Buffalo has been taking cautious steps toward starting to repair some the damage caused by its orgy of highway construction during the 50’s and 60’s. There has been serious talk of removing the Skyway, a master plan is in place for “upgrading” the Scajaquada to a “city” friendly roadway, and the City’s new downtown master plan calls for similar improvement to the Niagara Section of the Throughway (to be highlighted in a future piece). The Skyway and and Scajaquada projects are both highly likely to be completed in the not too distant future. They both make sense and have the potential for huge positive impact. They are also both very visible and will provide great photo opportunities for the politicians. But, what about the Kensington Expressway?
This horrid scar cutting through the heart of the city should be looked on as a slap across the face to all Buffalo’s residents. Yet it does not appear to be a priority in the minds of the people. It is barely on the radar as something worth doing. This highway, running in a trench through the center of the city, replaced Buffalo’s longest Olmsted designed parkway and helped send one of Buffalo’s most elegant neighborhoods into a continual downward spiral.
The neighborhood, now one of Buffalo’s poorest is quickly succumbing to the pressures of neglect and poverty. Many of the elegant homes that line the once serene parkway now overlook a roaring moat of traffic. Each year takes its toll as more and more of these homes show signs of complete neglect and vacancy. It is ironic that the roadway that slashes through this once prosperous neighborhood also carries a river of cars between downtown offices and metro Buffalo’s wealthiest suburbs. Do these daily commuters think about what was eliminated for their convenience? Do they care? Do they even know what was lost? My fear is that the answer is No. No. No. If my fear is true, is there any hope for a new way of thinking about the Kensington?
The Buffalo Museum of Science along with their architect Hamilton Houston and Lownie (HHL) took a timid initial step in the direction of a very exciting possible solution to the Kensington problem. Several years ago HHL prepared a master plan for the Museum which showed a building addition accompanied by new surrounding park space that was built over the Kensington. The plan is very unlikely to be completed without significant new funding for the museum but, it suggests a perfect solution to the disgrace that is now Route 33. The best solution would be to remove the highway completely. However, as one of the most heavily used stretches of roadway in the area, removal is highly unlikely to ever happen. But, what about covering it, as HHL has suggested in the museum plan? Why not deck over this highway, replant the parkway, and weave the city streets back together. The commuters still have their highway and the residents of Buffalo get their city back ( at least partially). The existing trench style design of a large section of the highway (which includes the entire portion of the former Humboldt Parkway) is a perfect candidate for this type of treatment. Yet there is little or no talk of such improvement to the city at this time. This most certainly has to do with the state of the neighborhood which has little political clout and receives scorn from most rather than the intense planning and thought required to reverse the half century long negative trend it has experienced. 50 years ago a part of Buffalo was stolen from its citizens. This has played no small role in the City’s decline. It is now time for people to stand up and demand that what belonged to Buffalo must be returned. Cover the Kensington and recreate Humboldt Parkway! NOW!