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Transportation  

Mission

Buffalo's Elmwood Avenue: a broad range of transportation options—including the ability to walk—helps to make a healthy, sustainable neighborhood.
Buffalo's Elmwood Ave.
The Mission of the NMG Transportation Action Group (formerly Peace Bridge Action Group) is:

To provide leadership in achieving sustainable transportation and land-use in Buffalo, WNY, and Southern Ontario, thus contributing to regional livability and increased economic opportunity through more efficient use of local resources.

A sustainable transportation system is one that:

  • offers choice of transport mode and is built on a human-sized scale that encourages walking;
  • is affordable, operates efficiently, and promotes a vibrant economy;
  • allows the basic access needs of individuals and the region to be met safely and in a manner consistent with human and ecosystem health, and with equity within and between generations and socio-economic backgrounds;
  • minimizes the use of land, reuses and recycles its components (i.e. maximizes the use of existing investments in infrastructure and development), limits emissions and waste to within the environment's ability to absorb them, and minimizes consumption of non-renewable resources and the production of noise.

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History & Challenges

Peace Bridge Concept Thumbnail
The Peace Bridge. Alongside many other groups and individuals, the NMG Transportation Action Group (formerly Peace Bridge Action Group—click here to see our old website) crusaded for and won a fair, open, and public review of the Public Bridge Authority (PBA) Peace Bridge Expansion Project along with a non-segmented Environmental Impact Study (EIS) of the project. Our "Win-Win-Win" online presentation and our Position Paper (PDF format, 236 KB) provide more information on where we stand.

Artist's Conception of New Peace Bridge
click to enlarge
NMG-Peace Bridge artist's conception
The NMG Transportation Action Group is a member of the Bi-National Civic Advisory Committee (BNCAC) for the Peace Bridge Expansion Project EIS. We continue to diligently work to ensure full, open, and genuine two-way public participation in this project -- to ensure that nothing is pre-ordained and no-one will be turned away. In general, we favor an all new 6-lane, world-class, Signature Peace Bridge at an appropriate location and complete restoration of Front Park and Fort Porter, Buffalo's waterfront presidio.

With a renewed public process, we now have a chance to shape a new crossing of the Niagara River. World-class architects, designers, and engineers have been hired. Now is your chance to get involved in this exciting and vital project. Help ensure that all reasonable alternatives will be considered and assessed by the public. It will not be successful without you. Go to www.peacebridgex.com for the latest events, announcements, and workshops.

Get Involved Now! Click on image to see an enlargement. (To download a printable PDF, click here.)
Peace Bridge Workshop #6 Ad
* On Saturday, May 1, 2004, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, the PBA will be holding Public Workshop #6, where the bridge design finalists will be chosen by the public. The workshop will be held at St. Michael's Hall, 310 Central Ave., Fort Erie, Ontario. For more information, go to www.peacebridgex.com. (Click here to download NMG's ad for Workshop #6, in PDF format, 360 KB).

* During the week of May 2-9, you can also cast your vote for a Signature Bridge. Voting will take place by phone and online. During this week, the PBA will also be broadcasting educational programs on cable TV. For more information, see our Transportation Action Group web page, or go to www.peacebridgex.com.

You can also view upcoming events at the Peace Bridge Expansion Project website or enroll to receive e-mail updates directly from the Peace Bridge Expansion Project. If you can't make yourself heard in public, you can even sumbit comments online.

TIME Magazine Spoof: Click for enlargement. (Get PDF)
Peace Bridge Workshop #6 Ad
* On April 27, 2004, TAG held a press conference in Buffalo's Front Park to bring public attention to the state of the Peace Bridge expansion process. NMG members were joined by Assemblyman Sam Hoyt and the Landmark Society in calling for a single Signature Replacement Bridge instead of a mis-matched companion span.

The group called into question both the PBA's cost estimates for companion/replacement bridges and the claimed historical significance of the old bridge, and cited the lack of creative vision in the design choices to-date. The event was well-covered by most local media. For more information, download our press release & graphic (PDF format, 716 KB).

Outer Harbor Vision Thumbnail
The Outer Harbor. The NFTA has begun to solicit public input for its Outer Harbor Development project. To stimulate positive dialog as part of this process, TAG has submitted an Outer Harbor Vision (PDF format, 744 KB), enthusiastically endorsed by the NMG board.

