Moving too fast?
Craig wonders if the plans for demolishing the Skyway are wider-reaching than most people think.
“Skyway” is local shorthand for the Skyway bridge. But when the I-190 was built in the 1950s, Skyway was the term used to describe the entire portion of the Niagara Thruway that was elevated above street-level — approximately that part between Elm Street and Niagara Street. Is Mr. Higgins proposing that not only the bridge, but the entire downtown section of the Niagara Thruway be torn down? This article makes it sound that way.
This is yet another point that I’ve never been able to understand. I don’t understand the whole love affair with street-level parkways over elevated highways. Parkways are more dangerous for pedestrians and bring all that exhaust right down to street level. To allow people to cross you either need to install more intersections or pedestrian bridges. It’s a lose-lose for pedestrians and vehicles.
BuffaloPundit has a post entitled “Skyway to Hell” on which I’ve been more than happy to continue countering the myths of it being closed all the time. I think that we should have this continued debate about the Skyway, but I think everyone should at least have all the facts straight.
Too many of Buffalo’s “movers and shakers”are wiling to buy into the idea that cars are bad.
I’ve lived in a couple large cities and have actually used mass transit (gasp) but when I’m home in Buffalo, I don’t. I don’t need to. We don’t have traffic congestion here.
If. some day, we grew to the point that getting around by bus or rail became more convenient and significantly less expensive than taking the car, then Buffalo might welcome the plans of the enlightened.
In the meantime, it will take some fancy dancing to convince a million people to do away with the Skyway Bridge and the Scajacquada Expressway. And don’t even talk about the downtown 190.