Buffalo, NY —   The East SIde Collaborative Partnership is hosting a Community Town Hall Meeting, calling on State Officials to respond to their questions and concerns for the Kensington Expressway Project.  The Town Hall will be held this Friday, February 9th, from 4 –  6 p.m., at the Merriweather Library on Jefferson Avenue.

For months, members of the East Side Collaborative have been analyzing the DOT’s DDR/EA plan to build a tunnel and cap over a 3/4 mile stretch of the Kensington Expressway between Sidney and Dodge Streets.  They have analyzed environmental data, transportation data, and the community’s responses during the public comment period.  They have gone door to door speaking with residents, have attended the DOT’s hearings, and have sponsored numerous events to educate the public and gauge public opinion.  Their conclusion is that there is no public consensus in support of a tunnel.  Many want more answers regarding the impact of this project on health and quality of life and most stand unified that removal of the Kensington Expressway and full restoration of the Humboldt Parkway is the best option for our neighborhoods.  The Partnership has been demanding that State Officials conduct a full EIS for the project with full consideration given to Concept 10 and that leadership for this project be reassigned to the GBNRTC.

Betty Jean Grant, former Erie County Legislator, states, “The decision for changing the direction of this project is in the hands of Senator Kennedy, Majority Leader Peoples-Stokes, and Governor Hochul.  Our community needs to be heard.  We expect our State Leaders to attend the Town Hall to hear the voices of our community and respond to the will of the people.”

So far, only Senator Kennedy has met directly with the group since the DDR/EA was released last September.  There has been one conversation with the staff of Majority Leader Peoples-Stokes, but absolutely no dialogue with the Governor’s office, the Governor’s WNY Director, or Majority Leader Peoples-Stokes.

“It is simply not acceptable that our State Officials are choosing to stay the course, in spite of overwhelming opposition to this tunnel.  We demand that a full EIS be performed to ensure community health and safety and to fully analyze Concept 10, full restoration of the Humboldt Parkway,” stated Terry Robinson, a Humboldt resident and member of the East Side Parkways Coalition.

The Town Hall is hosted by the East Side Collaborative Partnership, a collection of East Side organizations committed to improving community health and the quality of life for all East Side residents.  The Collaborative includes:  The East Side Parkways Coalition, We are Women Warriors, The Western New York Peace Center, Jes Breathe Cancer Awareness Group, Covington Associations Consulting, Stop the Violence Coalition, and the Harriet Tubman Celebration Committee.