport, Central Station, and UB North. David Stout, environmentally concerned citizen, former user of NY 198 (It’s too dangerous now).

The roadway should be 4 lane with possibly extra space in places for parking. East of Parkside should be 40 mph+ and west of Elmwood should be 40 mph+. East of Main St. should be 45 None Written mph+ heading east toward Rte. 33 inbound. West of Grant should be 45 mph+ heading west 140 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment toward I-190 interchange. Reconnect Lincoln Parkway across corridor. Community) Sheet

I feel that the Rte. 198 speed limit should not stay at 30 beyond Elmwood coming from the (Main St.) way. Should raise back up, if not to 50, but at least 40 mph / 45 mph. It is the only way through the city to the I-190 to get to Niagara Falls without having to back track to the 90, None Written to the 290 unfair. And the site by the park should be taller barriers or a fence / wall. It is too 141 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment congested even 35 mph is a good speed there. Even narrowing it does not make a difference. Community) Sheet It's an expressway. The tragic accident was not due to speed anyway. Also, there should be a bridge or cross bridge for pedestrians to walk over the expressway.

None Written Speed Limit 50 mph for ALL. 30 is OK by park only. However if guard rails are used 40 is 142 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment good. Widen green median between lanes and get rid of median barrier. Mid block crossings Community) Sheet are stupid. Option #4 - Street, 30 mph, median bike lanes crosswalks etc. bus stops - Cross town transportation for EVERYONE! Cars & trucks bicycles, pedestrians, bus riders handicapped, Written Black Rock / wheelchair & stroller users moms with kids, people with dogs. My family all moved away, but I 143 9/16/2015 Comment Riverside Alliance returned. We all comment o the extra capacity of Buffalo's TAD system. This will not remove a Sheet cross town route just make it more usable. Start at Grant St. 30 mph, at grade crossing.

None Written Can the speed limit be kept at 30mph from the Parkside Intersection through the Elmwood 144 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment South exit ramp only? Community) Sheet I love that you're going to change the guardrail to the ironwood. The crosswalks are great. I hope there are plans to include more in the future, particularly at Loring Avenue and Monticello None Written Place/Eastwood Pl. Of the proposed cross-sections, I like the 30mph, 2-lane boulevard with 145 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment bike lanes the most. After taking a look at the traffic comparison between existing / 4-lane / 2- Community) Sheet lane and removal, I think the 4-lane option is best for commuters. However, I would hope that some would just quit their cars and pick another mode.

None Written I am in support of the complete downsizing of the 198 - 2 lanes, no median, 30 mph, park 146 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment appropriate guard rails. Community) Sheet 198 should be disconnected from I190. 198 would run at ground level to Niagara Street, and there terminate. So long as 198 connects with I190, it is in effect still an expressway, and will remain so in many drivers minds, resulting in driving expressing that view, very fast driving. None Written 198 should be made part of the neighborhood. Today it is removed, separate, and therefore 147 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment blights land on both sides along its entire length. It must be connected in many places with the Community) Sheet streets of the surrounding neighborhoods, the few connections allowed in the plan this evening are quite inadequate. 198 is today a garb drawn through the body of the community, the reminder of a rusty blade that was meant to be progress, but mostly destroyed.

There are portions of 198 below grade, while it appears a covering over 198 is expensive what dollar amount can you attach to the lives lost due to hazardous existing conditions? Please consider a covering over 198 from 33 to Delaware Ave. as a consideration. Also green space Written near Grant and Buffalo State and expanding this concept to be inclusive of the whole 198 and 148 9/16/2015 BCCWNY/ROCC Comment the 33 expressway tub. Diagrams presented exclude the 198 from Main St to the 33. Interim Sheet changes should include the 198 from main to the 33. The chain fences and guard rails are deteriorating in front of the residents along Humboldt Pkwy in the portion of the 198 excluded from the proposed interim changes. Please deal with all of the 198 it's one road its one parkway! Safety: 1. Fix/replace exit (Delaware), west bound, that currently is a 90 degree turn off the None Written 198. 2. Extend all entrance merge lanes onto the 198. 3. Change 198 from an expressway to 149 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment a parkway. 4. Maintain speed limit and enforce it. 5. The entire expressway needs to be re- Community) Sheet designed and re-engineered.

26 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received As an 8 year resident of North Buffalo, and looking to buy a home in the near future, I had lived with the expressway that entire time. I can 100% say that we can live without it and the 33 None Written expressway. Leadership in WNY and the state need to make a master plan together to 150 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment implement the changes we want. As a matter of fact, the success of the project depends on it. Community) Sheet In order to remove the 198 expressway, the surrounding streets and neighborhoods need to be aligned to this change along with the NFTA. This is an over-reaction to a terrible accident. Many people have died on many thruways and city streets and nothing like this has ever been done. The 198 Coalition is using this accident as a crutch from their position. 65,000 cars per day (about 2.7 million per year) will be divided through city streets and thruways if the 198 is closed or shortened. This process has cost taxpayers money through needless studies, slower commutes and over 500 speeding tickets. All of this to satisfy a few residents along the 198 so they can get their political agenda passed. All of these changes so far would not have been done had a guard rail been put up prior to the None Written accident. The people who want this expressway slowed down or even closed are exploiting the 151 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment death of a poor child and the inviting of another to have things their way which does not benefit Community) Sheet the community of Erie County residents. Sean Ryan and the Coalition were obviously waiting for "a bigger fish to fry" before they easily called Albany and got a guardrails installed - shame on them! When all that really needs to be done to the 198 - 1. Better drainage around the Delaware exit to stop water ponding. 1. Increase speed limit to 40 mph (a happy compromise) 3. Add a second Lane to the Delaware Ave exit so cars aren't hung out to dry over the 198 during rush hour. 4. Better center guard rail (?? barrier) from Tent to Flint St.

As a 20 something who is trying to find work in Buffalo an is planning on moving into the city, I would love to be able to enjoy a beautiful Olmstead park without fear of being hit by a car. I have lived in Changwon, South Korea, where they have bike lanes completely separate from None Written traffic to get around the city. I felt so safe and thoroughly enjoyed my daily commute. I also 152 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment lived in Madrid, where bikes rode with traffic. I didn't even ride there because the conditions Community) Sheet weren't safe, at least I didn't feel safe. Please, let's keep the bike paths separate from traffic as much as we possibly can so everyone feels comfortable to live a healthy, active lifestyle.

The expressway should be removed so that we can restore Delaware Park and surrounding parkways to the original Olmsted design - including Agassiz Circle and the main entrance to the None Written park. This is the best long-term solution. In the interim, reclassification to a major arterial is 153 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment completely unacceptable - it should be a minor arterial at most. No more than two lanes and Community) Sheet 20 to 25 mph speed limit. This is the worst presentation I have ever been subjected to. Speakers are intelligible and slides are meaningless, not to mention illegible.

My name is Matthew Digati and I am an incredibly proud Buffa lover. I grew up on Manchester Place, which is just a few blocks south of here and only a 10 minute walk to Hoyt Lake. A large part of my youth was spent at Hoyt Lake, skipping rocks with my parents and swinging at the playground. My teenage years were spent meeting my friends at the lake to play Frisbee or soccer in the meadow, and now, as an adult, it has become my running path. I say Hoyt Lake, and not Delaware Park, because ever since I was a child on those swings it has seemed as though the Zoo and Ring Road have been another world away. Walking to the north side of the park meant having to cross a major intersection with speeding vehicles no matter which route I took. It was as if one half of Delaware Park was for North Buffalo, and the other half for the rest of the city, but never one park for all of us. The Scajaquada is completely to blame for this. It's no secret that the 198 was an absolutely terrible idea. It's as if the planning committee sat down and tried to come up with a way to completely ruin Buffalo's best, largest, and most picturesque park. Cars do not belong in Delaware Park; people do. The opinions on this subject of those that live in Kenmore, or Amherst, or Tonawanda, are not based on what life is None like in the city or around the park, but rather how many fractions of a minute can be saved on 154 9/16/2015 (Member of the Hand Delivery their commute to their jobs downtown. They claim that the 198 was originally built as an Community) expressway with the job of moving traffic from one side of the city to the other, so it should stay that way. My response is that Fredrick Law Olmsted, whom this school is named after, originally built Delaware Park for the residents of the City of Buffalo to enjoy; not as a convenient short cut for those that choose to live in the suburbs. In regards to the plans that have been put forth thus far I have this to say: a reduction in the speed limit to 30 mph and 40 mph is not enough. The removal of 2 lanes is not enough. Traffic calming measures are not enough. The only plan that can be implemented to ensure the vision of Olmsted for our city is met is the full removal of the Scajaquada from Niagara Street to the Kensington Expressway; and as a life long Buffalonian and frequent enjoyer of Delaware Park, I demand the full removal and nothing less. This is not a farfetched idea and should not be met with bureaucratic resistance. This can, and should be, a major step in continuing the incredible resurgence and renaissance that is happening in our city. Thank you.

I would like to voice my support for removal of the 198. However, the plan as set forth ends at Parkside which is not able to handle additional traffic. Buf if the end is at Main Street which is None Written wider and more commercial then the additional traffic could be absorbed more easily. Also, it 155 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment could help with the revitalization of Main Street and have a positive impact if more people travel Community) Sheet by stores, etc. If it was removed between Elmwood Avenue (a commercial street) and Main Street that would return the park to the original Olmsted design, and it would remove safety issues at crosswalks and bike lanes. Thank you! I fully support the downgrade and/or complete removal of Rte. 198. It has no place cutting None Written through the center of Delaware Park. Further, it is critical that accurate information is relayed 156 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment to the public. Claims that traffic has increased in neighborhoods because of the reduced speed Community) Sheet limit is FLASE. The change in traffic patterns would be due to the closing of Elmwood Ramps NOT the change to 30 mph. None I support the 30 mph speed limit for the Scajaquada Expressway. Please begin planned 157 7/29/2015 (Member of the E-mail efforts to continue the calming of the expressway, including reduction of lane widths and Community) installation of the three crosswalks.

27 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received None I support the 30 mph speed limit for the Scajaquada Expressway. Please begin planned 158 7/29/2015 (Member of the E-mail efforts to continue the calming of the expressway, including reduction of lane widths and Community) installation of the three crosswalks. Given overall community support for transforming Scajaquada from a highway to a true None boulevard, why are you waiting for implementing a boulevard option? What's holding? (in 159 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card audience) Community) Given the timeline for study review, and approval of 4 years and construction 4 years and need None to secure funding….what can you implement now beyond a couple of signals and crosswalks? 160 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card Example - make the Nottingham Ramp 2 lanes / 1 way… on in the morning, off in the evening Community) drive time. None The last public meeting was organized by Sean Ryan nearly 1 1/2 years ago. Why was there 161 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card no follow up till now? Community) None You've been meeting on this for over 10 years. When is something substantial going to 162 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card happen? What is the schedule? Community) There have been plans for the past few years to alter the present roadway. If I remember None correctly, there was reconfiguration of the roadway, roundabout and guardrails by Delaware 163 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card Park. What prevented these from being implemented? Who vetoed it? Politicians? Civic Community) groups like the Olmsted group? Have you considered connecting Ring Road to 198 for better access to zoo and park? None 164 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card Community) None Why would you think eliminating the on ramp to 198 from Grant going East is even a possible 165 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card idea. Business depends on this access. Community) None Consider cutting off the highway access to the 198? Making it a local road will reduce people 166 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card using it as a cut-through for the highway system. Community) None Why not reclassify the Scajaquada to minor arterial or major collector? Main street is not a 167 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card good model for the park! Community) Why can't we combine 198 and Iroquois Rd. adjacent to Buff State? This would create additional connectivity to the surrounding road network and improve the prominence of Buff 168 9/16/2015 Fisher Associates Question Card State to the corridor. Why do the proposed alternatives seem limited in scope, when this is more than just a road redesign, it is a chance to be a transformational project of the city with highest quality design? None Please consider a parking lane on weekends on 198 to increase access to park and zoo. 169 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card Community) Has any consideration been given to making the Park section a tunnel or cut/cover with None parkland above it? Will the Lincoln Pkwy/Nottingham end be eliminated? Have you considered 170 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card making the southbound exit from the westbound 198 a regular intersection and eliminating the Community) northbound exit (currently closed)? None Someone described the Nottingham on/off ramp as looking like it was designed by a plaintiffs 171 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card attorney. What can be done to eliminate this 90 degree fiasco short term? Community) None Are the 11 foot lanes comparable to city roadways and lowered speed limits, or expressway 172 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card lanes? - from short term rendering Community) Please explain how we might include sidewalks along the entire corridor in order to have a Buffalo Niagara "complete street". *Sidewalks, bike lanes, reduced lane widths, numerous crossings, and the 173 9/16/2015 Question Card Riverkeeper slow speed limit all serve to, together, positively impacts driver behavior. (Change in functional class) Scajaquada What is the specific timeline for completing of the interim changes and permanent redesign? 174 9/16/2015 Corridor Business Question Card Owner & Res There has been extensive community support for various calming measures and complete None removal of the 198 to create city streets. 1 - What is the delay in following through with the 175 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card proposed plans. 2 - How long until we see substantial change? Community) None You document 25 meetings over 8 years. Are you prepared to commit to a timetable? What is 176 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card it? Community) None Why is this entire process back to square one? What happened to the 2005 plan? 177 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card Community) None Why can't the 2005 EPP short term measures be installed? Can the 2005 EPP long term plan 178 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card be used as the starting point? Community) None Remove 198! 179 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card Community) Why not 10' bicycle lanes and other complete street standards that are in guidebooks such as NACTO Urban Street Design Guide? What about resorting Aggazi Circle? Why is there no 180 9/16/2015 Fisher Associates Question Card alternative that includes parking (potentially as better turn vehicle travel and bike lane) ? Why is there no alternative that is similar/replicates tidewell parkway? None Does the current or proposed street designation allow for a "complete street" design? What 181 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card manual is used ITE or AASHTO? Community)

28 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received None Bike lanes should be isolated from traffic with a divide as cars will eventually tangle with bikes. 182 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card Community) None Make the study and implantation from 33 to 198 183 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card Community) None Other than the various studies done before May 30, 2015, was there ever a consideration to 184 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card just put up guardrails or other barriers along the 198, where they recently have been put up? Community) None Have you considered better integration of bike paths in new plan with Scajaquada path? 185 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card Community) None Why did the factions of the Scajaquada corridor coalition refuse to accept the DOT's proposed 186 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card speed limit reduction to 40mph last year, and why didn't they push to have guardrails installed? Community) None Will engineering of right hand turn at Delaware exit (westbound) be corrected? Will merge 187 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card lanes be extended from a complete stop, to 198, to ensure safety? Community) None Have you considered traffic impact to the Buffalo Zoo? The zoo sees lots of volume on 188 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card weekends and sunny days. Easy traffic flow to the zoo is imperative as the zoo continues to Community) add exhibits and helps with got revenues. What are the possibilities of altering traffic patterns on nearby roadways to relieve any None congestion from a slower Scajaquada? Any more comprehensive studies on travel time at a 189 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card larger scale, i.e. not from one side of Scajaquada to the other. I'm curious how peoples real Community) commute changes, not just east to west, but to downtown, etc... NYS Route 198 is an EXPRESSWAY. It is a frivolous waste of $ to convert to a parkway. It is None very dangerous to consider allowing pedestrians and bikers. This pipe dream is going to 190 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card increase accidents and cost lives. Tunnel Humboldt Pkwy/eliminate 190 and give us back our Community) waterfront. None Reclassification to a minor arterial is NOT acceptable! Main Street is NOT a good model for 191 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card the park. Community) None With only one lane in each direction how would an accident (rear-end etc.) affect emergency 192 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card response and tow trucks to clear it up with cars backed up and unable to move? Community) None Please close the Delaware Ave exit by the tennis courts! This would link the entire park 193 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card system. As it is it is very dangerous. Cars at a complete stop on 198! Cars can exit at Community) Elmwood or Parkside! None Traffic circles at Grant, Elmwood ramp Delaware connects and Parkside at 198 without stop 194 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card signs are a great idea! Community) None How should we grow our city and further limit traffic? How will you help locals transport move 195 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card quickly? Community) Diagrams omit the portion of 198 between Main St. & 33 expressway portion of 198 should be None included in interim modifications. Residents near Kensington & Loring should not have to deal 196 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card with noise & ugly chain fence in front of their property why isn't 198 all inclusive. It's one Community) highway! - Noise on high speed traffic. None Isn't it advantageous to have a 4 lane highway in case you need to have effective means to 197 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card evacuate people and in case of snow emergency to move equipment in and around the city. Community) None What do we have to do to keep our expressway? If you take away the expressway how should 198 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card I get from around Hertel and Delaware to Seneca St. every single weekday? Community) Are they going to synchronize Scajaquada discussions with those of Humboldt Parkway? None 199 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card Community)

None Is the section of 198 between Buffalo State College and Niagara St. exit also part of the study? 200 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card We would like to see this at grade and also not an expressway. Community) Restore our When will we remember the park connection vision of Olmsted, and add similar attention to re- 201 9/16/2015 Community Question Card creating the harmony of the neighborhood disrupted by the Kensington Expressway? Coalition None Why not raise the 198 elevation at/around Main St. and Kensington if no longer an expressway. 202 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card This would help those intersections and traffic at Parkside. Community) Why have no traffic calming measures (restriping) been done on the portion of the roadway None between the 33 and Parkside 203 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card Community) None Be sure to include section from Buff State to Niagara St as part of the study. This should be / 204 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card could be at grade. Community) Restore our How can we make or you make conscientious / educated decision on a portion of 198 as 205 9/16/2015 Community Question Card oppose to the whole 198. Diagrams omit 198 between Main St & the 33. It's one highway. Coalition None Why haven't you restriped E. of Parkside and W of Grant? No wonder people speed more 206 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card there. We need more traffic calming ASAP, why not remove expressway signs that can be Community) seen from a mile away and direct attention a mile after that?

29 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Has there been / could there be an effort to connect at grade to Niagara St & eliminate the connection to the I190? This would coincide with general improvements from grant to Niagara making the area Park like. Has there or will there be any consideration to terminating the 198 at grade at Niagara st and simultaneously making improvements to provide green space from Grant to Niagara? i.e. 207 9/16/2015 SCC Question Card Creek access, park land off street parking. Has / will there be any consideration to reconnect someo the side streets at grade East of Grans (Bush St.; peter St., Etc.) to alleviate traffic by providing options, connecting the college to the business district. Has there / will there be any consideration to reconnect the street(s) @ grade east of Grant St? (Bush St; Peter St.) Have there been any considerations of altering speeds for rush hour / non-rush hour times? None Do you have any information on bike and pedestrian usage in the area? Any idea about how 208 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card these might change? Community) None How can we, as a community better express to NYSDOT that we are firm in our desire for a 30 209 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card mph limit? Community) None Is there any consideration of a 25 m/hr. option. I have heard NYC pushing that as a park 210 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card standard considerably it cuts fatal accidents 50% Community) Parents for a Safe I love the 30 mph proposal safety should be the priority. When will the redesign be complete? 211 9/16/2015 Question Card Delaware Park Lowering the road from Grant to 190 should be part of project as well. From an engineering perspective, is it necessary to have the roadway east of Parkside & west None of Elmwood at 30mph since there's no public areas adjacent to the roadway? If/when one of 212 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card these plans are implemented, is there a plan to improve Amherst, Delavan & Fillmore? Community) Crosstown traffic has to go somewhere. None Is there any coordination going on between DOT and the City of Buffalo concerning the 198 213 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card changes & the Parkside neighborhood changes? Community) Will reducing speed to 30 mph and creating a boulevard significantly reduce travel times? 214 9/16/2015 PCA Question Card

What would it take to get the city planning dept. to look at developing Main Street and None synchronizing the lights to get commuters from the north to take Main Street? 215 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card Community) None Please provide a canoe / kayak launch in Hoyt lake or the creek. 216 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card Community) None Please describe the measures NYSDOT intends to take to reduce storm water pollution to 217 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card Scajaquada Creek from the reconfigured roadway (all alternatives). Community) Have you considered removing the debris rake in the creek near Wegmans to allow paddlers None access to Niagara River from Hoyt Lake? Present situation precludes a portage around the 218 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card lake. Community)

None How does NYSDOT plan to provide physical and visual public access to Scajaquada Creek 219 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card under the proposed alternatives for roadway reconfiguration? Community) None Regarding the accident rate between 2005-2007, what months correlate to this? Are these 220 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card accidents duet o snow and ice or speed or in attention? Community) None When, where, and how does the trucking industry make it's view known on projects of this 221 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card type? Why aren't they "stakeholders"? Community) None Statistically, how does the accident rate on the 198 compare to the accident rate on regular 222 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card stretch such as Delaware, Parkside, Elmwood, Delevan Community) None How is cross traffic and pedestrian crossings at grade level safer than traveling over or under 223 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card the 198? Community) 1. Why is this process not a regional discussion? Local residents have presumed as the starting premise, that Delaware Park is "their" park/asses and only they have a right to decide None how the Scajaquada Expressway will be resolved. WRONG! All resident / taxpayers of Erie 224 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card County at a minimum should have a seat at the table. 2. Why not keep the expressway -- a Community) vital commuter route & corridor to ECMC and simply make safety berms in Delaware?

1. Why was the FALSE Narrative of a traffic death of little Max Sugarsofski allowed to hijack None the Scajaquada Expy discussion? His tragic death was NOT caused by highway speed! 2. 225 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card Why can the Governor issue a fiat to change the speed when speed was not the cause of Community) accident? What does DOT plan to do to get critical feedback and input from commuter groups who use None Rte198? I don't see groups such as AAA listed as "stakeholders"? How about truckers - e.g. 226 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card UPS, FedEx? Proposed changes to the 198 should involve more than the local groups, Community) shouldn't they? None Why was I took off stakeholder list? I have been involved with these discussions since the 227 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card start. Community)

30 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Is the DOT planning to put a stop sign off Humboldt Parkway going Westbound onto the None Scajaquada? It seems all other exits/entrances have stop signs now. Thank you! 228 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card Community) None Why are you ramming these pedestrian activated crosswalks down our throats. 229 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card Community) None Can something be done soon so the stop signs don't require a driver to twist head in order to 230 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card see oncoming traffic. This is difficult for some drivers. Community) None How will pedestrian crossing at Mirror Lake work when lake & creek are flooding? 231 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card Community) None 1. Why are all light standards not behind new guard rails? 2. Is 30 mph needed between 232 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card Elmwood and I90? Community) None If a guiderail was put up to keep people from being hit 20 ft. of the side of the road why would 233 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card we want to have people riding bikes on the roadway or pedestrian crossing? Community) Will a barrier be built on the Agassi side of the 198? There is a spot where the traffic None approaches the light where only six feet of grass separates the 198 from our road. Very 234 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card dangerous. Our greenspace is part of Olmsted too!!! Community) Under the area of "interim improvements" why were no guardrails installed on the south side of None the 198 (near Parkside Ave) what plans are including the protection of this residential 235 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card neighborhood? Community) None I have heard Sean Ryan claim in media interviews that there is no increase in side street traffic 236 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card since the 198 speed was lowered. Would you tell the audience what studies since May you Community) have done, where and the numbers to prove this claim. None The stop sign at Parkside and the 198 (going west) is counter intuitive when a green light is to 237 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card get onto 198 yet those going west must stop why? Community) None Why are massive & significant changes being made to part of our regional transportation 238 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card system without /avoiding the EIS process? Community) None Is there any data of reported accidents on the 198 from last year at a speed limit of 50 mph and 239 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card this period of June-July-Aug at 30 mph? Community) Can you put a pedestrian crossing at Parkside & 198 that is raised. That would link Meadville None & Census college to Park. It is too dangerous for the kids to cross a 4 lane highway. 240 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card Community)

None Pedestrian activated crosswalks not a good idea this is being rammed down our throat 241 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card crosswalks good but put at signals not pedestrian activated flush with road Community) The Hawk signal seems confusing - why not just have a traffic signal? 242 9/16/2015 Erie County Question Card

None Would you consider timing the signals for the crosswalks on the 198 to encourage 30 mph and 243 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card consistent flow instead of pedestrian activated? Community) None Introducing pedestrians & bicycles into traffic will make more handicapped people. 244 9/16/2015 (Member of the Question Card Community) I favor Alternative 2B. I favor keeping the 30 mph speed limit for its entire length. I work at the Delaware Park Labor Center. This is the location of the BOPC Archives. As soon as the speed limit was lowered to 30 mph it was about 50% SAFER to exit the driveway on to the 198. Buffalo Olmsted Written In 2007 when the traffic report was published the information showed that most drivers were 245 9/16/2015 Parks Comment traveling at a rate of 10 mph faster than the posted 50 mph for the 198, THEREFORE - the Conservancy Sheet speed limit was RAISED to 55 mph. Using this information as a baseline I would expect the drivers on the 198, in October 2015 to travel at a speed of 35 - 40 mph even though it would be illegal to do so. Please keep the speed limit at 30 mph. Thank you very much.

Best option - 30 mph - entire length of 198 - remove cobra head lighting; match neighborhood - bike lanes both directions; raised medians - pedestrian activated cross walks (raised) - None Written Incorporate redesign of Main/Humboldt/Scajaquada area to eliminate hazardous triangle. - 246 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment Coordinate plans with City of Buffalo re: Parkside Neighborhood study results. - Contribute Community) Sheet Positively to the restoration of Olmsted Parks plan, Parkside community and multiple college involved. - All storm water treated before entering Scaj. Creek.

31 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Best Option - 30 mph boulevard with bike lanes both directions raised medians, separate sidewalks - both sides, lighting to match neighborhood (no cobra heads), pedestrian activated raised crosswalks, and bay to Hoyt Lake. All storm water runoff treated naturally before entering creek lakes. Remove ramps at Grant Elmwood, & Delaware and construct 4-way signalized at-grade intersections. Eliminate and relocate sidewalks directly adjacent to and None Written parallel to 198 E - snow plowing will bury them. Coordinate plans and timing with City of 247 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment Buffalo and Parkside Neighborhood study results. 20 mph along entire length - few drivers will Community) Sheet slow down if speed limit changes in the "middle" (i.e. west of Elmwood). Incorporate re-design of Main/Humboldt/Scajaquada area to eliminate hazardous triangle. Please contribute positively to the restoration of the Olmsted Parks plan, the Parkside community and the multiple colleges. There is no need for speed to "save the driver" a few min.

I travel the 198 every day to get to my job in Batavia, NY. Traffic has flowed so much smoother since the speed limit was lowered to 30 mph. It is much easier for cars to merge on to the 198, None Written going directly from the ramp into a lane, with no merging lane, with the slower speed limit. 248 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment There is less back-up on the ramps, and less stop and go/traffic jams on the road. It flows so Community) Sheet smoothly! I liked the idea of a 4 lane boulevard. The 198 basically is that right now, and it's working well. I think it would be difficult to accommodate the volume of traffic if it were made a 2 lane road. Medians please! First of all I have lived within one mile of the 198 for over fifty years. 1. Keep 198 from I190 to None Written Elmwood Ave at 50 mph and I190-Elmwood Ave at 50mph. Look at the Colvin Ext. 45 mph. I 249 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment think 45 mph would work Parkside - Elmwood section. Community) Sheet After a car veered off Route 198 and drove onto Delaware Park's Ring Road, killing a child and seriously injuring his sister, a guard rail was installed next to Rte. 198 and a concrete barrier next to the Ring Road, where the two roads closely parallel each other. Rte. 198's speed limit was also reduced. This offered protection from Rt198 for pedestrians using the park's Ring Road. I suggested in "letters to the Editor" moving the Ring Road in by 30 feet at that point None Written and planting trees to create an improved feeling of safety. Although not necessary, it would 250 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment also improve the aesthetics of the park. With the current safety measures implemented, what Community) Sheet more is needed to protect park goers? It's ironic how some people are pushing to have crosswalks installed on Rte. 198 so park visitors can cross to the other side of the park. A foot bridge already exists for that purpose. Why encourage folks to cross a road in the park if not necessary? For years the Scajaquada Expressway has carried many from considerable distances. The new speed limit of 30 mph is ridiculous. I believe 40 mph is more reasonable and still safe. There is a need to maintain the 198 expressway. Buffalo is fortunate to have a East-West route free of red lights, cross streets. Keeping traffic moving reduces car and truck emissions; None Written thus less air pollution. Second, I suggest raising the speed limit to 40 mph. Everyone 251 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment contacted suggests this action. A participating public process is good, but majority of residents Community) Sheet are buys, not paying attention and ?? complain after the expressway is lost.

At the meeting on Wednesday 16th one of the long term alternatives was totaling closing the 198 from Parkside to Elmwood. My question and comment was what alternative routes would be available for East/West traffic flow! At one point a DOT rep said there are 50000 cars using the 198. I was told by a DOT rep at the "Boards" showing all the alternative plans that vehicles could then get off and use various city street to maneuver around the closed section, giving examples of East Delavan to get to Elmwood, then going down Elmwood to get to the 198 None Written again or using Amherst St, Kenmore Ave, Forest Aver, West Ferry & Zig Zagging your way 252 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment going through city streets, as I see it, would pose many issues. Lets use Amherst St as an Community) Sheet example *this can really apply to all of the streets that were told to me as way around) Amherst St is one lane each way, it is a Metro bus route, school buses use it, there are people trying to get out of their driveways, during the winter you have snow plows added to the mix (if we re lucky enough to get snow plowed). I just can't see 50,000 vehicles especially at rush hour, doing this without great traffic issues, especially for those who use this every day to get to work. I can see it adding 20 or so minutes to mine.

None My first choice of the Scajaquada alternatives is Alt 5, complete removal within the park. The 253 9/26/2015 (Member of the E-mail road should never have been constructed in that park to begin with. My second choice is Alt Community) 3B. I am writing to vehemently object to the changes being proposed for the Scajaquada Expressway, all of which are to be paid with tax payers? Dollars without consideration for the tens of thousands of people wo use that corridor daily. This is the doing of a handful of people None who are trying to ram this down our throats. The death of the boy last May was certainly a 254 9/28/2015 (Member of the E-mail tragedy, however barriers should have been in place years ago, and that would not have Community) happened. Of the 3.6 mile highway, only a fraction is adjacent to the park, which is used by a relatively small number of people for about 5-6 months out of the year. The changes to the acceleration ramps have further made this roadway more hazardous. Please stop this madness.

32 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Dear Commissioner Driscoll: I don't believe the speed limit on the 198 expressway needs to be lowered to 30 mph. I feel the people who want to lower the speed limit on the 198 EXPRESSWAY are exploiting the death of a child to push forward their own agenda. There has been an effort by these groups to lower the speed limit of years. The accident that took the child's life had nothing to do with the speed of the vehicle. The person simply fell asleep and drove off the expressway. If stopping people from driving off the expressway is the object, when they NYSDOT redesigns it why couldn't they lower the dread slightly, maybe the height of a car, so as to contain vehicles in the roadway? This road is a regional asset that is used by people from all over the region, not something to be controlled by the people in the immediate area around the expressway to make their own gated community. With the development of the medial corridor in downtown Buffalo, the expressway is the only high speed roadway an ambulance can use to transport patients to hospitals from north Buffalo and the I190 thruway. It bisects the city, providing drivers a fast way to reach the airport and eastern suburbs without having to drive completely around the city either to the north or south. Another problem I've observed is that the changing of yield signs to stop signs has made it very None hard for tractor trailer trucks to enter the expressway. They can't use the acceleration lane to 255 9/3/2015 (Member of the Mail get up to the speed of expressway traffic because they have to start from a dead stop. This in Community) turn is causing cars behind the trucks to back up onto the ramp behind the trucks further complicating vehicle entry onto the expressway. The test period of the 30 mph speed limit has been conducted during the summer months when local colleges, like Buffalo State and Damien College are not in session. Starting in the fall there will be many more vehicles traversing the expressway, further complicating entering the expressway via the ramps because of long lines of traffic passing by them at lower speeds. There haven't been very many vehicle, pedestrian accidents on the 198 expressway. Therefore I don't believe tis is a problem that warrants lowering the speed limit. There have been quite a few vehicle accidents on the expressway which I believe were contributed to by the sharp curves in the roadway. I believe in the redesign, this could be addressed by straightening the roadway as much as possible. I believe the previous 50 mph speed limit was appropriate for this expressway. Your consideration is greatly appreciated.

7/28/15 COM 15-005728 - Mr. Driscoll, We all know about the safety issues associated with the Scajaquada and the recent tragedy that occurred in Delaware Park. The question I continue to ask myself is hwy is there an expressway running through a park? Delaware Park is the Olmsted designed sister park to world-renowned Central Park in New York City. it is one of the greatest parks in New York and the most active in Buffalo. We talk all the time about the New buffalo, one that everyone can be proud to call home. Great cities need great amenities, and great citizenry should demand them. The park land to the South of the Scajaquada has been cut off from the rest of the park for decades. This can be corrected with a 30 mph speed limit and changing the roadway into a parkway with crosswalks and traffic calming measures. A parkway system that allows people to safely cross it as easy as we cross Elmwood Avenue will further enliven the neighborhoods along the entire Scajaquada. People talk about Buffalo State College and Medaille College needing this roadway; indeed they do. Don't end the None conversation at that point. As Buffalo State students if they'd like ready access to the 256 7/28/2015 (Member of the Mail Wegmans or to easily move from the Japanese Gardens to the Art museum. Ask medaille Community) students if they'd like to easily access Delaware Park just by crossing a city street. Connecting those neighborhoods opens up a whole new world for the community and the college alike. Think of what a change it would mean for the Black Rock Neighborhood, a neighborhood long cut off from the surrounding area. Look at what has occurred in other cities that have right- sized city highways. Property values around the road increase and quality of life improves for everyone. I'm a resident of Buffalo, and I want a better park. The argument that people will be inconvenienced two minutes is just never going to win when stacked up against a world-class park, safety, increased property values, and the connectivity of the colleges, neighborhoods and community at-large. It's what we deserve. I want to show my full support for a 30 mph scajaquada (198) and conversion into a parkway condition.

Dear Governor Cuomo, I am wirting to express concern about your recent decision with regard to the Scajaquada Expressway: new York State Route 198. As a resident of the Western New York area, I fear you don't understand the traffic and considerations that we see and deal with. This is an area so different from NY City, that it really is it's own state, culture, and place to be. Everything about this area is vastly different. That route travels near areas where it is still safe enough to leave doors unlocked. I imagine that is difficult for you to believe, but there are parts of NY still like that. None A safer proposal would be to create a barrier as you had suggested, to keep traffic apart from 257 6/2/2015 (Member of the E-mail the park area. A separate, guarded (guard rail) walking area would be much better, and likely Community) less expensive than trying to create a barrier and enforce a speed that low in such a high traffic area. Workers commuting from that area already have a difficult time, and I fear lowering the speed limit would make things *less* safe, rather than more. In fact, as seen with NYS route 33, it can actually be safer to INCREASE the speed limit, so long as you put other measures in place for foot traffic. Enforcement of this new limit will be difficult, and I am very afraid that your new order will create more chaos and accidents rather than less. Respectfully, Cheryl Lachowski

33 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Everyone in our area has been horrified by the recent accident involving a car leaving the road (on the 198 Expressway) and killing two children. The safety issue in that particular section o the 198 should have been addressed years ago. A simple barrier could have saved their lives. However, I was completely shocked that the secondary East/West route through Buffalo was dropped to 30 MPH from 50 MPH. I agree bringing down the speed limit to possibly 45 MPH and heavily enforcing may help. Currently, the primary East/West route (the 290) is under major construction due to the multiple crumbling bridges that needed to be addressed immediately. Many commuters have been forced to take alternative routes which consist of the 198 or side streets/surface roads. My husband has been taking these alternative streets. His commute time has gone from 30 minutes to almost 2 hours in the early evening. One main reason why we refused jobs out of state in the Boston, MA area is because of the insane commute times home. Now I have been hearing advocates are pushing for the 33 to have a reduced speed limit as well. I grew up north of Buffalo in Lewiston, and witnessed what similar None advocates did to the city of Niagara Falls. They fought and were successful for a speed limit 258 6/2/2015 (Member of the E-mail reduction on the primary route to Niagara Falls. They also took one side of the route and made Community) it into a bike path. The city has suffered as a result. It is embarrassing to drive along this route anymore. The pavement is poorly maintained (grass grows in between the cement) and the grass and landscaping alongside is also not well taken care of by the state. Many of the people who signed the petition and fought for this bike path/parkway did not live in the area, no longer live in NYS, or utilize the path. Tourists look at this portion or attempt the confusion o the roadways typically end up going to the Canadian side. We have been working hard to make Buffalo great again, attracting new businesses and jobs. The bus routing system makes it very hard to get around the city and surrounding suburbs. There is no commuter train available so we rely primarily on cars. We must address these transportation issues and not act rashly. Please do not cut off the city of Buffalo like the city of Niagara Falls after completing so many tourist and family friendly activates downtown. Please do not make one tragic accident affect a decision that should be made as a result of traffic studies. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sir, Thank You! While we cannot repair the damage done to that young family on Saturday, we are truly impressed with the immediate leadership you have shown to reduce the speeds on the expressway built through Buffalo's most popular park. We plead with you to stay engaged in this issue. The NYSDOT must make every effort to None address the damage done by generations past. The DOT is staffed with many competent 259 6/2/2015 (Member of the E-mail professional engineers. That said, it would take great professional risk for anyone in their Community) positions to propose dramatic change. That leadership must come from you and the WNY delegation. Our DOT engineers must be given the air cover they need if we are to expect them to do what's right. You've done so much for Buffalo and WNY. But I must ask that you please continue to make this a priority of your administration. With tremendous respect, Mike Sims Dear Governor Cuomo, Thank you for your prompt attention to the tragedy that occurred in None Buffalo yesterday. Lowering the speed limit to 30 mph on the 198 expressway will send the 260 6/2/2015 (Member of the E-mail correct message to all involved in the transformation of this roadway. Sincerely, Amy Beeman Community) None Governor, Thank you for acting so fast to reduce the speed limit on our 198 road where a 261 6/2/2015 (Member of the E-mail young life was taken Saturday. You are saving lives…Thank you for governing….Trey Community) Mr. Cuomo, I would like to thank you for reducing the speed limit on the Scajaquada Expressway. Its unfortunate that sometimes it take a tragedy to get things done, however you None made the right decision. I would like to ask you to push the DOT to either eliminating the 262 6/3/2015 (Member of the E-mail expressway all together or creating an urban parkway as opposed to the current Robert Moses Community) monstrosity that rips an otherwise beautiful park and city in half. Thank you.

Please support the elimination of the NY 198 Scajaquada Corridor, and return the land to the None Olmsted park. In addition to improving safety and quality of like, the return of the land to the 263 6/3/2015 (Member of the E-mail historic Olmsted park system will be another pillar in the Buffalo renaissance. See the following Community) for success stories. http://gizmodo.com/6-freeway-demolitions-that-changed-their-cities- forever-1548314937 To Commissioner McDonald: Last weekend's speed reduction o f the Scajaquada Expressway (NY Route 198) from 50 mph to 30 mph should have been a time of celebration. Unfortunately, the circumstances leading up to the young child's death and another's injury is a manifestation of a systematic failure behind the NYSDOT's decision-making. As you know, there have been preliminary studies dating at least a decade, which should have reduced and beautified the thoroughfare according to its course through Delaware Park. These plans have been chronically delayed and depreciated by the NYSDOT's own insistence that they could not reduce the speed limit any lower than 40 mph. This has conflicted with the city None of Buffalo's desire for a more pedestrian-friendly thoroughfare, and many successful examples 264 6/3/2015 (Member of the Mail of freeway remediation in other cities. It never should have taken for a mother to lose her child Community) from a negligent driver for Buffalo to gain the investment the city has been requesting for decades. The NYSDOT has been adamant through evasive rhetoric that the motorist's convenience comes first. Therefore, it needs to be understood whom and what we must seek solutions for: Are communities built for people or motor vehicles? Is there more value to the should of a human being, or the price of an automobile? Please be sure the NYSDOT keeps their priorities in the right place for all future transportation projects across New York State. Sincerely, Bradley J. Bethel, Jr.

34 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo - I am writing to you today regarding the recent changes on Route 198 in Buffalo. The tragedy that occurred is extremely sad and it is most sad that an appropriate guard rail or berm or other traditional highway, roadway or parkway safety mechanism had not been in place and should be. The tragedy that occurred this Sunday in Albany is also grave. Commerce came to a screeching halt as a stretch of highway connecting highways 190 and 33 dropped in speed not just within Delaware Park but the entire length from 50 mph to 30 mph. This is not an appropriate reaction to the car accident. The appropriate reaction was to have safety barriers None in place when the 198 was built and now the State has instead chosen to take unilateral 265 6/5/2015 (Member of the E-mail Executive action on a Sunday morning to create an enormous commerce bottleneck in the Community) heart of the City of Buffalo. The State DOT needs to move to develop a better parkway plan for the 198, this also needs to take into account the exxential nature of the highway for traffic going to and from downtown Buffalo. If you haven't been on the 190 this week than you haven't seen the enormous impact this social media frenzied decision has had on Western New York's highways. I urge you to instead instruct the NYSDOT to erect a permanent barrier to protect Delaware Park's pedestrians from the highway as should have been there along and return the speed limit of the 198 highway to 50 mph to alleviate the headaches this has caused for those who rely on roads connected to the 198 Dear Governor Cuomo, We are all saddened by the recent death of a 3-year old boy in Delaware Park that was caused when a car left NYS Route 198. Although not accident free, Route 198 has not been the scene of frequent, multiple fatal vehicle accidents. That contrasts with a deadly site where Route 33, the Kensington Expressway, meets Route 198. It was years after many people lost their lives at the juncture of Routes 33 and 198, the poorly considered on-ramp was finally closed. Fast forward to today. The Route 198/Delaware Park car accident was caused by a driver who stated he fell asleep at the wheel. The "Buffalo News" reported the driver has been diagnosed with epilepsy and a sleep disorder. Does this man have a license to drive legally? If so, that is a rule that may need to be changed, not the status of Route 198. Designation of Route 198 as an urban street - I am against a change in designation. Route 198 is part of a road system that connects Route 190 and the Skyway with Route 33. Changing the status will cause changes in driving patterns that will negatively impact the surrounding neighborhoods, and needlessly show transport. Once only has to drive to Rochester, NY to appreciate how low-key Buffalo's state connecting roadways are. I am 100% None opposed to closing ramps to enter and exit Route 198. 266 6/10/2015 (Member of the Mail Reuniting sections of Delaware Park - The argument to unite the park is not strong. Do we Community) really need to unite the Delaware Park golf course, tennis courts and meadow with park barns and Forest Lawn Cemetery? I think not. There is a stronger argument to change Route 33 where construction destroyed the Olmsted Humboldt Parkway and divided what had become a black neighborhood. At this time I do not think New York State has the extra money to proceed with either promoted project. State roads and bridges, and county and local road infrastructure are in need of many repairs - some which impact public safety. Resources should be applied to fix those. Speed limit on Route 198 - It seems to me that 50 mph was excessive. I support lowering the speed limit. However, 30 mph for the entire length does not seem reasonable. A speed limit of 35 mph from Parkside Ave to Elmwood Ave and 45 mph from Elmwood Ave to the juncture with Route 190 does seem reasonable. Although local media hype contributes to the impression of political grandstanding, it does appear there may be some use of the death of a child as a "political opportunity" to change a state roadway. I am sure you will hear from other constituents. One hopes you will weigh all sides and fairly proceed with reasonable changes.

