This presentation discusses building a green parkway over the Kensington Expressway in Buffalo, NY, citing examples of similar projects in other cities. It summarizes the costs and impacts of those projects, argues that investing in covering the highway would financially benefit Buffalo neighborhoods, and encourages the audience to support the plan by contacting local officials and spreading awareness on social media.

1. Presentation
Health Sciences Charter School
June 10, 2016
Buffalo, NY
roccbuffalo.org

2. Humboldt Parkway
At E. Ferry Street (1960) At E. Ferry Street (2015)

3. Mission POSSIBLE!
Other Cities have built Green Parkways
over Highways
Jim Ellis Freeway Park (est.1976)
Seattle, WA
Margaret Hance Park (est.1992)
Phoenix, AZ
Klyde Warren Park (est. 2012)
Dallas, TX

4. Jim Ellis Freeway Park (Seattle, WA)
 Established July 4, 1976
 Cost $118 million when proposed in
1968 (which equals $1.2 billion today)
 Publically funded “Forward Thrust”
helped initiate many civil and
environmental projects in Seattle.
 5 acres over I-5 in Downtown Seattle
 Maintained by Freeway Park
Neighborhood Association (FPNA) since
2005.
 Re-named in 2010 after Seattle lawyer
Jim Ellis, who helped initiate
“Forward Thrust”.

5. Margaret T. Hance Park (Phoenix, AZ)
 Established April 10, 1992
 Cost $105 million when formally
proposed in 1983 (which is $251
million today)
 Funded by the Arizona Department
of Transportation (ADOT)
 32 acres over the Papago Freeway
(I-10) in Downtown Phoenix
 Named in memory of Phoenix
mayor Margaret T. Hance, who
championed the park plan through
the 1980s.
 Park and activities maintained by
Hance Park Conservancy

6. Klyde Warren Park (Dallas, TX)
 Established September 12, 2012
 Cost $110 million when proposed in
2002 (which is $142.5 million today)
 Funding primarily from public; part
from 2009 stimulus package
 5 acres over Woodall Rodgers
Freeway (Spur 366) in Downtown Dallas
 Proposal spearheaded by Dallas
philanthropists; received full support of
the public and Texas DOT.
 Named after the son of Texas
billionare, Kelcy Warren.
 * Was built “out of thin air”; no historic
or cultural precedent!

7. Other Examples
 Brooklyn Heights Promenade – New York
City, NY (est. 1950)
 Lytle Park Cincinnati, OH (est. 1967)
 East Reflecting Pool – Washington, DC
(1973)
 Gateway Park – Arlington, VA (est. 1981)
 Leif Erikson Park – Duluth, MN (est. 1992)
 Rose Kennedy Greenway (aka Big Dig) –
Boston, MA (est. 2007)
 Deck Park over I-70 East - Denver, CO
(pending)Leif Erikson Tunnel – Duluth, MN

8. Things to Remember
 Kensington Expressway cost $45 million
when approved in 1954.
 Equals $400 million today that we’re
still losing!
 Construction of whole 10-mile
expressway lasted from 1957 to 1970!
 Built in phases
 Created safety problems for both
neighbors and motorists
 Took longer than the 427-mile NYS
Thruway (1946-1956).
 Walls undergoing deterioration that will
have to be addressed anyway
 Widely regarded as one of Buffalo’s
biggest mistakes! 1954 Buffalo News article, courtesy of
the Buffalo History Museum

9. The Reality
 Each example cost money.
 Intelligent spending = Investment
 $570 million Investment = $1 billion Profit
 Profit = Bringing money back into our
neighborhoods.
 Many success stories came from initiatives
taken from communities working together.
 Buffalo: The “City of Good Neighbors”?
 We want to take advantage of
redevelopment around Buffalo
 Buffalo CANNOT fall behind again.
 We CANNOT starve out the conversation!
 We Buffalonians must take control of our
own neighborhoods!

10. Recent News
 Governor Cuomo secures $6 million
for Environmental Impact Study.
 Co-sponsored the inaugural Slow
Roll of 2016.
 Continued discussions with
Scajaquada Corridor Coalition.
 Tree planting at MLK Park.
 2016 recipients of the William
Dorsheimer Community Partner
Award (from the Olmsted Parks
Conservancy)
 We’re now on Instagram!

11. What YOU Can Do!
 Contact your local officials
 Councilmember
 Mayor Brown
 Assemblymember
 State Senator
 Governor and Lt. Governor
 Congressional Representative
 Senator
 State Assembly Transit Committee
 Tell them you support this plan!
 Sign our petition.
 Tell your neighbors.
 Ask families and friends from other
cities with similar plans.
 Visit our webpage
 <roccbuffalo.org>
 Like us on Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram
 #IRemember, #RestoreHumboldt,
#ROCCBuffalo