* On March 19 & 20, 2004, NFTA held two initial public hearings at the studios of WNED in Downtown Buffalo. NFTA has not chosen devlopers for the project (it is in RFQ phase until April 30, 2004) and seems to be very open to any alternatives. Notably, the NFTA's stated intent for the site is quite similar to the philosophies in our Outer Harbor Vision.

The official project website may be found at www.nfta.com/waterfront.phtml. You may also download the RFQ (PDF format, 16.7 MB). Stay tuned for upcoming developments.

Scajaquada Vision Thumbnail
The Scajaquada Expressway. In addition, TAG is also part of the Scajaquada Corridor Study Advisory Group. NMG supports downgrading the expressway to a parkway, which was the original intent of its designer, Fredrick Law Olmsted. The current expressway, built in 1960, was and continues to be inexcusably destructive to the surrounding neighborhoods and cultural institutions, as well as to the utility and aesthetics of Delaware Park itself. Downgrading the expressway will be a major step in the ongoing effort to restore Buffalo's Olmsted Park System, as well as to improve the livability and vitality of the City of Buffalo. Our Scajaquada Corridor Vision (PDF format, 1.2 MB) provides a vision for the long term restoration of this important parkway.

* In January 2004, the NYSDOT published a Draft Final Report / Expanded Project Proposal, a long-term plan for the corridor. Consistent with their October 2003 public presentations, DOT now endorses a remarkably similar philosophy to that promoted by the TAG. Notably, the DOT proposal incorporates nearly all of the features of our Scajaquada Corridor Vision. This official plan marks a major step forward in sensitive roadway design for New York State, and is the direct result of the tremendous effort of all of the Advisory Group members—including NMG.

An official link to the project website will be provided as soon as it is available. Until then, you may find useful information on the City of Buffalo's infrequently updated information page. (Once there, be sure to click on the Public Information Meetings link at upper left.)

Main Street Thumbnail
Main Street. The TAG is also involved in the Main Street Reconstruction Project. The reconstruction will affect Main Street between the Scajaquada Expressway to Bailey Avenue. This is a once in a generation opportunity to create a place -- a people friendly street that encourages walking as well as moving cars and bicylists safely. Reconstruction of Main Street should be the centerpiece of any revitalization plan for the City of Buffalo. The TAG is in the process of moving this project forward based on these principles.

Downtown Buffalo Parking Thumbnail
Downtown Parking. In July 2003, members of the TAG organized a sartorial send-up entitled "Park Buffalo" to focus public attention on the massive physical, social, and economic blight that surface parking has become in Buffalo. The group was joined by Buffalo Councilmembers Joe Golombek and David Franczyk in calling for a common-sense approach: sound planning, progressive political leadership, a moratorium on surface parking, and better parking agency oversight through a re-structuring of planning authority. See our press release and parking survey map (PDF format, 1MB) for more information.

* The "Park Buffalo" event resulted in wide television, radio, and print media coverage, most notably with a front-page article in The Buffalo News entitled Plenty of Space to Park (July 10, 2003) -- also see our reprinted version on this site. On the radio, WBFO-FM 88.7 also reported the story. The national organization Smart Growth Online posted an edited article on its website. Finally, another good article entitled Lack of sense, not parking, ails downtown by The Buffalo News' esteemed columnist Donn Esmonde (November 7, 2003) expresses the latest epilogue.

Cheektowaga Sprawl Thumbnail
Sprawl & Smart Growth. TAG members are collaborating with many other organizations -- from local citizens' activist groups to regional government authorities -- to promote concepts such as Smart Growth and New Urbanism in the fight against sprawl. Both expert opinion and plain evidence indicate that Metro Buffalo will never again be thriving and vital without a regional approach to the problem of sprawl. It is our hope that many of these progressive policies will soon take root in Buffalo and Western New York, and this region will again take its place in the forefront of planning excellence.

* Members have been active writing letters, editorials, and articles about sprawl, regionalism, and "Smart Growth" and how these subjects apply to Buffalo and WNY. In particular, the Artvoice article Sprawl, Smart Growth, and Western New York by NMG member Chuck Banas embodies many principles endorsed by the TAG. A recent online debate also prompted a rebuttal entitled Sprawl, Choice, and The Fallacy of The Free Market.


How To Get Involved

You can check the NMG Calendar for updated meeting times and locations, or, to receive convenient e-mail updates from NMG, register via our website. For more information, contact Bill Banas (co-chair) at (716) 854-9283 or ; or contact Patrick McNichol (co-chair) at (716) 882-1961 or .


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More Information & Downloads

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