Thank you again for lowering the speed limit on the ENTIRE LENGTH of Route 198 (the former Scajaquada Expressway). However, there is a problem with the signage indicating the new 30 mph speed going eastbound, after going through the stoplight at Parkside. There are None numerous signs from the ramp coming from the 190 going eastbound, but there are NO 30 267 6/17/2015 (Member of the E-mail mph signs from the light at Parkside to the joins with the 33. Most drivers seem to be adhering Community) to the 30 mph speed limit going through Delaware Park, but once they're past the light, they speed up to 50+ mph! Please don't wait for another tragedy. Please replace the 30 mph stoplights on the ENTIRE LENGTH of Route 198. Thank you.

35 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Dear Commissioner McDonald: I am writing in regard to the new 30 miles-per-hour speed limit established for a portion of the Scajaquada Expressway (NY198) in the City of Buffalo in response to the recent accident on the 198 along Delaware Park's Ring Road that cost 3-year- old Maksym Sugorovskiy his life and seriously injured his 5-year-old sister. While our entire Western New York community mourns the loss of this young child and prays for a full and speedy recovery for Stephanie, I agree with many of the area residents I've heard from that establishing a 30 mph speed limit on the Scajaquada was an impulsive reaction to a tragic event and was not properly thought out. Some observers contend that the rush to lower the speed limit is simply an attempt to deflect blame away from the failure of the state and city to erect guide rails or other barriers that should have been installed long ago to separate this busy highway from park users. Others caution that some officials and advocates may seek to take advantage of a tragedy to impose a controversial plan to downgrade this essential connection between the Kensington Expressway (NY33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) from a federally-classified Urban Principal Arterial Expressway on the national Highway Network to a low-speed, at-grade city street with signaled intersections and/or roundabouts, pedestrian The Assembly crossings and increased bicycle access in this key transportation corridor. 268 6/10/2015 State of New York - Mail A number of my constituents - residents of the Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel and North Albany Buffalo neighborhoods in the City of Buffalo as well as residents of Kenmore and the Tonawanda's - who utilize the 198 to commute to and from work or school or to get to the airport, shopping centers, downtown events and other destinations in the city and region have contacted me in the aftermath of the accident. They are cognizant of the need to address legitimate safety issues on this highway that was designated and constructed in the 1950's but they are understandably concerned over the potential for even more traffic tie-ups and accidents that have long plagued the 198, particularly during the morning and afternoon peak hours, as a result of the newly lowered speed limit. As many as 65,000 vehicles use the Scajaquada daily. More frequent traffic delays and longer commuting times will no doubt result in many motorists opting for alternative routes, putting more automobile and truck traffic on local streets like W. Delevan Avenue, Forest Avenue, Amherst Street, Hertel Avenue, Grant Street, Elmwood Avenue, Delaware Avenue and Parkside Avenue, which are limited to capacity and already heavily traveled. Installing guide rails and concrete barriers along the Scajaquada in Delaware Park certainly is the most sensible reaction to this tragedy, and is long overdue. Why this simple step wasn't takenDear Governorbefore is bothCuomo, inexplicable Thanks forand directing inexcusable. the DOT Perhaps to make the changes speed limit to the should Delaware be lowered Park Area in Buffalo. The 198 has been an eyesore in the Delaware Park region for years, and the amount of smog created by the constant startup and slowdown of vehicles from the Scajaquada Creek wo Main Street has been dangerous to pedestrians and bike riders, as well as a constant smog and noise related problem to those trying to enjoy recreation in the park, as well as to the animals in the nearby Zoo. None Slowing traffic down to a moderate level up until the 198 to 33 split will also ensure that 269 6/12/2015 (Member of the E-mail motorists who are getting on the ramps around that area will be able to do so moderately with Community) less risk, and drivers getting off at Delaware and Nottingham will be able to do so with less risk to pedestrians trying to cross the Delaware and Nottingham crosswalks. Also, safety and security cameras monitoring that area would help, not only to the public who may want to view how beautiful our city is from afar, but also to those in law enforcement who may be able to help protect the public from being victim to aggressive motorists and other criminal activates. Dear Governor Cuomo, The city of Buffalo's Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board is writing to you expressing our continued support for the ongoing efforts that the state has recently undertaken under your direction to improve the safety and quality of life for the residents of the City of Buffalo through your swift action right-sizing the Scajaquada Expressway after the tragic crash that occurred on May 30th in Delaware Park leading to the serious injury of a young girl and death of her brother. In 2005, the City of Buffalo and New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) conducted a study known as the Expanded Project Proposal (EPP) to analyze the feasibility of downgrading the Scajaquada Expressway between Parkside Avenue and Grant Street. The purpose of this study was to find a way to redesign the roadway so as to alleviate the negative impacts it has had on the community. With significant public input, the EPP established a preferred design alternative that reduced the vehicular speed to 30 mph, improved the aesthetic of the roadway, and incorporated multi-modal facilities into its design alternative would greatly improve safety, connectivity and both access and overall quality of life for residents and park visitors, while having little to no impact on vehicular travel times through this 270 Bicycle-Pedestrian 6/8/2015 Mail short stretch of roadway. PART ONE Advisory Board Based upon the EPP, NYSDOT began conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment for this project. However, NYSDOT expanded the EPP's Purpose and needs statement to include such requirements as ensuring the Scajaquada Expressway would continue to be used as a "feasible and prudent urban arterial" and that the project would "not significantly erode the existing level of service" for motor vehicles. Due to these changes, NYSDOT deemed the EPP's preferred alternative as being infeasible. They instead chose a preferred alternative that focuses on improving traffic flow for vehicles to alleviate congestion during peak travel times and largely ignored the community's vision. This board has provided consistent feedback to NYSDOT as far back as October 26, 2012 recommending that the community's goals established through the 2005 EPP to provide a significant reduction in traffic speed to improve safety and adhere to the city and state's "Complete Streets" policy be followed. Since this time, a coalition of community stakeholders, institutions and individuals lead by Assembly Member Sean Ryan have developed significant public engagement and input. This has included two public meetings that had over 300 people in attendance.

36 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received The first meeting held at the Olmsted School provided the community with the history of the project, background information on the existing process, NYSDOT's current plans and asked for the community's input. Based on this input, fourteen principles were developed that outlined a set of community goals for the project, which included: 1. All proven traffic calming techniques should be applied to the project area to establish a 30 mph design speed and create a safe and more accessible urban boulevard. 2. Additional opportunities for public access crossing the Scajaquada via bicycle and pedestrian are needed. 3. Adequate crosswalks with the appropriate safe crossing treatments. 4. The Parkside and Scajaquada intersection should be greatly improved to provide a safer pedestrian crossing for the neighborhood and student from medaille College that use it, current alternatives do not adequately address this issue. 5. Roadway design and landscape restoration would be employed to minimize the intrusion of vehicle travel through the historic landscape of Delaware park to be greatest extent possible. 6. The Main Street intersection at the Scajaquada needs to be improved for pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles. Improved access to and exit from the Route 198 corridor at Main Street is a critical part of improvements within the entire corridor. Bicycle- 270 All pedestrian crossings do not meet the state standard for safety. 7. Create a complete street 6/8/2015 Pedestrian Mail PART TWO that accommodates all roadway users; this includes vehicles, commuting bicyclists, Advisory Board recreational bicyclists, recreational joggers and walkers. 8. On-street bike lanes and pedestrian walkways are desired connecting to the citywide network. 9. Gateways should be established within each end of the corridor honoring the historical significance of this area by crating a welcoming and inspiring user experience. 10. Storm water runoff should be treated naturally throughout the entire Scajaquada corridor. 11. Improved ingress/egress from Delaware Park and other facilities is necessary. 12. Establish a long-term maintenance plan with all stakeholders and agencies. 13. Coordination with NFTA to leverage additional investment as a way to encourage alternative modes of transportation and integrate the corridor into the existing metro system. 14. Identify opportunities for additional street connections. The community goals continue to be circulated through a petition that had received well over 1,100 signatures in support prior to the recent tragedy. In addition, they were shared with the "bricks and mortar" institutions adjacent to the corridor to develop consensus. As a result, the adjacent institutions all signed on to a letter based upon the community goas and these were also shared with NYSDOT back on March 10th 2014. Through this effort, NYSDOT partnered with Assembly Member Sean Ryan to hold another community meeting at Buffalo State. During the standing-room-only session, the community not only wanted a calmer street but also articulated a vision beyond what was originally discussed - complete removal of the expressway and restoration of Delaware Park. The outcome of this meeting with NYSDOT was their willingness to go back and study the opportunity to either right-size the expressway to a 30 mph corridor or completely remove it. The community has been patiently waiting for the outcome of this promise since April of 2014. There are a number of examples of urban freeway removals in North America, including Seattle, San Francisco, Chattanooga, Milwaukee and new York City. There are no two that are exactly alike but teach offer important lessons supporting our community's aspirations of rte. Scajaquada Expressway. - Reduction of roadway capacity reduces the number of auto trips. To the extent that vehicle lie traveled (VMT) can be reduced, a number of additional social and environmental benefits are derived: decreased energy usage and carbon emissions; improved air quality and public health; increased safety for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists; a reduction in fumes and noise pollution; and more cost effective use of existing transit capacity. - Bicycle- 270 Spillover traffic can be absorbed. Experience suggests that the ceiling of traffic volumes that 6/8/2015 Pedestrian Mail PART THREE can be reasonably accommodated through alternate routes on all modes, with the appropriate Advisory Board demand management and land use strategies may be higher then previously believed. Gridded street patterns, such as is present in Buffalo, are especially effective at accommodating whatever traffic remains once capacity has been reduced. Studies have shown that the addition of capacity can actually increase congestion by funneling traffic into a single direct route, rather than distributing it over a complete network. - Expressway removal does not require a major shift to transit. Removal of an urban expressway will in and of itself change travel patterns significantly. Traffic will find alternate routes and travelers will choose the most convenient mode for their trips or travel at different times or to different locations. - Expressway removal has a catalytic effect. Excess right-of-way can often be redeveloped or converted into civic amenities such as open space. Even where this is not the case, however, the impacts of the expressway removal tend to be fleet over a broad area. Surrounding property values increase, neighborhoods become more attractive to investors and visitors, and crime can be reduced through increased foot traffic and the elimination of shadowy sighing locations.

37 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Even if crime is not statistically reduced, perceptions of safety often change. None of the cities studied noted any long-term negative economic impact, even to areas that had been directly served by the expressway. - Design is key. It is not enough to merely replace a grade- separated roadway with an at-grade street. A "complete street" design that seeks to accommodate all users and implements best practice traffic calming techniques is essential design decisions should be guided by concerns about equity and efficient, sustainable use of transportation supply. - Reductions of roadway capacity must be managed, mitigated and monitored over time. Expressway removal should only be undertaken after careful consideration of trade-offs. Even under the most favorable circumstances, expressway removal is not a panacea for urban ills. Inevitably it will require sacrifices for some. By displacing traffic onto at-grade roadways, it may prove challenging to pedestrians; to the extent that it reduces auto mobility, it may promote some types of businesses over others. In any case, a civic conversation about competing values must take place. Reduced auto mobility for some trips may be acceptable if other values, such as quality of life and economic development are prioritized; which has been the case for the Scajaquada Expressway. - Expressway Bicycle- 270 removal should be part of a larger strategy. Removals are most effective when they are one 6/8/2015 Pedestrian Mail PART FOUR element of a comprehensive, clearly articulated civic vision for enhanced quality of life, Advisory Board sustainability and economic development that leverages the opportunities made available by removal. For all of its potential benefits, expressway removal should not be seen as an end in itself but a means to advance greater goas and objectives. Long-term policy change within NYSDOT should follow suit eliminating vehicular level-of-service (LOS) as the single design criteria for our roadways and be replace with a multi-modal, economic development and quality of life framework. Moving forward, we ask that you take the following actions: - Change the Functional Classification of the 198 from an Urban Principal Arterial Expressway to an Urban Minor Arterial; - Implement short-term traffic calming measures to support the 30 mph speed limit; - Develop long-term plan to address community's concerns identified through eh 14 principles; - City of Buffalo needs to simultaneously implement recommendations identified in the Parkside Avenue Traffic Study; - Lead the nation in eliminating vehicular level of service as NYSDOT's key indicator for street design. Thank you for your continued leadership on this issue. Sincerely, Justin Booth

Dear Governor Cuomo, Your lowering of the speed limit on Highway 198 in the wake of the recent tragedy has negatively impacted my daily commute and watching people who refuse to drive at 30 mph tilting with people who are taking it upon themselves to be speed limit vigilantes by pulling in front of people and slowing down even though they don't need to be in those lanes has become terrifying. Temporary safety barriers are up, permanent ones are presumably on the way, surely it's time to return the speed limit to something more in line with the Scajaquada function as an expressway. Further, I would like to ask for your support in None keeping the highway as an expressway rather than letting it become a parkway. To turn it into 271 7/3/2015 (Member of the E-mail a parkway or a city street is to end neighborhood access to the highway and expressway Community) systems for all the people of the North Buffalo, West Hertel and Blackrock neighborhoods of Buffalo. yes a parkway would be pretty and nice but we require our access to get to and from work in a timely manner. There are no alternatives for us. If a parkway is necessary than turn a street that is already a street into one, leave us our expressway. Please help..and please don't write back with platitudes about how little it will effect our commutes. We drive this territory every day and know what trouble this will cause us. We already spend enough hours per day making a living, don't lengthen that. Thank you. Bob Sacco

Dear Governor Cuomo, You wisely lowered the speed limit to 30 mph on the ENTIRE LENGTH of NYS Route 198 following the death of a young boy in Delaware Park several weeks ago. However, I was horrified to hear a radio new report indicating that Senator Mark Panepinto has recommended raising the speed limit on a portion of that route. (R: WBFO news story: "Panepinto says if DOT wants the speed limit between Grand and the Thruway Niagara section raised to 40-miles an hour, he could go along with that as well as raising the speed on the short section between Agassiz and the Kensington.") None I strongly urge you to keep the speed limit at 30 mph for the ENTIRE LENGHT of NYS Route 272 7/2/2015 (Member of the E-mail 198. Senator Panepinto's proposed speed increase makes no sense since the neighborhood Community) between Agassiz Circle and the Kensington Expressway is residential. parts of this area are at grade with the expressway making out of control or speeding vehicles just as dangerous. The lives and well being of residents who live adjacent to NYS Route 198 are as important as the lives of the people who use the park. The entire length of the Scajaquada is just 3.592 miles so the time difference for motorists is negligible, but the 30 mph speed limit is so much safer and less noisy for area residents and visitors. Please, please keep our neighborhood safe by keeping the speed limit at 30 mph. Thank you. Dear Governor Cuomo, Please direct the DOT to ignore Mayor Byron Brown's recommendation to increase the speed limit on the Scajaquada corridor that you recently downgraded to 30 mph None by executive order. As a resident of the area I support the 30 mph speed limit and support a 273 7/3/2015 (Member of the E-mail plan to return the land to an Olmsted like parkway (see Marc Panepinto's proposal). Thank our Community) for your vigilance in protecting the children and people who live and play in the area Delaware Park area. I support the 30 mph speed limit for the Scajaquada Expresssway. Please begin planned None efforts to continue the calming of the expressway, includding reduction of lane widths and 274 7/29/2015 (Member of the E-mail installation of the three crosswalks. Your compassion for the people who llive here in the City Community) will make our lives better and help fuel the renaissance. None I support the 30 mph speed limit for the Scajaquada Expressway. Please being planned efforts 275 7/29/2015 (Member of the E-mail to continue the calming of the expressway, including reduction of lane widths and installation of Community) the three crosswalks. None I support the 30 mph speed limit for the Scajaquada Expressway. Please begin planned efforts 276 7/29/2015 (Member of the E-mail to continue the claming of the expressway, including reduction of lane widths and installation of Community) the three crosswalks.

38 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received None I support the 30 mph speed limit for the Scajaquada Expressway. Please begin planned efforts 277 7/29/2015 (Member of the E-mail to continue the claming of the expressway, including reduction of lane widths and installation of Community) the three crosswalks. I am very much in favor of the new 30 mph speed limit on route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) None in Buffalo, and I hope to see a complete redesign to make it into a real parkway. It runs 278 7/29/2015 (Member of the E-mail through Delaware Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, and the road should be made Community) suitable for a park once again. I live 5 blocks from the entry to the road and use it very often. I'll be happy to add a few minutes to those journeys. None I support the 30 mph speed limit for the Scajaquada Expressway. Please begin planned efforts 279 7/29/2015 (Member of the E-mail to continue the claming of the expressway, including reduction of lane widths and installation of Community) the three crosswalks. None I support the 30 mph speed limit for the Scajaquada Expressway. Please begin planned efforts 280 7/29/2015 (Member of the E-mail to continue the claming of the expressway, including reduction of lane widths and installation of Community) the three crosswalks. On August 28, 2015 on the way home from the Buffalo Zoo with my two kids I was almost in a 3 vehicle accident because someone blew through on of the new stop signs on the 198 and the car behind me was tailgating. I was going 30 mph and the person ran the stop sign right into my lane because there is no longer a merge lane. The person behind me was majorly tailgating so they almost hit me when I had to stop fast for the car that pulled out in front of me. How is this safer? The knee jerk reaction to one horrible accident that had NOTHING to do with speed is going to cause how many more accidents that would never have happened if the speed had been left alone outside of the park. The issue was no barriers between a major None roadway and the park not speed. The issue was someone driving a car with a medical 281 9/2/2015 (Member of the E-mail condition who never should have been behind the wheel. Governor Cuomo's original letter Community) stated the speed should be lowered through the park only. NOT THE WHOLE 198! it makes no sense to have a limited access expressway be 30 mph. It is causing more road rage and more problems than before. I'm all for lowering it through the park but I do not understand lowering it on all of it . I contacted the mayor's office and was told to contact you with my concerns. Thank you for listening. I apologize for being somewhat worked up about this. It was quite scary almost being in a major accident with my two young children that never would have occurred a few months ago. We go to the zoo quite often and I have never had any problems before the change.

*Removing the Elmwood - Parkside stretch is impractical. * Fising the Delaware Ave Exit (WB) farce is important. - Traffic back ups on the expy! *Assuming 5 mph is a typical over-speed (you None Written have the data), a 35 mph limit, posted, would be practical. * Removing the Grant Street / Buff 282 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment State entrance (on ramp) would not be good. *I do not understand the case for more ped. Community) Sheet crossings btwn. Elmwood & Delaware - maybe I mis-read - the Lincoln "ramp" works very well.

Discussion of what to do about the Scajaquada has been going on for 10 years. Other than dropping the speed, adding stop signs and some guide/guardrails, little has taken place. It is None Written time to take it all away and replace with the park, Agazssiz Circle, bike paths, pedestrian 283 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment pathways. I further suggest that NFTA add more busses #32 and #23 runs, and think Community) Sheet creatively to deal with the benighted souls who commute and will miss their 3 minute of 60 mph. The same should happen to the abomination that took over Humboldt.

There is a more significant precedent than what works best for the motorist, yet is repeatedly ignored in your studies. The long-term value of Delaware Park. The drivers advocating for an None Written expressway are completely oblivious to the negative impact that Scajaquada Expressway has 284 9/16/2015 (Member of the Comment on both Delaware Park and its surrounding neighborhoods, even beyond las sprint's tragedy. Community) Sheet There is little doubt that the many drivers whom don't even reside in the city would never tolerate a similar burden in their own neighborhoods. The idea to make Rte 198 into a boulevard is a BAD IDEA from the viewpoint of commuters. None Certain improvements should be made -- as proposed by NYSDOT in 2013. Has anyone 285 9/16/2015 (Member of the E-mail actually asked or surveyed commuter groups to see what they think of the "boulevard" idea? Community) Commuters are "stakeholders" too! None My suggestion is alternative 2. I travel on the road at least twice daily. 286 9/16/2015 (Member of the E-mail Community) I really don't think this is a good idea. Neither is the 30 my speed limit. Most people I've spoke with are in agreement with this. We agree it's fine to slow the speed limit down around the park, but that's it! The 198 was put there to bypass all the 30 my zones of the city. May as well just rip it out now because it's purpose is not being served, and now you want to add a None crosswalk!?!? It's crazy talk. People are trying to get to and from work w this route. It's bad 287 9/16/2015 (Member of the E-mail enough everyday, with the human population growing at a rate that's out of control. My boss Community) will not just say, "oh it's ok your 18, I know u travel the 198 everyday" !!! Come on!!! Get a clue people! Crosswalks!? There already exist ways to get across safely!!! I'm disturbed by this whole mess. I'm not in agreement and neither are my coworkers.

Despite the gross knee jerk reaction, including the unreasonably slow 30 mph speed limit, I'm sure most people are happy to finally see some attention to a project that was long overdue for None some sort of action. My thoughts on the project are: *Turn the section from Elmwood, or even 288 9/17/2015 (Member of the E-mail Grant St, into a parkway, with all the requisite signals, crosswalks, landscaping, and etc. * Community) Increase the speed limit to 40MPH, at least in the section from the 190 to Elmwood. * Make sure the resulting shift in traffic from the 198 to other streets does not adversely impact other areas around the 198. I live in North Buffalo, not far from the 198 (for over 20 years). I reviewed all the alternatives None and my first choice is #5 - remove the 198 from Parkside to Elmwood. I realize however that 289 9/17/2015 (Member of the E-mail this option will unlikely be approved. My next choice is #4 - make the 198 a two lane street, Community) with roundabouts, posted at 30 mph. Thank you.

39 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received PLEASE PLEASE install a guardrail on the Agggaziz/Meadow side. At the light at Parkside None there is a spot that is only 6 ft wide separating 198 from our neighborhood. We are Olmsted 290 9/17/2015 (Member of the E-mail too! Community) Has there been any analysis done of the comparative use of the area. Count the number of None cars and passengers versus the number of pedestrians. How about banning pedestrians from 291 9/17/2015 (Member of the E-mail the area, as though it was a thruway type highway? Seems it would be a lot cheaper, and Community) easier to implement. I support Alternative #1, null action. Make strong barriers by the park, but return to the former speed limit and traffic patterns of the 198. This outrageous response to an incident not caused None by speed or purposely reckless driving is uncalled for. Trying to maintain a 30 mph speed 292 9/17/2015 (Member of the E-mail while driving the majority of the expressway, with it's very tall stone walls and nothing to look at, Community) is a mental challenge even to an experienced driver who knows the history, and creates an unnatural experience for anyone driving this road for the first time. Please, choose Alternative 1 for the Scajaquada Corridor. Thank you. Regarding the Scajaquada Expressway: After a fatal accident, the speed limit has been reduced to 30 mph. While the accident was tragic, it was not caused by speed, but rather an individual who fell asleep while driving. Proper barriers along the border of Delaware Park None could have protected pedestrians in the park from such a freak accident. The expressway is 293 9/17/2015 (Member of the E-mail engineered for 50 mph traffic, and the 20 mph limit is unreasonable for a roadway which has no Community) pedestrian access or intersections, particularly in the length of the expressway West of Delaware Park. Extensive redesign is unnecessary, and restoring the speed limit to at least 40 or 45 mph is more than prudent. Alternative #1 is by far and away the best option for what this area needs and wants. None Maintaining an expressway here ensures adequate roadways to handle the volume of traffic 294 9/17/2015 (Member of the E-mail necessary in that area. Suitable guardrails is all the improvements that are needed despite Community) what a couple of vocal politically connected residents would have you believe As a frequent runner, walker, and biker in the Scajaquada Corridor, I would like to express that my preferred alternative is the complete removal of the roadway from Parkside to the 190. A highway should never have been built through Buffalo's grandest park and we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to correct that mistake. Highway removals around the US and the world None have been incredibly successful, have enlivened moribund city districts, and have generated 295 9/18/2015 (Member of the E-mail billions in new urban development. It is time to heal the City of Buffalo and Delaware Park by Community) removing this open wound. My second option would be for the road to resemble an ordinary city street with a 30 mph speed limit, one lane in each direction, sidewalks, bike lanes, at grad pedestrian crossings, landscaping, etc. It is time to remove the highway!

The 198 cannot exist as a modified expressway. There are far too many poor lines of sight on this roadway and far too many "add on" entrances and exits. Either: Eliminate the access None points to the I-190 on the west and the 33 on the east and simply return the Scajaquada to a 296 9/18/2015 (Member of the E-mail parkway or..correct the lines of sight, eliminate the access points at Delaware ave (east and Community) west) and grant street (west) and return the 198 to an expressway with the main purpose being as a connector between the 33 and the I-190. Until 2014, I was a lifelong Buffalo resident, and am very familiar with traveling along Rt. 198, as well as the various challenges drivers face on this expressway daily. This past Labor Day weekend, I drove to Buffalo to visit family, and decided to drive down Rt. 198, as I had read about the many changes made to the road in light of the fatal accident that had occurred in the Delaware Park stretch. In my opinion, I don't feel that a speed limit of 30 mph along the urbanized portion of Rt. 198 is appropriate at this point. While any widely publicized loss of life on an expressway will almost always spur changes, applying the blanket speed limit across the entire stretch was not necessary. In fact, most of the drivers I encountered on my drive on the westbound stretch None were going well over 30mph, especially from Rt.33 to Parkside, and from Grant St. to I-190. 297 9/19/2015 (Member of the E-mail There simply will never be a way to enforce tis, and it is pointless to do so. Community) I do agree that changes needed to be made to Rt. 198, and have been needed for quite a while - but moderation would be the best policy here. Removing this road is not the answer, nor is leaving it as an expressway. Compromise needs to be achieved by softening the look and feel of the road. Implementing the planned guardrail and pedestrian crossing changes, re-aligning the on - and off-ramps to match the futures state of the road, and providing a more realistic speed limit transition at either end would be ideal. I applaud the DOT for putting their best effort forward for Rt. 198, considering the high amount of political and community involvement that has poured in this past summer, and will for years to come. I do hope the best decision is made that will bring this outdated roadway into the 21st Century. Unfortunately, I could not attend the recent meeting about the Scajaquada. However, as someone who visits that area frequently, and will in fact be riding with 1,000 other bicyclists None around and over it tonight on the Slow Roll Buffalo, I strongly encourage you to make it a 298 9/21/2015 (Member of the E-mail priority to either 1) turn the 198 into a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly boulevard, or 2) remove Community) the 198 from Delaware Park completely, restoring as much as possible the original Olmsted design. Thank you for your consideration, and please invite me to future meetings.

As a City of Buffalo resident I'm quite concerned that the Re 198 is not going to be redone as a None boulevard at 30mph as it should be. I strongly urge you and your team to correct this travesty 299 9/21/2015 (Member of the E-mail and make sure it's 30 mph and tree lined. We do not want a thruway through a park. Community)

40 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received My name is Matthew Digati and I am an incredibly proud Buffalover. I grew up on Manchester Place, which is just a few blocks fourth of here and only a 10 minute walk to Hoyt Lake. A large part of my youth was spent at Hoyt Lake, skipping rocks with my parents and swinging at the playground. My teenage years were spend meeting my friend sat the lake to play frisbee or soccer in the meadow, and now, as an adult, it has become my running path. I say Hoyt Lake, and not Delaware Park, because ever since I was a child on those swings it has seemed as though the Zoo and Ring Road have been another world away. Walking to the north side of the park meant having to cross a major intersection with speeding vehicles no matter which truth I took. It was as if one half of Delaware Park was for North Buffalo, and the other half for the rest of the city, but never one park for all of us. The Scajaquada is completely to blame for this. It's no secret that the 198 was an absolutely terrible idea. It' s as if the planning committee sat down and tried to come up with a way to completely ruin Buffalo's best, largest, and most picturesque park. Cars do not belong in Delaware Park; people do. The opinions on the is subject of those that line in Kenmore or None Amherst, or Tonawanda, are not based on what life is like in the city or around the park, but 300 9/21/2015 (Member of the E-mail rather how many factions of a minute can e saved on their commute to their jobs downtown. Community) They claim that the 198 was originally built as an expressway with the job of moving traffic from one side of the city to the other, so it should stay that way. My response is that Fredrick Law Olmsted originally built Delaware Park for the residents of the City of Buffalo to enjoy; not as a convenient short cut for those that choose to live in the suburbs. IN regards to the plans that have been pur forth this far I have this to say; a reduction in the speed limit to 30 mph and 40 mph is not enough. The removal of 2 lanes is not enough. Traffic calming measures are not enough. The only plan that can be implemented to ensure the vision of Olmsted for our city is met is the full removal of the Scajaquada from Niagara Street to the Kensington Expressway; and as a life long Buffaloing and frequent enjoyer of Delaware Park, I demand the full removal and nothing less. This is not a farfetched idea and should not be met with bureaucratic resistance. This can, and should be, a major step in continuing the incredible resurgence and renaissance that is happening in our city.

Remove the Scajaquada within Delaware Park. A highway has no business cutting the park in half. Suburbanites will find other routes. I should be able to walk from Parkside to Hoyt lake None without having to use the pedestrian bridge (some of the highest rates of crime per square inch 301 9/21/2015 (Member of the E-mail within the city of buffalo). The highway is a blight on our community. We don't want it. We Community) don't need it. It's unsafe, and should have never been built.

None A park is no place for a major road of any sorts. I believe that complete removal of the 198 302 9/21/2015 (Member of the E-mail from Parkside to Elmwood is the answer. If the entire roadway. The NYSDOT is not listening Community) to the public on this project. It's a shame and a waste of taxpayers money. 198 ought to be removed completely. There is more at stake than the efficiency of an expressway. Its about quality of life for resident of Buffalo. Barring a complete removal, this None needs to be turned into a 30mph or less parkway, with crosswalks, traffic lights, and a median. 303 9/21/2015 (Member of the E-mail There are loads of alternate routes, and the 198 only serves the purpose of connecting two Community) other highly accessible expressways that ultimately go to the same places.

My company, Complete Streets NY, supplies surfacing materials that are a perfect fit for this and many other projects. They have unique qualities that separate them from others. We are Complete Streets, 304 9/21/2015 E-mail already approved and have worked with NYC DOT on crosswalk projects in Staten Island, NY. NY Would you please provide a contact person for this project to move forward? Thank you.

I have been following the progress of the Scajaquada Corridor project for several years now, and I would like to again voice my support for a 30 mph option that sees the roadway outfitted with traffic calming measures and more pedestrian/bike/neighborhood connection befitting a city street in a park setting (as opposed to an expressway). Such a plan was already studied in 2005, and it discourages me greatly to see your office once again starting from scratch and possibly not taking action for another 5-10 months of 30 mph None driving habits and data to study? 305 9/21/2015 (Member of the E-mail It is a step in the right direction that the 30 mph speed limit has already been implemented, but Community) many drivers disregard it as the route is still designed as an expressway instead of a parkway or urban boulevard. To raise the limit back to 40 or even 50 would undo what little progress has been made, and encourage the most bold drivers to once again go 60+ through Delaware Park. I am glad that your office is engaging the public in this matter - I just hope the last 10+ years of meetings and study are taken into account. Why the NYSDOT refuse to believe that they work for us. The DOT has for over 50 years or None longer has refused to listen to the public. It takes forever to even get a meeting scheduled 306 9/21/2015 (Member of the E-mail never mind a positive change for the community. You have been looking to the Scajaquada Community) Corridor for over 15 years with no results. In the real world you all would have been fired long ago. Your lucky you work for an agency that has no expectations. Please take further consideration of the permanent downgrading of the 198 expressway into a None two lane boulevard with opportunities for pedestrian crossings. All my life I have never 307 9/23/2015 (Member of the E-mail explored the northern section of Delaware Park because of the single bridge crossing. This Community) highway is an embarrassment to the city of Buffalo, but its removal or downgrade is a relatively easy opportunity to improve quality of life for its residents. None In regards to the 198 or Scajaquada Corridor, please remove the entire road from Main Street 308 9/21/2015 (Member of the E-mail to Grant Street as soon as possible. Community) Please do not allow any more children to be killed by cars in our parks anymore. None I'm just writing to show my full support for the full removal of the Scajaquada expressway to the 309 9/21/2015 (Member of the E-mail greatest extent possible. If not possible, then no more than 30 mph and two lanes in either Community) direction. Thanks.

41 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Enough is enough. Enough with the studies. Enough with the delays. Enough with not listening to the community. I support a full removal of the highway running through the city of None Buffalo's premier park. Study after study has already been done. There will be no 310 9/21/2015 (Member of the E-mail carmageddon (http://www.crcog.org/publications/TransportationDocs/Viaduct/CS- Community) UConnGradResearch.pdf). Give us back our city and show that the NYS DOT can be a positive progressive force of change moving forward. None Please turn the Scajaquada Expressway into a city boulevard, embracing the city's incredible 311 9/21/2015 (Member of the E-mail landscape and making it a much safer roadway. Community) None I am for a complete conversion of Rt. 198 to calm Parkway or the total elimination of this 312 9/21/2015 (Member of the E-mail dangerous road. I have witnessed many accidents, I have bene hit 2 times at Parkside in my Community) car. People who say make it 50 again have no idea how dangerous this road is. I am fine with the speed limit change to 30 miles per hour, from Parkside Avenue, west to None Elmwood avenue only. All other areas speed should be increased to a minimum of 45 mph, 313 9/21/2015 (Member of the E-mail especially east of Parkside towards route 33. The current speed is going to cause a major Community) accident as most drivers go well above the current speed and you have a very few who try to police it down to the 30 mph limit..you are asking for trouble. Re: Scajaquada Expwy. PLEASE heed the voice of the public. Please. Buffalo knows what it None wants? And it's not cars speeding through our most beautiful park. Was a child's death not 314 9/22/2015 (Member of the E-mail enough to change your mind? I call on you to immediately install all of the community Community) supported short-term measures in the 2005 EPP that was previously shared. After reviewing your evidence from last Wednesday's meeting it seems option 2b (boulevard/Signals/30mph/Reduced Lane Widths) seem to make the most sense. This has seemed to be the consensus for the past 10 years. At the meeting it was mentioned that the 2005 study was started in 2005. Why did that study take one year to start the publish and since has taken 10 years to reach the same conclusion? How many projects is this current team work on on at a time? In regards to project bring broken into several years. This seems None like a terrible idea as if the funding is reallocated or removed after a period of time we will 315 9/22/2015 (Member of the E-mail continue to have partially finished project. This project is important to the City of Buffalo as it Community) is currently the highway through our heart and our park. I appreciate that time is being taken to make an appropriate decision but the community as a whole and your study seems to agree on one direction (Reduced speed, higher integration with the park (crosswalks, park appropriate guard rails, connecting existing bike paths and sidewalks, gardened meridian between the lanes and on the side of the lanes blocking out the view of traffic.) without the removal of a roadway that allows traffic to flow efficiently. Please keep this momentum going.

None I am in favor of keeping the speed limit slow as the Scajaquada passes through the park. In my 316 9/22/2015 (Member of the E-mail opinion, the speed limit should raise to 50 mph, or at least 40, once past the park. Community) Restore Olmsted's parkway or UPGRADE/right-sized the Scajaquada. Make I t a parkway None please, safe for the people FROM the City of Buffalo to enjoy. Make it east and safe for us to 317 9/22/2015 (Member of the E-mail enjoy the WHOLE park (Delaware). Bike lanes, pedestrian lanes, more greenery Community) etc....THANKS! I have driven the Scajaquada for 40 years and what happened to the child is a true tragedy, BUT the 30 mph speed limit is just a crime in itself. You have 3 college using that access. My suggestion is from Parkside to Elmwood two lanes going 40. From Elmwood to the 190 two None lanes going 45. You have to raise the speed limit PLEASE!! We all drive down roads that are 318 9/23/2015 (Member of the E-mail 40 and 45 and are able to stop. You cannot make it a parkway and if you do then 45 the whole Community) way -- did you ever drive down Beaver Island Pkwy or Niagara Falls Blvd, Sheridan they are all 45 with stop lights. Yikes tell the Governor to quit making knee jerk reactions on a road he does not drive! Please don't miss this opportunity to help the city of Buffalo recover from past mistakes. This stretch of road, that cruelly runs through one of the best parks in the city, if not much of the country, needs to be either removed completely or converted to two-lane road with stop-lights, cross-walks, and other pedestrian-friendly road-calming measures. I own a small business in None Buffalo, I just bought a house in the city, and I hope to one day raise children here; please 319 9/23/2015 (Member of the E-mail make it so I can feel safe bringing them to our best park, so that we can enjoy this public Community) amenity without fear of experiencing a tragedy like the one that occurred this summer. The opportunity to do something great is in your hands. The city is not only open to it, but craves it beyond measure. Help us make this happen; help us make Buffalo a safer, better city for all its residents, not just its commuters.

To whom it may concern: I am writing to express my concerns over expressway 198. For 10 years, I lived on Delaware Avenue in Buffalo New York. I traveled the 198 every day to go to and from work. At this time, I continue to travel the 198 to attend art and cultural events in the city. Since the tragedy that occurred, most people do not travel 30 mph. It has been very None difficult traveling from route 33 to the I90. 320 9/23/2015 (Member of the E-mail I agree we need to decrease the speed limit from the 33 around Delaware Park to Delaware Community) Avenue. However, I believe the speed limit needs to be increased after Delaware Avenue to the I90. This would prevent accidents with cars entering tend exiting the expressway and prevent vehicle gridlock and congestion. I would prefer the speed limit after Delaware Avenue to the I90 to be at least 40 mph. Thank you for your time. I don't have a lot of time because we have a 4-day old baby in the house. But as a matter of None fact, that's why I'm writing. I want my children to grow up in a park that is safe for them and 321 9/24/2015 (Member of the E-mail does not prioritize automobile traffic. Please keep the speed limit below 20 and calm the traffic, Community) or best of all, eliminate the Scajaquada. Thank you for your consideration.

Kleinhans I think the Scajaquada Expressway should be a parkway, with a speed limit of 30 mph. It 322 9/24/2015 Community E-mail should also have protected bike lanes, rain gardens and other green infrastructure. Thank you Association for your time with this.

42 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received As a longtime resident of the area and frequent user of the 198 I fully support redesign as a two None lane, 30 mph road with bike lanes and at grade intersections. If it can be cone in much bigger 323 9/25/2015 (Member of the E-mail cities, it can happen here..It currently is an unsafe detraction tot he community it Community) divides..Rebuilt as Olmsted designed it would greatly improve our lives. None When is the next public meeting scheduled for? 324 4/22/2015 (Member of the E-mail Community) Rebuilding a roadway through Delaware Park would be like rebuilding an elevated highway on None the outer harbor: an utterly stupid and expensive mistake that will haunt us for years. Please 325 5/31/2015 (Member of the E-mail remove the Scajaquada corridor in its entirety, and replaced with enhanced public spaces and Community) pedestrian promenades. None Welcome to the NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway) Corridor Web Site! The route 326 6/16/2015 (Member of the E-mail speed limit was reduced to 30 mph. Is the route now open to bicycle traffic, sharing the road Community) space with cars and truck traffic. Is it illegal to ride a bicycle on this route? Founder of Can you please advise on the delays to the interim safety measures on the 198 (stripping and 327 7/28/2015 Parents for a Safe E-mail crosswalks). Also please advise on the date of the first public meeting. Delaware Park Dear NYS DOT, I am writing to express my fervent support for the reduced speed limit and additional traffic safety measures on Rt 198 in Buffalo, NY. As a resident of the abutting neighborhood, I strongly support the Parkside Community Association's request for traffic safety implementations, which can be found at the following link: http://www.parksidebuffalo.org/wp-content/documents/PCA Traffic Position 6-4.pdf. My reasons for supporting the downgrade of this roadway are twofold. First, I was absolutely horrified by the death of three-year-old Maksym Sugorovskiy, who was walking through Delaware Park (which border Re-198) with his mother and sister when he was struck by a None speeding car that went off the road. I walk, bike, and run through this park all the time, and am 328 7/31/2015 (Member of the E-mail now concerned for my own safety. Second, Delaware Park, designed by Frederick Law Community) Olmsted, is a historic treasure - it is Buffalo's Central Park. Yet, when the expressway was constructed in the 1960's it cut through the park like a knife. It is an eyesore and a source of pollution, and it does not belong right in the middle of one of the city's most prized gems. Downgrading the street and installing bike lanes, traffic lights, and other pedestrian-friendly measures will help restore Olmsted's original vision and make Buffalo a more attractive place to live and visit. Please do everything in you power to help downgrade this street as soon as possible. Thank you for your time. All best, Aimee Woznick

None I support the 30 mph speed limit for the Scajaquada Expressway. Please begin planned efforts 329 8/3/2015 (Member of the E-mail to continue the calming of the expressway, including reduction of lane widths and installation of Community) the three crosswalks. None I support the 30 mph speed limit for the Scajaquada Expressway. Please begin planned efforts 330 8/9/2015 (Member of the E-mail to continue the calming of the expressway, including reduction of lane widths and installation of Community) the three crosswalks. 8/31/15 I hear on the news today that you are again being pressured by so called safety groups to produce signals and speed bumps and what have you on the 198. I am writing to remind you that there are still plenty of us who want the 198 to stay an expressway. While I think we all like it to return to an expressway of 50 mph, most of us are willing to compromise on speed None limits and to keep things slow in the Delaware Park area in order to allow the people who are 331 8/31/2015 (Member of the E-mail concerned about the park itself their illusions of safety, though speed limits should be higher Community) beyond the park in both directions. However, signals, speed bumps and at grade pedestrian crossings are out of the questions. I know the "parkway mafia" has captured all the media attention that the vast majority of the people that I know what to keep the expressway.

