Community concerns over the planned $922 million redesign of the Kensington Expressway and Humboldt Parkway continue as members of the state Department of Transportation met with community members during a public hearing Wednesday.
Department of Transportation Chief Engineer Nick Choubah said his team is focusing on best practices to reduce stress on residents that comes with a project of this size.
“Basically, we're looking at noise, we're looking at pollution, we're looking at every element that will cause an impact to the resident and we will mitigate it,” he said.
Community member Michael Hughes has concerns about his elderly mother’s residence which will be impacted by the construction.
“It's going to affect our property because they're trying to put a water line in and we need to get more information on it,” he said. “They came to visit and left the information. So that's what I'm here to do is to find out how it's going to affect West Parade. You know, we have people right now down there working on drilling, and we've asked a few questions, but we came here today to find out the whole story.”
One couple who go to church around the block from the West Parade Avenue and Best Street intersection said they were concerned whether the proposed change of the intersection into a roundabout will help calm that intersection.
Choubah stressed this project doesn’t progress without community input and his department has been meeting with community leaders each month.
“This project, I would say is a symbol of listening to the community,” he said. I know we can't solve every issue we have but certainly together, working with the community, we will have a project that meets the needs and also will move the reconnecting community of east Buffalo forward.”
The project is expected to break ground by the end of 2024.
