The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation (ECHDC) will hold the second of three public information meetings regarding the reconstruction of Ohio Street. The meeting, scheduled from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 9th at the First Ward Community Center, will describe the key elements of the proposed roadway and provide updates on the design and construction schedules. There will also be a break-out session at the end of the presentation to gather additional input from residents, commuters and area businesses.
The reconstruction of Ohio Street as a landscaped waterfront arterial will connect the burgeoning Canalside development with the Cobblestone District and First Ward neighborhood, linking key areas along Buffalo’s re-emerging Buffalo River. The nearly $12 million project is shaping up to become one of Buffalo’s most complete streets ever built.
First, the street will undergo a road diet and be narrowed from over 45 ft. wide to 24 ft. wide, with a single travel lane in each direction. A parking lane will be included near Riverfest Park and a center-turn lane south of the Ohio Street lift bridge to accommodate trucks. In place of the removed asphalt, a multi-use pathway and wide green space will be installed along the west side of the roadway. A sidewalk will be installed along the east side. In addition to removing unnecessary pavement, the parking lane and the multi-use pathway will use porous asphalt to reduce future runoff.
Trail signage for the Erie County’s Shoreline Trail (Greenway Headwaters section) will be installed, with additional notations for the Buffalo River Greenway Trail and the Industrial Heritage Trail. For pedestrians and bicyclists, this signage will connect Canalside and the Outer Harbor in a recognizable and safe manner. A series of interpretive panels will also be included to highlight various grain elevators, railroad facilities, and historical figures, as well as the Native American’s past along the River corridor. Bridge elements and signage will be installed at Dead Creek to provide some historical context of the former Ohio Basin, now Father Conway Park.
A landscape plan for the roadway corridor is being developed in coordination with several existing or planned pocket parks. Moore Street, across from Riverfest Park, will be realigned to encourage safer pedestrian movements to the Park. The NYSDEC Boat Launch facility is being re-imagined with the support of the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeepers and their planned shoreline and habitat improvements. The First Ward’s green space at the tip of Ohio/Louisiana is also being coordinated so the area blends seamlessly with the street trees that will line the new roadway.
New street lighting, under the direction of a world-class lighting designer, will be installed to coordinate with other waterfront lighting while maintaining Ohio Street’s unique character. All street lights will use energy efficient LED fixtures. Additional lighting of the bridge elements is also being coordinated with the overall street lighting design.
Finally, cooperative agreements have been reached with the Buffalo Sewer Authority and the Water Department for new and/or upgraded sewer and water along the corridor. It is expected that utility poles will be removed between Michigan Avenue and Louisiana Street and that electric, telephone and cable lines will be placed underground.
Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation is a subsidiary agency of Empire State Development Corporation whose vision is to revitalize Western New York’s waterfront and restore economic growth to Buffalo based on the region’s legacy of pride, urban significance and natural beauty.