I am still shaking from the near accident I had today and this marks the 3rd on since the speed None limit, stop sign change. Extremely dangerous..can't we just change the speed limit to 45 and 332 9/5/2015 (Member of the E-mail leave everything else alone? The rush hour is at a crawl and those of us who have to work are Community) unable to attend meetings that are held during the work day, so we are unable to express our opinions. None Sleeping not speeding was the problem, so why would the speed be reduced when that was 333 9/5/2015 (Member of the E-mail not an issue? The sleeper was never charged for anything. I believe the speed was reduced Community) for Votes or money for contractors. Since the speed limit on the 198 was reduced and the media has been reporting the converting of the 198 into a parkway, I have been promoting an online position for people to sign who want to keep the 198 as an expressway. The petition is at: http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save- the-198.html. Since it is only a week till your informational meeting (where/When?) I thought that it might be time to send you the signature list. There are 74 signatures from people wo want to keep the 334 9/9/2015 "Petition" E-mail 198 an expressway and those can be read at: http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-the- 198/signatures.html. I can read the ones listed as anonymous and pass them on to you if you want. I can provide phone numbers, email addresses and mailing addresses for all of them if you want. Just let me know. I hope this makes a difference..we really want to keep our expressway.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 335 9/7/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 336 9/6/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

43 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 337 9/5/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 338 9/2/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 339 9/2/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 340 9/1/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 341 9/1/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 342 9/1/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 343 9/1/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 344 9/1/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 345 9/1/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 346 9/1/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 347 9/1/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 348 8/31/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 349 8/31/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

44 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 350 8/31/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 351 8/31/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 352 8/31/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 353 7/31/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 354 7/30/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 355 7/30/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 356 7/29/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 357 7/29/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 358 7/29/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 359 7/29/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 360 7/20/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 361 7/19/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 362 7/18/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

45 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 363 7/18/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 364 7/18/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 365 7/14/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 366 7/13/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 367 7/13/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 368 7/13/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 369 7/13/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 370 7/13/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 371 7/11/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 372 7/11/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 373 7/11/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 374 7/10/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 375 7/10/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

46 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 376 7/10/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 377 7/9/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 378 7/9/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 379 7/9/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 380 7/9/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 381 7/9/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 382 7/9/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 383 7/8/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 384 7/8/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 385 7/7/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 386 7/7/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 387 7/7/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 388 7/7/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

47 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 389 7/7/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 390 7/7/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 391 7/7/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 392 7/7/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 393 7/6/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 394 7/5/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 395 7/5/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 396 7/9/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 397 7/3/2013 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 398 7/3/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 399 7/3/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 400 7/2/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 401 7/2/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

48 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 402 7/2/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 403 6/29/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 404 6/28/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 405 6/27/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 406 6/27/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 407 6/27/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

We, the undersigned, call upon the N.Y.S. Department of Transportation and its Commissioner Joan McDonald, to retain the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198) as an Arterial Expressway between the Kensington Expressway (NY 33) and the Niagara Thruway (I-190) and not to turn 408 6/21/2015 "Petition" it into a city street which would end neighborhood access to the local highway system for the people of Riverside, Black Rock, West Hertel, North Buffalo and Kenmore.

I do not know if you happen to pay attention to any of the news outlets in Western New York, but you should. If you did, then maybe you would notice the problems with the NY 198 also known as the Scajaquada Expressway. Perhaps you recall lowering the speed limit from 50 mph to 30 mph? Your knee-jerk reaction to a tragic accident, yet an accident unrelated to speed, has created many problems for the commuters of this area. No, this is not just my personal opinion. This is also the opinion of many other Western New Yorkers. If you took the chance to look at any of the comments on Facebook on the WIVB, WKBW, or WGRZ pages you would know this. Then again, I can't help but think that since you do not live here then why should you really care about the problems that we face from your actions? Even Mayor Byron Brown had said that the speed limit needs to be raised back up. "Mayor Brown says city engineers have also been studying Route 198, and would like to see the speed limit on Route 198 segmented: raised it back to 40 mph outside of Delaware Park, from Elmwood Avenue west to the I-90.? We think it makes sense to increase the speed limit so that people who are None merging into a faster roadway are at the proper speed to be able to merge effectively and 409 7/8/2015 (Member of the E-mail safely". (http://wivb.com/2015/07/02/mayor-brown-calls-for-segmented-speed-limits-on route- Community) 198/) It is quite obvious that this was a knee-jerk reaction to a tragic accident. Shall we recall some of the facts of this accident? The driver was not speeding, in fact he fell asleep at the wheel. Lowering the speed limit will not prevent other people from falling asleep at the wheel. The driver also careened off of the roadway. This could have easily been prevented if barriers had originally been installed when the route was installed decades ago. Since the accident, barriers have been installed. At any speed, if you are hit by a car, there is a likely chance you will die. So whether that car was going 50 mph or 30 mph, since the barriers were not there, that child would have sadly died. As you can see, the problem was not the speed, but lack of barriers, and that problem has now been solved. There is no need to have the speed limit to be as low as 30 mph. This is also a danger to merging and entering and exiting the 190 and 33 which are 25 mph faster that you currently have the speed set at. There were no checks or balances on your decision and it should be revoked.

49 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Dear Governor Cuomo, I am writing to express my fervent support for the reduced speed limit and additional traffic safety measures on RT-198 in Buffalo, NY. As a resident of the abutting neighborhood, I strongly support the Parkside Community Association's request for traffic safety implementations, which can be found at the following link:http://www.parksidebuffalo.org/wp-content/documents/PCA%20 Traffic%Position%206-4- 15.pdf My reasons for supporting the downgrade of this roadway are twofold: First I was absolutely horrified by the death of three -year -old Maksym Sugorovskiy, who was walking through Delaware Park (which borders RT-198) with his mother and sister when he was struck None by a speeding car that went off the road. I walk, bike, and run through this park all the time, and 410 7/31/2015 (Member of the E-mail am now concerned for my own safety. Second, Delaware Park, designed by Frederick Law Community) Olmsted, is a historic treasure-it is Buffalo's Central Park. Yet, when the expressway was constructed in the 1960's it cut through the park like a knife. It is an eyesore and a source of pollution, and does not belong right in the middle of one of the city's most prized gems. Down grading the street and installing bike lanes, traffic lights, and other pedestrian- friendly measures will help restore Olmstead's original vision and make Buffalo a more attractive place to live and visit. Please do everything in your power to help downgrade this street as soon as possible. Thank you for your time. All best Amiee

Dear Mr. Mozrall: I support the complete removal of Route 198 through Delaware Park and the complete restoration of both the park and its original roadway. I am a lifelong resident of Buffalo, New York who pays taxes to government on every level. I also own and drive a car, which increases my personal contribution to the funds which support the New York State None Department of Transportation. There are measures which will "downgrade" this highway 411 9/30/2015 (Member of the E-mail obstruction in our beautiful, historical park. As a resident, voter, taxpayer and driver I demand Community) that these simple and doable ideas for lane narrowing and pedestrian crossings, expressed in communications from GoBike and the Scajaquada Corridor Coalition, and supported by Governor Cuomo, can be implemented imdiately.

I am the former resident of Buffalo's Elmwood Village and fifth generation Buffalonian. I was not able to attend the September 16, 2015 public meeting but reviewed the presentation online. I'm None very disappointed that the focus of the presentation was almost entirely on the future potential 412 9/30/2015 (Member of the E-mail negative impacts to vehicular traffic, with little to no mention of future potential POSITIVE Community) impacts to walking, biking, restoration of parkland, etc. I urge NYSDOT to take a more holistic approach and remember that it is a Department of TRANSPORTATION (in all its forms), not a Department of Highways. The Scajaquada Corridor speed limit should be kept to 30 mph for its full length. Traffic calming measures should be implemented sooner than the permanent adopted measures as recommended by the Scajaquada Corridor Coalition, and include signage changes on the I 190 from the green highway scale "Scajaquada Expressway" signs to smaller brown signs that indicate the "exit to Scajaquada Parkway". The design of the original Scajaquada Drive from Grant Street to Lincoln Parkway, as indicated on the Olmsted plan for Delaware Park, should be the starting point for redesign of the roadway in the vicinity, and incorporate the College to the Grant Amherst neighborhood. the adopted design should include state of the art water None discharge treatment in place for all drainage to Scajaquada Creek. The Creek is part of the 413 9/30/2015 (Member of the E-mail fresh water supply for downstream communities in the U.S. And Canada and could be treated Community) as such. the past effects of excessive sound and air pollution have cast a grave negative consequence on quality of life along the length of the Scajaquada Corridor, more strongly felt the closer a neighborhood is to Route 198. Disinvestment followed the highway development and is evident on the surrounding communities of Grant Amherst and Parkside, as well as in Delaware Park itself. Mitigation and repair should be most highly prioritized in redesign. Apply the design standards and mitigation that would be required if a roadway would be proposed today on the same route of the current 198, without a highway there--through an Olmsted Park, and over in Scajaquada Creek.

Mr Mozrall, Standing at the intersection of Delaware and Nottingham today, I waited while the westbound Nottingham traffic turned southbound on to Delaware. I wonder why there isn't a turning arrow for east bound Nottingham traffic turning northbound on Delaware as well? Wouldn't this eliminate some of the backup on the expressway? There are 3 lanes to accommodate this at the intersection. Might the DOT consider this minor change to eradicate the concern of safety at this intersection? In 1995, I purchased a historic building in the Delaware Park neighborhood specifically for efficient access to the major arteries for my employees who perform home services. The building was severely Dilapidated. I invested over a half a million dollars in creating a retail store and light manufacturing concern which employs 15 people in the city. Yes, we are a small company but that access added greatly to my decision to locate within the city limits. Now, after all this investment, the very reason for my coming is being taken away to satisfy a comparatively small segment of the population. From 1965-1972, I attended Nottingham Academy which was located at Nottingham and Lincoln None Pkwy. From 1985-1997, my mother owned the home on Nottingham Terrace directly across 414 9/30/2015 (Member of the Email from the tennis courts at Delaware Avenue. You can see, I have a lot of personal experience Community) with this stretch of the city. I road my bike to school as well as took the NFTA bus. I walked the pedestrian bridge hundreds of times and played tennis routinely. At no time did I feel unsafe, subjected to undue traffic noise, deteriorated air quality or lack of access to the park. It's a city. Some things are just expected and others, very appreciated including an efficient way to get around all the urban traffic. While I agree with the need to install the barriers, the dramatic reduction in speed to 30mph is intolerable. Residents along Maple Road in Amherst live right at the highway's edge with a speed limit of 45 mph. Why is it ok there and such a debate here? I'd like to go on record as vehemently opposing the substantial changes to the expressway which I see as a large waste of taxpayer dollars-especially the proposed new crosswalks and traffic signals at areas that already have mechanisms for crossing. The Scajaquada Expressway does not belong to the Scajaquada Coalition or the neighbors on Parkside. It belongs to everyone. Thank you for allowing me to voice my opinion. Diana Augspurger 716-912-1851

50 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received TO: Craig Mozrall, NYS DOT FROM: Anthony James, Parkside, Buffalo resident Date: 30 September 2015 I appreciated the opportunity to see the latest DOT renderings of the various proposals for the 198 corridor at your September 16 the public meeting. Unfortunately I had to leave to go to another commitment before the talk by DOT staff. However, I studied the presentation boards and am most in favor of the 30 mph two lane with bike lane approach (without a median). This seems to provide enough movement through the park to satisfy transportation needs without overly burdening surrounding streets. I find some of your projections of street traffic volumes to be unrealistic, especially based on what we had been told earlier would be great difficulties in just lowering the speed limit to 30 mph, and such great difficulties never materialized. I was disappointed that the removal option was not looked at None realistically, as restoring the park road, which would be part of the that option, would still be 415 9/30/2015 (Member of the Email carrying traffic, and thus not at all resulting in the traffic conditions on surrounding streets Community) shown in your traffic volume graphic. the road would still go through the park and people would still drive on it to get to their destinations on the other side of the park. I'm not sure why your engineers didn't know that or didn't take that into account. At any rate, the two lane version clearly is the best option for returning the park to a more natural, original condition, and will likely improve values of surrounding property and improve the park as a desirable destination, thus leading to an increase in potential business for businesses close to the park. So economically and socially this seems like the best option as well as being the most respectful to the historic integrity of the park, and most geared towards promoting visitor ship, both local and tourist visits. Many thanks for the opportunity to comment. Sincerely, Anthony James

Currently no traffic calming measures have been implemented at either end of the Scajaquada Corridor. The entire corridor? NY State Route is a NYSDOT responsibility. You built it. And because it was built and maintained it poorly, it now has a long history of tragedies and collisions that led to the recent imposition of a 30 MPH speed limit by the Governor. Yet large sections are not receiving equal (or any) treatment. Travel lanes have not been re-striped west of Grant Street nor ease of Parkside Avenue. Likewise, the entrance ramps at Humboldt Parkway and Grant Street have not received stop signs as was promised. In total, they are neglecting about 1.6 miles of this 3.6-mile soon-to-officially-be-former expressway (that's about 45 %). At the recent public meeting Kaminski actually said that the traffic was moving too fast in these areas to implement traffic calming measures. So, the DOT won't facilitate the speed limit set by the governor, desired by the local community, enforced by city police, and variously obeyed commuters, because... they're driving too fast? This circuitous logic is the stuff of old- stick comedy routines. This is actually a BIG problem because, according to the DOT, about 80% of what influences a driver's speed isn't the posted speed limit-it's how the roads are designed. The speeds we drive are mostly determined by things like lane widths, the presence None 416 or absence of bike lanes and sidewalks, types of street lighting and signage, street banking, 9/30/2015 (Member of the Email PART ONE curves, and other so-called "geometric features"-in other words, all the things the DOT refuses Community) to implement at both ends of the corridor ( and is dragging its heels about in the middle). Kaminski also refused to explain why they are not removing the excessive expressway signage designed to be seen a half mile away by cars driving at expressway speeds. With the speed limit now set at 30 MPH these signs aren't necessary. And, they lure drivers to speed because they are yet another visual cue that they should be driving expressway speeds. One of the DOT's posters even pointed out that 98% of drivers west of Grant Street (where no traffic calming measures have been implemented), are speeding-funny how that works. They didn't specifically discuss east of Parkside (also where no traffic calming measures have been implemented), but as a resident of the Parkside neighborhood, the same number looks about right. If the DOT is enabling speeding in the outer 45% of the road, How can we expect drivers to obey the speed limit in the center 55%? Another important factor related to speed is enforcement. Recent legislation reformed the adjudication (the determination of innocence, guilt, or other) of moving violations in the City of Buffalo. As a result, moving violations are now adjudicated here in Buffalo instead of Albany.

Because of this , we can now do things like plea speeding tickets down to parking tickets. It also means revenues generated this way will stay here in Buffalo...So the era of Wild West driving in the city is over and we all must learn to drive like we do in the suburbs we dare not speed through. Taken together, the erratic implantation of traffic calming measures and the new incentive for enforcing moving violations is causing a lasting and serious problem. Because, according to state government officials, the new 30 MPH speed limit is here to stay. And most of us really, really want it to stay. But-without the implementation of every possible "short-term" traffic calming measure, the situation is untenable. By the end of July alone, the None 416 City has issued over 500 speeding tickets on the 198. For people racing back and forth to work, 9/30/2015 (Member of the Email PART TWO living paycheck to paycheck, the fines are bitter pills to swallow. And, as a traffic calming Community) measure, enforcement is not working. People are still speeding because the real traffic calming measures are inadequate and not implemented everywhere. People entering the corridor from either direction get used to speeding there and find it harder to slow down in the middle section. For those of us trying to obey the speed limit, it feels unsafe to drive the speed limit when others are speeding past us. You're facing one lawsuit already. Fix the road the right way before you face more. The serious and very dangerous problems with the Scajaquada are to well -documented to plead ignorance. Sincerely, Dan Cadzow

51 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received To: Craig Mozrall Special Projects Manager, NYS DOT Region 5 Cc: Assemblyman Sean Ryan Date: Sept. 28, 2015 Re: Rte. 198/ Scajaquada Expressway I came away from the SOT"S community briefing on Sept. 16., 2015 with two thoughts: appreciation for the Project mandate(harmonize the roadway with the neighborhood), and dismayed by the timeline (8-10 years for planning & construction). Never the less, something must be done to modify the Delaware-Nottingham exit from the expressway now. This is a dangerous situation with frequent consequences for both people and property. The end of the of ramp crosses the only pedestrian/bicyclist link between the east and west sections of Delaware Park. A DOT exhibit identified more that 40 accidents at the nexus of Rte. 198/Nottingham/Delaware. At the evening None rush hour, I have counted more than 35 cars queued up on the expressway waiting to turn onto 417 9/28/2015 (Member of the Mail the off-ramp. A few years ago an 18 wheeler heading south on Delaware flipped over trying to Community) navigate the 90 right onto Nottingham followed by a 90 left 50 feet later to access the Rte. 198 on-ramp. Semi -trailers entering 198W must make a 90 right turn from a full stop into two lanes of traffic. Here are a few suggestions to address the problem in the short run. 1. Eliminate the ramp. (preferred) 2. Make the ramp one-way with two lanes, "on" in the morning and "off" from 4-6 PM, with appropriate signage and signal controls. 3. Make the ramp off-limits to large trucks. The existing on/off ramp-limits to the Scajaquada X-way at Delaware and Nottingham is a public safety hazard that demands your immediate attention. Respectfully, James Biltekoff

Dear Mr. Mozrall: According to the panel discussants at the last public meeting, the new Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will take 12 to 24 months to complete. As one who has worked this far along in the projects, I have to ask: Why it will take so long to amend a project that is already this far along in the process? Then, after a period of public comment, a final EIS will be issued and the project will of out to bid after an additional 18 to 24 months. Again, why does it take so long to address the public's comments? Who's getting rich off of all this (hint: the private consultants)? Despite not knowing what the final design will be, they estimate it will cost $120 million and take four years for construction. Those construction estimates seem a bit inflated from earlier estimates which I recall being around 16 months (note to self-take more screen shots). It's again hard not to interpret the DOT"S proposed budget and timeline as an attempt to wear us down. If it is, it's not working. One estimate puts the cost to days go the DOT's current, never -ending EIS at $4.5 million. That doesn't include the repairs being made None to keep the crumbling infrastructure limping along or the traffic calming measures now being 418 9/30/2015 (Member of the E-mail implemented. Why couldn't those funds and energies have been spent on the designs put forth Community) in the widely accepted 2005 EPP? That EPP included a set of interim measures for traffic calming and restoring connectivity that included a 30 MPH speed limit that would have cost about $5 million. If the DOT would have investor its $4.5 million (plus) into that plan, instead using it to advocate for a dangerous, polluting expressway very few of us want, we'd be enjoying it already, that family wouldn't be needlessly suffering and our air would be that much less polluted. How long can this go on before the maintenance of this outmoded expressway is untenable? How much money will the DOT continue waste on these repairs and studies? Will it take another family being savaged to get them to comply with the wishes of the communities they have imposed upon for so long? Or maybe it will take another lawsuit, this time seeking reparations for the damages the expressway inflicts on our health and property values, to finally get the DOT to do the right thing. Sincerely, Daniel Cadzow

None Please keep 30 mph speed limit the entire length of Rt. 198. Repealing it would send the 419 7/27/2015 (Member of the E-mail message that it was just an overreaction to &"unfortunate" tragedy. We have an opportunity to Community) right an historic wrong imposed upon our community. I want to thank you for lowering the speed limit on Route 198 in Buffalo. This was long overdue, and I am very sorry it took the death of Maksym Sugorovskiy to bring it about, but I applaud you for doing so. And I ask that you continue to work on redesigning the road so that it can stay a None 30mph street. It's status as an expressway should be done away with all together, and it's 420 7/27/2015 (Member of the E-mail reincarnation as a parkway is the best outcome. The stress level in driving the road has been Community) greatly reduced with lowering the the speed limit. I drive on the road a number of times each day, and am so grateful for the reduced speed. Now you don't feel like you are taking your life in your hands just to merge onto the highway! Many thanks again, Sincerely, Anthony James

Parkside Avenue has been a dangerous, congested route for may years. Homeowners can't get out of their driveway during the morning commute and get into heir driveway during the evening commute without fear of a collision. Horrific accidents happen near Parkside and Florence leaving major damage to personal property. Since the speed limit was reduced on the Scajaquada to 30 mph, Parkside Avenue has seen some improvement. Traffic congestion in None the morning and afternoon has considerably dropped. Cars are traveling at a noticeable 421 7/27/2015 (Member of the E-mail reduced speed during all hours of the day. There is less noise. Homeowners along the Community) Scajaquada can now sit on their front porch and enjoy the summer. These residual effects are promising. Living near and driving the Scajaquada Expressway daily, I have noticed people are driving slower and trying to adhere to the 30 mph speed limit. It feels safer while driving and I bet the people using Delaware Park feel safer. Please keep the Scajaquada Expressway 30 mph. Sincerely, Monica Cichon None I wish to make it known that I am in full support of the reduction of speed on the Scajaquada 422 7/28/2015 (Member of the E-mail expressway. I am also in full support of the downgrade of the 198 Community) I support the 30 mph speed limit for the Scajaquada Expressway in Buffalo. Please planned None efforts to continue the calming of the roadway, removing the expressway designation, reduction 423 7/29/2015 (Member of the E-mail of lane widths, introduction of bike lanes, and installation of the three planned crosswalks as a Community) starting point. None I support the 30 mph speed limit for the Scajaquada Expressway. Please begin planned efforts 424 7/29/2015 (Member of the E-mail to continue the calming of the expressway, including reduction of lane widths and installation of Community) the three crosswalks.

52 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received None I support the 30 mph speed limit for the Scajaquada Expressway. Please begin planned efforts 425 7/29/2015 (Member of the E-mail to continue the calming of the expressway, including reduction of lane widths and installation of Community) the three crosswalks. None I support the 30 mph speed limit for the Scajaquada Expressway. Please begin planned efforts 426 7/29/2015 (Member of the E-mail to continue the calming of the roadway, including reduction of lane widths and installation of the Community) three crosswalks. None I support the 30 mph speed limit for the Scajaquada Expressway. Please begin planned efforts 427 7/29/2015 (Member of the E-mail to continue the calming of the expressway, including reduction of lane widths and installation of Community) the three crosswalks. None I support the 30 mph speed limit for the Scajaquada Expressway. Please begin planned efforts 428 7/29/2015 (Member of the E-mail to continue the calming of the expressway, including reduction of lane widths and installation of Community) the three crosswalks. None I support the 30 mph speed limit for the Scajaquada Expressway. Please begin planned efforts 429 7/29/2015 (Member of the E-mail to continue the calming of the expressway, including reduction of lane widths and installation of Community) the three crosswalks. None I support the 30 mph speed limit for the Scajaquada Expressway. Please begin planned efforts 430 7/29/2015 (Member of the E-mail to continue the calming of the expressway, including reduction of lane widths and installation of Community) the three crosswalks. New York State Department of Transportation 100 Seneca Street Buffalo, New York 14203 RE: Delay in Restriping of Former Expressway ( Route 198) Dear Sir or Madam: I read with concern the article in this morning's newspaper about a delay in the short term measures intended to bring more safety to Delaware Park. The safety of park users requires that traffic None calming measures, including restriping of the former expressway lanes, go forward in order to 431 7/29/2015 (Member of the Mail slow traffic. The delay in doing so is inexplicable, as cars and commercial traffic regularly Community) speed through the area notwithstanding attempts by local law enforcement to enforce traffic laws. I request that the restriping of the former expressway go forward without delay. Thank you. Very truly yours, Alan J. Bozer AJBdag Doc # 01-2880301.1

New York State Department of Transportation 100 Seneca Street Buffalo, New York 14203Re: Short Term Measures on Former Expressway (Route 198) Dear Sir or Madam: The Scajaquada Corridor Coalition (SCC) is a group of community organizations that have banded together to work for the community interest in the area along the Scajaquada Corridor. We request a meeting to discuss our concerns over short term and long range plans. The community's interest in the Scajaquada Corridor include either a long term downgrade of the former expressway, or its removal. The community interest was recently heard at the July 15 meeting, at the History Museum attended by more than one hundred fifty interested individuals. We are interested in short term measures for safety and right sizing while long term plans are studied. In that regard, the SCC adamantly opposes any change in the 30 MPH that now governs the route of the former expressway from Main Street to the I-190. In addition, we believe that other traffic calming measures should be undertaken and maintained until the long range plan is complete. The SCC requests the opportunity to meet with the NYSDOT and to confer concerning these short term measures. We Request a meeting to address the following: 1. Application of proven traffic calming techniques to project area to establish a 30 mph design None sped, and create a safe and more accessible urban boulevard. 2. Identification of opportunities 432 7/30/2015 (Member of the Mail for public access crossing the Scajaquada via bicycle and pedestrian. 3. Installation of Community) adequate crosswalks with appropriate safe -crossing treatments. 4. Improvements of Parkside and Scajaquada intersections to provide a safe pedestrian crossing for the neighborhood and students from Medaille College; current alternatives do not adequately address this issue. 5. Employment of roadway design and landscape restoration to minimize the intrusion of vehicle travel through the historic landscape of Delaware Park to the greatest extent possible. 6. Improvement of the Main Street intersection at the Scajaquada for pedestrians, bicycles, and vehicles. Improved access to and exit from the Route 198 corridor at Main Street is a critical part of improvements within the entire corridor. All pedestrian crossings do not meet the state standard for safety. 7. Creation of a complete street that accommodates all roadways users, including vehicles, commuting bicyclists, recreational bicyclists, recreational joggers, and walkers. 8. Creation of on-street bike lanes and pedestrian walkways connecting to the citywide network. 9. Establishment of gateways within each end of the corridor honoring the historical user experience. 10. Treatment of storm-water runoff naturally throughout the entire Scajaquada corridor. 11. Improvement of ingress/egress from Delaware Park and other facilities. 12. Establishment of a long term maintenance plan with all stakeholders and agencies.New York 13.State Coordination Department with of Transportation NFTA to leverage 100 additionalSeneca Street investment Buffalo, as New a way York to encourage14203 Re: Short-Term Measures on Formet Expressway (Route 198) Dear Sir or Madam: I request the courtesy of a response to the attached, which I sent last month. Also, we request information None concerning the proposed "pedestrian crossings" proposed for Delaware Park. Please provide. 433 8/25/2015 (Member of the Perhaps a meeting would be the best way to provide this information. Please advise when we Community) can meet to discuss these measures. Thank you. Scajaquada Corridor Coalition Alan J. Bozer, Chair SCC Governmental Relations Committee

53 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received

Dear Mr. Mozrall, After the recent crosswalk plan was initiated, rethought and undone... Thank you... Most of the comments I read from people on my side of the argument to keep the Scajaquada Expressway an expressway, were mostly of relief that everyone had come to their senses and things would go back to the way they were... If I understand what I read in the media, there will be public meetings in the spring to discuss this further, I am attempting to form a group that will actively counter, or at least input alternate plans of the corridor coalition. Generally I, (we) would like to see more guard rails, no crosswalks, speed limit backup to 45 mph, and some fix for the Parkside intersection– another bike/ pedestrian bridge at least. –(maybe block Parkside off completely with traffic redirected before the park) I apologize for being a neophyte with all of this - here are a few questions I have... And I'm not even sure you are the one I should be directing them to, so perhaps you can point me in the right direction, if I should be looking for these answers elsewhere. 198 Questions: -Where can I get a copy of the proposal from 2005 The NYSDOT webpage for this project can be found on the internet at https://DOT.NY.GOV/ScajaquadaCorridor. If you select the reports/documents button, the PDF None 434 of the 2005 Expanded Project Proposal is listed as City of Buffalo Proposal. The website also 11/4/2015 (Member of the E-mail PART ONE contains meeting minutes and display materials that have been used at public involvement Community) meetings during the past several years. -What do I need to submit a new proposal or updated modifications? You can send comments via the project website, or you can send comments directly to me at [email protected]. All comments received will be given consideration and will be included as part of the permanent project records. -What kind of group ( how many, what kind, classification, charter, etc.) do I need to officially participate with the DOT? There are really no specific rules on the formation of a stakeholder group. If a group of people sharing a common interest requests to be included in the stakeholder meetings, they just need to provide to the NYSDOT contact information, designate a single representative for the group and the NYSDOT will inform you when stakeholder meetings are scheduled. Is there a specific illustration or design format / size / protocol for submission of plans?( I didn’t know how to use Photoshop 10 years ago) There are no requirements or protocols for comments or proposals. - Where do I find reports and or statistics on accidents before and after the speed change? That information is only made available if you file a formal request following the protocols set out under the NYS Freedom of Information Law (FOIL).

The Buffalo NYSDOT Regional Office has FOIL request coordinator, his name is Paul Uebelhoer, his e-mail address is [email protected]. -Where can I get specifics on the situation -of accidents on the 198 (before and after the speed change? That information is again only available through the FOIL process. -How might I get in touch with all those people who got speeding tickets? NYSDOT does not have any information on traffic tickets that None 434 are issued. -Is there somewhere I should be looking for specific updates, meetings and plan 11/4/2015 (Member of the E-mail PART TWO changes? The project website contains information that is updated periodically. If you request Community) to have your name added to the project’s e-mailing list, you will receive meeting announcements. Your assistance is greatly appreciated and if there's someone else I should be in contact with in the Department of Transportation, besides yourself, please redirect me on that as well. Thank you. Sincerely, Kent Bostock 39 Woodette pl. Buffalo NY 14207 / 716.316.2505 I am a North Buffalo resident and use the 198 multiple times daily. I am disappointed not to be able to attend tonight's meeting but I wanted to offer my 2 cents. None PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE INCREASE THE SPEED LIMIT ON THE 198 FROM ELMWOOD 435 2/10/2016 (Member of the E-mail TO THE 190 TO AT LEAST 45. IT IS A WELL PROTECTED STRETCH OF ROAD THRU Community) INDUSTRIAL AREAS AND ROAD SPEED LIMITS INCREASE AND DECREASE ALL THE TIME BASED ON POPULATION DENSITY. I RELY ON THE 198 FOR QUICK ACCESS TO THE 190 AND THE LAST FEW MONTHS WITH 30 MPH HAVE BEEN UNBEARABLE!

54 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received

Mr. Driscoll, Thank you for a productive meeting. I'm not the best public speaker so I hope you will accept my final thoughts personally. • There is a reason there are 50,000 people on the 198 everyday. 50,000 people find it convenient and don't want it changed despite the arguments of the few thousand that have been represented to date. This is an undeniable statistic and proven by the fact that you must continue and, in fact, enhance traffic calming measures 8 months into the change. When it is no longer convenient because it is no different than any other city street, some 40,000 cars will select alternate routes. Mr. Williams proved that point tonight when he described his experience with the traffic in front of his home. • As a business owner on one of those alternate routes, you would think I would be excited for the supposed extra exposure. However, I know that the promise of increased commerce is a fallacy (or at the very least grossly exaggerated). When the Italian Festival re-routes Hertel Ave traffic directly in front of my store, I receive no boost. In fact, regular customers stay away to avoid said traffic. I would not wish that for Hertel Avenue. • I am happy for my friends that are retired or have a slow-paced life but I run two companies and volunteer for four not-for-profits. I None 436 valued the efficiency the 198 gave me and miss it terribly as do the 15 employees I have in my 2/11/2016 (Member of the E-mail PART ONE service business. I chose my business location in 1995 expressly for it's proximity to the Community) expressway and the connecting arterials. I put $500,000 into a bank foreclosed, neglected building on a residential street and greatly improved the property values. However, I'm already contemplating moving my operation out for better access to the north/south corridors. I can't afford to be mired in the middle of the city. I'm not the only company fearing being encumbered this way either. • People spoke about air quality tonight. What does 50 cars at a stop light do for them? • Lastly, Buffalo and it's suburbs have many streets with residential housing that are 40-45mph. Maple Rd, Elmwood Ave in Kenmore, Klein Rd and Sheridan Drive come to mind. I lived directly across from the controversial Delaware / Nottingham exit ramp for 10 years. When you live in a city you expect certain living conditions. Never did my family or I expect the expressway to be removed or altered. How much park does a city really need to insure a good quality of life? We have acres of accessible park but only one cross-town thoroughfare. Now who is being unreasonable or selfish? Beautifying the 198 and integrating it into the park landscape does not require crosswalks and signal lights to be successful. People can safely and easily cross the 198 at all the current intersections with the exception of Parkside perhaps.

I would like to note that if anything would be improved by reconnecting the sides of the expressway, it would not be route 198. It would be the parts of Humboldt Parkway flanking the NY33. Please allow the 50,000 daily Rt 198 users to enjoy a smooth, uninterrupted ride through the park at a reasonable speed of 40-45mph so that the peripheral neighborhoods remain undisturbed and the efficiency of crossing the city is maintained. - Diana Augspurger 2/11/16 - Matthew Driscoll responded - Thank you for taking the time to provide your thoughts to me, I do appreciate it and will share these points with the team at DOT. 2/11/16 Ms. Augspurger None responded: Good meeting although it was so disappointing to hear Mr. Driscoll talking as 436 2/11/2016 (Member of the E-mail though things were so finalized. I fear he is looking to make a mark in his new job by being the PART TWO Community) guy that "got it done" . Understandable but at what cost to us? I am sharing an email I sent to him last night. Not that I think it will do much good but at least I will know I said these things to decision makers. There really should be some compromise for us. One firsthand story to share...back when the NY33 was built, the city utilized eminent domain to gain some of the land needed. My friend Connie tells me that her Dad had saved for years to purchase their house on Carlton St. just one year prior. She tells me that they lost everything. I would have thought they would have received fair market value but she says no. Now, there is a group that has something to complain about. None Written 1) Now that the traffic has been slowed - will you be using recent data to update your stats? 437 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment 2) Has there been more or less traffic incidents? Community) Sheet 1) Since the Delaware/Nottingham exit causes a disruption to the flow of traffic, why not move the tennis courts down a ways and add a direct off-ramp for traffic to Delaware Ave South? Written 2) I feel bullied by a comparatively small group of residents that have much too personal an 438 2/10/2016 Creative Storage Comment agenda Sheet 3) The removal of the merging lanes has made the expressway far more dangerous. 4) I am an advocate for restoring the speed to 45 mph. Written Please change the speed to 45 mph between Parkside and Elmwood Ave. Elmwood and 190 439 2/10/2016 NABET Comment put back to 55. use Calm devices between Parkside to Elmwood. Sheet None Written Over 130 residents of the Parkside neighborhood sent NYSDOT a letter asking for safety 440 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment improvements and pollution controls. Will NYSDOT address those before the Final EIS is Community) Sheet issued? I do not want to see pedestrian crosswalks on the Scaj. Ex. I feel if you do - there will just be more accidents and injuries. Also, 30 mph is way too slow. 40 would be better. When I drive None Written at 35 mph everyone around me is whizzing by. So if you are going to keep it at 30 mph - more 441 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment enforcement is needed. But - remember this tragedy occurred by someone with a medical Community) Sheet emergency. Not due to speeding. Also note for the 30 - 40 or 50 years this expressway has been open - I don't believe anyone was killed in the park by a car. Barrier should have been put up years ago near the park area. None Written The pedestrian crossings at Parkside ave lack R1-5 series crossing signs. The stop sign at the 442 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment west side is actually 30 feet past the crosswalk. Can pedestrian safety there be improved Community) Sheet immediately? 1) Please restore the Olmsted Parkway as planned. Plant more trees - let pedestrians and Friends of the Written bicycles cross the parkway safely and easily! 443 2/10/2016 Japanese Garden Comment 2) Students at Buf State need to be encouraged to cross the road to enter the city through the of Buffalo Sheet park. 3) Plant blossoming Japanese cherries in sight of the Japanese garden on Mirror Lake.

55 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received I want to keep the expressway! If safety is the issue I'm willing to sort with you for a safer expressway. If the issue is a parkway, I suspect that less than 2000 people are for it. None Written According to the city's website less than 2000 people live in Parkside. You can not put 70,000 444 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment cars a day on city streets to grease a squeaky special interest wheel. You need to do better at Community) Sheet outreach these meetings are not being publicized. The public just hears what the special interest tell them. Stop giving Tyan a forum. He doesn't represent the entire community just the 2K. First, Thank you. I am very happy that DOT is on board with the neighborhood to make the park accessible and safe for all. I didn't hear much about plans for the far east & west ends of None Written the 198. I hope that the measures spoken of tonight will extend the full length of the 198. I 445 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment would like to see full accessibility between the Buff State campus and the Black Rock Community) Sheet neighborhood, the restoration of Assizi Circle and reconnecting the Hamlin Pk & Parkside neighborhoods. And then please extend these changes to the 33. As a homeowner and resident of the Elmwood Village for the last 18 years, our family urges the NSYDOT to remove the highway from the Olmsted Park. The Olmsted park should be a park for public citizens to enjoy as a park. A highway does not belong in a park. Tractor trailers None Written should not be cruising by children playing soccer 20 yards away. The highway should be 446 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment completely removed and given back tot he Olmsted Park. No road should be going thru this Community) Sheet park. People should take priority over vehicles in a park setting. Lastly, it's embarrassing that we are still talking about this 15 years after it was originally proposed to remove the highway. I came to those meetings and now I have two children ages 8 and 11. I hope something happens before they graduate from high school.

From your speech I don't hear you say that you conversed with any people who are anti- None Written change to the expressway. I feel this project need a vote by the county as it effects more than 447 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment 1 neighborhood. I also don't believe that the DOT has been open about when meetings and Community) Sheet decisions are being made. I believe that the 198 needs to remain an expressway. While I understand that the portions of the 198 that terminate west near Niagara Street with I- 290 and East with the 33, but those connections NEED to be considered. The reason why I believe it is important to consider the connections to 198 is because those two points dictate None Written the character to the entire roadway. Driving 30 mph is dangerous because (one reason) 15% 448 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment of traffic, which I don't bet are mostly rush hour traffic, continuously drive at highway speeds Community) Sheet connecting to the 198. My suggestion is to look at either remove those connections to the 198 at the 290 and 33 or move those connections elsewhere. 290 ramp can connect at Niagara Street and 33 connect at Kensinton. If not in this project phase II because this characteristic changes the road. Claremont Ave Written 449 2/10/2016 Block Club Comment Please add me to the mailing list. President Sheet Please educate drivers to the best of your ability how important it is to have safe accessibility Shared Mobility / Written for bicyclists and pedestrians. I think drivers who oppose the reduction (many of them anyway) 450 2/10/2016 Elmwood Village Comment may not grasp the reasons why because they are stuck in this traditional attitude that cities and Assoc. Sheet roads are built for cars and not people. Include initiatives in your project to get people to choose ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION , biking, walking, taking public transit.

I think you're on the right track, turning this away from an expressway and seeking to re- integrate Delaware Park from two separate parks back to one park. A "boulevard" is, I believe, by definition a wide street and will still serve to separate the park into two sections. People will still see Scajaquada Boulevard as their route through Buffalo and will tend to be aggravated by having to go slowly through their "express" route across Buffalo. This will cause a lot of None Written aggravation. It would be better to turn this into a parkway from Parkside road through to Grant 451 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment street and o away with the high speed looking expressway on-and off ramps to the 33 and the Community) Sheet 190. The exits at these points off the 33 and 190 should be like the exits, say to Bailey Avenue or Best Street. Trucks can use the 190, 90 and 290 to get around Buffalo to downtown or other industrial and city areas. In summary, turn this into a city street / parkway so that people have to seek other ways to speed around Buffalo. Keep the park a park and the route through the park as just that, a city street through the park. 1) The entire length of the 198 needs to be addressed from 33 to 190. None Written 2) The medians are necessary. 452 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment 3) We need enforcement of the speed limit now. Community) Sheet 4) Please address the effect that the roadway has on the waterway. The elevated roadway is not just ugly. Consider removing the section from I190 to Grant Street. None Written Continue to hold public meetings. Do not overlook the economic impacts of the project. I 453 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment appreciate your taking a more holistic approach, rather than just a traffic management project. Community) Sheet The speed limit was lowered to 30 mph after an accident in which a child was killed, but I was None Written wondering what other factors where used in the decision to lower the speed limit? Why was 454 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment the western end of the expressway's speed limit lowered also? There is no pedestrian Community) Sheet automobile conflict potentials in this area. I heartily commend and endorse the direction that this development has taken in this recent None Written project revision, to a boulevard. Question: Will any changes occur to the Scajaquada Creek in 455 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment conjunction with the anticipated changes to the highway? Will there be any changes Community) Sheet contemplated to other city streets (i.e.: Amherst Street, Forest Avenues.) That may have to accurate increase traffic flow? Written Please look at the connection of the 198 to the 190 both from a safety perspective and an 456 2/10/2016 BRR Alliance Comment economic potential for growth along that area. This is a gateway to the International Border Sheet and Niagara Street.

56 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Though I was hoping for further discussion on partial or complete removal of the highway (and restoration of Delaware Park), I am optimistic about the direction in which the plans are Written UB - Architecture headed. I hope that you consider looking at restoring Agassis Circle, so at least partially 457 2/10/2016 Comment Student restore the glory of Olmsted's vision. Traffic circles are an efficient means of serious need of Sheet being addressed. Additionally, I open that a similar approach might be taken at the Humboldt Kensington Ave intersection which is one of the worst intersections in the city.

If it were up to me the Scajaquada would be completely removed. I think the DOT should study the full removal and release a study on traffic impacts on arterial streets such as Ferry, Utica, None Written Delavan and Amherst. However I do recognize that this may be unrealistic. If the DOT does 458 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment go through the boulevard option it is extremely important to include options for bikes and Community) Sheet pedestrians. The Scajaquada should be reclassified as a low speed parkway if it is no removed. Should be 30 mph for the full lengths and should have medians. Should only be 2 lanes. I thank the DOT for being so progressive in this matter. Written I would like to add to the conversation that how is the project is addressing the togetherness of 459 2/10/2016 UB Student Comment the park. The expressway divided the park in parks. I think it would be nice to rethink about Sheet the design also cleaning up the river would be nice. I spoke too, but I do think this is important. I say: Bravo to the Boulevard project. I appreciate and applaud the desire to slow traffic and restore this corridor to the true spirit of the area. Two issues to consider: As a faculty member at Medaille College, I know that many student from both Medaille and Canisius cross the 198 on foot daily. To end the 30 mile an hour zone at Written Parkside could still leave open the possibility of accidents and fatalities at the Parkside / 198 460 2/10/2016 Medaille College Comment intersection. Even today I said saw many cars traveling East running the red light. Sheet Furthermore that is Medaille's only exit/entrance. I'm concerned about narrowing lanes at the East end, because it will cause a back up of incoming students and could hinder emergency vehicles accessibility to our campus the large amount Medaille of traffic especially between 8:30 - 10:00 and 4:00 - 5:00 needs wider lanes to keep traffic flowing. Perhaps you could work with the college on getting us a Main Street exit as well. *Short term measure - gateway signs - please change the name to a parkway ASAP people who access the expressway especially out of towners expect to travel at highway speeds regardless of the late warning signs. None Written *Get the city highway barn our to the park and along the Scajaquada 461 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment *Truck Restrictions Community) Sheet *Consider reconnecting west bound Humboldt at grade and remove the need for huge on ramp on eastern end of expressway. *Transit w/NFTA from Light Rail through parkway to remove cars and move people *Medaille College Access - it is only exit / entrance at Parkside. There are other clients to be conserved than that of the motorist. Transportation is not limited to just motor vehicles. Delaware Park is only one of many city assets that supersedes that of the daily commute. The over-prioritization of an auto-dependent society has been a primary Restore our Written detriment to the city of Buffalo for more than 60 years. Enough is enough! Other cities have 462 2/10/2016 Community Comment long-corrected similar mistakes, and have long-since benefitted from them. Buffalo is at risk of Coalition Sheet being held back by antiquated policies. We are tired of being cheated out of common-sense planning! The NSYDOT will have been the one factor that got in the way when Buffalo's renaissance is recalled 50 years from now. We need real changes to Scajaquada and Humboldt Parkways! * Keep Expressway est of Elmwood to I-190 at 40+ mph None Written * Keep East bound lanes east of Parkside at 40+ mph 463 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment * Prioritize rebuild of Delaware Ave Interchange near bathroom building Community) Sheet * Do NOT put a median in the new plan. *Make room for dedicated bike lanes *Include pedestrian regues in design (medians) None Written *Consider in-pavement flashing lights for pedestrian crosswalks 464 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment *Permeable pavement is a must Community) Sheet *add multiuse paths along the side instead of sidewalks, similar to the paths next tot he Buffalo State along Elmwood Ave Delaware Park is one of the city of Buffalos greatest assets. I am so happy to hear about the plans to make the Scajaquada Expressway a Boulevard. As a North Buffalo resident I spend None Written many days at Delaware Park. Recently my family from Argentina came to visit. They were so 465 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment impressed with the lay out of the park. Their first comment to me was how much more Community) Sheet beautiful it would be without an expressway. I want to thank everyone involved in this project. I think investing in Delaware Park's boulevard will enhance the natural beauty of this area.

I am glad to hear that the Boulevard designating is becoming permanent, and that the 30 mph speed limit is being maintained. On the other hand, I feel that a some lane in either direction proposal is still fixable and should be considered. But I am heartened that the DOT seems None Written committed to finally taking action on this issues. I applaud the DOT commissioner for taking a 466 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment different approach than what we are used to from this department and really emphasizing the Community) Sheet historic nature and park setting of the project. Your new perspective is refreshing for those of us that would like to see our historic neighborhoods reconnected and the health of our people prioritized over the convenience of automobile traffic. Written NO EMAIL - MUST CALL or SEND LETTER 467 2/10/2016 Niemiec Builders Comment Craig, Please include myself for your stakeholders. I have asked and file do information many Sheet times. I do own property along Rt 198. *Narrowing lanes make it much more dangerous for trucks and for your everyday drivers mix Written some inclimate weather in and we will see. 468 2/10/2016 Niemiec Builders Comment *Stop signs on ramps ridiculous rear-end accidents daily now. Sheet *Speed 30 by the park - 45 for the rest make it easy - make it right.

57 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received None Written I very much enjoyed the DOT's presentation on the Scajaquada Expressway. You must 469 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment however limit the time in which people can comment. Commentators went on and on, Community) Sheet sometimes never even making a point. None Written Traffic calming proposals between Parkside to grant make sense and will be an improvement. 470 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment Traffic calming is needed between Main ST. and Parkside. Speed past Grant St. should be Community) Sheet raised to 40 mph and before Main Street. Buffalo Olmsted Written The expressway must be removed from our legacy Olmsted Park. That must be our priority for 471 2/10/2016 Parks Comment our community. Buffalo deserves better than 4 lanes through it's greatest asset - Delaware Conservancy Sheet Park. I admire the stamina of all those involved in this process. Again, the name of the project and the roadway takes after the creek. The scope must include the rehabilitation and designed use of Scajaquada Creek and it's banks for water dependent recreation, access to the creek and adjacent parkland would be improved for motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians and paddlers alike. The existing bicycle paths should be enhanced and expanded through the entire geographical None Written scope of the project with connectivity, Add to the number of pedestrians over and under passes 472 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment especially over Delaware rd, and under Scajaquada Parkway at the "S" dam. So, Brown sighs, Community) Sheet pend rebuild the entire length. Yes I used the term "Parkway" Retain the commuter route but eliminate commercial traffic. Improve Amherst St for better safer local delivery. Continue with a redesigned Humboldt "Parkway" limit the number of at grade vehicle/pedestrian interactions, controlled door not,. Make improvement for commercial thru traffic elsewhere to mitigate. Good luck!

Please when talking about the park and using the words "City Treasure" Please refer to "Makes None Written Sugorovskiy" and his sister and then "folks like them" first as the treasure. The treasure makes 473 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment that was lost. And to treasure his memory. This before saying "Treasure" about the park Community) Sheet (which it is of course is) or anything else "treasure" is referred to, out o respect and deserved reminder of those kids. And to name the stretch of the accident site in in the boys name. Include public transit in design process. Public transit can move more people than cars without all the congestion. Include public transportation in the solution. With so many high volume Written Citizens for origins and destinations along the Scajaquada and with the Humboldt station at the light rail at 474 2/10/2016 Comment Regional Transit one end, a trolley along the Scajaquada could be a solution. Don't forget about transit. (see Sheet our letter to Mr. Billitiere dated April 15, 2014 for details) P.S. 30% of Buffalo households don't own cars. Keep the expressway, but enhance safety. Main point: The 198 expressway is an important element in the Buffalo area transportation and has fulfilled it's purpose for over 50 years. It should remain a free-flowing travel link, pretty much "as is" - i.e., two lanes in either direction without adding or reducing capacity. Safety: However, there may be some things needed to improve safety. Specifically - 1 - Set end enforce reasonable speed limits - 30 mph in some None Written places 45 in other stretches. 2 - Beef up safety features at high-risk intersections and entry- 475 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment exit points - e.g., at Parkside and Delaware. Things to avoid: 1 - DO NOT new at-level Community) Sheet crossings. Improve or add pedestrian overpasses if needed. 2 - DO NOT add bike lanes, as this is unnecessary and creates an unsafe feature. More opinion needed from expressway users. Lastly, I urge the DOT to get more public opinion from the travelling public before the EIS is concluded. This is mentioned in the DOT Project Development Manual (PDM) and on the EIS checklist. I urge DOT to conduct an objective survey to get an indication of what commuters, delivery drivers other expressway users think. 1. Parkside intersection needs to slow down traffic! None Written 2. Minimize the number of at-grade crossings. 476 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment 3. Increase speed limit from Grant St westbound to I-90. Community) Sheet 4. Good to see the DOT Commissioner here. It's good that you're thinking of this in terms of land use. However, retaining the two-lanes configuration each way, possibly adding a median, and adding bike paths actually increases the land-use impact of the expressway. The expressway's impact on the park, and its impact on Scajaquada Creek, need to be reversed. This project will not do that. This project ignores the lessons of other societies by retaining the traffic capacity, instead of recognizing that traffic will be absorbed into the existing street grid when expressways are removed. Putting that Vision Niagara, Written traffic back would bolster our neglected commercial streets that were bypassed when traffic Restore our 477 2/10/2016 Comment moved to the expressways. That to do? Work up an option with one travel lane in each Community Sheet direction that we can fully examine in terms of traffic flow, but also in terms of the aesthetic and Coalition quality improvements to Delaware Park and Scajaquada creek. Present that option and give the community the opportunity to fully evaluate and consider it. This would be a sort of "park road" option - perhaps like found in the vicinity of the Cleveland Clinic and University. This would take some time to develop and evaluate, but in the end would assure that Buffalo and the DOT truly had the opportunity to fairly and fully consider an option that dot may consider a "stretch".

Very supportive of information presented tonight. However, the section from Grant St to 190 Vision Niagara, needs attention too. Studies by UB Grad students in Arch/Planning under the guidance of Prof Written Restore our Hiro Hatch will address the Niagara Street intersection and 198 - this spring. One possible 478 2/10/2016 Comment Community alternative would be to remove the on and off ramps to Niagara St. This would help the Sheet Coalition congestion on Niagara St tremendously. This intersection, as is, presents a dangerous, difficult area and extremely hazardous for pedestrians & bicyclists.

58 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Good, refreshing presentation at Buff State on Wed 11th. Been following this since it began many years ago and glad the logjam is finally broken. Good compromise with the boulevard concept - both the keep it the same folks and the tear it up group (of which I am one) both have Written to adjust to the best solution for all. I would suggest the widest possible median as to be Olmsted Parks 479 2/10/2016 Comment reminiscent of the Olmsted Parkway dividers. We can worry about maintenance later. I also Archive Sheet would like to see fancier guard rails on the new Elmwood bridge wince this will become a gateway bridge after reconstruction so should be more attractive. DOT has not been proactive and listening to the majority in the past and I'm very glad for the new approach.

The recent direction of this project is encouraging. I think an option with a single lane in both directions should be studied and presented. Also, look to other cities for examples of integrating a walkable median as a way to create an East-West corridor across the park and to None Written connect from Main Street to Museum District. Finally, please push the envelope in landscape 480 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment design! Hire a top-notch, innovative landscape architect to help design the most thoughtful and Community) Sheet inspiring integrations to existing Olmsted Park. The Scajaquada should absolutely be seen as way to further enhance and reinvigerate "lost" areas of the park! to create a strong, unified Delaware Park! Presenters one sided, biased, appeared to represent special interests. I'm insulted that other sides were not represented. If driver was awake we would just be talking about a few selfish None Written groups getting their way "safety" is just Trojan horse to push their agendas. The commissioner 481 2/10/2016 (Member of the Comment appeared to be a politician. I now dis-trust the DOT is impartial or making decision to address Community) Sheet all "stakeholders". Commuters, drivers, users of the 198 have concerns. People will die if pedestrians and bicycles are allowed on 198!! At any speed! Current fatality for those groups is zero. Dear Sir, The Scajaquada NEEDS to remain an expressway; a tragic ACCIDENT has created a FALSE narrative. I am disappointed that the NYS Route 198 discussion is ONLY centered on the city of Buffalo, and the Delaware Park/Parkside area in particular. The Scajaquada Expressway is a STATE route, and by definition, any alteration discussion MUST include ALL REGIONAL stakeholders (Erie County at a minimum) - not just people/groups focused on the city or specific neighborhoods. This effort SHOULD involve DOT actively reaching out to the suburbs, their residents, their None elected officials, etc. as well. It is WRONG for every hearing to take place in the neighborhood 482 2/25/2016 (Member of the E-mail of Delaware/Parkside, because only/mostly 1 viewpoint (the people who have been Community) contentiously pushing for the eradication of the Expressway for 15+ years & more) controls, and dissenting views are treated with hostility such that people are intimidated and bullied into silence. This is NOT solely a neighborhood/city issue. The Scajaquada provides a vital arterial for transportation, commerce, commuting, emergency access cross-town to ECMC, etc. Assemblymen from the entire region should be invited to input, NOT just the one who opposed to the 198 who lives there/represents the vocal minority. Let's have a hearing into he suburbs!!! WITH enough advance notice to allow people to attend. Craig, We were very pleased to have hosted the recent public meeting at Bulger Communications Center. It was most exciting to learn that funding has been secured and that the project has a specific timetable for implementation. We at Buffalo State remain very supportive of your efforts to better connect our campus with the Amherst Street community via a pedestrian link from our campus (near the Tower Dormitories) to the north side of the Scajaquada Creek. We are also excited about the dedicated bicycle/pedestrian route that would be constructed along the north side of Iroquois Drive. These two elements of the project will provide our students convenient access to Grant Street businesses and to all that Delaware Park has to offer. The bicycle/pedestrian route, with its connection to the existing Jesse Kreigel Buffalo State 483 2/25/2016 E-mail Path will be seen as a great step in our ongoing efforts to become a bicycle friendly campus. College One concern we have however is with one of the interim measures which was presented at the meeting. Speed bumps at the western end of route 198 could be problematic if they are placed near the campus. Our concern is for the noise they may create, particularly at night, which could be disruptive to the approximately one thousand students living in our Scajaquada and Tower Dormitories. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss the speed bumps, the specific alignment of the bike route near our historic Campus House and the project in general. Best Regards, Steve

59 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received I attended the 2/10/16 meeting outlining changes to the route 198 (Scajaquada) Expressway. I had envisioned the DOT as an impartial government agency like the DMV or IRS. I had thought the state expected its officials to serve the common good, the majority's needs for transportation . I was bitterly disappointed to find the presentation biased and highly political. The commissioner was introduced by a politician! I was revolted to see that special interests bullied the DOT into changes that ignore the greater transportation public . Stakeholders include drivers who use the 198 and I charge that the DOT has ignored commuters and commercial traffic. No studies or surveys were made to understand where the commuters live. What do daily drivers think of the changes? By DOT numbers 50-70 thousand people use the 198 daily. Have they no say? Instead special interests succeeded with their "2 wheels good 4 wheels bad" or "let them eat cake" mentality. I write mainly to offer counters to popular arguments of the change proponents. Below you will find common sense response s to misconceptions presented by Parkside , bicyclists, and others. Perhaps reading will awaken your conscience to serve the transportation needs of ALL the population rather than a few select groups. "The 198 detracts from quality of life, ruins property values." A search of real None 484 estate of houses bordering the 198 finds most listed at $250K or more. The Zillow website has 2/26/2016 (Member of the Mail PART ONE a map where you can scroll over a map and house prices are listed. The average 20 14 Buffalo Community) home price was $95K. How much more do we need to improve quality of life for people that own quarter million dollar homes? The length of a commute and delays are quality of life issues for many. I can't afford a house in Parkside. Why does my quality of life have to suffer even more for them? "Making the 198 bicycle and pedestrian friendly will improve the area." There are miles of bicycle and pedestrian paths inside the parks or adjacent to the 198. Delaware park is 1.7 miles, Hoyt Lake, Rumsey woods, the Scajaquada trail, etc. Has the DOT studied how often existing, SAFE, paths are used? Secret answer: they are not heavily used. At least not 50-70 thousand users /day. Why open the 198 for bicycles when they don't use the existing paths nearby? Why are working people delayed to their jobs for a select groups' leisure? The area already is pedestrian and bicycle friendly! The 198 is not the Berlin Wall. There are safe crossings including an overhead bridge. Is it too far to walk or ride to them? "Its only 2 minutes" Unfortunately Buffalo streets are riddled with antique, unnecessary, un-synchronized traffic controls. The 2 minutes is on top of 10 minutes of needless delay. It takes 10 minutes to drive 2 miles in Buffalo. The 2 minutes will grow when cross walks and bicyclists invade.

Drivers escape the crawl of city streets to the I98 for efficient travel. Factor 5 minutes across a year and commuters lose 40 hours . A work week they could spend with their families sacrificed. Translate that 40 hours into salary. What if someone took a week's salary from you? Factor across a career? Proponents say "take the streets", "move closer to work", "take the bus". Should I just eat cake? "Safety" When confronted the weak reasoning persons fall back to the May 2015 accident. Narcolepsy was the main cause of the child's death. I did not see Sean Ryan begin a campaign against drowsy driving. He hoodwinked you. Admittedly the new guardrails prevent the tragedy from ever occurring again. If bicycles and pedestrians are allowed on the 198 someone will die or get hurt bad. Current number of bicycle and pedestrian fatalities on 198 = 0. After the project someone will die. I have to address bicyclists separately. Why is such a small group dictating changes for so many?! How many bicyclists are actually riding today in bad weather? They have safe streets and paths to ride on already. Ask them if they are willing to pay DMV fees, take tests, pay for insurance, and registrations documenting their safety just like cars do? Will the police ticket them for violations as prolifically as they do cars? "Other cities did it and it created development." I researched Milwaukee, New York City, None 484 San Francisco, Rochester . In each the reduced freeway was a shorter length than the I98. 2/26/2016 (Member of the Mail PART TWO Some were short as a quarter or 2/3 of a mile. Some were leftover spurs, incomplete from Community) older, grander system designs. Others were unsafe from collapse, earthquake damaged, or contained structurally unsound bridges. Traffic volume cited was less than what the Scajaquada carries daily. Acres of land were freed up in other cities. The areas around the 198 are spoken for. Will the Parkside Community Association allow houses to be tom down for development? The only completed freeway cited is Niagara Falls. The Robert Moses is 2 miles and next to the Niagara gorge. Will the gorge be developed? The population of Niagara Falls is 49,000. Volume on that stretch of the Robert Moses does not compare to the 198. "History" Olmstead designed the park system in I865. The Civil was had just ended. The population of Buffalo was 80,000 then. The population of Buffalo today is three times that not counting surrounding suburbs. People rode horses to work when the park system was designed. The 198 was created to efficiently transport the growing population . It has worked for half a century. It is not obsolete or a mistake . Please listen to your conscience and common sense. Serve the transportation needs of the majority. Do the correct studies and surveys to determine impact on all.

The project should include closing entrance ramp at the south end of North Lincoln Pkwy. It is Written N. Lincoln Pkwy. an "expressway-type" ramp into a 30 mph street. One has to look rearward to see oncoming 485 2/10/2016 Comment Assoc. vehicles. It is unsafe. If anything, it should be a right turn to gain entrance. It also collect traffic Sheet from those who distain Delaware & Elmwood entrances. - Install a raised crosswalk at Parkside to slow traffic when light changes to green to prevent speeding from light (as they do now) and make safer and easier crossing for pedestrians. - Remove the transition lane from Parkside on to the expressway and allow only right hand turns 90 degree from right lane. Written - Remove the transition lane from Kensinton Expressway at Parkside and have only two lanes 486 2/10/2016 PCA Comment and a right hand turn only 90 degree. It will keep auto's from getting a running start on to Sheet Parkside - Remove Delaware Ave exit going West or install traffic lights at Delaware exit and Lincoln Parkway and reconnect the streets for thru traffic.

60 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received I am providing comment and feedback as solicited at the Feb. 10th, 2016 meeting at Buff State regarding the future of the 198. I have welcomed the idea of conversion presented by the new State DOT commissioner. I do however wish to see even further progress made in order to see this stretch of highway become slower, safer, and more park like. None If it is truly to be a street, and not a boulevard, I was expecting ownership and maintenance to 487 2/26/2016 (Member of the E-mail be transferred over to City of Buffalo, more fluid connectivity to Main Street and beyond Community) heading eastward as it becomes the 33, and removal of highway-like on/off ramps I appreciate the efforts made so far. I hope more changes can come in order to restore Delaware Park.

Commissioner Driscoll, It was very helpful to hear your presentation to the community on Feb. 10. New hope has been raised that there will be additional improvements to the 30 mph corridor to address traffic calming, environmental effects and community quality of life, and to make the corridor more in harmony with communities along its route. Our Grant Amherst community welcomes this approach and looks forward to working on details of the plan to makes its implementation mutually beneficial to all users. While the meeting of 2/10 focused on general principles of traffic management and addressed many Delaware Park issues, there are important concerns that our group has for the corridor that were not addressed. * The whole Scajaquada Corridor from Niagara River to Hoyt Lake is an extant part of Buffalo's waterfront and is formally part of the City's Local Waterfront Revitalization Area as identified in the http://www.buffalogreencode.com/LWRP/SectionVIII.pdf The subsequent Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan (LWRP) identifies the important historic resource of the War of 1812 battle sites, encampments, batteries, and burial sites along the Corridor eastward from the Niagara River into Delaware Park. The State University of Buffalo at NY, in conjunction with the Black Rock Historical Society, has submitted a federal grant application in January 2016 to 488 Joe's Service specifically locate the War of 1812 Battle of Scajaquada Bridge which is in-between Grant and 2/26/2016 E-mail PART ONE Center Niagara Streets. Identification, protection and enhancement of historic and cultural sites is a policy of the LWRP, and DOT plans require LWRP consistency. * The Scajaquada Corridor is part of the Niagara River Globally Significant Important Bird Area, one of only 71 sites named in the world. The GSIBA is a migratory stop and overwintering site of 19 types of gulls and many other birds. Protecting and enhancing the GSIBA is a policy of the LWRP, and DOT plans require LWRP consistency. * According to the 2012 Niagara River Habitat Conservation Strategy (also identified in the LWRP), Scajaquada Creek offers woodland, open water and grassland/shrub habitat along its course from Forest Lawn Cemetery to the Black Rock Channel. The US Army Corps of Engineers is studying the lower reaches of Scajaquada Creek, including opportunities to improve habitat in the vicinity. New configuration of the Scajaquada Corridor should maximize existing habitat and provide restoration. * The Scajaquada Drive/Parkway from Lincoln Parkway to Grant Street was overlaid by the Scajaquada Expressway when that was built. This removed neighborhood access that the Grant Amherst community had to Olmsted's Delaware Park, to Olmsted grounds of the Richardson-designed Buffalo Psychiatric Center, and to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery.

Scajaquada Drive is identified in the LWRA/LWRP as part of the Olmsted Park system in 1914. Any reconstruction of the Scajaquada Corridor should restore the Drive. Use of the Scajaquada Drive name will re-identify the historic facility for the City of Buffalo.

*The Grant Amherst neighborhood should be re-connected to Buffalo State College with grade level crossings with the same treatments as in Delaware Park.

* The distance from Grant Street to Niagara Street, an elevated concrete section over the top of Scajaquada Creek and Jesse Kregal bike path, is currently only addressed to slow traffic only by rumble strips and signage. The elevated concrete section is on top of Creek and 488 Joe's Service parkland, and its high speed use creates excessive noise while the road pollution is drained 2/26/2016 E-mail PART TWO Center directly into the Creek. This creates adverse effect on the recreational resource of the Creek and Jesse Kregal Bike path. Current development of recreational launch facilities for Scajaquada Creek by the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper's Paddlesports Launch at the mouth of Scajaquada Creek are jeopardized by pollution of the Creek and should be enhanced, not threatened by Scajaquada Corridor improvements. Bicycle, strolling, jogging, kayak, canoe, and fishing activity protection and enhancement is consistent with LWRP policy.

Thank you for the opportunity to submit these comments. I look forward to working with you to make the new plans completed and implemented on the DOT's new timeline.

61 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received [Shortened version. See full letter for more detail] One can never please all people- and that is especially true when one addresses a polarizing issue such as eliminating the Scajaquada Expy. The Scajaquada has been a key arterial transportation route upon which many people in the entire WNY region have relied for well over half a century. The well-organized vocal minority- largely consisting of local Delaware-Parkside neighborhood residents (but not all)- vehemently oppose the expressway, and have clamored for its outright elimination. On the other side of the debate are the non-confrontational silent majority who utilize, appreciate, and demand upon the vital east-west expressway through Buffalo that the Scajaquada provides.In a "perfect world," one could go back in time before Scajaquada Drive was converted into the expressway and construct it largely underground. Or in the present day "perfect world," one could wave a "magic wand" and refashion a highway that was built sufficiently underground (at least through portions of Delaware Park) to accommodate both camps. But that is not reality. Those ideas are impractical if for no other reason than the cost prohibitive nature of such massive undertakings. I believe there are several common-sense compromise alternatives available that would satisfy the needs/desires None 489 of the vast majority of the more reasonable members of each camp. They could probably be 2/26/2016 (Member of the E-mail PART ONE implemented for approximately the same cost as (if not less than) the announced plan to Community) eliminate the Scajaquada Expressway and transform it into the so-called "urban boulevard." These are the proposed compromise alternatives- listed in increasing order from ease of implementation and cost perspectives: 1. Create 3 to 4 foot grass berms/ridges at the edge of Delaware Park bordering the Scajaquada. This feature would provide a natural, aesthetic protective barrier between the expressway and Delaware Park. It would also serve as both a visual and sound barrier such that park-goers would never note the existence of the expressway beyond the berms. This measure would eliminate the need to narrow the highway or reduce the expressway speed. 2. Keep the berm idea above, but also change the speed limit to 40 or 45 mph from Parkside Ave until just past Elmwood Ave- where the speed limit becomes 50 mph west of Elmwood Ave until the I-190 entrance ramps. 3. Bury a limited portion of the Scajaquada Expressway at some point east of Delaware Ave, continuing under Agassiz Circle/Parkside Ave, until it links up with the already existing sub-surface portion of NY 198 east of Agassiz Circle and running under Main St.

Restore a functional Agassiz Circle at the surface street level linking Humboldt Parkway, Parkside Ave, and Medaille College with the entrance to Delaware Park. 4. Create a restored Lincoln Pkwy overpass/underpass crossing the Scajaquada Expy. If this were accomplished, it might also enable the removal of the overpass by the statue of David. Such compromise alternatives will likely be opposed by those who have more extreme "all my way" views. But I submit that we need a reasonable and regional solution to this issue. The Scajaquada Expy is not solely a matter of concern to the limited number of vocal, radical residents who live most closely to the roadway. Yes, their concerns should be aired and considered- but their voices must not be the only voices considered. In that regard, people who live near Delaware Park are no different than people who live near the airport, major malls, UB, Ralph Wilson Stadium, or any other community destination. It is small-minded, selfish, and un- neighborly for certented segmented members of the "city of good neighbors" to say "the he*l with people who live in the suburbs, we don't care about their commuting needs." The fact of the matter is that the Scajaquada Expy serves many vital purposes. Apart from commuters, there is simply a need to be able to traverse quickly across the city on an east-west axis. When None 489 seconds count because life or death hangs in the balance for police officers, firefighters, crime 2/26/2016 (Member of the E-mail PART TWO victims, or traffic accident victims on the west side, they need to get to the ECMC trauma unit Community) on the east side ASAP. When major supermarkets and businesses need to be supplied, large trucks can't be lumbering down the grid of city neighborhood streets. This clogs traffic and chokes commerce. People won't want to visit or integrate into other neighborhoods because it will be a miserable transportation experience. Changes have already adversely impacted Humboldt Pkwy residents because of all the commuter traffic pollution and soot. Commuters who can't move on a reduced speed highway are jumping off to same-speed surface roads that are more direct to their destination; their idling engines create more pollution, dirt, and low- quality air to breathe. All of the community input meetings for the Scajaquada Corridor have been held at locations in the Delawre-Parkisde area. To my knowledge, there has never been broad regional input solicited, and there has been minimal advance public notice of meetings. At every hearing, the vocal minority should down and intimidates any/all dissenting citizen voices. The neighborhood activists who are the most extreme have incorrectly and illegitimately asserted their quasi-ownership and dominion control over Delaware Park. The park belongs to the entire region, not exclusively to the local residents living closest to it.

Finally, another undeniable fact is that the entire immediate shut-down of the Scajaquada Expy as an expressway was a political knee-jerk reaction to a terrible, tragic fatal car accident which was proven to have nothing to do with vehicle speed and/or the existence of the expressway. The motorist fell asleep at the wheel (while not speeding) and drifted over the curb into Delaware Park. The event was a matter of non-existent protective barrier between the roadway and nearby Delaware Park Ring Road, not the fact of expressway existence. Yet the most vociferous and radically extreme members of the coalition agitating to remove the expressway opportunistically pounced upon the tragedy and disgustingly used it as a false so-called None "justification" to eliminate the expressway. And certain politicians were happy to accomate 489 2/26/2016 (Member of the E-mail these extreme demands notwithstanding the factual truths. PART THREE Community) DOT cannot bow to the "squeaky wheel gets the grease" and/or the intimidation tactics of the vocal, radical minority. This is a significant and important issue of widespread regional impact, and other voices must be solicited and respected. It is never too late to do the "right thing" and involve additional voices- business people, transporters, truckers, commuters, police/fire/EMT personnel and other emergency responders, suburbanites, etc. I humbly ask that you consider my recommended compromise actions to the Scajaquada Expressway. Thank you.

62 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Events like last nights public meeting, while informative, give the impression that the voices of everyone constituting "the public" is equal in the decision making process to the extend you're listening to everyone. What we never hear at these meetings are the views of the organized Parkside Written and well-funded institutions and businesses that are inevitably involved in the decision-making 490 9/22/2015 Community Comment process. I think especially of the trucking industry, with it's professional lobby for years I've Association Sheet been told the commercial carrier and the businesses and institutions depending on deliveries from them have weighed in against any changes to the 198. Maybe this is no longer the case, or unfortunately the case, but it would be informative to hear the other voices at the table.

Forty-one traffic lights in five and a quarter miles (Bailey to Tupper) and not one of them is coordinated. This can add 20 to 30 minutes to a commuter's travel time. Furthermore, a driver can be sitting at a red light and when that turns green the light TWO CAR LENGTHS AHEAD turns red. Road rage, frustration, wasted gas, polluting fumes, wasted time, etc etc and we wonder why people avoid Main Street, Buffalo, at all costs and use alternative routes. Hence the excessive and formerly, speeding traffic on the 198. Other cities can coordinate their traffic lights (Traffic light control and coordination from Wikipedia) but according to Mr. Stepniak and Co., (I have attended many traffic meetings and requested attention to Main Street via a personal meeting the Mr. Stepniak, taking to council persons, letter to the Buffalo News None (January 2015), letter to the streets department, over the past fifteen year's), this is not 491 10/10/2015 (Member of the E-mail something Buffalo can achieve. Excuses range from (and I am not making these up): "We only Community) have one person to work on the traffic lights, " "It is harder to coordinate two-way traffic than one way," (I cited Oak and Elm Streets which are coordinated), "We are not going to do that just because someone thinks there is too much traffic in their neighborhood." Neighbors and Buffalo citizens have been asking FOR YEARS for something to be done about the speeding traffic. For any permanent solution on the Scajaquada Corridor (198) Main Street needs to be adequately paved and the traffic lights coordinated to move traffic out of neighborhoods and onto the street for which it was intended. Hopefully before we have another tragic accident like the one on May 30, 2015. Thank you.

None Can you please explain A) Why were crews out last night, on Columbus Day, at 9:00 pm 492 10/13/2015 (Member of the E-mail restriping the 198? And B) why they were not narrowing the lanes (i.e., taking a small but much Community) needed step toward traffic calming) with the new stripes? Honorable Governor, I write as a commuter in the city of Buffalo NY. You are aware of the 5/30/15 tragedy that occurred on our 198 - Scajaquada Expressway. By your decree the speed limit on the expressway was reduced from 50 mph to 30 mph. Since May, permanent guard rails have been installed to prevent the tragedy from ever occurring again. The County District Attorney did not charge the narcoleptic driver who killed the child. The driver fell asleep at the wheel. It was found he obeyed all traffic rules. If the driver was awake the child would be alive. I write to alert you that keeping the lower speed limit is aggravating to tens of thousands of commuters who use the expressway daily. The NYSDOT estimates 35 - 65,000 drivers use the Scajaquada daily. I feel you have been hoodwinked by special local special interest groups. The groups with numbers and positions are listed below: 1. Parkside Community Association: 2600. The PCA argues that drivers exit the expressway and continue to speed unsafely in their community. Most of the 198 exits are covered by traffic lights - it is impossible to speed through them. This is a small affluent neighborhood. Their goals appears to be constricting or deterring visitors to the kingdom. 2. Bicyclists: 1100. GoBike or Slow Roll events are held weekly in the city. Many of the participants are not city residents or None commuters. The number I list is from the 9/20/15 event. 269 attended the rainy 9/28/15 date. 493 10/6/2015 (Member of the E-mail It is illegal for them to ride on the 198 yet they are attempting to gain permit for an October shut Community) down of the expressway. I ask you does it make sense to reduce speed limits to accommodated bicyclists when they number so few? Where will they be when the snow flies? Will you reduce the speed limit further when one of the is killed or hurt? Why can't they ride on the many 30 mph streets they already have access too? If you interact with this group they are more anti-car than pro-safety. I hope you have plans to require bicycle license teste, registrations, inspections, and insurance. If cars share the road shouldn't they share the fees? FYI they need $15,000 for the permit and have raised less than $3,000. 3. Conservationist: The Olmstead conservancy claims 3,000 members. The "historic" park was designed in 1868 before cars and when people rode horses to work. The population of Buffalo was 81,000 in 1860. The advances in transportation and population spurred the building of the expressway in 1958. It has worked for half a century! The 198 is roughly 2 miles and only a small portion abuts Delaware Park. The rest is cemetery, lake, creek, or industry. Driving 50 mph a mile away at Grant Street has no effect on Delaware Park safety. Add the groups above and you have 6700 versus 35-65 THOUSAND COMMUTERS. I assure you this silent majority is disgusted with the slow traffic on the Buffalo streets. They escape to the 198 to avoid tedious Itraffic hope lightssomeone and slowwill please traffic readflow. this You message appealed and to Hennyconsider Penny how logicmany when people you feel lowered about thethe current 30 mph on the 198 we feel a reasonable speed would be 40 - 45 mph like the bigger roadways the suburbs like Niagara Falls Blvd, Union Rd or Transit Rd. Please conserve ALL who live the Buffalo area and not just the few (in comparison) that live around the major connecting roadway. The 198 has meant a reasonable commute in and out the city for many of us. The ease of transport in and out IS a BIG part of WHY we like the city. it's so great to go not only to work with a reasonable commute time but even more importantly, to go to the many None restaurants, theatre and cultural events. A 20 min. to 30 minute commute is reasonable for any 494 10/1/2015 (Member of the E-mail of us to reach the city. Bottom line, if it is not convenient to enter and leave the city quickly and Community) easily, we can keep our entertainment dollars in the suburbs. It is bad enough what they did to Delaware Ave, in the downtown, one lane?? really?? for a bike lane that I used maybe three months of the year?? I live in the city and I don' understand that. Everyone knows that I you ride your bike, you use Elmwood. I just don't know about how these changes are made. Anyway, If you could, please be realistic about this community and how it moves from place to place. I implore you to consider all of us. Thank you,

None As a resident of the Buffalo area who has gotten into a bad accident due to the speed and lack 495 10/27/2015 (Member of the of safety of the Scajaquada, I applaud the efforts to turn it into a safer parkway that blends into Community) the area. Keep it up!

63 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Dear Public Official, What is being done to the Scajaquada is pure madness. This is not just some minor city street. For thousands of Western New Yorkers the Scajaquada is a critical transportation corridor used by thousands of persons every day. For city dwellers like me it is used more often yet. What has happened here is that the tragic death of a young child has been seized on by special-interest groups, politicians and transportation planners and is being used for their own selfish means. The larger picture with all of its future impacts is being eclipsed by narrow self-interests. And calling these changes part of some beatific "calming" or None "easing" is semantic trickery. What it really amounts to is transportation mutilation, which will 496 10/29/2015 (Member of the E-mail negatively impact both the commerce and the livability of the City and the region. We can all Community) dream of some halcyon pathway for us to stroll or bike on and through, but these dreams will come at a very dear price to the huge numbers of us that need the Scajaquada for efficient transportation as well. Years from now the special interest groups, the politicians and the transportation planners will have gone on to new ventures. The only ones left behind will be those of us stuck in traffic or driving 30 mph and stopping for new signals or crosswalks or whatever else gets dreamed up. Too late we will realize that we have been fools. Sincerely, Bruce Baird

None How do I get a user/password - it looks like I need to access much of the information? 497 11/17/2015 (Member of the E-mail Community) Dear Commissioner Meredith, It was nice to meet you and thank you for meeting with the City of Buffalo Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board about plans for right sizing the Scajaquada Expressway. With the focus on livable community and urban living this is a project which will have a loto f interest and has the capability to improve Buffalo and New York State's national reputation. Although it is not within the initial scope of this project, I believe now is the time to look at the "Scajaquada Boulevard" connection to the Niagara Thruway and close the ramps #265&266 at Niagara Street. These ramps are a detriment to Scajaquada Creek, impose dangers to pedestrians and bicyclists, and impede cultural & economic development to the neighborhood. I have attached a short opinion paper on this proposal. Senator Tim Kennedy and Representative Sean Ryan have been vigorously working for the health of Scajaquada Creek. Closing these ramps now is low hanging fruit in moving forward toward the recovery of the Creek. For the good of the creek and the Niagara Street neighborhoods these ramps will need to be Bicycle-Pedestrian removed. It would be wise to do it now so the changes can be planned and incorporated into 498 3/29/2016 E-mail Advisory Board the Niagara Street reconstruction project. Actual removal of the ramps can happen once the highest and best use of the land is determined. Respectfully, Maggie Gibbons ATTACHED LETTER: The mouth of the Scajaquada Creek, at the intersection with Niagara Street, is a significant historical, cultural, habitat and transportation landmark. This makes it vitally important to take preliminary actions to protect and restore this critical sensitive location. Highway ramps #264&266 are the entrance/exit ramps off NY198. They are the last exits before the Scajaquada merges onto NY190. -They are detrimental to the environment and habitat of Scajaquada Creek, greatly infringing the riparian buffer and impeding wildlife restoration. The thermal mass of the concrete over the creek generates heat pollution. -They greatly complicate a difficult intersection making it hazardous for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users and local traffic. -They impede development on the site which is an important node along the Buffalo waterfront. -They are unnecessary due to the right-sizing of the Scajaquada Expressway. Closing these ramps now is low hanging fruit in moving forward toward the recovery of Scajaquada CreekWhat and about revitalization 198 on Humboldt of the Niagara Pkwy thatStreet runs corridor. past the Senator houses? Tim Kennedy and I had my house painted 4 years ago and the paint is already peeling off and my house is so dirty None What about the fumes? You can't sit on the front or open your front windows. 499 5/13/2016 (Member of the E-mail What about the people that live on the 198 where traffic exits? Community) The soot finds its way through the window sills and doors. What about us? Have a wonderful day None Written Prefer more parklike options - more median and adjacent trees, plantings, etc. Prefer more 500 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment traffic calming, but would like to see some quantification of the effects on overall throughput to Community) Sheet refine options. Written Please keep from 190-Grant St at 50 mph. Keep from Parkside to 33 at 50 mph. I totally 501 5/19/2016 NABET-CWA Comment agree from Parkside to Grant St. at 30 mph. Please leave Grant-190 & Parkside to the 33 at Sheet 50 mph. - Like a more continuous loop from end to end fro runners similar to the Town Lake Path in Austin, TX None Written - Please extend Buff State side path to Niagara St for longer loop. 502 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment - Reimagine 198 to 33 East/West bound on ramps. It's already slow there so you don't need a Community) Sheet highway style entrance. Reconnect to side streets. - Would like better connection between lake & meadow sides of park. Please prioritize traffic lights in your plans, crosswalks with push signals are not as good by themselves, traffic lights make you think about stopping in general push signals are annoying, None Written surprising and easy to forget. Buffalo is not a town of roundabouts. Also, please think about 503 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment the drivers perception at each stage of entering the Scajaquada! 1) Before, 2) Entering, 3) Community) Sheet Settling in 4) Driving on. All points should indicate a low speed road. No highway guard rails. narrow lanes. Etc. Also, please advertise these meetings more. - Road thru Medaille & Delaware Barnes None Written - 2 Lanes Roads each way - 2 for park 2 for 198 504 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment - 1 lane each way Community) Sheet - More bridges or tunnels

64 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received - Great outreach - Thank you! - Circles/roundabouts! Yes - how about at Parkside None Written - No pass thru lanes 505 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment - Lots of trees Community) Sheet - May bike paths yes! - lower the 33 to Best don't feel we need to permanently reduce speed limit to 30 mph!!! The railings now in place None Written should suffice to keep park visitors safe. This road is an important connection from Kensington 506 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment Expwy to 190. The bridge from Buff State to Wegman's area is a great idea for everyone Community) Sheet involved. Think entrance & exits onto 198 at Delaware needs to be revamped - for sure. Too late to make 198 a 30 mph thorough fare. None Written Signals probably better than roundabouts. Roundabouts tough for unfamiliar tourists and park 507 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment goers and new students. Community) Sheet - Would like to see pedestrian bridge @ Lincoln replaced with grade crossing. - Even with traffic measures for decreased speed as shown, this still remains an area with None Written significant stretches through the park which can be speedways. 508 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment - Much of what is shown as new pedestrian paths actually already exists. Community) Sheet - This still focuses on the 198 as a connector between 33 and 190, as apposed to a park with a drive thru it. Is that really necessary w/ our diminished population and streets eg. Amherst & Delavan as crosstown streets? Written Very (unreadable)!! Please send material that reflects existing effort to bring Buffalo together 509 5/19/2016 ROCC Comment as a community!!! Please send material to the above address!!! Sheet Like walkway for students to Wegmans. Would like real stats on likelihood of pedestrian accidents with multiple crossings & Traffic lights. Sems like this could be more dangerous. Can't believe the entrance from Lincoln Pkwy has preserved while the clover leaf from DelAve None Written was retired. What will the impact be of re-instating a road with multiple stop signs on a 510 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment thoroughfare originally developed to link 2 major expressways. This seems fraught with Community) Sheet danger. I think the congestion and jay walking will be a serious hazard - deaths - injuries will increase. It seems drive by folks who don't want an expressway in front of them. Keep the expressway as a slower speed but keep traffic moving.

None Written Signals not roundabouts 511 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment Community) Sheet Great to see such public outreach. You should partner with WNED to develop a public TV Written Community presentation with phone interaction. I am on WNED community advisory Bd and would be 512 5/19/2016 Comment Foundation happy to forge connections and to do whatever made sense for DOT and WNED Sheet Please Incorporate a roundabout to the Parkside intersection. Use roundabout option at all None Written other proposed interchanges. Use 20' Median option and incorporate bike lanes. Ensure 513 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment rumble strips are installed from 33 Kensinton and 190 and restripe to slow traffic down! Community) Sheet 1. I purchased my home in 2011 had it painted and it looks terrible from the cars. 2. The None Written noise. 3. The trees are not growing 4. I would like to see something done regarding the 514 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment homes and sidewalks around the homes. 5. Better crossing and traffic areas 6. More stop Community) Sheet signs or traffic lights. 7. Possible 12 ft walls protecting the homes - such as Rochester has.

None Written Add bike/pedestrian access to the South side of Scajaquada creek. This will aid in traffic 515 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment calming around Buff State area and attain more river access. Consider reclaiming the creek to Community) Sheet its historic size. Do more outreach to get opinions of the "traveling public" (i.e. motorists who use Rt 198 regularly). Your DOT pdf and EIS checklist indicates this should be done - perhaps by surveyor via focus groups. DOT has had many public meetings about Rt. 198 proposed None Written changes, and many "stakeholder" groups from the "community" - mostly linked to the Delaware 516 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment Park area - have dominated the planning process for the Scajaquada Corridor changes. But Community) Sheet what about the 50,000 or so motorists who use the road daily? Who speaks for hem? (name just one stakeholder group!!) The "traveling public" includes many drivers who live outside the park district - in the suburbs or far city areas. Please conduct a survey. (P.S. Maybe I can help you) None Written I like the idea of wider medians with trees. A park like setting should be emphasized. I like the 517 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment ability to walk from Ring road to Hoyt Lake. Good idea to have only one left turn option from Community) Sheet Main to Humboldt with synchronized signals. Great thing: 1) Pedestrian bridge linking Buffalo State and Amherst St. 2) Plans to beautify the None Written roads 3) Traffic Circles to help keep flow. Things to consider: 1) Better bike system for bikers 518 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment i.e. wider lanes all the way through 2) Take away the median because its a 30 mph zone. We Community) Sheet do not have medians on Delaware. This will help reduce traffic speed and give us more park space and on bike lanes. 1. Intrigued by 20' median; the lost park space is space that currently not being heavily used for any park activity. Worth the trade off. 2. Strongly support retaining the on ramp to Scaj. Going West via Lincoln Parkway. It should be pointed out that many neighborhood residents want the entrance ramp to be retained. More vocal neighbors are opposed an want it closed. Retired Written 3. Encourage you to continue exploring the round about alternative. Would be interested, Commissioner - 519 5/19/2016 Comment however, in how it affects proposed No. crossings (i.e.. safety) and traffic flow during peak Erie County Dept Sheet hours. 4. Fear traffic flow during peak travel time with additional signalized intersections. The of Planning nos. pedestrian/bike crossings would be safer though. 5. At some point you need to price the improvements and show cost. This cannot all be done at once. 6. Would be interested in serving on any technical advisory committee that might be formed.

65 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Keep 30 mph the entire way. Restore Agassi Circle at Parkside to its historic design. More pedestrian crossings (at grade) from one side to the other on the 198. Wider medians - None Written consider bike lanes in median. Need more to slow traffic in Buff State area. Drivers still going 520 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment too fast. Fix Kensington & Main St. intersection area. Its' AWFUL! Ensure roadways have Community) Sheet downgraded appearance or else drivers (esp. out of area drivers) will not abide by speed limit of 30 mph. Do not raise the speed limit at any part of the 198. The entire 198 needs to say at 30. Restore None Written Agassiz Circle @ Parkside. This is a Historic Olmsted circle and is important to the Fabric of 521 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment Buffalo. It would service as a gate to the park. More pedestrian crossing sat grade are needed Community) Sheet and more needs to be done to slow traffic on the stretch of Buff St. This should not be a highway. Its a neighborhood road. It should be treated as such. Raise speed limit from I-190 to Elmwood and Parkside to Rt-33. Do not install medians. Make it 2 Lanes each way with center stripe new ped bridge at Buff State/Wegmans good idea - None Written make it a bridge!!! Do not install roundabouts - install signals for traffic control and pedestrian 522 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment safety. Do not add crossing at mirror lake - reconnect Lincoln Parkway. Near Meadow have 2 Community) Sheet traffic lanes and parking spaces off to the side in both directions or at least parking on the west bound side. I like that the issue is being addressed. The Delaware Ave change is my favorite. It needs to be a stop-light intersection, NOT A TRAFFIC CIRCLE!! The next most important aspect for me is returning access to mirror lake from both Hoyt Lake & Delaware Park. it is currently None Written completely isolated, because of the 198. The proposed change in eliminating the entrance 523 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment ramp at Lincoln Parkway in Place of a pedestrian plaza and crosswalk over to mirror lake is my Community) Sheet favorite. I would be happy if the 198 was as "see-through" as possible. I don't mind if it caries a lot of traffic but safety and accessibility for pedestrians and bikers needs to be #1. Also, put a median in with trees, it will help make the road more of a part of the park.

It is my strong belief that further consideration should be given to the complete removal option. I propose conducting a study in which the 198 would be closed for a week or two. At a base Community level, this would allow for analysis of considerations when construction begins. More Resident & UB Written importantly though, it would help to settle the issue of whether or not people can survive without 524 5/19/2016 Architecture & Comment the 198. I believe that induced demand, as well as a lack of urgency to find other another Urban Planning Sheet method of travel, artificially inflates data that leads one to believe that the 198 is essential. If Student the 198 is closed for a test period, I believe that people will successfully find other means of travel. If such is the case after this study I would urge you to please consider removally as a strong option! Please no new ramps, on or off. They make it an expressway. At grade crossing only, with crosswalks and stop lights. Remove the pedestrian bridge east of Delaware. The steep climb makes many cyclists have to get off and push their bicycles. That makes them a target for Written muggings. Check with police on this point. I know actually of several instances of this. 525 5/19/2016 Member of PCA Comment Restore Agassiz Circle in some form (perhaps 2 pedestrian walkways) Sheet ADDITIONAL COMMENT: Crosswalks should be brick, not stripes!! Stripes wear off, and are less of 2 visual reminder to traffic to slow down. They are easily invisible in winter!!

It needs improvements. All you need to do to make a happy compromise fro everyone is: * 40 mph then 30 mph 300 feet in back direction from Parkside *Improve drainage * Eliminate None Written center guard rail. With a new one covered to look like rock or to blend in with the environment, 526 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment that will satisfy many. Also, plant grass & trees around it. * Add another lane to the Delaware Community) Sheet Ave exit by the tennis courts to alleviate back up on the expressway.

*parks maintenance Bldg in poor condition. Why not tear down and relocate to near by tennis courts. Straighten roadway and relocate tennis courts near Parkside. *Prefer roundabouts but Written please put in pedestrian stop-crossing signal @ Delaware & 198 circle. *Provide water system 527 5/19/2016 Buffalo in Bloom Comment or drought plantings at all medians & circles. *No high curbs along 198. Will be knocked down Sheet by snow plows. * Along walkways panic buttons for police to protect pedestrians from assault.

1. I like pedestrian bridge from Buff State north to Wegman's and bike path. 2. Crossing None Written south of Mirror Lake could be dangerous even with light. 3. Why not eliminate entrance to 198 528 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment from Lincoln Parkway? Seems to be covered by Elmwood and Delaware entrances. 4. I like Community) Sheet 20 mph. 5. Plowing show will be an issue when stone walls are placed next to roadway. Also, greater chance of accidents. I like the overall tone of the presentation because it seems more *much more) in tune with None Written neighborhood desires to reclaim the park atmosphere and reduce the difficulty of the heavily 529 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment trafficked and over speed expressway. The wider median with trees and grass is much better Community) Sheet than the four foot one, even thought it does eat up slightly more park-land. Good job overall!!

Likes: Large medians with green space (Parklike) - Pedestrian crosswalks that connect the different sides of the city. I think this is a signalized option. * I prefer the pedestrian friendly with signals over the motorized roundabouts. * Median landscaping as a traffic calming None Written feature. 530 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment Dislikes: Small median, small roundabouts, current transitions - people stopping on the 198 Community) Sheet because they want to go toward the airport (33) and could not get over - very dangerous!! Also, getting on and off the 198 at Humboldt near Kensington. The entire Kensington / main area need to make over. If there is around about, it may need to be there.

* All proposals better than what we have now except the at grade median * Raised median is most attractive and likely to slow traffic (good) but how would snow be removed? None Written *Median must have trees through park 531 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment *Can the round abouts be kept at Grant, and Elmwood, but control Delaware with traffic signal? Community) Sheet *Restoration/ upgrade of paths is excellent *Improvements to Main-Kensington intersection not enough, very dangerous and unattractive intersection

66 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Traffic camera's - like in NYC = Take picture/send ticket in mail Mirror Lake overlook Tolerant trees & shrubs - emissions Policing - security Open View pathways (bikes/horseback) walk/Segway = 24/7/365 None Written Ped&Bike shared paths - no bike path on roadway (safety) 532 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment Lighting Community) Sheet Maintenance & security funding? Like traffic circle except at major crossing (lights) Snow removal - 20 ft wide median - snow removal Like stop sign modifications Qutturnbold/Kensington/Main Remove all overhead direction signs - replace with 7' high side of road sign (see Hilton Head Island System) None Written 533 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment Community) Sheet None Written Speed limit 40 mph would be realistic! Great improvement removing Delaware Exit near tennis 534 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment court. Signal option best. Community) Sheet None Written 1. I do like the computerized roundabout program. 2. Would have been nice to see all three 535 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment options on one wall so we could see it all at once. 3) A computer program showing pedestrians Community) Sheet crossing the different intersections would be nice. None Written Looks good. Like the improves Delaware Intersection too bad there's no room for a bike lane 536 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment on existing road avoid highway look. Increase trees. Looking forward to next proposal. Community) Sheet None Written I like the "roundabout" concept. It seems to be more aligned with Olmsted's other parkways 537 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment throughout the city. I like the 20' median because it makes the road look less like a highway Community) Sheet and more like a parkway. (Ensure plantings are winter proof) Written Disconnect from 190. Lower the Road at that end. Engage in Urban Planning Parents for a Safe 538 5/19/2016 Comment Delaware Park Sheet Written As a teacher, students can't safely cross Parkside to Medaille College. Also the 198W Buffalo Public 539 5/19/2016 Comment approach needs to transition earlier as they exit the 33. Schools Sheet 1. Loved the center lane of double trees 2. Narrower lanes 3. Bike path on sides 4. Lots of Written crossings 5. Attention to Main Kensington Area. 6. Hated circles - will not slow drivers but add 540 5/19/2016 ROCC Comment level of confusion too much to see. Hate stop signs on Kensington & Main. Sheet - Do not like the large roundabout solutions - they are too complicated. Prefer the signals. - The Elmwood Ave / Nottingham intersection is way too big - terrifying - looks like a suburban high traffic intersection None Written - Why not keep the westbound 198 Delaware Ave entrance/exit (near tennis courts) but make it 541 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment an exit only? Community) Sheet - Close the North Lincoln Pkwy entrance to 198. it creates a speeding thoroughfare down Nottingham and Lincoln parkways. - Like the smaller roundabout at the Albright Knox.

To the extent there are choices shown between roundabouts and traffic signals, generally I None Written think roundabouts are more efficient in handling traffic. 542 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment If parkway designation is feasible, the removal of trucks would be a real positive. Community) Sheet I appreciate the addition of connecting paths able to handle bicycles in ways that connect to other bike routes (such as that along the Niagara River) 1. Prefer the landscaped median with signals. 2. Not a fan of roundabouts for a high volume roadway. If the ones on Harlem road are any indication drivers will plow through them. Written 3. There items are all good: - stone wall in median - elimination of ramps on Grant, Elmwood, 543 5/19/2016 Allentown Comment Delaware - conversion of ramp/bridge near Albright/Knox to new use - new paths - new Sheet pedestrian crossings with signals - elimination of connection near tennis courts - currently a nightmare! - reduction of speed to 30 mph - banners, historic style lamp posts Thanks for your work - much thought and sensitivity on display!

Historic preservation concerns (SHPO) 1. The Lincoln Parkway Bridge should reconnect the None Written two ends of the parkway - the pedestrian crossing to the west could be incorporated into the 544 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment parkway design - save some money. 2. The roundabout in front of the Albright-Knox BLIGHTS Community) Sheet the historic view shed that E.B. Green Designed. Don't muck it up. As a cyclist, and city resident, I feel the current proposal changes nothing. What I see is a highway through a park. And a automobile centric approach to it instead of multimodal transit development. None Written The Current two lane thoroughfare will still encourage people to go 40-50 mph. This can be 545 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment seen on Main St. from Goodyear Ave and Delaware Ave beginning at North St. I can't see the Community) Sheet proposed meridians slowing traffic. On Main St. north of Humboldt pkwy they placed meridian in. These meridians have been destroyed by cars crashing into that cause they are travelling at high rates of speed.

67 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received - Overall, an improvement. However, the new Delaware interchange will increase traffic on Nottingham, Middlesex, Lincoln Pkwy and many other streets if the Nottingham/Lincoln Pkwy on ramp is not removed. Anyone travelling along Delaware would turn right onto Nottingham for access - they would not continue to use the Delaware ramp. - Also - truck traffic must be None Written restricted to local deliveries only - trucks should not be able to use the road as a cut-through 546 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment from the 33 to the 190. - There is also no reason to add an additional lane to the 198 at Community) Sheet Parkside if this is to be a "city" street. This will encourage people to speed up and hurry to the 33. - Elmwood exit/Nottingham - should not be widened - again this is supposed to be a city street not a highway. Amherst St (commercial st) is only 3 lanes wide - why would Nottingham be any different?

- Please add Alternative 3: Street option back to consideration. It was the only design that truly excited me about this process., that signaled real, lasting change for our city. It not only None Written increases park, slows traffic, and aesthetics, but focuses on level of service for people not cars. 547 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment Please, please, please, consider the street option! Community) Sheet - Like - signaled crossings, new crosswalk options and bike paths. - No roundabouts! - these are monstrosities, and do not increase pedestrian safety 1. It is premature to eliminate the "street" alternative. There is no other build alternative and no full comparison of impacts. The smart alternative also meets many of the project objectives, yet, its eliminated solely on the basis of vehicular loss. None Written 2. There must be a public transportation component on the 198. The new bus route would link 548 5/19/2016 (Member of the Comment the Metro subway line to the east with the Niagara River / Niagara Street to the west. This Community) Sheet would link Canisus, Medaille, Delaware Park, Buff State, the museums and would greatly enhance transit service for many residents, workers, students, and visitors. 3. There must be a Multi-modal level of service analysis to judge the merits of the project - not just vehicular LOS! Something that has bothered me all along is the Elmwood Ave - Lincoln Drive section. Simplifying this area could have some great benefits. Hard to illustrate in words, so please refer to sketch here. BLUE: DOT Proposal, BLACK: Suggested Revision. This proposal suggests getting rid of two bridges - saving a lot o construction, and later maintenance costs. Simplifying the roadway, restoring Olmsted's mirror lake, allowing potential Albright-Knox expansion on the north side of Iroquois Drive (instead of additional paving, at the enlarged connector between the 198 and Iroquois Drive), maintaining the integrity of Lincoln Drive as 549 5/19/2016 Vision Niagara part of the rad system (instead of turning it into a non-Olmsted. Dislocated public plaza separated from other active nodes, such as the AK and the Marcy Casino). Also will slow traffic. If it is felt the intersection at Elmwood and Iroquois is unworkable, the 198 could wind back and go under the Elmwood bridge. Ideally, the road through the park would be restored as a park road, not an urban boulevard. If there is absolutely no possibility of restoring Olmsted's grand plan, then at least only have four lanes of traffic during rush hour, and allow parking in the outside lanes at other times and on weekends. Yellow Sticky Board: Lincoln Parkway Bridge Conversion None Note on Board Comment: This returns an important view to the park and community looking at Hoyte & 550 5/19/2016 (Member of the (May 2016 fountain from this angle is a good gain. Community) Mtg) Board: 4' Median / View Looking Towards Delaware Park Yellow Sticky None Comments: 1) This runs through a park. It needs a median with trees. Once there is a head Note on Board 551 5/19/2016 (Member of the on collision, jersery barriers will be put in the patch of pink concrete. 2) This is a highway! It (May 2016 Community) will create the same speed problem. Plus it's ugly..... 3)This is a highway encourages high Mtg) speeds 4) Vroom! Let's accelerate! Yellow Sticky Board: 4' Median / View Looking West None Note on Board Comment: NO! Must have median to slow down drivers 552 5/19/2016 (Member of the (May 2016 Community) Mtg) Yellow Sticky Board: 4' Median / View Looking From Delaware Park None Note on Board Comment: Won't allow emergency access or ability to pull off if there is an accident or to let 553 5/19/2016 (Member of the (May 2016 emergency vehicles pass. Community) Mtg) Yellow Sticky Board: 20' Median / View Looking From Delaware Park None Note on Board Comment: 1) How does these curbs work with snow plows. Don't think they will last a winter. 554 5/19/2016 (Member of the (May 2016 2) As many trees as possible!! Helps the road blend in. Community) Mtg) Board: 20' Median / View Looking Towards Delaware Park Yellow Sticky None Comment: 1) Like this option much better! 2) If we're getting a street option, friendly to Note on Board 555 5/19/2016 (Member of the pedestrians, why have a median we can't use? 3) This is very attractive, but will be dangerous (May 2016 Community) in slippery / snowy conditions. Doesn't allow emergency access across median. Mtg) Yellow Sticky Board: 16' Median / View Looking Towards Delaware Park None Note on Board Comment: Yes, Please! Love the median lower curb is safer. 556 5/19/2016 (Member of the (May 2016 Community) Mtg) Yellow Sticky Board: 16' Median / View Looking West None Note on Board Comment: 1) Needs people in the picture 2) no pedestrians, no bike riders. 3) Their aim is to 557 5/19/2016 (Member of the (May 2016 eliminate people from the "picture". Community) Mtg) Yellow Sticky Board: Banner Concepts None Note on Board Comments: 1) These should be at the Renaissance Fair in Sterling 2) Parkside is a 558 5/19/2016 (Member of the (May 2016 neighborhood. Try a house image. Community) Mtg) Yellow Sticky Board: (DOT) Looking West on Humboldt Parkway at NY Route 198/Parkside None Note on Board Comment: Perception change affected greatly by ?? Guard rail consider changing the rail 559 5/19/2016 (Member of the (May 2016 Community) Mtg)

68 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Yellow Sticky Board: (DOT) NY Route 198 Enhancements Considered None Note on Board Comments: 1) Looks odd. Please fix/replace the fence instead. 2) This is an "aesthetic" barrier 560 5/19/2016 (Member of the (May 2016 treatment? Better off plain. Community) Mtg) Yellow Sticky Board: (DOT) Proposed Enhancements (showing box-beam alternative) None Note on Board Comments: Boxbeams are an improvement. 561 5/19/2016 (Member of the (May 2016 Community) Mtg) Yellow Sticky Board: (DOT) Proposed Enhancements (showing painted beam alternative) None Note on Board Comment: These shadow things are better than the buffaloes as much as I love them 562 5/19/2016 (Member of the (May 2016 Gererald. Community) Mtg) Yellow Sticky Board: (DOT) Proposed Enhancements (showing box-beam alternative) None Note on Board Comments: Please don't label 1,000 of yards of concrete an "Olmsted Park" corridor. 563 5/19/2016 (Member of the (May 2016 Community) Mtg) Yellow Sticky Board: (DOT) Proposed Enhancements (showing painted w-beam alternative) None Note on Board Comments: 1) We're so sorry we cut down the trees - blame the DOT. 2) Fill this back in - The 564 5/19/2016 (Member of the (May 2016 rocks are in my backyard. Connect directly with Main St. Give that the traffic and business. Community) Mtg) I am very disturbed by what I have just read on your website. It is entirely different from what we were told at the public meeting at Buff State a few months ago. We were told that the bids would be open in 2017, not 2019, and work would start in 2018. We were told that the money was in hand, not that "No funding source has currently been identified for any of the None reconstruction alternatives." We were told that DOT was committed to at-grade crossings, not 565 5/23/2016 (Member of the Web Site that you were going to "evaluate their feasibility." Why do I have the feeling that we have been Community) sold a bill of goods and that nothing, nothing, nothing is going to happen? The expressway will remain a 50 mph construction with a few pathetic signs to tell the speeders that they are ignoring the new speed limit, and pedestrians and bike riders will still be the sneered-at losers of Buffalo. We attended the May 19 Open House. Reviewed the presentation. Completed the General Comment form. Everyone was very helpful and understanding. We have thought about it further and would like to add the following ideas. A major concern we had during the presentation review was what we saw as a lack of sufficient available parking to facilitate and encourage repeat visits by making a visit "user friendly”. Using the Public Open House brochure and the “4 foot flush median in Delaware Park,” (Page 3) as the base, please consider: 1.) Creating parallel parking spaces east of the tennis courts on the North side of the street None only — start where the treed 20’ media stops and end at the entrance of the utility building. 566 5/23/2016 (Member of the E-mail 2.) Convert the existing Delaware Exit into a parking lot for the tennis courts and others. Community) 3.) Close the current entrance west of the overhead walkway. Start parallel parking at the entrance on the north side only and end it at the current Elmwood North exit. 4.) Increase the median to 20 feet west of the proposed Elmwood exit all the way through to the Grant exit. Thank you for providing us with the opportunity for input and for considering our ideas. If you have any questions we might be able to help with, please advise.

This proposal is a great disappointment to everyone across the city who dreams of a better None Buffalo. The intersections are still too big and will pose a hazard to pedestrians trying to enjoy 567 5/21/2016 (Member of the Web Site the park. We also continue to hope for the restoration of Humboldt Parkway. Community) I write regarding the latest DOT plans for Route 198. The plans do not adequately address the community's concerns. The goal of this project should be to restore Delaware Park and the links between the neighborhoods north and south of the park. The current design which was recently unveiled, while well-intentioned, utterly fails in that regard. The 198 should be transformed into a park road: one lane in each direction, at grade intersections, bike paths, on- street parking, 30 mph speed limit. The proposed design with four lanes and highway geometrics will be sure to fail in reaching the project's goals. The roundabout proposed for the None Delaware intersection is way too complicated. Look to your agency's fine work in Hamburg for 568 5/20/2016 (Member of the Web Site an idea of how to design a roundabout the right way. At the end of the day, we must recognize Community) that it was a huge blunder to cut Delaware Park in half with this intrusive highway. We have a once in a lifetime chance to fix this error. Let's heal the park and the neighborhood by building a calm park road that does justice to what Olmsted intended. In Hamburg, your agency dared to diverge from traffic engineering orthodoxy and the DOT won national and regional design awards for a truly fine project. What do you want the legacy of this project to be for the DOT: a continuation of the terrible mistake of the 198 or to get more awards for a progressive design that fixes that mistake?

I understand lowering the speed limit to 30. However, it does not need to be lowered the None entire length of the 198, just in between Delaware Park. This is a major road with lots of traffic. 569 5/18/2016 (Member of the Web Site The impact of stop signs is already a negative. It is very hard to merge when cars are bumper Community) to bumper going 30 mph. Please consider the other drivers using this road everyday. The 30 mph is not necessary the whole length of the 198.

69 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received I hope this email will be read. Thank you for your time. Easy flow to and from the city will keep the city attractive for all of us in all parts of the city and western NY community. Please compromise with the changes to the 198 so that ALL in the community are represented by the changes and not just a very small portion of the community that are unabashedly using a child's None death to advance their agenda. MOST of us in the community feel that 45 mph would be a 570 5/17/2016 (Member of the Web Site reasonable compromise for those of us who use the 198 for easy access to and from the city. Community) If one can't get in and out of the city easily and in a timely matter one simple will do business and entertainment elsewhere. Let's not hinder the great progress that the city is making. Keep the flow moving. Thank you for listening.

Total reactionary garbage. The accident that killed the child on the scajaquada expressway in None Buffalo was not caused by speed and the Olmsted Conservancy is responsible for not allowing 571 5/24/2016 (Member of the Web Site barriers in the parkers ago due to aesthetic concerns. Keep the speed limit 30 though the park, Community) sure. But after grant street, give us our business corridor back!

I am submitting comments by email in response to the information shared at the public open house on May 19, 2016 regarding the the above mentioned highway in Buffalo, New York. The DOT appears to be considering reducing the expressway into a boulevard, which now includes pedestrian and biking access. After reviewing the proposal and images provided, I have the below comments: • I believe the street should be raised back up to grade level at Main Street, with a restructured intersection that promotes pedestrian safety first • The new boulevard should be no more than two lanes in each direction, with a smaller None road width than what is proposed 572 6/2/2016 (Member of the E-mail • Disconnect the Scajaquada from the I-190 Niagara Street connector Community) • Dedicated bicycle lanes throughout the entirety of the street National trends have been to remove highways of decades past, which now are considered urban planning mistakes that divided neighborhoods and further cause decline in City neighborhoods. Pedestrian and bicycle oriented design for our streets creates a safer, more enjoyable environment for those of us who live near them. Restoration of Humboldt Parkway into a tree lined boulevard is a future endeavor that is supported by many. Reducing the Scajaquada into a parkway appropriate for the historic area on which it sits, is a step in the right direction to accomplish that and further promote the safety and beauty of our City. Change name to "Electric Blvd" since 1st electric neighborhood in the world! - Please change the label of expressway to Urban Boulevard. - Change speed to 40 mph and have stop lights or roundabouts 1/2 - 1/4 mile between lights plenty of time to slow down for light None Written - If roundabout do not have Delaware E-West "fast lane" around roundabout - high speeders 573 5/31/2016 (Member of the Comment will lane change to "slow" lane - ever hear motorcycles @ 60 mph? They will love that "fast Community) Sheet lane". - Median (not 4' buffer)! raised inside median looks nice but is it Boulevard appeal? you decide / do not have curb on shoulders shoulders are transitional. - Do not get 198 closer to Nottingham between Delaware & Elmwood We know this change is going to happen regardless of what the public likes or doesn't like, with None Written that being said we would prefer the signalized option over the roundabout option. We feel 574 5/31/2016 (Member of the Comment roundabouts are more dangerous they looked very confusing on the diagram charts. Community) Sheet The raised median will have a more park like look and will be safer with the lighting on top. The None Written roundabout option is more in keeping with Olmsted's plan for our park system. It is a proven 575 5/31/2016 (Member of the Comment method for slowing traffic but keeping it moving. We learned that lesson when we removed the Community) Sheet circles from Richmond Avenue and then put them back. We want the section of the Scajaquada to be returned to the park. - Please change the label of expressway to Urban Boulevard - I prefer traffic signals to roundabouts EXCEPT at the roundabout in front of the Albright Gallery. I loved that. I looked a pedestrian crosswalk signal at that roundabout to get to History Museum. - I liked the 20' median raised in the middle of the boulevard with the rock wall but curbs on None Written street side 576 5/31/2016 (Member of the Comment - I like the decor lights and flags Community) Sheet - I like the walking trails, it would be great to connect to the train stations for downtown use. - One display showed a walking bridge from Buf State to Wegmans. I thought that very convenient for college students. - Name the boulevard "Electric Ave" Ha-ha! The song. But because this was the first "Electric Street Lights"

I'm delighted to see progress on returning the road to a boulevard status. BUT - I've compared the alternatives that include roundabouts, and while I often prefer roundabouts, in this case I defintely do not! My reason is that lack of provision for safe pedestrian crossing. I was Written astonished that there would be no stop signs or stop lights or ANYTHING to allow walkers to 577 5/31/2016 UB Comment cross the one-lane sections at roundabouts. The two-lane crossings are only marginally better. Sheet The idea that the pedestrian will just have to make a run for it - day or night, rain or snow or sleet, old or young, is mind boggling. NO NO NO!

This is only a lower speed highway through a historic legacy Fredrick Law Olmsted Park. Buffalo Olmsted Written This does nothing to restore the park, nothing to make the experience of the park user an 578 5/31/2016 Parks Comment Olmsted park experience. Conservancy Park Sheet This is disappointing after so many years. The Buffalo Olmsted parks and parkway system is called one of the 10 greatest in the world. Does the DOT know this? I am completely opposed to the 198 Corridor Project. It makes no sense to me that the speed None limit has been changed to 30 MPH. IT's ridiculous. If the 198 is removed, city traffic will be 579 6/7/2016 (Member of the Web Site unbearable. The city streets are already in complete disrepair, with potholes, and incredibly Community) busy. I would like to fight this project and would like more info

70 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper supports the downgrade and repurposing of the former Scajaquada Expressway (NYS Route 198) from a fast, limited access highway to one that functions as a complete street within the context and character of the surrounding neighborhoods, Olmsted Park system, and a restored Scajaquada Creek. Given that this has been our expressed desire, and one voiced by a majority of community stakeholders for years, we were disappointed with our review of the plans and graphics presented by the DOT at the May 19th Open House at Public School 64 and the Project Scoping Document released on May 17th. Riverkeeper has major concerns with the project as currently designed and presented. First and foremost, it is important to understand the highway design impact in the context of Scajaquada Creek. The creek is not an obstacle to overcome so that a proper road can be designed; it is a natural asset that provides valuable ecosystem services, resulting in better water quality, community connectivity, and access. Plans laid out by the NYSDOT for a revitalized corridor must address the degraded creek and must work within the context of restoring a vital ecological conduit to the Niagara River. While many of the proposed changes to the former expressway may be considered improvements over the current roadway system 580 Buffalo Niagara 6/22/2016 E-mail (reducing lane widths from 12 to 11 feet, including planted medians, providing at-scale signage, PART ONE Riverkeeper and removing some of the unwieldy interchanges), unfortunately, the proposed roadway would still function as a limited access system that would continue to separate the community, historical landscapes and critical habitat it transects. Itis the antipode of an urban complete street where pedestrian and bicycle traffic intermingles with city traffic on shared surfaces and via at-grade crossings. Under the proposed plan, it seems that most changes are merely aesthetic; focusing on superficial appearance and traffic-calming-through- psychologicalsuggestion, rather than structural modifications—and the proposed roadway remains over-classified, maintaining its function as a limited access “by-pass” system while employing perhaps a mostly euphemistic use of the term “boulevard”. The design for the roadway as currently presented offers few considerations to the streetscape functioning as the community’s connective tissue for anything other than cross-town, east-west vehicular traffic and it disregards the tremendous opportunities available to enable creek restoration and neighborhood revitalization.

The Scajaquada Expressway corridor is in a unique context, traveling through four distinct zones: the mouth of Scajaquada Creek at Tonawanda-Niagara Streets, Buffalo State College/Amherst Street, Delaware Park/Museum District, and the Hamlin Park neighborhood. In its current and proposed configuration, the expressway not only negatively impacts the historic neighborhoods, parks and parkway system but it also constricts the Scajaquada Creek corridor for approximately 1.5 miles to the mouth of the creek where it ends as an elevated roadway that towers directly over the impacted creek. Through our comments, Riverkeeper wishes to provide community and ecological context to the planning and design process for the expressway. The Scajaquada Creek Corridor Any plan today for a “revitalized” corridor that does not address restoration of Scajaquada Creek is incomplete. Scajaquada Creek is currently a documented source of contamination contributing to the Niagara River Area of Concern (AOC) and any projects in the vicinity of the stream channel should address the Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs) associated with the AOC so that long-term recovery efforts within the Niagara River AOC are realized. As creek restoration projects for the Scajaquada system will begin to be implemented further upstream this year, it will rapidly become clear to 580 Buffalo Niagara 6/22/2016 E-mail the public that the roadway design, as currently presented, grossly disregards the economic, PART TWO Riverkeeper ecological, and social impacts to, and opportunities for, creek revitalization and better waterfront access. Because the current Scajaquada Expressway runs in parallel, and on top of Scajaquada Creek, the creek is severely channelized, constricted, reconfigured, and disconnected from its historic function and alignment. Modifications to the channel have long degraded the ecological and regenerative function of this natural stream corridor; a hardened and constricted stream channel is one that floods, one that does not have a proper vegetated buffer habitat that acts as a natural filter for runoff and stormwater, one that cannot recover from contaminated inputs, and one that severely limits public access and enjoyment of what should be a significant natural asset. The expressway, in its current form, as well as in the proposed design, does not fully address the ecological impact, or the habitat degradation caused by the roadway system. Besides the roadway configuration that continues to constrict the stream, stormwater pollution from road runoff, improper drainage, CSO outfalls into the creek that cause high turbidity, oil and grease pollution, accumulating trash and debris, high nutrient levels, erosion and flooding all currently impact the creek.

71 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received The Transportation Project Report Scoping Document published by the DOT raises several major concerns with the presence of an expressway over and along the stream channel of the creek. The document notes that the drainage infrastructure of the road structure is in a state of failure, resulting in debris and untreated stormwater being dumped directly into the creek. While the document states the need for improving drainage and preventing untreated stormwater from entering the creek, it is important to note that it is precisely because of the excessive design configuration, along with maintaining the redundancy of roadways in the vicinity, that the creek channel remains completely modified and channelized, continuing the degradation of the natural ecosystem services that would be provided by a healthy, functioning creek. Ignoring the potential of creek restoration and revitalization ignores the significant contributions clean water and healthy waterfront serve to quality of life and economic impact. Plans to improve and re- design the roadway system need to also address the restoration of Scajaquada Creek. A restored creek will significantly increase property values, provide valuable ecosystem services to the region’s waters, connect residents to the water, improve quality of life, and serve to frame views of a healthy, functioning ecosystem for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists to 580 Buffalo Niagara enjoy on a redesigned roadway system. Producing a cutting-edge, multi-modal, integrated and 6/22/2016 E-mail PART THREE Riverkeeper ecologically-sensitive design for the downgrade of Scajaquada Expressway, including a design that restores the historic street grid, respects and restores critically historic parks, streetscapes, waterways and neighborhoods, should be a primary goal of this project—anything else just is not good enough for our city and today’s residents. Roadway Design The latest designs presented by the NYSDOT still remain at odds with the community’s desired form of the roadway; consistently expressed by Riverkeeper, the vast majority of stakeholders, through many planning efforts and by much of the public. Particularly, the limited access configuration, with its entrance/exit ramps, separated bike/pedestrian paths, and 20-foot wide raised center medians, presents the biggest burden to community restoration and creek revitalization. The proposed roadway still functions as a barrier, designed primarily for east-west highway connection and presenting an almost insurmountable obstacle to pedestrian/cyclist interaction and flow. In addition, plans to incorporate bicycle and pedestrian traffic onto nearby trails such as the Jessie Kregal Pathway are inappropriate, as the pathway is designated for recreational activity, rather than productive commuting by foot or bicycle.

Riverkeeper continues to insist that this roadway system be redesigned as a “complete street”, one which functions as a multi-modal surface street that facilitates bicycle and pedestrian traffic, in addition to vehicular traffic, and that serves to reconnect north-south neighborhoods and stakeholders. One of the most important opportunities presented by a new reconfiguration would be to eliminate roadway redundancies and ramps. This can be achieved by restoring the historic street grid and combining the current route with Iroquois Drive in a redesign that should emphasize reconnection to a restored creek and expanding north-south connections. Although the parkway configuration may still work within Delaware Park, the entire roadway system outside of the Park is best configured as a simple urban complete street, without medians, without ramps, without roadway redundancies, and with better integration into the historic street grid that functioned satisfactorily for decades with much bigger cars and at twice our current population. The currently proposed design, to our dismay, is still one that preserves an outdated intra-urban limited access highway system that is still not incorporated into the surrounding community and environment. Incorporating a design for a narrower, at-grade 580 Buffalo Niagara 6/22/2016 E-mail complete street, will bring the two directions of roadway system together, and will reclaim space PART FOUR Riverkeeper to add bike lanes and pedestrian sidewalks. In addition, the complete street system should eliminate the redundancy with Iroquois Drive, which runs parallel to the current expressway, past the Albright Knox, and along the Buffalo State College Campus. The narrowed profile would allow for creek width restoration and the new grades would provide better access to the creek, and across, to reconnect the Buffalo State campus to Amherst Street. To achieve this, Riverkeeper recommends the reclassification of the Scajaquada Expressway from its current functional classification of Principal Arterial - Other Freeway/Expressway (FC Code Urban 12) to Minor Arterial (FC Code Urban 16) or ideally to Major Collector (FC Code Urban 17) rather than the proposed reclassification to Principal Arterial – Other (FC Code Urban 14). The community has long rallied to restore a proper parkway to Delaware Park, and to downgrade this system outside the park to a complete street that serves to reconnect portions of the city completely separated by the current gulf of limited access highway.

72 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received While the Scajaquada Expressway has served as a highly-utilized east/west connector, traffic volumes on the expressway may well be a function of induced demand: the mere presence of a fast, bypass route attracts traffic that would otherwise be elsewhere, such as distributed throughout the finer grained grid of the city; traffic, like water, follows the route of least resistance, and in transportation planning, if you build it they will come. Where the limited access highway serves us well is outside the downtown core where it can connect major communities and efficiently transport goods. Within the urban fabric itself, it does great damage to commerce and quality of life, and serves mostly to bypass the communities it claims to serve. A major east/west connector is not needed in the Buffalo urban core, nor is the fast exit route of the NYS Route 33 and nor is the I-190 Niagara Thruway north of the Peace Bridge. All of these current limited access intrusions are redundant and do great damage to Buffalo’s historic and effective radial system of streets which is designed to efficiently support commerce and promote quality of life while also supporting traffic into, through and out of the downtown core. According to NYSDOT traffic count data available from 2014, the project study area from Grant Street to Parkside Avenue carries 42,343 average daily trips, a load that could be easily 580 Buffalo Niagara distributed to local streets from its current route. Average daily traffic on Elmwood Avenue 6/22/2016 E-mail PART FIVE Riverkeeper peaks at 16,008, with Delaware Avenue and Main Street peaking at 24,283, and 17,715, respectively. These streets, with appropriate improvements to signaling, innovative and expanded public transit, and increased capacity from projects such as the Niagara Street Gateway project, could dissipate re-routed traffic through multiple routes, spreading it out into a city poised to welcome increased visitors to its many districts. In addition, many vehicular trips would not even be generated as many more people would choose to walk or ride their bike on a complete street system as evidenced throughout the world. Repurposing the expressway as a complete street would also help to re-connect portions of the city cut off from each other for decades. The Buffalo State College campus would be better integrated into the community to its north, allowing for interaction between its large student, faculty, and staff population with businesses and neighborhoods that have now been isolated. The length of the channelized creek, and especially the mouth of Scajaquada Creek near Tonawanda Street, where it flows figuratively and literally in the shadow of theexpressway, could be resurrected and restored to its historic configuration.

A wider configuration at the mouth of the creek is not only beautiful and ecologically important, it is critical to buffering storm events and flood waters. The large overhead structures at the I- 190 interchange currently impact the creek, separate pedestrians, bicyclists and even motorists from their physical environment and disconnect the citizenry from the historic streetscapes of 580 Buffalo Niagara Amherst Street, Tonawanda Street, Forest Avenue and Niagara Street. In addition, the 6/22/2016 E-mail PART SIX Riverkeeper connection of this roadway to the east of Parkside should be restored; this is the Humboldt Parkway, which would resurrect historic neighborhoods and reestablish (and make whole) a world-class Olmsted Park System. Thank you for your consideration and we look forward to working more with you as this project progresses. The options offered are fundamentally designed to keep an expressway in Delaware Park. The options offered allow a return to high speed operation at any time. None of the options offer a park road or parkway for this Olmsted park. The plan that should be offered would result in a road like Park Drive in South Park. One travel lane, one parking lane, a bicycle lane and a None walking lane. There should be T-intersections with signals as offered by the signalized option 581 6/20/2016 (Member of the Web Site for Delaware Ave - not a circle. There should be no expressway-style on/off ramps anywhere in Community) this project. As your site points out, this expressway was rammed down the middle of the park in the 1960's well after Buffalo's peak population. The city got along just fine without an expressway here and would do just fine without an expressway once again.

WE are in favor of a wide, tree-lined median on 198 with the addition of bicycle lanes. We fully support the current speed limited at 30 mph. We also fully support the roundabout options. They do take some getting used to but ultimately we believe they will move traffic more None Written efficiently across the city. Finally, 198 travels through a park so pedestrian & bicyclists need to 582 6/13/2016 (Member of the Comment be considered the priorities when designing this thoroughfare. I travel this road daily and I Community) Sheet adjusted gradually tot the new speed limit. Ultimately, the reduced speed limit adds very little time to my daily commute while actually making the road much less stressful to ride on.

Way too much information to be understood or absorbed in one evening! Also, if someone works 2nd shift, no hours' avail to attend program. Or, if someone works 1st or days, but had prior commitment… more sessions needed, with broader hours. For roundabouts, one lane, not 2 , glad for pedestrian and bike path improvements! SOMEthing needs to be done None Written immediately - we have had cars/trucks speeding up to us, where we have feared they would 583 6/13/2016 (Member of the Comment rear-end us b/c we're going 30mpt. Pedestrian crossings at grade are needed. Another major Community) Sheet problem area for pedestrians is trying to walk on Main St. south/north to/from Humboldt Metro station. Cars do not look for pedestrian @ Humboldt St. Sidewalk on bridge over 198 is not well shoveled forcing walking in street (Main St. ) Also, snow gets so deep that "guard rail" preventing fall onto 198 is way too low.

73 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received I attended the open house on May 19th at the FOL School on Amherst St. I have also attended the earlier meetings at Buffalo State. Below are my general comments. I was so disappointed in what I saw that I stayed only a short time to engage in converstation with DOT consultatns. At present we have a highway through a park. The new DOT plans are to have a prettier hgihway through a park. The purpose is to move vehicles, which of course is the DOT's mission. The fact that it destroys an Olmsted Park is of no consequence to DOT or the State of New York. We are letting a rare opportunity to correct an egregious mistake slip away. The opportunity won't come again. This us doubly ironic. A May 22nd article in the Buffalo News headlines "Transportation official sees benefit in parkway revivial" announcing an expanded study of decking a portion of the Kensington and restoring a portion of the Frederick Law Olmsted Humboldt Parkway. Further a quote from Mr. Foxx, US Secretary of Transporataion, "This is important right now since we will be replacing or rebuilding so much of our infrastructer...if we do it correctly, we can begin to correct some of the mistakes that were made..." This therefore is my option for the Scajacquada. Remove the highway and restore the Frederick Law Olmsted Delaware Park system that he envisioned. What a magnificent None 584 legacy for generations to come, as more people move to the city and long for the open spaces 6/2/2016 (Member of the Mail PART ONE that make a city desirable. I have a few questions about some of the issues presented at the Community) open house. What is the width of each traffic lane? What kinds of vehicle will be permitted on this new highway? There are no trucks in any of the pictures. How many vehicles are projected to use this new highway? What measures are taken to reduce noise? What agency maintains medians? Who will use the wide medians? How many people are projected to use the cross walk areas at traffic signals? Where will they originate? Where will they be going? The present lead to the Scajaquada from Delaware Ave is long and incline is steep. The entry is across busy Delaware Ave. A second entry is from Lincoln Parkway, equally long and steep. Why use them? I have driven various areas nearby. Narrow medians with plantings heads north along Main St. from Scajaquada intersection. There are many traffic lights. Few people cross, but vehicles turn left on to side streets. This area accomodates cars; it is not friendly for pedestrian crossing. Most drivers will exceed 30 mph limit if they can even in this congested area. The proposed traffic signals will have the same result. The circles even more so. Consider the traffic circles at Colonial Circle, Ferry Street and Symphony Circle, all beautiful, all appropriate, but not for a park.

None It is impossible for even a conscientious driver, such as I am, to go at 30 mph from Elmwood 584 6/2/2016 (Member of the Mail to Grant Street. There were no renderings of how this area will be reconfigured. Be assured PART TWO Community) that vehicles will exceed the 30 mph, The traffic Circles (rotary circle) may work well in rural area/setting but there was no evidence to show how traffic flow would be impacted; positively or negatively. * Are there proposed traffic circles (rotary circle) large enough to handle a maximum-sized tractor trailer (which I believe is 110ft.). * The computerized artistic renditions were a "nice touch" but they appeared to lack any sign of heavy truck traffic (in particular; tractor trailers). * The renderings were spread through-out the area for the public interaction period but none of the more "popular or preferred plans" were displayed next to each other for a direct comparison. Viewers were forced to go from one side of the building to another without the benefits of a one-on-one comparison. * The one-on-one discussions with personnel from both the Architect-Engineer (A- E) form and NY DOT were very professional and courteous but there appeared to be a lot of "finger pointing" when individuals from the A-E firm were asked detailed design questions (i.e.. None Written to NYSDOT). Such as: Is the intersection at Parkside and the 198 a "boiler plate" or a custom 585 6/23/2016 (Member of the Comment design feature specific to the is project? * Personnel from the A-E firm were more focused on Community) Sheet discussing the specific graphic in front of them but were not considered very helpful when technical/engineer-based questions were asked about issues related to the graphic but not presently depicted. Here again, the A-E would indicate a person attending the meeting would be better discussing any technical questions with personal from the NYSDOT. I am referring to questions on layout not about pavement design (i.e. subbase, based, wear surface. etc.) * I found it disappointing that the DRAFT EIS will not be available until Fall 2016 but NYSDOT is presently scheduling a 2017 construction contract award. * A NY represented indicated that the bidding process has not been decided as of May 19, 2016, but NYS was leaning towards a design-build contract. They would put the liability of start of construction on the contractor versus the state.

Generally disappointed with the recent proposals. The roadway footprint is still too big. The intersections are likewise impediments to non-motorized traffic. Please include the attached papers published by the partnership for Public Good with the public comments. The first is None Written policy brief dedicated tot he Scajaquada Corridor. 1) http://archives.ppgbuffalo.org/wp- 586 5/31/2016 (Member of the Comment content/uploads/2013/03/Scajaquada-Expressway-Policy-Brief.pdf. The second is a research Community) Sheet paper on traffic that was inspired by the scajaquada project. 2) http://archives.ppgbuffalo.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Traffic-Equity.pdf Papers copies of these papers have been included with this comment form.

74 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Scajaquada Expressway is being transformed to a 30MPH boulevard. But it is unclear what will happen to the section located within Humboldt Pkwy, east of Delaware Park. One of the difficulties with this section is there appears to be no official right-of-way (ROW) for the expressway. Perhaps that is because, as historian Mark Goldman explained: NYSDOT never legally acquired a ROW, they just called the parkland vacant and built the expressway with little public input.

Humboldt Parkway?s ROW, however, is on the official City maps and they say it?s 200 feet wide. Right now, 182 feet of it is covered with non-permeable pavements. We need to make sure a good chunk of that land to vegetation for numerous reasons:

First, it will allow rainwater to be treated within Scajaquada Corridor, rather than contributing to None the frequent combined sewage overflows. Second, it has been shown that vegetation blocks 587 7/16/2016 (Member of the Web Site and filters about a third of traffic pollution1. Traffic pollution is fast being recognized as a Community) contributing factor to a host of illnesses2. Third, it will reduce the hazards to the numerous pedestrians and cyclists that use the area. Fourth, it will do much to fix the expressway?s impacts on this part of our park system, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. And finally, 180 feet of pavement is just not necessary to connect two- and four-lane roads with 30MPH speed limits. Please help us recover our City?s past glory, rather than memorializing planning blunders by leaving them in place. 1 http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/cyclists-breathe-easier-on-their-own-paths/

2 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282250278_Traffic_Equity_in_Buffalo_New_York

Please include the following comment in the Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statements for the Scajaquada Corridor Project Project I.D. No. 5470.22: To whom it may concern, Grade separation (the viaduct) gives the illusion that the soon-to-be Scajaquada Boulevard and Main Street don?t intersect, but they do. The current, extremely befuddled intersection consists of four ?slipways? on Humboldt Parkway and two traffic signals at Humboldt Parkway and Main Street. This is problematic for the community because the slipways on Humboldt Parkway push cut-through traffic and traffic pollution into the neighborhoods. It?s also problematic for commerce because commercial vehicles are prohibited by law from using parkways1. And it?s problematic because each of these six areas of vehicular interaction generate collisions. These collision clusters are illustrated on NYSDOT?s April 9, 2014 Traffic Accident Graphic viewable on their web page.2

These problems can be alleviated by removing the viaduct and continuing the ?boulevard through the park? through Humboldt Parkway to the 33. The six areas of vehicular interaction None can be reduced to one signalized intersection, thereby reducing collisions. Kensington 588 7/16/2016 (Member of the Web Site Avenue?s awkward intersections can be removed by restoring its historic terminus at Humboldt Community) Parkway,3 further reducing the collision-generating complexity.

Eight travel lanes, in addition to Humboldt Parkway, are not necessary to connect two- and four- lane, 30-MPH urban roadways. Reducing to 4 lanes would allow the restoration of some of Humboldt Parkway?s historic landscaping. This would buffer traffic?s noise and air pollution in the most densely inhabited section of Scajaquada Corridor and improve connectivity and safety for numerous pedestrians and cyclists that use the area. The partial restoration of Humboldt Parkway would also reunite the Hamlin Park, Glenwood, Parkside, and Trinidad neighborhoods. As a short term traffic calming measure, I also ask that you install appropriate signage at Humboldt Parkway and Main Street that informs the drivers of commercial vehicles that the Parkway is off limits for them. 1https://www1.nyc.gov/nycbusiness/description/commercial-vehicle-restrictions 2https://www.dot.ny.gov/portal/page/portal/content/delivery/region5/projects/547022- home/547022-repository/07%20Scajaquada%20Accident%20Graphics.pdf 3http://www2.erie.gov/atlases/sites/www2.erie.gov.atlases/files/uploads/vol_1/images/city_atlasI have written to you in the past but if you are no longer involved in this subject I hope you will forward my correspondence to the right party and let me know. I am writing due to the changes since 7/16/15. The new speed limit is possibly reduced the 198 capacity but, for the most part, the slower speed limit has put vehicles closer together as they move along. This has made it even harder for those from Delaware Avenue to safely enter during heavy traffic times. I have None always traveled this road keeping in the left hand lane (both eastward and westward). This 589 8/3/2015 (Member of the Mail makes traffic entering from Delaware easier. This is even more important now. For this reason Community) I suggest putting up sighs both near the Elmwood interchange and the Parkside interchange to have through traffic stay in the left hand lane as follow: From the West: "THRU TRAFFIC BEAR LEFT UNTIL PARKSIDE" From the East: "THRU TRAFFIC BEAR LEFT UNTIL ELMWOOD". In my experience this would drastically increase the ease of entry to 198 from Delaware Avenue. I'm sure the Park Maintenance Building people would like this too.

75 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received I am writing to give State Transportation Commissioner, Matthew Driscoll, my first hand knowledge of the folly of placing a median in the redesign of the Scajaquada Expressway in Buffalo, NY. I am one of three people who for the last 12-13 years has made a committed attempt at maintaining the medians on Main Street, between Bailey Avenue and Humboldt Blvd. I have strong personal opinion of how these medians cannot be sustained wither in the short term or with any longevity. Although the contract workers for the City of Buffalo and my small crew of committed residents have made valiant efforts in the proper care of these medians, they have been damaged every single season with multiple vehicles going airborne None over the medians. One median at Humbolldt was hit 18 times in one summer . There is 590 2/11/2016 (Member of the Web Site CONSTANT repairs to the concrete that are needed which is extremely delayed by the City of Community) Buffalo due to budgetary constraints and replacement of plant material that is constantly being torn up due to motor vehicle damage. Our group is meeting with our Council Members , Joel Feroleto of the Delaware Disctrict and Rasheed Wyatt, of the University District on 2/16 to discuss the possibility of the removal the Main Street medians due to this. I am certainly available to discuss this matter with the Commissioner if and when he would be interested in our input on the placement of a median along the Scajaquada Expressway. I can be reached at 716-864-1279 Thank you again for your follow-up. Your letter properly captures our concerns about the campus plans to enhance pedestrian access in the area impacted by a potential merger of Iroquois and the 198. In addition, the changes would severely impact daily campus operations. Some of the complications are as follows. 1. Service vehicle traffic must be provided in both directions along the road in order to provide efficient operations for things such as our central receiving, custodial, maintenance and police vehicles. The design as proposed by DOT would require very long circuitous travel between many buildings 2. Visitors to campus for sporting events, planetarium shows or theatre events are problematic. These visitors are often unfamiliar with the campus and they need well-signed convenient access. As shown, visitors entering the campus at one main entrance may find they can’t get to their destination without leaving campus and “trying again” by entering campus at another entrance. 3. The road modifications shown will have the effect of greatly increasing auto traffic on Tower Road (south of the 4 Tower buildings). This increase is in direct conflict with our goal to make this a pedestrian friendly route for the 1000 students living in the north dorms as they 591 7/29/2016 Buffalo State E-mail traverse this area several times a day. 4. The new road shown cutting across parking lot I-39 (east of Coyer Field) will prevent the construction of a soccer field as shown in our Athletics Stadium study and as endorsed in our Facilities Master Plan. I would like to reiterate our desire for improved pedestrian and bicycle connectivity to the community to the North, an at-grade pedestrian crossway, and enhanced beautification and environmental improvements, but we can not envision a way to make the road consolidation work for us. I suppose that if route 198 was completely changed to a city street allowing turns from either direction onto campus via “driveways” or connecting roads linked to the campus parking lots and internal roads something could work, but I don’t know how feasible that is for you. It does seem that a reduced median or elimination of redundant bicycle paths on both sides of the 198 might help to reach the goal without the need for road consolidation. In addition, if there was a plan in the long term that would allow us to extend Rockwell Road and pull traffic directly off the 198 ramp or somehow off the 190, that may help with campus traffic. Please let me know if there is any further explanation or information needed. The following letter is in response to the ongoing Environmental Impact Study (EIS) for the Scajaquada Parkway. /\s you are aware, the Parkside Community is located on the northern border of the Parkway from Main Street through Delaware Park. Our neighborhood's proximity to the Scajaquada Parkway provides us with a unique insight to the daily operation of this throughfare. Below is a summary of our knowledge regarding the Expanded Project Proposal and EIS. PROJECT BACKGROUND The Scajaquada Expressway was constructed in the 1950's to connect the l-190 to Route 33 and the 1-90 as part of an interstate highway system. The Expressway meanders along Scajaquada Creek and cuts through Delaware Park, Buffalo's most prominent Olmsted- designed park, before it connects to Route 33. Designed only for vehicles and in a manner that moves traffic through the City instead of improving access to the City, the Expressway has had many negative impacts on the surrounding community. It hns severed Delaware Park in half, ruining its historic and aesthetic character, and has created a barrier between the neighborhoods to the north and neighborhoods to the south. This barrier makes it extremely Parkside 592 difficult to navigate through this section of the City without a car, and therefore is impeding 10/23/2013 Community Mail (PART ONE) ongoing efforts by the City and other transportation organizations to increase the walkability of Association neighborhoods and decrease the percentage of trips that are being made by car. Additionally, the Scajaquada Expressway is underutilized by vehicles and only comes close to the vehicular capacity it was designed for during the peak travel time of 4 pm-6pm. In 2005, the City conducted a study known as the Expanded Project Proposal (EPP) to analyze the feasibility of downgrading the Expressway between Parkside /\venue and Grant Street in order to alleviate the negative impacts it has had on the community. With significant public input, the EPP established a preferred design alternative that reduced the vehicular speed to 30 MPH, improved the aesthetic of the roadway and incorporated multi-modal facilities ·into its design, such as pedestrian crossings and bicycle lanes. The EPP study indicated that this preferred design alternative would greatly improve connectivity, access and overall quality of life for residents and park visitors, while having little to no impact on vehicular travel times through this short stretch of roadway. Based upon the EPP, The NYS Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) began conducting an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for this project.

76 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received However, NYSDOT expanded the EPP's Purpose and Needs Statement to include that the project had to ensure the Scajaquada Expressway would continue to be used as a "feasible and prudent urban arterial" and that the project would "not significantly erode tile existing level of service" for motor vehicles. Because of this, NYSDOT deemed the EPP's preferred altemative as being infeasible amd instead chose a preferred alternative that focuses on improving traffic flow for vehicles to alleviate congestion during peak travel times while having a negligible impact upon travel times. Many stakeholders feel that NYDOT's preferred alternative contradicts the project's original intentions, is inconsistent with the city's comprehensive plan as well as the Olmsted Parks master plan and does not adequately address the concerns of the community, nor follow NYSDOT''s own policies regarding improving multimodal connections and encouraging smart growth. I. NYSDOT's alternative focuses on improving the level of service for vehicles by improving traffic flow that is intended to get vehicles through the park more quickly during peak periods. Parkside 592 The alternative does not provide adequate infrastructure improvements that would improve 10/23/2013 Community Mail (PART TWO) access to and through the park for pedestrians and bicyclists, does not restore the connectivity Association between the two sections of the park, does not restore the connectivity between neighborhoods surrounding the park, and does not improve the quality of life of residents in the surrounding neighborhoods. 2. While the design's primary focus is on attempting to decrease congestion during peak travel times, evidence suggests that it will not be able to accomplish this due to induced demand. The design addresses congestion by making the highway more efficient for vehicles currently utilizing it. However, by improving traffic flow and making it easier for drivers to utilize the highway, new drivers who once avoided the highway will now choose it as their travel path. This will result in higher traffic volumes and over time, will go back towards its existing levels of congestion or make congestion worse. NYSDOT acknowledges that induced demand is a certainty, but is unwilling to properly address it in this project. 3. NYSDOT's prefered alternative contradicts two recently passed policies in New York State: The NYS Smart Growth Public Infrastructure Policy Act (SGPIPA) was signed into law in August 2010. The Act is intended to minimize the unnecessary cost of sprawl development and requires State infrastructure agencies, including NYSDOT, to ensure public infrastructure projects undergo a consistency evaluation using the ten Smart Growth criteria specified in the Act. This has not been completed to date and the project is not expected to be consistent with the Smart Growth criteria. Govemor Cuomo also signed the Complete Streets Act into law on August 15, 2011, which requires state, county and local agencies to consider the convenience ·and mobility of all users (including bicyclists, pedestrians and persons with disabilities) when developing transportation projects. NYSDOT's preferred alternative docs not address improving the roadway's level of service for these categories . CASE STUDIES Buffalo is not the first city to attempt downgrading an expressway. Two well-known American examples of downgrading expressways are New York City's West Side Highway and San Francisco's Embarcadero Freeway. In both cases, the expressways were removed and contrary to warnings, most of the car trips (up to 53% in New York City back in 1973) simply disappeared. They did not pop up elsewhere, clogging surface streets; people found other Parkside 592 ways to get around. In San Francism downgrading the Embarcadero into a boulevard raised 10/23/2013 Community Mail (PART THREE) property values by 300%, a threefold increase that has paid for the cost of construction Association several tirnes over since 2000 ("Removing Freeways-Restoring Cities," - http://preservenet.com/freeways/index.html). In fact, a British study of worldwide data found that road removals generally improve local economics, while new roads increase unemployment (Jill Kruse, "Removing It and They Will Disappear"), By giving new life to the areas previously blighted by expressways, these downgrades have actually been found to reduce overall travel times further clarifying the impact of induced demand (Jeff Speck, "Walkable City"). COMMUNITY CONCERNS A coalition of community stakeholders, institutions and individuals lead by Assembly Member Sean Ryan have expressed the community's desire to further downgrade the Scajaquada Expressway. The areas of concem explicitly identified include: • While we are encouraged by the proposed remediation of the dangerous on/off ramps at Delaware and Elmwood, the Parkside and Scajaquada intersection has not been improved to provide a safer pedestrian crossing"" the neighborhood and students from Medaille College that use it.

77 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received The current condition has lead to numerous serious vehicular accidents and many close calls by pedestrians. 'the distance between the safe refuge for pedestrians areas remains the same as the existing condition which does not induce a safe crossing. This crossing not only connects Medaille College to our community, the Buffalo Zoo and Delaware Park but it also acts as a barrier to a significant neighborhood, the Agassiz Circle community. • The Main Street off ramp and intersection above the Scajaquada has not been improved for pedestrians or vehicles in the February 2013 documents. All pedestrian crossings do not meet the state standard for safety. During our meeting with the NYSDOT team on April 23, 2013, we reviewed options to revise this intersection eliminating the triangular pedestrian island and one light. Our organization would like to see further study of this proposal. This design option may relieve pedestrian conflicts in some areas, however, we are concerned that it will not address the conflicts at all pedestrian crossings. The safety of pedestrians in this area is critical to connecting our community to Canisius College, Medaille College, Sisters Hospital, Hamlin Park and the NFTA Metro Rail. • All proven traffic calming techniques should be applied to the project area to establish a Parkside 592 30mph traflic speed to create a safe and more accessible urban arteriaL 10/23/2013 Community Mail (PART FOUR) • Beyond the proposed crossing connecting Buffalo State with the Wegman's area, additional Association opportunities for public access crossing the Scajaquada via bicycle and pedestrian are desired. At grade crossings are preferred. • Adequate crosswalks with the appropriate safe crossing treatments are needed. • Roadway design and landscape restoration should be employed to minimize the intrusion of vehicle travel through the historic landscape of Delaware Park to the greatest extent possible. • The project should seek to create a complete street that accommodates all roadway users; this includes vehicles, commuting bicyclists, recreational bicyclists, recreational joggers and walkers. • On street bike lanes and pedestrian walkways are desired connecting to the citywide network. • Gateways should be established within each end of the corridor honoring the historical significance of this area by creating a welcoming and inspiring user experience. • Improved ingress and egress at the Buffalo Parks maintenance facility is desired to eliminate the blind turn condition.

• The decrease of permeable surface by 20% in the proposed plans is a signillcant benefit and any additional storm water runoff that can be treated naturally throughout the entire Scajuquada corridor is welcomed. • An agency responsible for maintenance has not been identified. A long-term maintenance plan with all stakeholders and agencies needs to be established. • The outer guardrail shown on the Grant Street & Elmwood Avenue rendering maintains an undesirable condition. An installation that is inline with the character of the new roadway condition similar to a stone wall at the median is desired. The information described above includes the concerns we have heard from our community Parkside members regarding the NYSDOT Scajaquada Parkway proposed preferred option. During our 592 10/23/2013 Community Mail meeting on April 23, 2013 at the PCA offices we discussed specifically the Main Street (PART FIVE) Association condition. Our understanding from that meeting was that an additional study would be pursued for this intersection to review the viability of the option developed by David Hill (NYSDOT) during our meeting. We welcome this additional study and would urge you to pursue the same due diligence on the areas of concem we have described above. The PCA looks forward to additional dialogue about our community's concerns and how we can achieve a Scajaquada Parkway project that is in harmony with its surroundings and our community. This vision includes a parkway that celebrates the park system and Scajaquada creek while creating a vibrant environment for the adjacent higher education, commercial and residential neighbors. Please feel free to contact our organization with any comments or concerns regarding the content of this letter. On behalf of the Parkside Community Association. I am writing to congratulate the New York State Department of Transportation's (NYSDOT) plan to reconstruct the Elmwood Avenue Bridge over NY Route 198 and Scajaquada Creek. The Elmwood Avenue Bridge is an important gateway of historical significance connecting to many of our city's most prized cultural, educational, recreational and architectural treasures and business corridors. The existing bridge design and configuration is grossly inadequate for the prominence of the location and surrounding landscape. The expressway-like proportions and design encourage vehicular behavior that is inappropriate for the high volume of pedestrians and bicyclists that use this location year-round to take advantage of the surrounding institutions, park and pathways. While overall this is a positive development, the following issues need to be addressed: • Elmwood Avenue's separated bicycle facility connecting the Elmwood Village at Forest Ave. to the Burchfield Penney and Buffalo State up to Iroquois Drive is an excellent example of the City of Buffalo's commitment to developing safe Complete Streets. NYSDOT should support Parkside 593 this effort and extend the separated bicycle facility across the bridge connecting to the Jesse 6/27/2014 Community Mail (PART ONE) Kregal Pathway so that future City of Buffalo complete street projects could then extend this Association facility further north to the Grant-Amherst Business Association and additional investments occurring in the corridor. This could be easily achieved by reducing the travel l

78 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received • How does this project effect current work being completed on right-sizing the Scajaquada Expressway, including the additional study options for a 30mph corridor and complete restoration of Delaware Park? • How does the retention pond area work m1d what impact will it have upon the Scajaquada Creek? • With the construction schedule currently projected at taking two seasons, what will be the Parkside 593 temporary pedestrian and bicycle accommodations through th.is corridor? 6/27/2014 Community Mail (PART TWO) While understanding the type of funding source available for this project made the timeframe Association quick, many have felt that the public engagement process has not provided adequate time for input. For a project of this significance and magnitude, which will affect bow people use this corridor for a generation, community consensus is integral. Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this project. We would be happy to collaborate with you to host a meeting achieving the best possible project for our community in an expeditious manner to address the issues identified above. It is clear that Scajaquada Expressway is officially being transformed into the Scajaquada Boulevard defined as a 30 MPH facility that is in harmony with its surroundings and designed for all users. Our community supports this approach and looks forward to working on the details of this plan with your team. However, our community is concerned over how this configuration will integrate with the grade- separated (viaduct) intersection with Main Street. After careful consideration the Parkside Community Association and its Traffic Committee call for the viaduct's removal and restoration of the at-grade intersection with Main Street. First and foremost, we hope this would improve the safety of both pedestrians and motorists while reconnecting the communities that have been severed by this roadway including the Parkside, Glenwood, Trinidad and Hamlin Park communities. As you know the intersections surrounding area experience some of the highest accident rates along the expressway with the Parkside intersection accounting for 30% of the total. By bringing their design closer to typical at-grade intersections for roadways of this nature, we hope we can reduce the accident rates Parkside closer to state norms and hopefully much lower. In addition: 594 2/26/2016 Community Mail • The two signalized intersections at Main Street and Humboldt Parkway could be reduced to (PART ONE) Association one. • The pedestrian crossing at Main Street could be improved. Currently the northern crosswalk at Sister's Hospital lacks a pedestrian signal. This dangerous situation is worsened by the fact that pedestrians cannot view the northbound traffic signal on Main Street and therefore cannot tell if the green arrow for Humboldt Parkway is actuated in concert with northbound traffic or not. • The dangerous slipways on Humboldt Parkway that induce speeding and reckless driving would no longer be needed. • The landscaping this configuration would require would mitigate the impacts of the boulevard's noise and air pollution on the surrounding neighborhoods. • The landscaping would also improve the area's connectivity and provide shelter for the numerous pedestrians attracted by the neighborhood, two colleges, hospital. subway station, and park.

• Although the Main Street viaduct was constructed over 50 years ago, it does not meet any of the criteria for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Its removal, however, would greatly mitigate impacts to Humboldt Parkway, which as part of our Olmsted parks system, is already listed on the NRHP. In the short term while the planning phases proceed we recommend that measures be installed Parkside immediately on the Scajaquada Expressway in this area to improve the safety for all users. We 594 2/26/2016 Community Mail applaud your approach of reducing lane widths however we would request that both entrances (PART TWO) Association on the 198 off of route 33 be reduced from 2 lanes to 1 lane. This lane reduction will reduce the ongoing conflict of drivers trying to cut across multiple lanes while creating more orderly driving condition. This lane reduction is in line with the 21ane configuration beyond Parkside Avenue. We look forward to working with you to finalize these and other design details in the coming months.

79 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received The Scajaquada Corridor Coalition {SCC) is writing to you on behalf of over 100 organizations and over three thousand residents who have expressed a desire to right-size state route 198, the Scajaquada Expressway. We want to express our gratitude and thanks to Governor Cuomo and the New York State Department of Transportation for the swift action taken after the tragic crash that led to the death of a young child. As you may be aware, right-sizing the Scajaquada has been the desire of the community for over 15 years and. the initial steps taken to bring the speed along the expressway down to 30mph has begun to transition the corridor improving the safety of all users while better fitting within the context of an Olmsted Design park. There was much anticipation in the community for the September 16 public meeting Region 5 NYS Department of Transportation held but many left disappointed. It was stated that the short- term changes could be with us for the next 4-6 years before a final Environmental Impact Statement {EIS) and funding could potentially be secured to begin construction of a long-term preferred alternative. During the public meeting there was no discussion about the current changes that have taken place or what additional measures would be implemented. This is unacceptable. 595 Scajaquada The 2005 Expanded Project Proposal {EPP) process developed a Short Term plan supported 9/30/2015 Mail (PART ONE) Corridor Coalition by the community that would move the design of the corridor to 30mph to facilitate what is now the posted speed limit at a cost of roughly $5 million. This is a reasonable and prudent expenditure considering the timeframe these short-term measures will be with us according to the timeline provided by your department. Furthermore it is critical, with the lower posted speed limit, that significant change in the character of the corridor take place. The 2005 EPP stated; "with the openness of the roadway, the absence of trees and other natural features lining the roadway, and the presence of guide rail separating the eastbound and westbound drivers; the Scajaquada has more of a highway- like character giving drivers the message that speeds higher than 30mph speed limit are safe. Therefore, just changing the speed limit signs would not be sufficient for slowing traffic on the Scajaquada ..: physical changes (traffic calming measures) are needed to clue motorists that they should be travelling at the ... 30 mph posted speed" and we could not agree more. First and foremost a gradual transition (Att. 1 & 2) of roadside treatments creating gateways into the corridor is needed.

Secondly, traffic-calming techniques that are intended to improve conditions for non-motorized users (bicycles & pedestrians) are needed (Att. 3). Lastly, additional features throughout the corridor are needed (Att. 4) to remind drivers that the speed limit is 30mph. To this end, provided in detail are the short-term recommendations of the 2005 EPP that the sec would like to see implemented in full. In addition to our concerns over the short term measures the community is frustrated that the study does not include the full extent of the Scajaqauada Expressway deviating from the original project extents presented in 2007 and beyond (ATT 13). During the presentation it was made clear that the extent of the project did not include the entire Scajaquada Expressway from the Route 33 to Interstate 190. The project team specifically stated that the Main Street intersection was too difficult of a problem and they are unable to develop a solution to make this a safer condition. This intersection has accident rates exceeding the state average and continues to be a dangerous condition for all users. The community continues to request that the project include the full extent of the Scajaquada Expressway as originallyintended. By doing so this will provide an opportunity to improve the safety of the Main Street intersection and 595 Scajaquada reconnect the communities separated by the current expressway from Niagara Street to Hamlin 9/30/2015 Mail (PART TWO) Corridor Coalition Park. Traffic calming measures through a transition zone east of the Main St intersection are recommended. (Att. 5) Short-term Improvements Traffic calming measures As part of the short-term improvements the Scajaquada traffic calming measures would include the following: • Transitions- are the first feature motorists would experience as they exit from the high speed, tension packed express\Nays !-190 and Kensington Expressvvay (Route 33), to the low speed, calmed Scajaquada. Thus it is important for the transitions to clue motorists that they must slow down. Intensive traffic calming measures are needed in these transitions. o West End Transition (Att. 1)- would be located between the 1-190 and Grant Street. • Rumble Strips - The first measure encountered as a motorist travels eastbound would be rumble strips across the travel lanes. Additional rumble strips would be provided periodically along the Scajaquada. This end of the Scajaquada is industrial. Therefore noise from the multiple· rumble strips would not disturb residents.

80 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received • Overhead signs - The existing overhead signs would be replace with "Expressway Ends" signs and flashing beacons. • Texas barrier -The existing concrete jersey barrier would be replaced by Texas barrier. The Texas style barrier has a more urban appearance and the open spaces would give motorists a glimpse of their surroundings as well as a visual and audible clue that they have entered a different area. • Streetlights - Mounted on top of the Texas barrier would be streetlight with Central park luminaires and banners spaced 30 meters (100') on center. These lights and banners would also give motorists a visual clue that they have entered a different area. After the Texas barrier ends, ground mounted streetlights would be spaced 20 meters (70') on center. The closer spacing further reinforces that the motorist has entered a different area. • Streetscape - As the motorist approaches Grant Street the typical streetscape section (Att. 7) would be introduced. A traffic diverter would be located at the west end of the median. In the median would be an area for a landmark/ focal point feature and 595 Scajaquada plantings make a statement that motorists are passing through a gateway to an important 9/30/2015 Mail (PART THREE) Corridor Coalition community place. • Gateway Sign -A gateway sign (other than a "green" traffic sign) would welcome motorists to the Scajaquada. The appearance of the structure supporting the sign would be consistent with the streetscape strategy. Speed limit signs on the gateway sign would reinforce the 30mph speed limit. • Name Change- The gateway sign could state, "Welcome to the Olmsted Crescent via Scajaquada Way," which would identify the new corridor. In addition, the 1-190 exit signs would be revised from directing them to the "expressway" to a "parkway". This name is not cast in stone and would need to be vetted by the community because of the corridor's importance as a special route connecting our city's educational, historical, cultural and environmental amenities. !! Intelligent Traffic Syst m {ITS} ·- ITS features such as va·riable message boards and electronic speed indicators such as the ones already in place, should be included to continually reinforce the 30mph speed limit.

• Intersection - Finally, the transition would include an intersection at the foot of the Grant Street ramps for the Scajaquada. The transition would include a signalized intersection at the foot of the Grant Street ramps (Att. 6) for the Scajaquada eastbound direction. Essentially, the ramps would be combined to form Road "G" and the median diverter would be added to the Scajaquada. o East End Transition (Att. 2 & 5) -would be located between Route 33 and Main Street. • Overhead signs - The existing overhead signs would be replaced with "Expressway Ends" signs and flashing beacons. • Streetlights- Existing streetlights are mounted on top of retaining walls. Additional ground or wall mounted streetlights with Central Park luminaries and banners would be spaced 20 meters (70') on center. The close spacing gives motorists a visual clue that they have entered a different area. • Streetscape - As the motorist approaches Main Street the typical streetscape section would be introduced. However, the existing roadway footprint would not provide space for a 4.3 (14') wide median. The narrow median could be a raised planter defined by jersey barrier. Stamping 595 Scajaquada it with a texture similar to the retaining walls that line the Scajaquada could soften the barrier. 9/30/2015 Mail (PART FOUR) Corridor Coalition Streetlights with Central Park luminaries would be included in the median. This narrow median would not be a place for a landmark/focal point feature. Instead the landmark/focal point feature could be located in the median of the improved signalized intersection at Parkside Avenue. All the above improvements along with the overhead sign described below make a statement - that motorists are passing through a gateway to an important place. • Gateway sign -A gateway sign with a brown or other non-green traffic sign color would welcome motorists to the Scajaquada. If a project is advanced the appearance of the structure supporting the sign would be designed to be consistent with the streetscape strategy. Speed limit signs on the gateway sign would reinforce the Scajaquada's 30 mph speed limit. • Name change - Like the west end gateway sign the east end gateway sign could state "Welcome to the Olmsted Crescent via the Scajaquada Way". • Intelligent Traffic System (ITS) - ITS features such as variable message boards and electronic speed indicators strategically located along the Scajaquada would be included to reinforce the 30 mph speed limit.

81 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received • Lane width reduction - The existing 3.6 meter (12') travel lanes would be replaced by 3.3 meter (11 ') travel lanes. To cost effectively narrow the travel lanes for the short- term improvements the lanes would be "pushed" to the median, resulting in space for a bike lane. The typical sections detailed were defined to maintain the existing roadway footprint. Thereby, costs and disturbances to the environment could be minimized. o West Segment (Att. 7) - Grant to lincoln Parkway (south) • A 1.525 meter {5') bicycle lane between the outer travel lane and the shoulder in each direction (See Note 111-4) • Two 3.3 meter (11')travel lanes in each direction (See Note 111-5) • A 2.4 meter (8') shoulder with tinted asphalt and rumble strips in each direction • A 0.3 meter (1')curb offset on either side of the median • The existing 1.2 meter (4') curbed median and guide rail would be removed to the greatest extent possible. o Middle Segment (Att. 8)- Lincoln Parkway (south) to East of Delaware Avenue • A 3.0 meter (10') recreational trail along the south side (See Note 111-6) 595 Scajaquada 9/30/2015 Mail • Existing curb would be retained (PART FIVE) Corridor Coalition • A 1.525 meter (5') bicycle lane between the outer travel lane and the curb in each direction (See Note 111-4) • Two 3.3 meter (11')travel lanes in each direction (See Note 111-5) • A 0.3 meter (1')curb offset for the median • The existing 1.2 meter (4') curbed median and guide rail would be removed to the greatest extent possible o East Segment- (Att. 91 East of Delaware Avenue to Parkslde Avenue • A 3.0 meter (10') recreational trail along the south side (See Note 111-6) • Existing curb would be retained • A 1.525 meter {5') bicycle lane between the outer travel lane and the curb in each direction (See Note 111-4) • Two 3.3 meter (11')travel lanes in each direction (See Note 111-5) • . A 0.3 meter (1') curb offset for the median • A 6.0 meter (20') median with grass. If budget permits plantings would also be included in the median. • Note 111-4: The 1.525 meter (5') wide bicycle lane would meet the minimum requirements recommended by the AASHTO "Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities" and Chapter 18 of the NYSDOT Highway Design Manual. Further guidance provided in the FHWA report "Selecting Roadway Design Treatments to Accommodate Bicycles" recommends a 1.8 meter (6') bicycle lane for urban sections that carry more than 10,000 AADT. The narrower lane was selected to maintain the existing roadway "footprint", hence avoiding or minimizing disturbance to the environment and parkland. The wider bicycle lane wi!! be further evaluated if a project is advanced. • Note 111-6: The multi-purpose trail would be located between lincoln Parkway (south) and Parkside Avenue to improve pedestrian access to the portion of Delaware Park that is south of the Scajaquada. More trail west of lincoln Parkway could be included if a project is advanced and additional funding is available. • Shoulders with rumble strips - A shoulder with rumble strips would reinforce the narrower lane, especially for the short-term improvements. • Modification of access points - All the modification of access points included in the long-term 595 Scajaquada improvements, described above and in Section lll.C.l.b.(G) of the 2005 EPP, to replace ramps 9/30/2015 Mail (PART SIX) Corridor Coalition and acceleration or deceleration lanes with connecting roads and intersections are too extensive to be included in the short-term improvements. However, a cost effective modification of some access points would contribute to the success of short-term improvements at converting the Scajaquada's character from an expressway to a road within a park. The new access controls on the Scajaquada would remind drivers that they have entered a special place and should travel at the 30 mph speed limit. Cost effective access modifications within both transitions would be considered the minimum. However, the long distance between 1-190 and Route 33 warrants consideration of a mid-point cost effective access modification. The midpoint access modification would remind drivers that they have entered a special place and should travel at the desired 30 mph speed limit. The mid-point occurs at lincoln Parkway (north). However, an optional access modification at Delaware Avenue will also be evaluated because the traffic volume at that location would have a more significant traffic calming effect. Either location would be signalized to provide the level of service required enter or exit the Scajaquada. The short-term access modifications are described in Section 111.C.l.b.(6). o GRANT STREET INTERCHANGE SHORT-TERM IMPROVEMENTS (Att. 6)

82 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received • As part of the long-term improvements a signalized intersection option and a roundabout option are proposed at the Grant Street interchange. Based on the comparison of these options, a signalized intersection would be the most cost effective and feasible modification for a short- term improvement. This short-term improvement would be the same as the long-term improvement and would provide the same features, except there would be less landscaping and the pedestrian bridge over the Scajaquada Creek would not be included. o MID-POINT SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION SHORT-TERM IMPROVEMENTS • As described in the traffic calming plan, another signalized intersection on the Scajaquada is recommended between the proposed intersection at Road "G" and the intersection at Parkside Avenue. This new signalized intersection would be placed at either Lincoln Parkway (north) or at a Delaware Avenue ramp. • Option A: Signalized Intersection at lincoln Parkway (north) (Att. 10) As part of the long-term access modifications, the lincoln Parkway (north) access to the Scajaquada would be modified to include a median opening. With the proposed median opening the existing right turn onto the Scajaquada would remain and the median opening 595 Scajaquada would permit only a left turn onto the Scajaquada. As part of the short term improvements, this 9/30/2015 Mail (PART SEVEN) Corridor Coalition access modification could be modified to include a signal. The permitted turns and pedestrian crossings would remain the same. If desired, the signal would be removed after other long-term improvements have been constructed. This short-term improvement would be the same as the long-term improvement and would provide the same features, except there would be less landscaping. • Option B: Signalized Intersection at a Delaware Avenue Ramp !Att. 111 A signalized intersection would be the most cost effective and feasible modification for a short-term improvement. This short-term improvement could be similar to the long-term improvement and would provide the same features, except there would be less landscaping. However, a more cost effective modification would be to combine the Scajaquada eastbound ramps for Delaware Avenue southbound into Road "D1" and replace the slip ramps and acceleration/deceleration lanes with a signalized "T" intersection at both ends. Road "D1" would be able to utilize more of the existing ramps than Road "D". o PARKSIDE AVENUE INTERSECTION SHORT-TERM IMPROVEMENTS !Att.lZI • A signalized intersection would be the most cost effective and feasible modification for a short- term improvement. This short-term improvement would be the same as the proposed long-term improvement and would provide the same features, except there would be less landscaping. • Median barrier removal - Removal of the median barrier would be a significant step toward changing the expressway character of the Scajaquada. to a road within a park character. The new character would convey to drivers that a lower speed is more safe and comfortable. Removal of the median barrier is proposed to the greatest extent possible. • Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan -As part of the short-term improvements the Scajaquada pedestrian/bicyclist plan between Grant Street and Parkside Avenue would include the following features (Att. 4): o A 1.525 meter (S') sidewalk along the north edge ofthe Scajaquada o A 3.0 meter (10') trail along the south edge of the Scajaquada o A 1.525 meter (5') bicycle lane in each direction o Fer the Grant Street, MiQ·-Point and Parkside intersections described above, raised crosswalks with high visibility pavement markings would be accompanied by pedestrian 595 Scajaquada actuated pedestrian traffic signals. 9/30/2015 Mail (PART EIGHT) Corridor Coalition o Supplemental crossings are proposed at the following locations: • At the end of Road "G" a pedestrian bridge over the Scajaquada Creek would provide connectivity for people around the west end of Buffalo State College to the Scajaquada Pathway and other points of interest on the other side of Scajaquada Creek. • As part of the access modifications proposed at Grant Street the westbound off ramp would be closed. The bridge that carries that ramp over the Scajaquada Creek would be utilized to carry pedestrians. • A pedestrian bridge towards the center of Buffalo State College would provide connectivity for students and faculty of Buffalo State College to the Scajaquada Pathway and other points of interest on the other side of Scajaquada Creek. • As part of the access modifications proposed at Elmwood Avenue the westbound on/off ramp would be modified to include a sidewalk and bicycle lanes. In addition, a trail from the east end of Buffalo State College would connect to the proposed trail along the south edge of the Scajaquada as well as connectivity to the Elmwood Avenue area.

83 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received • As part of the access modifications proposed at Elmwood Avenue the westbound off ramp to Elmwood Avenue northbound would be closed. The bridge that carries that ramp over the Scajaquada Creek would be utilized to carry pedestrians. • As part of the access modifications proposed at lincoln Pkwy (south) an unsignalized pedestrian crossing with high visibility pavement markings and a refuge area in the median would be provided. • As part of the access modifications proposed at lincoln Avenue (north) an unsignalized pedestrian crossing with high visibility pavement markings and a refuge area in the median would be provided. • As part of the access modifications proposed at the Park Maintenance facility an unsignalized pedestrian crossing with high visibility pavement markings and a refuge area in the median would be provided. • Landscaping - A significant effect would be accomplished by focusing landscape development at the transitions. The landscape development provided in the transitions would enhance those areas as gateways to the Scajaquada. As importantly, the landscape 595 Scajaquada 9/30/2015 Mail development would promote traffic calming for motorists entering the Scajaquada corridor. (PART NINE) Corridor Coalition Short-term landscape development within the transition zones would include the beginning of a parkway like streetscape. The centerpiece of the transition zones would be a raised diverter median with plantings and possibly a landmark focal point. The sec strongly believes that this project is essential towards the future revitalization of our city. Public sentiment and support is resoundingly in favor of the 30mph option. As it stands the roadway needs to be further transitioned through the above traffic calming measures identified to facilitate the new speed limit. After 18 months of waiting and the unimaginable tragedy at Delaware Park, the last public meeting lacked the necessary focus on short-term measures required to eliminate the expressway-like character of the existing corridor. The communities focus is on short-term measures that can be put in place to provide immediate impact on driver behavior on the corridor. Once the short-term changes are implemented, it will be essential to then re-evaluate the long-term vision and the multiple impacts upon the residents of the City of Buffalo. The current proposals by the NYSDOT for the long term design require significant rethinking to meet the goal of having a parkway that will be in harmony with its surroundings.

When you attended the stakeholders meeting at the Department of Transportation offices in November, your approach and outward attitude was far different from what we had experienced from the DOT in the past and our expectations were raised for a more successful and informed result, largely due to your experience in urban planning. Your absence from the meeting last week was disappointing to say the least, and the meeting was largely vehicular- traffic- modeling-driven with little focus on strategic outcomes other than moving traffic. As chairman of the Design Committee of the Scajaquada Corridor Coalition, my task is to view this project with a larger, more long-term vision in mind. Last week's meeting was less than satisfying. Two things became abundantly clear. First, the goal of current traffic modeling is simply to move as much traffic as possible as quickly as possible between two points. We were told that certain alternatives were rejected because they could not satisfy a daily traffic count of 70,000 vehicles. Ironically, the only section of the roadway that approaches that level is the Main to Route 33 section; from Parkside to Main is slightly lower at about 57,000 vehicles. The remaining sections of the roadway average between 38,000 and 49,000 vehicles per section. And historically, we have Scajaquada been told that only about 15% of the traffic traverses the entire length of the roadway. 596 1/20/2016 Mail Corridor Coalition To a degree, I sympathize with the predicament the DOT and their consultants find themselves in: the modeling used in these studies is outdated and fails to accurately predict the outcomes of various traffic changes. Time and again, other cities have completely removed roadways for one reason or another, ye1;Jhe drastic consequences predicted routinely fail to materialize. The impact on local neighborhoods is overstated and exaggerated while increased traffic on commercial corridors is generally viewed as good for local businesses. What would an urban planner see in that lineup? An array of cultural and educational institutions stretching from Main Street to the Niagara River, and a park to connect most of it. Call it a "Cultural Corridor". Despite the significant opportunities presented, the DOT appears to be unable to consider anything beyond Grant Street, nor will the DOT consider the link to Route 33 at this time. As 1 said earlier, this is a generational opportunity that cannot be hampered by a short-sighted vision. We need to open this discussion and the planning to a broader vision that will leave our descendants with a better city than the one we received. Anything less is barely worth our efforts. Please help us to realize that vision.

I wanted to thank you and the staff at the New York State Department of Transportation for your continued work to develop community consensus around the Scajaquada Expressway project. I am encouraged by the recent announcement that your team will be studying a 30 mph option and the potential of converting a section of the roadway into a complete city street. WNY During the public meeting on April 9th, there were a rising number of calls by the community for 597 4/25/2014 environmental Mail the complete removal of the Scajaquada Expressway. I do believe this alternative should be Alliance added to the study's alternatives so that the public could weigh the impact such a removal would have on our city streets, the health. This additional study along with studying the complete removal of the Scajaquada will go a long way towards building community consensus. Please consider this request.

84 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper has reviewed the most recent plans for the Scajaquada Corridor Expressway Downgrade project and we commend the significant improvements that have been made to the design proposal. Given the limitations set by both the funding source and the defined project limits we believe the direction in which this project is now heading appears to be much more in line with the community vision. We support the growing collective of community voices which envision the Scajaquada corridor as a Complete Street; an urban design which would entirely eliminate the limited access conditions of the former Expressway and which would include maximized rehabilitation of Scajaquada Creek (and Its habitat buffer zones), expanded physical and visual access to the Creek, integrated state-of-the-art stormwater management throughout the corridor, and significantly enhanced multi- modal access along, and across, the new street. Restoration to a Complete Street would bring this transportation facility into harmony with the community character and natural environment of the Scajaquada Creek Corridor including the Olmsted Park System and historic Forest Lawn Cemetery. As well, restoration would improve the visual and functional connectivity between the various features and resources in the adjacent area for Buffalo Niagara motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians alike. In addition, replacemet as a Complete Street 598 4/14/2014 Mail River Keepers would also serve to significantly enhance community quality of life, aesthetics, social and cultural opportunities and would further serve to attract economic investment to our Region. Delivering a bold and innovative, leading edge-of-the-curve project would serve our region well; helping to finally right the significant negative consequences of urban bypass and admirably proclaiming to the world at large that our citizenry choose to live in a savvy, sustainable and resilient community that Cherishes its heritage as being "America's Best Designed City.'' As this project continues to progress toward the community vision we ask to be better included in the future design development, especially in regards to water quality and quantity, along with public access to the water. We heard it stated at a recent community meeting that "Riverkeeper was consulted In regards to Scajaquada water quality during the design process" and we would like to ensure that this is a factual collaboration going forward. We look forward to meaningful and significant progress toward community vision implementation. Please feel free to contact me with any comments or concerns regarding the content of this letter. Ican be reached directly at 716-852-7483 ext. 21, or email [email protected].

Reasons to Upgrade the Scajaquada Expressway In respect to the purpose of this project, the speed reduction to 30 mph should be thought of as an upgrade for the community, instead of a downgrade for commuters. As we move forward, let's take a look at the benefits that a Scajaquada Parkway can bring to the city of Buffalo. 1) Restore the Original Elements of Delaware Park a. Historically, there was a bridle path that extended from Agassiz Circle up to the Elmwood Avenue stone bridge. b. Olmsted Parks Conservancy making progress with various historical elements i. Spire Fountain (originally built in 1895; restored in 2013) ii. Boathouse at Hoyt Lake iii. Reforesting designations iv. Annual cleansing efforts at Scajaquada Creek 2) Make Travelling Around Delaware Park Easier for Pedestrians a. Current crosswalk proposal will reunite Meadow Park with Lake Park Restore our b. Easier to travel between the History Museum, the Japanese Garden, and the Albright-Knox Community 599 Art Gallery 7/15/2015 Coalition, Mail (PART ONE) 3) ...and for Motorists! Research a. Driving around Parkside is needlessly complicated Associate b. Too many detours within short travelling distances i. Getting to Medaille College from Main Street ii. Meadow Road from Agassiz Circle c. Reviving Agassiz Circle would solve logistical issues. i. Will make Parkside intersection much safer! 4) Reunite Meadowview Place and Delaware Park Garage with Surroundings a. *An elephant in the room: Small pocket of homes near Medaille are completely separated from the rest of the Parkside neighborhood b. Delaware Park Garage almost completely inaccessible without Scajaquada c. . ..and even then, can only be accessed going southbound 5) Promote Safety for Parkside Residents a. Spinoff traffic from Scajaquada has caused many annual accidents in and around the Parkside neighborhood.

85 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received i. Motorists constantly ignoring the speed limit Residents want to go to the Zoo/Playgrounds/Golf Course without competing with traffic problems. 6) Protect and Promote Historical Legacy of Buffalo's "Central" Park a. As the largest in the city, Delaware is not simply a neighborhood park; it is Buffalo's community) park! b. Think of Central Park in Manhattan. c. Expressways should never travel through parks. d. There are other east-west routes between Main and Delaware. 7) (Re-)Establish Connections to Other Olmsted Parks a. Humboldt Parkway 1. Hamlin Park neighborhood was fractured by the Kensington Expressway, another freeway built against the residents' wishes. ii. Reconnect formal green path between Delaware and Martin Luther King Parks Restore our iii. Fix parts of city street grid ruined by Kensington Community 599 b. Riverside Park 7/15/2015 Coalition, Mail (PART TWO) i. Original Scajaquada Parkway extended parallel to the creek up to Grant Street. Research ii. The parkway was probably the basis for an intended connection to Riverside Associate Park. iii. Aside from the obscured Jesse I

86 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received

Petition by Parents 602 ? Not sure of the content of the petition. We have not received any petition? for a Safer Delaware Park Scajaquada Right sizing the corridor. Referencing the options presented at the February Public Info Meeting 603 3/8/2016 Corridor Coalition not meeting the expectation of the community The Scajaquada Corridor Coalition (SCC) is writing to you on behalf of over 100 organizations and over three thousand residents who have expressed a desire to right-size state route 198, the Scajaquada Expressway. We want to express our continued gratitude and thanks to you and the New York State Department of Transportation for your commitment to this project. We now request your help to ensure wide community support for this project is attainable. For decades, many of the organizations involved in the SCC have been actively engaged in the advocacy effort calling for a roadway in harmony with the surrounding community character and park system. The community has participated in various transportation planning efforts stretching over the past 15 years. The Environmental Impact Study process managed by Region 5 NYSDOT which began 8 years ago, has been rack with inconsistent and ineffective public engagement and has led to the community feeling like they are not being heard - or even worse ignored - by the regional NYSDOT and their consultants. This continued disregard for community input is persistently a challenge with the project creating a level of mistrust evident in the May 2016 NYSDOT Scoping Document and public meeting held on May 19. This corrupted process continues to feel disingenuous and the 604 Scajaquada community's level of continued frustration is palpable. 6/13/2016 Mail (PART ONE) Corridor Coalition Website, is not consistent \·Vith the purpose, objectives and needs that 1Ne believe to be most important. The Scajaquada is a vital environmental corridor along the Scajaquada Creek flowing into the Niagara River and Great Lakes. It is a cultural corridor running through Frederick Law Olmsted's historic Delaware Park graced with our world-class cultural institutions including the Albright Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo History Museum, the Richardson Olmsted Complex, the Buffalo Zoo and the Darwin Martin House. It is a vibrant educational corridor servicing Buffalo State College, Canisuis College, and Medaille College. It is a neighborhood corridor built up by many of our strongest residential communities including Hamlin Park, Parkside, the Pan-American Association, the Grant Amherst business district and the Elmwood Village Association. The Scajaquada Corridor, as a whole, has the opportunity to connect and build on the dynamic possibilities of all these tremendous assets by being a keystone of an urban revitalization process, which goes beyond a roadway re- design. Being a "critical transportation link between H90 and NYS Route 33" for automobiles while necessary is not our community's priority and should not take precedence.

The health, safety, environmental quality and economic vitality of the City of Buffalo is paramount and based upon the designs presented in May to the public, the two continue to be in direct conflict. This conflict calls into question the public process. The process to date has been corrupted; designed to achieve a pre-determined outcome. This is clear when reviewing the scoping document where, from 'a sample of 7 letters written to NYSDOT, 6 appear to have been omitted from the document. In one case where a letter sent had 135 signatures from neighbors, it was simply attributed to a single "community member". The·Scajaquada Corridor Coalition (SCC) in collaboration with the Parkside Community Association (PCA), Parents for a Safer Delaware Park and Assembly Member Sean Ryan have also seen a tremendous response from the community with well over 3,000 people in support of our position. None of these appear to be included in the scoping document, only the handful of people who signed a petition in support of keeping an expressway in place. While many stakeholder meetings have been held, they have lacked any real process for engagement. We have been consistently asked what we would like but then presented with 604 Scajaquada 6/13/2016 Mail proposals demonstrating a complete disregard for what we previously shared. Some groups (PART TWO) Corridor Coalition have been isolated to specific meetings and their positions have then been misrepresented to other groups. With no agenda for these meetings and nobody at NYSDOT providing a set of meeting minutes, what we achieve is a continued debate on why what we have asked to give input on cannot be accomplished. This poor process has led to a poor design lacking support. The alternatives detailed at the public meeting on May 19 left much to be desired. The corridor still has the look and feel of a limited access highway. Intersections favor vehicle- turning movements over pedestrian safety. A protected bicycle lane is provided along the ring road, while it was desired to be along the corridor. No access is provided to the south side of the Scajaquada creek. There has been a consistent desire to maintain as much park land as possible to be used by people, not a tree= lined median that we have learned through experience, will never have the tree canopy displayed in the visuals due to roadway maintenance. A true public engagement process for the corridor that is set up to be transparent while demonstrating the impact on multiple community values - not just providing a link to the 190 and 33, is essential. The SCC and the numerous businesses, organizations, institutions and community members it represents would like to work collaboratively with you to move this project forward. We currently lack the trust in the current project managers to deliver a meaningful project. Our recommendation is to engage the public in a design process based on a re-ordered set of 604 Scajaquada priorities that allows for meaningful input and offers a solution to move this forward in a timely 6/13/2016 Mail (PART THREE) Corridor Coalition manner. We will be happy to work with you to make this happen and look forward to hearing back on a process to proceed. Please contact Justin Booth at (716) 218- 7164 or [email protected]. Thank you for your consideration. Partnership for a 605 7/31/2016 public good Press release announcing the Policy brief on February 09, 2016 Partnership for a Policy brief on redesigning the Scajaquada Expressway by Daniel Cadzow and Justin Booth 606 7/31/2016 public good dated February 08, 2016

87 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received

On behalf of the Scajaquada Corridor Coalition (SCC), I want to thank you for your recent visit and letter confirming your commitment to improving the Scajaquada Corridor. This commitment is best demonstrated by the additional short-term traffic calming measures that have been implemented along the corridor—particularly in the transition zones. Additionally, Assistant Commissioner Patrick Meredith and Heather Sporn have been very open and engaging with the members of the SCC, which has been a welcome improvement to the process. In order to reach a balanced, preferred design alternative that not only meets the community’s vision for the Scajaquada Corridor but also serves to build a clear and consistent process for other expressway retrofit projects around the state, the SCC strongly recommends the following: (1) development and implementation of a transparent public outreach process; and (2) revisions and/or additions to project performance metrics to include the multiple benefits and impacts of a project beyond transportation. Transparent Public Outreach Process As detailed in previous letters, since the New York State Department of Transportation 607 The Scajaquada (NYSDOT) began the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in 2005, part of the 8/17/2016 Mail (PART ONE) Corridor Coalition challenge in developing community consensus for the Scajaquada Corridor has been the lack of a meaningful process that addresses citizen concerns and engages them in the design. In order to build community consensus, a transparent process needs to be implemented. This includes providing sufficient lead-time for meetings and informing attendees of the meeting’s structure and how they will be able to participate ahead of time. It also includes developing and implementing a regular meeting schedule, establishing an agenda with clear objectives and distributing meeting minutes to attendees. An exemplary example of a community engagement process has been the City of Buffalo’s Niagara Street project (niagarastreetnow.org). With the goal of developing a community vision for the corridor grounded in neighborhood values and ideas, the City of Buffalo’s Department of Public Works and Buffalo Sewer Authority retained a team of engineers, landscape architects, planners, and researchers to guide a process that bridges meaningful community input to a design that will help Niagara Street realize the vision set forth by passionate citizens and neighborhood groups. Over a four-month period, more than 600 residents, business owners, and stakeholders shaped a set of priorities for the future of Niagara Street.

Summarized in a community vision document, these priorities guided the streetscape re-design and, when presented to the public, the design elements were related back to the community vision. This project has received overwhelming public support and is in stark contrast to how the Scajaquada Corridor has been handled. Measuring Impacts The final 2005 Expanded Project Proposal (EPP) for the Scajaquada Corridor was widely supported when presented to the public. With significant public input, the EPP established a preferred design alternative that reduced the vehicular speed to 30 MPH, improved the aesthetic of the roadway and incorporated multi-modal facilities into its design such as safe pedestrian crossings and bicycle lanes. Based on the EPP, NYSDOT began the EIS for this project, adding the goal to maintain the corridor as a “feasible and prudent principle urban arterial” with no net loss of “the existing vehicular level of service” which eroded the project to the point where it no longer matched the community’s vision. To transform this corridor into one that restores community character, builds economic vibrancy, promotes walkability and bikeability, enhances safety, ensures ecological 607 The Scajaquada enhancement, improves health and provides renewed access to our most significant park 8/17/2016 Mail (PART TWO) Corridor Coalition resources—a different approach to measuring the potential impacts of a project is needed. Cities across New York State are examining the negative impacts resulting from their expressways and looking at a future without them. This is a tremendous opportunity to set a precedent in Buffalo with the Scajaquada through the deployment of an impact analysis that is not singularly focused upon reducing vehicle congestion but rather meeting the community’s vision. Please refer to the attached summary report which provides additional information on how to achieve a more comprehensive set of project performance metrics and how they could apply to the Scajaquada Corridor. The summary includes evidence-based research as well as real world examples of how these pro-active approaches have been successfully employed in other corridors around the country. The SCC would like to work collaboratively with NYSDOT to reach a preferred design alternative. While it is too late for the family of the young child that was killed, based upon the data and research provided, the community’s vision can be implemented in a way that will achieve many positive outcomes while eliminating any future fatalities.

88 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received In an effort to keep the project on task with the announced timeline, we can be a conduit for building community trust and project support. To accomplish this, we request that any future design alternatives presented are measured based upon the impacts identified herein. We strongly believe that if what is measured is simply driver delay the design will never be supported by the community. By changing the lens in which we view this project and future ones, we can provide significant benefits to Buffalo and communities across New York State. PERFORMANCE METRICS, DESIGN GUIDANCE AND THEIR APPLICATION FOR THE SCAJAQUADA CORRIDOR Vehicle Miles Traveled Highways were historically sought as a solution to congestion. However, decades of evidence have shown that highways in fact do not alleviate congestion. While expanding road capacity might provide relief for the first few years, it is likely to eventually have the opposite effect, even within the first five years of operation (Duranton and Turner, 2011). The over emphasis on vehicular level of service can induce Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) thereby reducing or eliminating any congestion relief benefits. 607 The Scajaquada Our State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) in New York currently focuses on a project's 8/17/2016 Mail (PART THREE) Corridor Coalition effect on automobile delay (Vehicle Level of Service [LOS]). The State of California, however, has determined LOS does not constitute a significant environmental impact. They are instead now using criteria for determining the significance of transportation impacts to promote: (1) a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions; (2) development of multimodal transportation networks; and (3) a diversity of land uses. Here in New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo passed Executive Order No. 24 establishing a goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in New York State by 80 percent below the levels emitted in 1990 by the year 2050. To accomplish this, continued growth depends on increased efficiency and conservation in land use and transportation. To meet this, New York State must also focus on reducing overall VMT as opposed to automobile delay. Economic Development Measuring the economic impact of a highway’s removal on surrounding land uses is also an important measure to consider. While the context of each city that has removed a highway is different, each has seen significant improvements in key economic measures of the area after the highway was removed.

Removal of Harbor Drive in Portland, Oregon, resulted in the Tom McCall Waterfront Park, which has helped property values in the downtown rise an average 10.4 percent per year and led to a sharp reduction in crime in the area; Removal of the Embarcadero Freeway in San Francisco, California, has resulted in a world- famous boulevard surrounded by a 25-foot-wide promenade, leading to a 300 percent increase in adjacent property values; and Halting construction of the Park East Freeway in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, allowed Juneau Park to be preserved; opened 26 acres of land to be redeveloped and added back into the tax coffers; land values have risen faster there than the rest of the city; and the area is now reconnected with Milwaukee. There is currently no consideration of a corridors impact on the economic vitality on surrounding neighborhoods and business districts in New York State. Safety Analysis Transportation by its nature involves some degree of collision risk. Every project will affect transportation patterns and as a result may involve some redistribution of that risk. In the past, 607 The Scajaquada 8/17/2016 Mail transportation safety has focused on streamlining automobile flow and accommodating driver (PART FOUR) Corridor Coalition error, sometimes confounding motor vehicle mobility and speed with transportation system safety. An updated and more holistic approach has developed over the past decade focusing on three overlapping strategies: Reduced speed and increased driver attention Protect vulnerable road users (e.g., pedestrians and bicyclists) Reduce overall VMT and sprawl Newer design guidance builds on more recent research on transportation safety and articulates this updated approach. For example, the National Association of City Traffic Officials (NACTO) guidelines (which have been endorsed by Caltrans) state: “Conventional street design is founded in highway design principles that favor wide, straight, flat and open roads with clear zones that forgive and account for inevitable driver error. This is defined as “passive” design. In recent years a new paradigm has emerged for urban streets called proactive design. A proactive approach uses design elements to affect behavior and to lower speeds. Embracing proactive design may be the single most consequential intervention in reducing pedestrian injury and fatality.

89 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Since human error is inevitable, reducing the consequences of any given error or lapse of attention is critical. Cities around the country that have implemented measures to reduce and stabilize speed have shown a reduction in serious injuries and deaths for everyone on the road, from drivers to passengers to pedestrians.” Reducing Speed and Increasing Driver Attention The NACTO Urban Street Design Guide, reports: “Vehicle speed plays a critical role in the cause and severity of crashes.” According to Elvik (2005), “speed has a major impact on the number of accidents and the severity of injuries and that the relationship between speed and road safety is causal, not just statistical.” Regardless of posted speed limits, designing roads to accommodate higher speeds safely actually leads to higher speeds. “Wider and straighter roadways lead motorists to travel at higher speeds, thus offsetting any safety benefits associated with increased sight distances.” (Dumbaugh et al. 2009). Dumbaugh et al. also points out that speed reduction requires design features and/or commercial vibrancy and activity that provide cues to motorists to slow their vehicle’s speed rather then simply post a slower speed limit. 607 The Scajaquada Protect Vulnerable Road Users 8/17/2016 Mail (PART FIVE) Corridor Coalition Greater accommodation of driver error especially increases risk to vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. Lane width has a particularly discernable impact on safety. The traditional approach of sizing lanes opts for wider lanes to accommodate driver error and to attempt to increase throughput. However, research reveals that wider lanes hinder both of these objectives. Karim (2015) examined the relationship between lane width and crash rates. Wider lanes (over 10.8 to 11.2 feet) are associated with 33% higher impact speeds and higher crash rates. Both narrow (less than 9.2 feet) and wide (over 10.2 to 10.5 feet) lanes have proven to increase crash risks, with equal magnitude. Wider lanes (wider than 10.8 feet) adversely affect overall side-impact collisions. The overall capacity of narrower lanes is higher. For large vehicles, no difference on safety and carrying capacity is observed between narrower and wider lanes. Pedestrian volumes decline as lanes widen. Intersections with narrower lanes provide the highest capacity for bicycles.

The study finds that the street environment impacts driver behavior and narrower lanes in urban areas result in less aggressive driving and more ability to slow or stop a vehicle over a short distance to avoid collision. Due to their vastly increased risk of serious injury and fatality, the safety of vulnerable road users should be given relatively more attention. Also, improving safety is key to complying with policy and planning priorities that encourage multimodal and low-carbon travel. When there are safety tradeoffs, therefore, it is important to prioritize protection of vulnerable road users. Reducing Overall VMT and Sprawl Reducing VMT reduces collision exposure and improves safety (Dumbaugh and Rae, 2009). As a result, infill development, which exhibits low VMT, provides safety benefits by reducing motor vehicle collision exposure, lowering speeds, and increasing pedestrian and cyclist volumes leading to “safety in numbers” (in addition to improving overall health broadly and substantially). The fundamental relationship between VMT and safety is summarized by Yeo et al. (2014): “Multiple traffic safety studies showed that higher VMT was positively associated with the 607 The Scajaquada 8/17/2016 Mail occurrence of traffic crashes or fatalities. The causal relationship between the mileage of total (PART SIX) Corridor Coalition vehicle trips and crash occurrences can be explained by probability. With higher VMT, it is more likely that more crashes will occur.” Sprawl-style development has also been shown to lead to elevated crash risk. The cause lies both in higher VMT levels and in design variables which influence speed and driver behavior (Yeo 2014). Ewing et al. (2003) points out that “suburban and outlying intersections have been significantly overrepresented in pedestrian crashes compared with more urban areas, after control for exposure and other location factors.” Health Impact Assessment (HIA) When health is considered among the goals of transportation policy and land use planning, the resulting policy can help reduce air pollution; prevent traffic injuries and deaths; and lower obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer rates. Such outcomes can happen when roads are designed to be pedestrian, cyclist and public transit-friendly. Roads that are designed for people as well as for cars and trucks can increase physical activity, enhance community quality of life, and increase access to community services.

90 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Not considering these factors in a project’s scope also has a negative impact on the state’s economy. In 2011, the New York State Comptroller identified that overweight and obesity costs our state $327 million annually for children and $11.8 billion for adults in direct and indirect medical costs. Transportation HIAs help policymakers see and address the potential health effects of a proposed transportation project, plan, or policy before it is built or implemented. A transportation HIA can ensure that all people, regardless of age, income, or ability, are able to move about their community easily and safely. This can help guide decisions that support improved health outcomes in addition to having a positive impact on the state’s economy. Historic Landscape Character The existing SEQR and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act review process ensure adverse impacts to the historic landscape setting of the Olmsted-designed Park and Parkway System, and the Scajaquada Creek corridor are avoided and that there is consistency with the Secretary of Interior Standards for the treatment of Historic Properties and Guidelines for the treatment of Cultural Landscapes. However, beyond ensuring no adverse impacts of this project, undoing the damage created by 607 The Scajaquada this expressway in the 1950s and 1960s is a critical component of the community’s vision for 8/17/2016 Mail (PART SEVEN) Corridor Coalition transforming the Scajaquada corridor. Enhancing the park user experience through the thoughtful integration of this roadway into the historic landscape and rehabilitation of the center of Delaware Park and Scajaquada Creek corridor, the community’s vision for increased mobility, health and wellness through access to recreation resources, ecological regeneration and economic vibrancy are also greatly enhanced. Further effort needs to be made to integrate this roadway in a way appropriate to Delaware Park minimizing the impact and enhancing the park user experience. Developing a Community Supported Preferred Alternative for the Scajaquada Corridor Recognizing that any preferred design alternative for the Scajaquada Corridor will need to provide balance in meeting the community’s vision, we would like NYSDOT to consider improving the public engagement process and better measure the project’s multiple impacts so we can work collaboratively to achieve public support. Based upon the research provided, we would like to see all alternatives for the Scajaquada measured through a lens that discusses how it will reduce vehicle speed and increase driver attention, protect vulnerable road users (e.g., pedestrian and bicyclists), reduce overall VMT and sprawl, improve health,

enhance economic vitality and restore an historic landscape. When reviewing design plans for the Scajaquada corridor, the SCC is looking at the following elements that are considered Detriments to Overall Safety: An increase in VMT. More vehicle travel exposes motorists and other road users to more crash risk; An increase in pedestrian wait times. Many studies have found that pedestrian wait times play a role in crashes. Long wait times increase the risk some pedestrians will cross against a signal, creating a vulnerable road user collision risk (FHWA-RD-03-042, 2004) ; Site design elements that would create hazardous conditions for vulnerable road users. Substantially increasing motor vehicle speeds or increasing them to greater than 25 miles per hour where vulnerable road users are present without providing proper infrastructure for vulnerable road users (e.g., protected bicycle lanes for cyclists); Substantially increasing intersection pedestrian crossing distances (e.g., for addition of a through or turn lane); Signal lengths of greater than 90 seconds, which may lead to people crossing on a red signal 607 The Scajaquada with a gap in the vehicle platoons; 8/17/2016 Mail (PART EIGHT) Corridor Coalition Increase in curb radius; Installation of large curb radii, promoting higher speed motor vehicle turning movements, particularly endangering pedestrians and cyclists; Addition or widening of on- and off-ramps where they meet surface roadways that increases pedestrian crossing distances or times, increase pedestrian wait times, or lead to a prohibition of pedestrian crossing; Addition or widening of off-ramps in a manner that leads to higher speeds on surface streets; Excessively large clearance zones along shoulders; Wider than needed travel lanes (e.g., wider than 10.8 feet on surface streets); Multiple turn lanes at an intersection (e.g., a double left or double right turn lane); Placement of driveways in locations which will lead to highly elevated collision risk Excessively large driveways across sidewalks; Substantially increased distances between pedestrian and bicycle crossings; and Roadway design speed (regardless of posted speed limit) that leads to actual speeds that are unsafe for cyclists and pedestrians.

91 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received Safety issues can be mischaracterized with an overly narrow perspective or traditional design guidance that has not been updated to reflect research. The following are examples of mischaracterizations of safety issues. Avoidance of installation of corner or mid-block crossings to avoid additional pedestrian traffic and conflict with vehicles (reduces pedestrian mode share, undoing safety in numbers); Avoidance of narrow (e.g., 10 foot) travel lanes on surface roadways (see discussion above); Avoidance of implementing sidewalk bulbs, widened sidewalks, or other curb extensions for fear of exposing vulnerable users to vehicular traffic (these features slow traffic and improve walkability); and Addressing off-ramp queuing by limiting stop control on an exit ramp (this can lead to vehicles flowing unimpeded and at high speeds onto a local street, increasing risk for all road users). While the latest design options presented in May 2016 to the public have moved closer into alignment with the community’s vision, the Scajaquada Expressway is still designed as a limited access highway. When a lead agency identifies a significant impact, it must consider 607 The Scajaquada mitigation measures that would reduce that impact. The selection of particular mitigation 8/17/2016 Mail (PART NINE) Corridor Coalition measures, however, is always left to the discretion of the lead agency. We recommend that NYSDOT update its design guidelines through the adoption of NACTO’s Urban Street Design Guide. Examples of Potential Transportation Safety Mitigation Measures for the Scajaquada Corridor in alignment with the community’s vision that can be achieved through these guidelines include: Intersection improvements o Visibility improvement o Shortening corner radii o Pedestrian safety islands o Accounting for pedestrian desire lines Signal changes o Reducing signal cycle lengths to less than 90 seconds to avoid pedestrian crossings against the signal o Providing a leading pedestrian interval o Provide a “scramble” signal phase where appropriate Roadway improvements

o Add curb extensions or bulb-outs o Add protected bicycle lanes o Reduce travel lane width below 10.8 feet (but not below 9.2 feet) o Add traffic calming measures o Add landscaping features Network improvements o Provide shorter blocks o Provide mid-block crossings Reduce VMT o Increase density and/or diversity of land uses o Provide transit o Provide pedestrian facilities o Provide bicycle facilities o Support travel demand management measures Several key design features for the Scajaquada corridor that should be addressed include 607 The Scajaquada 8/17/2016 Mail intersections, multi- modal access, public transit capacities, and crossings. (PART TEN) Corridor Coalition Currently, the wide multi-lane intersections do not support the safe pedestrian and bicycle movements desired. Reducing lane widths to 10 feet, eliminating multiple turning lanes and adding pedestrian refuge islands are all essential components to achieving safe intersections. Grade separated interchanges also limit the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority’s (NFTA’s) ability to incorporate much needed public transportation routes to the Scajaquada Corridor. While the project does a lot to provide an interconnected network of recreational trails, it is important to also support safe access for bicycle commuters through and crossing the corridor. Reducing lane widths, adding a buffer from vehicle traffic and designing safe intersections are all proven methods for increasing bicycle usage and curbing VMT. Working with the NFTA to discuss the potential for public transportation through the corridor that connects the highly used Niagara Street bus service and Main Street’s metro rail would also have many positive impacts for the corridor. Providing additional crossings is a critical component towards embracing a proactive design that facilitates reducing vehicle speeds while supporting bicycle and pedestrian travel. Additional at-grade crossings that connect the cultural, natural, educational, neighborhood and businesses throughout the corridor establishes a pedestrian- scaled environment. This environment communicates to motorists that greater caution is warranted, leading to increased driver vigilance, lower operating speeds and better preparedness to respond to potential crash hazards that may emerge. 607 The Scajaquada Reducing the footprint of intersections, providing protected bicycle lanes and transit access, 8/17/2016 Mail (PART ELEVEN) Corridor Coalition and adding more crossings through the Scajaquada corridor are consistent design features that, when combined, provide cues to motorists to slow their vehicle’s speed and to drive safely. It also reduces VMT, builds economic vibrancy, and supports livability. When compared to conventional arterial treatments, these types of “complete streets” report roughly 35-40% fewer crashes per mile traveled and completely eliminate traffic related fatalities (Dumbaugh, 2005; Naderi, 2003). NYSDOT COMMENT - Empire Corridor Project Question or Comment - There are several projects which are ill conceived or not appropriate: None The Sheridan Dr signalzarion for users of the bike path. The idea that some walker or biker can 608 8/22/2016 (Member of the E-mail shut down 6 or 8 lanes of traffic for a pedestrian is ludicrous. And to have a signalized gate is Community) the ultimate in indiscretion. Someone is going to get killed by this project. The 30'MPH speedlimit on the highway next to the golf course in Delaware Park is inappropriate.

92 of 93 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Public Comments As of September 1, 2016

Date How Source ID Comment ID Record Affiliation Comment Received Received To whom it may concern, Please include this comment on the draft and final EIS’s for the Scajaquada Corridor redesign project, PIN-547022. Right now, despite the permanent reduction of the speed limit to 30 MPH, there are no plans for any forms of mass transit along the corridor. According to a contact in the GBNRTC, there are no plans because NYS DOT's current redesign is not complimentary to transit. This is not in keeping with the Complete Streets legislation. It is also a big planning mistake for the following reasons reasons: 1) There are few decent east-west routes in Buffalo, and we need transit on all of them. When working as a First Call Ambulette driver in College, many of my coworkers lived on the East Side. These professional drivers reported it frequently took an hour and a half to get to HQ off of Hertle near Niagara Street. A recent guest at my Parkside neighborhood Airbnb also complained about the lack of transit between our neighborhood and the conference she was attending at Buffalo State -I had to lend her my bike to help her escape the heat. 2) The Scajaquada Corridor connects many important social, cultural, and natural features and None these should be made accessible to more citizens as well as tourists. These include Delaware 609 8/26/2016 (Member of the E-mail Park, three colleges, two museums, the Zoo, Sister's Hospital, St Mary's School for the Def, Community) two large grocery stores, numerous and diverse neighborhoods, the Amherst, Grant, and Elmwood business districts, the Scajaquada Pathway, and the Niagara Greenway. 3) Food Deserts: It is well known that there is a lack of fresh produce and healthy food in much of Buffalo's east side. There are two large grocery stores in the Scajaquada Corridor. Transit along the Scajaquada Corridor would do much to alleviate the currently underserved. 4) Transit along the Scajaquada Corridor would add an important link between the subway line, at the Humboldt/Hospital Station, and the bus routes that serve Delaware Ave, Colvin Ave, Elmwood Ave, Grant/Military, and Niagara Street. 5) More transit will help us all to drive less. That means less collisions, less illness inducing traffic pollution, and less carbon contributing to climate change. As you know, the current timeline for the redevelopment of the Scajaquada Corridor means the time for action is now. The final EIS is scheduled for completion December of this year, 2016. The project will be placed for bidding in 2017 and designs finalized with the awardee. And construction is scheduled to begin in 2018. We have a great resource, however, to help us forestall this planning mistake: "Each year, the Federal Transit Administration in partnership with Smart Growth America offers

93 of 93 DRAFT DESIGN REPORT / DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT / DRAFT 4(f) EVALUATION

November 2016

Public Comment Summary and Responses

PIN 5470.22 NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Grant Street Interchange to Parkside Avenue Intersection City of Buffalo Erie County PIN 5470.22 NYSDOT NYS Route 198 - The Scajaquada Public Comment Categorization

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Version 9/1/2016 Public Comment Summary and Responses Comments Received Prior to September 1, 2016 Response Number of Main Topic Subtopic Comment Summary Identification Comment Response Comments Comment Identification Number Number Represented The addition of new ramps would not be consistent with changing NYS Route 198 from an urban expressway to an urban boulevard. New ramps would likely increase speeds and fail to satisfy the Add additional ramps to better move traffic along project objective of addressing identified geometric and operational deficiencies in a manner that Access Ramps A1 3 91 164 438 the corridor. promotes traffic calming and enhances safety for users. Connectivity between the local street system and NYS Route 198 would be provided using connector roadways and signalized intersections. Local businesses need NYS Route 198 to make Local The Build Alternative would maintain accessibility and access for local businesses using connector Access and receive deliveries and to provide accessibility A2 3 165 436 571 Businesses roadways and signalized intersections. for their customers. Conceptual plans were developed that would have combined NYS Route 198 with Iroquois Drive along the frontage of Buffalo State. The plans were reviewed by Buffalo State and found to be in Clarify whether NYS Route 198 and Iroquois Drive Access Connectivity A3 conflict with both campus operations and the campus master plan. Service vehicle and internal 2 168 591 can be combined adjacent to Buffalo State. pedestrian circulation would have been adversely affected. This concept was dismissed from further consideration. The Build Alternative would install stormwater treatment facilities to treat roadway runoff before it is 5 23 29 40 60 99 125 129 130 207 216 218 219 452 455 459 472 477 488 discharged into Scajaquada Creek. This would result in lower pollutant loadings and an It is important to understand the impact of the improvement in surface water quality. Rehabilitating or relocating Scajaquada Creek is not the Scajaquada proposed project on Scajaquada Creek. Clean up purpose or an objective of this project. The Build Alternative would result in some additional Access A4 23 Creek the creek so it can be usable and perhaps try to separation between the roadway and Scajaquada Creek and include a new shared use path along 515 580 598 600 bring it back to its historic layout. its southern bank for access to Scajaquada Creek. The project would not preclude future, separate actions to improve the creek by others. Refer to Section 4.4.8 in the DDR/DEIS for additional information.

The Build Alternative would result in two (2) travel lanes in each direction. Median breaks, which do With only one lane in each direction or with a big not exist today, would be available for emergency vehicles at the proposed roundabout at Grant Access Emergency median, describe how emergency vehicles would be A5 Street, Elmwood Avenue Connector, bridge over Delaware Avenue, Delaware Avenue Connector, 9 61 63 122 129 192 197 460 553 555 able to respond in an emergency. and Buffalo Parks Maintenance Facility. The existing median break at Parkside Avenue would remain. The addition of these breaks would provide access for emergency response.

Guiderail or barrier should be constructed along the The need for guiderail or barrier would be determined during the final design phase of this project. Access Guiderail entire length of NYS Route 198 within Delaware A6 Refer to Section 3.3.3.8 in the DDR/DEIS for additional information on guide railing, median 19 62 141 146 151 234 235 250 257 258 265 268 290 293 294 315 414 434 441 561 Park and near Parkside Avenue. barriers, and impact attenuators.

The existing pedestrian overpass near Lincoln Parkway would remain under the Build Alternative. An at grade pedestrian and bicyclist crossing of NYS Route 198 and a bridge over Scajaquada Reconnect Lincoln Parkway so the Museum District Creek would also be constructed just west of Mirror Lake as part of the Build Alternative. These Access Lincoln Parkway and residential neighborhoods are linked like they A7 13 8 40 64 110 140 486 502 508 522 523 543 544 595 facilities would reconnect pedestrians and bicyclists. The NYSDOT did consider reestablishing used to be. Consider a signal at this location. vehicular connectivity but the anticipated operational effects would not meet the Project's Purpose and Need.

Clarify why there has to be an entrance to NYS The Build Alternative would retain these connections in keeping with the project purpose. Removal Route 198 from Lincoln Parkway and Nottingham of these ramps, and diversion of additional traffic to Elmwood Avenue at Nottingham Terrace, would Access Lincoln Parkway A8 3 32 485 528 when there are 3 other entrances within a mile. have a detrimental effect on the operation of that signalized intersection and would require They should be removed. additional right-of-way takings of parkland at that location. The Build Alternative would create a signalized intersection at this location, allowing access both to There should be improved access between the and from the Buffalo Parks Maintenance Facility from both directions of NYS Route 198. A new Maintenance maintenance building and South Meadow Drive Access A9 signalized pedestrian and bicyclist crossing would also be added at this location that could be 1 54 Building given their close (currently divided) proximity to utilized by park maintenance personnel on foot or small motorized vehicles (e.g. lawn tractors). each other. Refer to the plans contained in Appendix A of the DDR/DEIS. Large commercial vehicles and wide load trailers NYS Route 198 is a Qualifying Highway on the National Network which is legislated by federal law to towing large equipment should be prohibited from allow commercial truck access. It currently provides vital trucking access for adjacent businesses Access Trucks A10 12 20 50 61 95 102 126 127 133 451 461 542 546 using NYS Route 198 to make it less expressway- and institutions along the corridor (e.g. the Buffalo Zoo and the Albright Knox Art Gallery) and would like. continue to do so under the Build Alternative. Remove some of the current expressway ramps to Existing ramps would be removed under the Build Alternative and replaced with connector Access Ramps A11 14 10 25 28 93 105 187 193 417 485 486 498 541 543 581 improve safety. roadways, signalized intersections on NYS Route 198, and one roundabout on NYS Route 198.

1 of 9 9/1/2016 PIN 5470.22 NYSDOT NYS Route 198 - The Scajaquada Public Comment Categorization

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Version 9/1/2016 Public Comment Summary and Responses Comments Received Prior to September 1, 2016 Response Number of Main Topic Subtopic Comment Summary Identification Comment Response Comments Comment Identification Number Number Represented Today there are no locations where non-emergency vehicles can make a U-Turn. Under the Build Clarify if there will be any locations where a U-Turn Alternative, all vehicles would be able to make a U-Turn at the proposed roundabout. Other median Access U-Turns A12 1 56 can be made. breaks, for example those at signalized intersections, would accommodate U-Turns by emergency vehicles. The accident study referred to in the comment covered a period from January 1, 2005 to December Clarify what month(s) correlate to the accident rate 31, 2007. There was a wide range of causes for the accidents experienced along NYS Route 198 at between 2005-2007. Clarify whether these Accidents Causes A13 that time. Accidents in snowy and icy conditions accounted for 15% of the total. Speed and 3 220 222 239 accidents were due to snow and ice or speed and inattention were among the causative factors but their exact percentage was not tabulated. Refer to inattention. Section 2.3.1.8 of the DDR/DEIS for a summary of more current accident studies. Clarify whether the installation of guiderails or other The NYSDOT had discussions with stakeholders in 2014 about installing guiderail on the barriers along NYS Route 198, where they were Accidents Guiderail A14 Scajaquada Expressway; however, there had not been an observed accident pattern that specifically 1 184 recently added, was considered prior to the May warranted the installation of long runs of guiderail along NYS Route 198 in Delaware Park. 2015 accident. Clarify if there will be plans to improve adjacent The Build Alternative would not reduce the number of through travel lanes, it would provide two (2) Adjacent Potential streets since they will be experiencing higher traffic travel lanes in each direction on NYS Route 198. Potential effects on the surrounding local street A15 10 24 115 125 150 188 212 236 455 472 491 Streets Impacts volumes if the number of lanes are reduced on NYS network were studied as part of the project development process. Refer to Sections 3.3.1.3 and Route 198. 3.3.1.7 in the DDR/DEIS for additional information. Improve the synchronization of traffic signals on the Potential effects on the surrounding local street network were studied as part of the project Adjacent Potential surrounding local streets to offset the effect of development process. The NYSDOT would coordinate mitigation plans with the City of Buffalo, A16 7 36 73 188 189 215 236 491 Streets Impacts additional vehicles that will be diverted by the including the synchronization of traffic signals. Refer to Sections 3.3.1.3 and 3.3.1.7 in the project. DDR/DEIS for additional information. Additional landscaping should be considered 17 21 39 58 83 103 138 270 288 295 317 443 480 500 505 518 520 530 532 The Build Alternative would provide additional plantings compatible with the corridor's surroundings. Aesthetics Landscaping because it would help blend the roadway into the A17 22 Refer to Section 3.3.4.1 in the DDR/DEIS for additional information park. 534 554 595 Gateways should be established to honor the Aesthetics Gateways history of the area and signify the importance of it all A18 The incorporation of gateway features would be considered during the final design phase. 10 21 49 52 125 270 432 461 479 543 595 users. Low Profile The design of the low profile barrier looks odd and Consideration to specific aesthetic barrier treatments would be given during the final design phase Aesthetics A19 1 560 Barrier would be better off just being plain. of the Project. Large, expressway style roadside and overhead guide signs would be removed under the Build Large road signs currently block the view of the Monument Alternative. They would be replaced by signs appropriately scaled for an urban boulevard. Refer to Aesthetics Statue of David. Be sure that the new layout A20 1 14 Visibility Section 3.3.1.3. (2) of the DDR/DEIS for additional information on proposed signing under the Build provides a clear view to it. Alternative. Under the Build Alternative, at-grade pedestrian and bicyclist crosswalks would be designed with Bicycle and At-grade pedestrian crossings will be too features to enhance safety including high visibility pavement markings, pedestrian refuge islands, Pedestrian Crossings B1 4 229 244 291 481 dangerous. pedestrian signals with countdown timers to enhance safety. Refer to Section 3.3.2.1 of the Facilities DDR/DEIS for additional information. Enhanced bicycle facilities would be provided along the entire length of the project corridor. Bicycle 21 43 47 55 82 88 104 107 109 110 113 115 127 143 145 173 180 246 247 and pedestrian connectivity would be enhanced both along and across the corridor. These changes Bicycle and would result in a continuous accommodation for bicyclists and pedestrians separate from vehicles 270 295 317 322 323 328 410 415 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 432 464 513 Pedestrian Bicycle Lanes Please add bicycle lanes along NYS Route 198. B2 on NYS Route 198, throughout the project limits. Bicycles are currently prohibited from using NYS 44 Facilities Route 198 by state statute. On-street bicycle lanes would not be constructed on NYS Route 198 under the Build Alternative. The additional width required for this type of transportation facility would 518 520 536 572 581 582 have an adverse impact on adjacent parkland. Refer to Sections 3.3.2.1 and 3.3.2.2 in the Bicycle and Provide information on the existing bike and On-site observations indicate that demand is high given the presence of Delaware Park and other Frequency of Pedestrian pedestrian usage in this area and how it might be B3 surrounding land uses. Existing bicycle and pedestrian facilities within Delaware Park are heavily 1 208 Use Facilities affected with this project. used and the Build Alternative would result in enhancements to the existing accommodations.

Enhanced bicycle and pedestrian facilities would be provided along the entire length of the project 17 23 39 40 53 54 57 58 60 66 91 126 130 152 182 185 270 283 298 Bicycle and Increase the number of pedestrian and bicycle corridor under the Build Alternative. Bicycle and pedestrian connectivity would be enhanced both

Pedestrian facilities adjacent to the corridor to better connect B4 along and across the corridor. These changes would result in a continuous accommodation for 44 305 315 317 410 443 450 458 464 472 502 505 515 518 531 532 540 542 543 547 Accommodation Facilities the area and improve overall access. bicyclists and pedestrians, separate from motor vehicles on NYS Route 198, throughout the project limits. Refer to Sections 3.3.2.1 and 3.3.2.2 in the DDR/DEIS for additional information. 568 572 576 580 582 583

2 of 9 9/1/2016 PIN 5470.22 NYSDOT NYS Route 198 - The Scajaquada Public Comment Categorization

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Version 9/1/2016 Public Comment Summary and Responses Comments Received Prior to September 1, 2016 Response Number of Main Topic Subtopic Comment Summary Identification Comment Response Comments Comment Identification Number Number Represented

If a guiderail was installed to protect people 20 feet Bicycle and Accident off the side of the road, clarify why NYSDOT would At-grade pedestrian crossings and the bicycle facilities located off the roadway that would be Pedestrian B5 1 233 Potential want people riding bikes on the roadway or have at constructed under the Build Alternative would be designed to operate safely. Facilities grade pedestrian crossings.

Bicycle and 27 40 52 64 65 92 110 115 119 145 173 241 270 303 315 319 329 330 423 Number of Adding more pedestrian crossings would help slow Additional pedestrian crossing opportunities have been incorporated into the Build Alternative. Refer Pedestrian B6 34 Crossings traffic and create a park-like feel. to Chapter 3 of the DDR/DEIS for additional information. Facilities 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 432 443 514 519 522 530 540 547 Bicycles are currently prohibited from using NYS Route 198 by state statute. As part of the project Bicycle and Now that the speed limit has been reduced to 30 Interim development process, the NYSDOT has studied various options for accommodating pedestrians Pedestrian mph, clarify if bicyclists can share the road with B7 1 326 Measures and bicyclists. Parallel facilities exist both inside of Delaware Park and extending west of Delaware Facilities vehicles. Park for use by bicyclists. Bicycle and Clarify whether pedestrian safety can be improved Interim Interim measures to enhance safety along NYS Route 198 are being progressed as a separate Pedestrian immediately at Parkside Avenue. The stop sign on B8 1 442 Measures action. Facilities the west side is 30 feet past the crosswalk. Converting the Lincoln Parkway Bridge into a Bicycle and Lincoln Parkway pedestrian bridge would be beneficial because it The Build Alternative would include conversion of the Lincoln Parkway (Three Tribes Bridge) into a Pedestrian Bridge B9 1 550 returns an important view to the park and the local pedestrian and bicyclist facility. Facilities Conversion community in this area. Bicycle and Pedestrian activated raised crosswalks would be Crosswalk Pedestrian the safest option for pedestrians and would also B10 Comment Noted. 6 240 242 246 247 486 527 Design Facilities force drivers to slow down. The Build Alternative would change the character of the roadway from an urban expressway to an Bicycle and urban boulevard in accordance with the project purpose and objectives. No additional shared use Crossing There should be additional bridges for pedestrians Pedestrian B11 path bridges over NYS Route 198 are proposed at this time. Additional at-grade crossing 17 23 91 92 93 118 121 126 141 434 472 475 505 510 518 522 528 576 Options to walk over the expressway to keep them safe. Facilities opportunities would be added along corridor. Refer to the plans in Appendix A of the DDR/DEIS for further illustration. Bicycle and Describe how the pedestrian crossing at Mirror Lake In the event of a flood, the shared use path and any flooded sections of pathway would be closed. Pedestrian Serviceability would function when the lake and creek are B12 Alternate routes would be available for pedestrians and bicyclists to travel along and across NYS 1 231 Facilities flooding. Route 198 under the Build Alternative. Refer to the plans contained in Appendix A. Under the Build Alternative, pedestrian signals would be push button actuated, not operating on a Bicycle and Consider timing the signals with crosswalks to pre-timed cycle. The feasibility of signal timing and coordination plans that encourage vehicles to Pedestrian Signal Timings encourage vehicles to travel at 30 mph instead of B13 1 243 travel at the 30 mph posted speed limit would be considered during the final design phase of this Facilities making them pedestrian activated. Project.

Providing only one (1) lane in each direction would Based on public comments and meetings with local elected officials and community leaders, the 43 47 49 55 65 82 88 120 127 138 145 146 289 295 307 319 323 415 458 allow for the addition of bicycle lanes without NYSDOT has narrowed its focus to evaluating the reasonableness of converting the Scajaquada Number of Cross Section expanding the footprint of the roadway into C1 Expressway into an urban boulevard with two (2) travel lanes in each direction. Refer to the Scoping 26 Lanes Delaware Park or provide an opportunity to regain Document, available on the NYSDOT website (www.dot.ny.gov/scajaquadacorridor) for additional parkland back. information. 466 477 480 504 545 568 581

Number of Two lanes in each direction is necessary to keep Cross Section C2 The Build Alternative would result in two (2) travel lanes in each direction. 9 27 69 103 118 140 248 309 475 522 Lanes traffic flowing along the corridor. 8 84 87 95 102 109 110 113 127 143 200 204 295 323 488 503 508 520 521 Intersection At grade intersections and pedestrian crossings will Cross Section C3 The Build Alternative would include at-grade intersections and pedestrian crossings. 25 Type help reconnect the roadway to the park. 525 543 568 577 580 583

A raised berm along the roadway within the park The construction of a berm would have adverse impacts on adjacent plantings and historic Cross Section Berm would separate expressway goers from park goers C4 4 25 129 224 489 Delaware Park. and better divide the two corridor features.

If the roadway is removed, it will cause congestion The potential effects of removing NYS Route 198 was studied during the scoping phase of the Traffic Cross Section and gridlock on the local streets, which cannot C5 project, but ultimately dismissed due to the anticipated impacts. Refer to the Scoping Document, 2 252 282 Operations handle additional traffic. available on the NYSDOT website (www.dot.ny.gov/scajaquadacorridor) for additional information.

3 of 9 9/1/2016 PIN 5470.22 NYSDOT NYS Route 198 - The Scajaquada Public Comment Categorization

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Version 9/1/2016 Public Comment Summary and Responses Comments Received Prior to September 1, 2016 Response Number of Main Topic Subtopic Comment Summary Identification Comment Response Comments Comment Identification Number Number Represented Green design techniques, such as rain gardens, Green Specific water quality and stormwater treatment features would be studied and selected during final Cross Section should be considered to improve the creek and C6 4 90 134 138 322 Infrastructure design. surrounding areas. Reducing lane widths will encourage drivers to The Build Alternative would result in 11 ft wide travel lanes. This is less than the 12 ft width required Cross Section Lane Width travel at slower speeds and take away from the C7 7 119 173 411 423 503 540 580 for an expressway. expressway feel of wide lanes. Clarify if the 11 foot lanes being proposed are Expressways require 12 ft lanes. The Build Alternative would result in the construction of two (2) 11 Cross Section Lane Width comparable to other city streets or if they are C8 1 172 ft wide travel lanes in each direction along NYS Route 198. expressway width. The purpose of the project is to provide geometric and operational improvements to NYS Route 198 Create a street that has a wide median, bike lanes, in its current location and to make these improvements while maintaining local connectivity and a Multimodal Cross Section crosswalks, and transit accessibility to provide cross critical transportation link between I-190 and NYS Route 33 .Bicycles are currently prohibited from 10 15 96 126 139 143 173 180 181 270 432 450 461 462 474 523 545 548 580 Accommodation town transportation. C9 using NYS Route 198 by state statute. The objectives include accommodating vehicular, bicycle, 21 and pedestrian travel modes throughout the corridor. The Build Alternative would satisfy the project purpose and objectives. On-street bicycle lanes would not be included because there would be an adverse effect on adjacent parkland. 598 600 Traffic analyses conducted during the Scoping Stage concluded that two (2) travel lanes are If one lane was converted into on-street parking, it On Street required in each direction along NYS Route 198 to maintain both local connectivity and a critical Cross Section would provide for convenient access to the local C10 11 49 95 102 140 169 180 522 549 566 568 581 Parking transportation link between I-190 and NYS Route 33. Refer to the Scoping Document, available on businesses and park facilities. the NYSDOT website (www.dot.ny.gov/scajaquadacorridor) for additional information.

The purpose of the project is to maintain a critical transportation link between I-190 and NYS Route NYS Route 198 should be converted into a low 33 and there is an identified need to reduce the disparity between vehicular operating speeds, the Cross Section Roadway Type C11 1 191 volume, low speed, park road. posted speed limit, and the design speed. The Build Alternative would enhance the compatibility of the roadway with the unique characteristics of Delaware Park and adjacent land uses.

Removal of NYS Route 198 from Elmwood Avenue to Parkside Avenue was studied and dismissed 33 42 46 51 70 71 75 78 79 80 81 89 92 94 95 96 97 99 101 during the project's scoping phase and the results of those analyses are summarized in the Scoping Consideration should be given to removing the Roadway Document available on the NYSDOT website (www.dot.ny.gov/scajaquadacorridor). The purpose of 102 105 114 125 131 133 135 137 139 148 150 153 154 155 156 175 178 179 253 Cross Section expressway altogether and restoring the park to its C12 68 Removal the project is to maintain a critical transportation link between I-190 and NYS Route 33 and there is original condition. an identified need to reduce the disparity between vehicular operating speeds, the posted speed 262 263 270 283 289 295 298 300 301 302 303 308 309 310 312 319 321 325 411 limit, and the design speed. 432 446 457 458 471 487 524 578 584 596 597

The Build Alternative would transform NYS Route 198 from an urban expressway into an urban 26 35 37 41 45 113 125 126 145 159 247 248 270 286 298 299 307 311 315 boulevard with two (2) travel lanes in each direction between Grant Street and Parkside Avenue, in The corridor should be converted into a boulevard its current location. It would also accommodate bicycle and pedestrian travel throughout the corridor Cross Section Roadway Type to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists while C13 29 while maintaining a critical transportation link between I-190 and NYS Route 33 and enhancing the still keeping traffic moving through the corridor. compatibility of the roadway with the unique characteristics of Delaware Park and other adjacent 432 455 460 465 466 479 572 573 576 577 land uses.

2 20 69 72 98 121 124 190 198 224 251 266 271 285 292 294 331 332 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 The expressway is a vital connection through the The purpose of the project includes maintaining a critical transportation link between I-190 and NYS center of the city and should remain in place so 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 Cross Section Roadway Type C14 Route 33. The Build Alternative would accomplish the project purpose. Refer to Section 3.3.1.5 (2) 103 people can quickly and easily cross the city from I- for additional information on predicted travel times along the corridor under the Build Alternative. 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 190 to NYS Route 33. 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 414 434 436 444 447 475 482 484 493 510

While NYS Route 198 would not be designated as a NYS Parkway, the Build Alternative would 7 8 10 17 18 21 46 55 62 64 66 82 84 109 125 127 148 149 256 The corridor should be converted into a parkway to transform the Scajaquada Expressway into an urban boulevard with two (2) travel lanes in each feel more like a city street, with additional priority direction between the Grant Street interchange and Parkside Avenue. It would provide 262 273 278 288 296 303 312 317 322 420 443 451 458 461 472 495 508 537 544 Cross Section Roadway Type C15 39 placed on pedestrians and bicyclists and accommodations for pedestrians and bicyclists within the corridor by adding new crossings and reconnecting the park. parallel pathways while also maintaining a critical transportation link between I-190 and NYS Route 549 33. The compatibility of the roadway with its surroundings would also be improved.

4 of 9 9/1/2016 PIN 5470.22 NYSDOT NYS Route 198 - The Scajaquada Public Comment Categorization

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Version 9/1/2016 Public Comment Summary and Responses Comments Received Prior to September 1, 2016 Response Number of Main Topic Subtopic Comment Summary Identification Comment Response Comments Comment Identification Number Number Represented

The feasibility of constructing a tunnel was assessed during the project development process. The In order to reconnect the park and keep the road, estimated cost of constructing a tunnel to carry NYS Route 198 beneath Agassiz Circle is $80 Cross Section Tunnel the roadway should be put into an underground C16 million. The high estimated cost is in part due to the presence of rock only 7 to 14 ft below the 4 7 72 170 489 tunnel. surface. A tunnel would also result in adverse impacts to the adjacent portions of Delaware Park and neighboring properties. For these reasons, a tunnel was dismissed from further consideration. Do not blast for a potential tunnel along the corridor Cross Section Tunnel because it could cause significant damage to C17 The Build Alternative would not involve the construction of a tunnel. 1 16 nearby buildings. There isn't enough width for the Scajaquada to The Build Alternative would include these features as shown on the plans included in Appendix A. At Cross Section Width accommodate the proposed grassy median, two C18 1 3 the same time, the Project would restore approximately 5 acres of land to park use. lanes in each direction, and a pedestrian pathway. One of the project objectives is to address identified geometric and operational deficiencies along NYS Route 198 in a manner that promotes traffic calming and enhances safety for users. Traffic Physical measures (traffic calming) are needed to calming features would be incorporated into the Build Alternative. These features would be Cross Section Traffic Calming encourage motorists to travel at the 30 mph posted C19 1 595 introduced to reduce the disparity between the posted limit and vehicular operating speeds. Refer to speed limit. Exhibit 3.2.3.2-5 and the accompanying text in the DDR/DEIS for a summary of applicable traffic calming features. During the redesign, the road should be sloped to A new roadway drainage system would be installed under the Build Alternative. It would be designed Environment Drainage better accommodate runoff, since rainwater pools E1 to address identified drainage deficiencies as described in Section 2.3.3.4. Refer to Section 3.3.3.4 7 4 93 129 151 413 526 580 on the road. for additional information on proposed drainage improvements. Stormwater treatment features would be included in the Build Alternative to capture runoff from the Treat stormwater before it enters Scajaquada Creek Environment Stormwater E2 project area and improve water quality before it reaches Scajaquada Creek. Refer to sections 9 23 217 246 247 270 322 413 432 598 to reduce pollution. 3.3.3.4 and 4.4.8 in the DDR/DEIS for additional information. Based on public comments and meetings with local elected officials and community leaders, the NYSDOT has narrowed its focus to evaluating the reasonableness of converting the Scajaquada Functional Type of Downgrade the Scajaquada to a local road. F1 Expressway into an urban boulevard with two (2) travel lanes in each direction. Refer to the Scoping 8 44 117 167 284 410 546 567 580 Classification Roadway Document, available on the NYSDOT website (www.dot.ny.gov/scajaquadacorridor) for additional information.

Interim Banner The banner concepts presented at the 5/16/16 The banners, which were previously presented and considered as a separate action, are no longer I1 1 558 Measures Concepts meeting are not appropriate or fitting for this area. under consideration.

Please refer to Section 2.3.1.8 (2) for an analysis of accidents that have occurred after the removal The removal of merging lanes has made the of auxiliary lanes. The Build Alternative would change the character of the roadway from an urban Interim Ramp expressway far more dangerous. It has made it I2 expressway to an urban boulevard. Connections between the local streets and NYS Route 198 2 438 589 Measures Entrances harder for vehicles to enter NYS Route 198 during would be designed accordingly. The major connection points at Grant Street, Elmwood Avenue, and peak traffic times. Delaware Avenue would have a roundabout, signal, and signal, respectively. Since the start of construction is so far away, Exit to specify if other interim measures can be The NYSDOT has implemented interim improvements as part of a separate action. Changes Interim Nottingham implemented. Perhaps the Nottingham Ramp could I3 specific to this project, such as changes in operation and reconstruction, cannot be undertaken until 2 160 171 Measures Terrace be a two (2) lane ramp that is one way (on in the the design and environmental analyses are completed. morning and off in the evening). Please refer to Section 2.3.1.8 (2) for an analysis of accidents that have occurred after the The stop signs that were installed at the ramps have installation of stop signs. The Build Alternative would change the character of the roadway from an Interim Ramp made the corridor even more dangerous. The angle I4 urban expressway to an urban boulevard. Connections between the local streets and NYS Route 3 139 230 237 Measures Entrances entering the road is not conducive to safety. 198 would be designed accordingly. The major connection points at Grant Street, Elmwood Avenue, and Delaware Avenue would have a roundabout, signal, and signal, respectively. Clarify why crews were out striping at 9pm on Parts of the corridor were scheduled to be restriped under a periodic maintenance contract. That Interim Schedule Columbus Day and were not narrowing the lanes as I5 work was done on Columbus Day when lower traffic volumes were anticipated. The NYSDOT has 1 492 Measures they were striping. since restriped and narrowed the lanes in this area to 11 ft. Trucks are having difficulties properly accelerating Motorists entering NYS Route 198 should exercise caution and wait for an adequate gap in traffic to Interim Ramp from a complete stop. They need the yield signs I6 safely enter the roadway. Truck drivers should recognize that due to the weight and acceleration 1 255 Measures Entrances back at the ramp entrances to NYS Route 198. characteristics of their vehicles, they will require extra time to complete their movement.

5 of 9 9/1/2016 PIN 5470.22 NYSDOT NYS Route 198 - The Scajaquada Public Comment Categorization

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Version 9/1/2016 Public Comment Summary and Responses Comments Received Prior to September 1, 2016 Response Number of Main Topic Subtopic Comment Summary Identification Comment Response Comments Comment Identification Number Number Represented There are potential noise issues associated with Rumble strips were installed on NYS Route 198 eastbound in May 2015 under a separate action as Interim Noise installing speed bumps at the west end of the I7 an interim measure to reduce traffic speeds. To date, no complaints regarding noise have been 1 483 Measures corridor that could impact Buffalo State students. received. Interim Clarify why substantial changes are being made to The operational, signing, and pavement marking changes are not substantial. Other discretionary Process I8 1 238 Measures the corridor without going through the EIS process. changes to the corridor were not discretionary acts of the NYSDOT.

Reconstruction of this intersection has been studied, including the conversion of the intersection to a roundabout. The historic configuration would not have adequate capacity to handle the daily traffic at Agassiz Circle should be restored to a traffic circle Intersections Agassiz Circle I9 this intersection without resulting in severe congestion and backups. Delay and congestion would 17 18 21 34 39 49 54 83 102 180 283 445 457 505 513 520 521 525 to preserve it's historical significance. affect the adjacent historic properties, residences, and Delaware Park, thereby not meeting the project purpose and objectives.

Multilane roundabouts with bypass lanes would be required to handle the anticipated volumes of Roundabouts do not accommodate pedestrians traffic along NYS Route 198. Roundabouts of this size would be inconsistent with the context of Intersections Roundabouts since the traffic going around them doesn't naturally I10 Delaware Park and the surrounding area. In addition, comments received from the public were not 11 24 92 503 511 522 530 540 541 543 547 568 stop. in favor of multilane roundabouts at locations with significant pedestrian activity. As a result, they were dismissed from further consideration at Elmwood Avenue and Delaware Avenue.

The signalized intersection designs under consideration for the Build Alternative would not cause a There are too many signalized intersections in the Signalized substantial increase in congestion and are appropriate for a boulevard within the context of Intersections plan. They will cause even more traffic jams and I11 3 122 129 223 Intersections Delaware Park. Refer to Section 3.3.2.1 of the DDR/DEIS for additional information on pedestrian don't seem to be safe for pedestrians. accommodations and safety measures.

The alignment of Elmwood Avenue used to go through what is now the parking lot of the Buffalo History Museum prior to being realigned for construction of the prior bridge over NYS Route 198 and Elmwood The Elmwood Ave / Nottingham / Elmwood Scajaquada Creek. There was a curve where it met Nottingham Terrace. Construction of a Intersections Avenue Connector intersection should be transformed into a I12 1 31 roundabout at this location would involve the acquisition of property from the Buffalo History Intersection traffic circle. There was one there originally. Museum, McKinley High School, and would require changes to the replacement bridge currently under construction. A simulation should be created to show the different Simulation Simulations were provided for public viewing at the May 19, 2016 public meeting. The NYSDOT Intersections options at the intersections (i.e. signals vs. I13 1 535 Model plans to also have them available for viewing at an upcoming public hearing. roundabouts) for comparison. Parkside Avenue is a dangerous intersection for all Intersections Parkside users and needs to be redesigned to improve I14 Comment noted. 3 128 138 539 safety. If constructed, a roundabout won't be able to handle A roundabout for the Parkside Avenue intersection was dismissed from consideration during the Intersections Parkside the heavy traffic loads on the corridor near Parkside I15 2 3 126 Scoping Phase of the Project. Avenue.

The interim measures installed in 2015 within Delaware Park have resulted in a measured reduction 4 34 39 50 68 76 84 106 108 113 118 127 194 289 457 505 513 518 519 The installation of roundabouts would be the only in operating speed from over 50 mph to under 40 mph. The Build Alternative includes additional Intersections Roundabouts I16 26 way to slow traffic down on the corridor. measures to further reduce the operating speed. The Build Alternative also includes a roundabout where NYS Route 198 and Grant Street Connector meet, just west of the Grant Street Bridge. 527 531 537 542 573 575 582

34 92 95 111 126 303 319 328 410 503 507 511 513 522 523 525 530 534 541 Signalized Signalized intersections are safer for pedestrians Intersections I17 Comment noted. 25 Intersections but still facilitate the flow of traffic. 543 547 573 574 576 577 The Build Alternative would provide adequate room for snow removal operations. The proposed 1 ft Clarify whether there will be enough room for snow Maintenance Snow Removal M1 curb offset to the median, 1 ft wide, two (2) tier hardscape median edge treatment, and 3 ft outside 7 63 527 528 531 532 554 555 removal. curb offset would facilitate these operations. Median and Specify who will be responsible for maintaining the Refer to Section 3.3.1.12 of the DDR/DEIS for a summary of the anticipated assignment of Maintenance Shared Use M2 7 13 48 53 63 134 532 584 new streetscape features maintenance responsibility under the Build Alternative. Paths There should not be a median. It would take up The Build Alternative would change the character of NYS Route 198 from an urban expressway to unnecessary space that could be used for additional an urban boulevard. The introduction of a landscaped median supports that change and is Median Width M3 4 146 463 518 590 pedestrian and bicyclist facilities. It would also be consistent with the vision of the City of Buffalo's Expanded Project Proposal (study document) damaged easily and quickly, becoming an eyesore. published in 2005.

6 of 9 9/1/2016 PIN 5470.22 NYSDOT NYS Route 198 - The Scajaquada Public Comment Categorization

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Version 9/1/2016 Public Comment Summary and Responses Comments Received Prior to September 1, 2016 Response Number of Main Topic Subtopic Comment Summary Identification Comment Response Comments Comment Identification Number Number Represented A low walled median with trees will reduce the Median Type perceived amount of pavement area and will make M4 Comment noted. 14 92 111 126 142 517 523 526 529 531 540 543 551 556 582 the area feel more park like. There should be a wide median reminiscent of the The Build Alternative would change the character of NYS Route 198 from an urban expressway to Olmsted Parkway dividers, which will help reduce an urban boulevard. The introduction of a landscaped median supports that change and is Median Width M5 17 4 52 55 479 480 500 513 517 519 520 530 537 552 566 573 575 576 vehicle speeds by changing the character of the consistent with the vision of the City of Buffalo's Expanded Project Proposal (study document) corridor. published in 2005.

The chosen Stakeholder Groups were not all There have been numerous opportunities for the public to provide input. Refer to Appendix G of the 1 11 13 17 22 48 122 129 213 221 226 227 246 247 285 432 434 444 447 Stakeholder Outreach inclusive and more people of differing opinions O1 DDR/DEIS for additional detail on project public outreach activities. Additional opportunities will be 27 Group should have been asked to be a part of the group. provided as the preliminary design is completed and final design commences. 467 475 482 484 489 490 516 598

The project does not meet community expectations. Public engagement has been inconsistent and There have been numerous opportunities for the public to provide input. Refer to Appendix G of the 602 604 607 Outreach Process ineffective. A transparent public outreach process O2 DDR/DEIS for additional detail on project public outreach activities. Additional opportunities will be 3 should be developed and implemented for this provided as the preliminary design is completed and final design commences. project.

Revisions or additions to project performance measures should be made to include the multiple benefits and impacts of a project beyond transportation. In doing so, the NYSDOT should The Environmental Impact Statement being developed for this project is following the established Performance Proposed embrace the National Association of City P1 guidelines and requirements adopted by the State of New York and approved by the Federal 3 607 592 599 Measures Modifications Transportation Officials' (NACTO) guidelines as Highway Administration. Caltrans has done. The project should be thought of as an upgrade for the community instead of a downgrade for commuters. Content presented at the Fall 2015 meeting is not Project Content consistent with what is shown on the project P2 The NYSDOT website (www.dot.ny.gov/scajaquadacorridor) has been updated. 1 565 Website website. The road should be renamed to remember the Roadway Suggestion young boy, Maksym Sugorovskiy, who lost his life in R1 Comment noted. 1 473 Naming Delaware Park. Clarify if safety and security camera monitoring will There are existing intelligent transportation systems (ITS) cameras along the corridor. These would be installed that could help law enforcement protect Safety Enforcement S1 remain under the Build Alternative. Their purpose is for traffic monitoring traffic related to delays and 6 20 63 269 525 527 532 the public from aggressive motorists and criminal congestion. Refer to Section 3.3.1.4 of the DDR/DEIS for additional information on ITS. activity. The Build Alternative would include a new at-grade crossing at Buffalo State College and a new Pedestrian If a pedestrian bridge is added near Buffalo State it Safety S2 shared use path bridge over Scajaquada Creek to provide enhanced connectivity between Amherst 1 86 Bridge will increase the potential for criminal activity. Street and the Buffalo State campus. A signal pole near Grant Street and the NYS Route Safety Signal Pole S3 Comment noted. 1 129 198 ramps is constantly being hit. Governor Cuomo allocated $30 million to fund the Scajaquada Corridor project in the state budget. The NYSDOT should set aside money and begin Schedule Timeline S4 The NYSDOT is committed to this project and the total funding plan will be identified in the Final 9 6 162 174 175 176 314 418 431 583 this project ASAP because the road is unsafe. Environmental Impact Statement. The NYSDOT is expediting the environmental review and will continue to work collaboratively with stakeholders and the public on the redesign of NYS Route 198. The NYSDOT, in coordination with There have been plans for the past few years to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), will evaluate all of the comments received in deciding Schedule Timeline alter the existing roadway. Clarify what prevented S5 3 163 177 186 on a chosen (preferred) alternative. A Final Design Report and Environmental Impact Statement and these from being implemented. Record of Decision will be completed in 2017 and submitted to the Federal Highway Administration for approval. Similar to the Buffalo Zoo, the Darwin Martin House, Large, expressway style roadside and overhead guide signs would be removed under the Build Legibility and located on Jewett Parkway, is visited by thousands Alternative. They would be replaced by signs appropriately scaled for an urban boulevard and would Signs Positive and the majority of those visitors come from out of S6 1 12 provide positive guidance. Refer to Section 3.3.1.3. (2) of the DDR/DEIS for additional information Guidance town. Signage and exits must be clear and "visitor on proposed signing under the Build Alternative. friendly".

7 of 9 9/1/2016 PIN 5470.22 NYSDOT NYS Route 198 - The Scajaquada Public Comment Categorization

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Version 9/1/2016 Public Comment Summary and Responses Comments Received Prior to September 1, 2016 Response Number of Main Topic Subtopic Comment Summary Identification Comment Response Comments Comment Identification Number Number Represented The purpose of the project is to maintain a critical transportation link between I-190 and NYS Route Clarify if reducing the speed to 30 mph and creating 33. It is anticipated that vehicular travel times between I-190 and NYS Route 33 would increase by Speed Travel Time S7 1 214 a boulevard would substantially reduce travel times. approximately two (2) minutes under the Build Alternative. Refer to Section 3.3.1.5 (2) of the DDR/DEIS for additional information on travel times under the Build Alternative. Now that traffic has been slowed, clarify if recent Accident reports were obtained for a five (5) month period starting on June 1, 2015 and ending on Interim Speed data will be used to update statistics and if the data S8 October 31, 2015. A study of this information found there wasn't a substantial change in the pattern 1 437 Measures have shown a change in accidents. of accidents. Refer to Section 2.3.1.8 (2) of the DDR/DEIS for additional information on the findings. The speed limit should not be reduced because The change of speed limit was not part of this action. The posted speed limit was originally lowered Posted Speed Speed commuters use the expressway as a quick way to S9 by directive of the Governor. The posted speed limit would remain at 30 mph from the Grant Street 16 74 85 98 116 122 255 257 258 265 268 271 287 493 494 506 579 Limit commute to and from downtown. interchange to the Parkside Avenue intersection under the Build Alternative.

The speed limit should not be reduced because The change of speed limit was not part of this action. The posted speed limit was originally lowered 141 151 225 250 254 255 258 265 266 268 281 292 293 297 318 333 409 441 454 Posted Speed Speed speed was not a factor that contributed to the fatal S10 by directive of the Governor. The posted speed limit would remain at 30 mph from the Grant Street 24 Limit accident in 2015. interchange to the Parkside Avenue intersection under the Build Alternative. 482 489 493 496 571

The speed limit should not be reduced because it is The change of speed limit was not part of this action. The posted speed limit was originally lowered Posted Speed the only high speed route that an ambulance can by directive of the Governor. The posted speed limit would remain at 30 mph from the Grant Street Speed S11 2 255 608 Limit use to transport patients to hospitals from north interchange to the Parkside Avenue intersection under the Build Alternative. NYS Route 198 would Buffalo to I-190. continue to be available for use by emergency service providers.

One of the project objectives is to address identified geometric and operational deficiencies along NYS Route 198 in a manner that promotes traffic calming and enhances safety for users. Traffic Posted Speed The posted speed limit should be below 30 mph calming features would be incorporated into the Build Alternative. These features would be Speed S12 7 55 88 110 153 210 321 528 Limit because at 30 mph traffic will travel at 40 mph. introduced to reduce the disparity between the posted limit and vehicular operating speeds. Refer to Exhibit 3.2.3.2-5 and the accompanying text in the DDR/DEIS for a summary of applicable traffic calming features.

The posted speed limit should be lower, because The change of speed limit was not part of this action. The posted speed limit was originally lowered 10 17 18 34 35 37 47 57 59 103 107 115 119 125 264 269 328 410 422 Posted Speed Speed the current posted speed limit is too high for the S13 by directive of the Governor. The posted speed limit would remain at 30 mph from the Grant Street 27 Limit entire corridor, including Delaware Park. interchange to the Parkside Avenue intersection under the Build Alternative. 460 465 476 503 505 510 547 549

The posted speed limit should only be reduced in 49 61 82 111 142 144 249 266 281 287 297 313 316 318 320 439 463 468 475 Posted Speed Speed the section of the corridor that runs through S14 The transition zones referred to by the comment are outside the project limits. 25 Limit Delaware Park. 489 501 522 526 569 571

8 21 43 46 56 73 77 84 90 92 96 99 104 106 108 109 112 113 120 126 127 133 136 138 145 146 157 158 209 211 245 246 248 256 260 267 270 272 A speed limit of 30 mph for the entire corridor, The change of speed limit was not part of this action. The posted speed limit would remain at 30 Speed Speed Limit including the segment through Delaware Park, will S15 mph from the Grant Street interchange to the Parkside Avenue intersection under the Build 80 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 289 295 297 299 303 305 309 315 322 323 329 be safer for all users. Alternative. 330 413 415 416 419 420 421 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 432 458 518 520 521 543 568 582

The speed limit should be established at 40 mph as The change of speed limit was not part of this action. The posted speed limit was originally lowered a compromise for all users; vehicles will still be able Speed Speed Limit S16 by directive of the Governor. The posted speed limit would remain at 30 mph from the Grant Street 13 83 93 125 151 250 251 288 293 316 436 441 534 573 to move across the corridor in a timely fashion, but interchange to the Parkside Avenue intersection under the Build Alternative. at a slower pace that would be safer for all users.

The speed limit should be established at 45 mph as The change of speed limit was not part of this action. The posted speed limit was originally lowered a compromise for all users; vehicles will still be able Speed Speed Limit S17 by directive of the Governor. The posted speed limit would remain at 30 mph from the Grant Street 8 318 332 414 434 435 438 494 570 to move across the corridor in a timely fashion, but interchange to the Parkside Avenue intersection under the Build Alternative. at a slower pace that would be safer for all users.

Western Clarify whether a 30 mph speed limit is needed at The western terminus of this project is the Grant Street interchange. Speed limit changes west of Speed S18 1 232 Transition Zone the west end of the project. that limit are not part of this action. The speed should not have to be reduced east of Eastern The eastern terminus of this project is the Parkside Avenue intersection. Speed limit changes east Speed Delaware Park since there are no public areas S19 1 212 Transition Zone of that limit are not part of this action. adjacent to corridor.

8 of 9 9/1/2016 PIN 5470.22 NYSDOT NYS Route 198 - The Scajaquada Public Comment Categorization

NYS Route 198 (Scajaquada Expressway Corridor) Project PIN 5470.22 Version 9/1/2016 Public Comment Summary and Responses Comments Received Prior to September 1, 2016 Response Number of Main Topic Subtopic Comment Summary Identification Comment Response Comments Comment Identification Number Number Represented The NYSDOT has held discussions with NFTA regarding the addition of bus service along NYS The corridor should become a bus line with stops at Route 198. The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) is willing to consider the addition the intersections to allow access to the surrounding of bus service pending demand. The improvements envisioned under the Build Alternative would not Transit Accommodation T1 4 126 143 270 609 establishments. Transit will greatly benefit the preclude the addition of a bus route and/or bus stops along NYS Route 198 in the future as a community and human health. separate action. Refer to Sections 2.3.2.3 and 3.3.2.3 for additional information on transit accommodations within the project limits. Air quality and safety analyses have been completed as part of the development of the DDR/DEIS. Transition Environmental There should be a study of safety and air quality T2 Refer to Section 4.4.15 of the DDR/DEIS for additional information. Refer to Sections 2.3.1.8 and 1 440 Zones Studies before the final EIS is published. 3.3.1.8 of the DDR/DEIS for additional information on accident analyses and safety.

Humboldt Main Street, Humboldt Parkway and Kensington 9 18 19 22 34 35 40 59 126 132 138 139 148 196 199 202 228 246 247 Parkway/ Main Avenue should be brought back to their original Transition This group of intersections is outside the project limits. The NYSDOT is cooperating with the City of Street/ layout or should be redesigned for easier and safer T3 40 283 436 457 462 469 470 472 487 499 502 514 520 530 531 540 567 572 583 587 Zones Buffalo to examine opportunities for improvement as part of an independent action. Kensington access. An at grade intersection should be Avenue considered. 588 594 Humboldt Parkway/ Main Transition Green space should be added to the Main Street/ This group of intersections is outside the project limits. The NYSDOT is cooperating with the City of Street/ T4 1 38 Zones Humboldt Parkway/ Kensington Avenue area. Buffalo to examine opportunities for improvement as part of an independent action. Kensington Avenue The purpose of the project is to provide geometric and operational improvements to NYS Route 198 in its current location from the Grant Street interchange to the intersection of Parkside Avenue, I-190 I-190 should be completely disconnected from NYS Transition including the segment through Delaware Park. These improvements would be made while Interchange and Route 198. Coming off I-190 it makes drivers feel as T5 12 147 166 207 211 295 296 448 452 478 498 538 572 Zones maintaining local connectivity and a critical transportation link between I-190 and NYS Route 33, Viaduct if they are entering another expressway. and providing enhanced compatibility with adjacent land uses. Disconnecting NYS Route 198 from I- 190 would be in conflict with the stated purpose of the project.

Western and Everything west and east of Delaware Park on NYS The purpose of the project is to provide geometric and operational improvements to NYS Route 198 50 52 69 115 125 183 196 200 203 204 205 206 416 432 445 448 452 456 478 Transition Eastern Route 198 needs to be improved, since it is not in its current location from the Grant Street interchange to the intersection of Parkside Avenue, T6 22 Zones Transition currently safe for pedestrians and bicyclists to cross including the segment through Delaware Park. The NYSDOT is cooperating with the City of Buffalo Zones the corridor in these areas. to examine opportunities for improvement as part of an independent action. 487 513 595

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