As the piece notes, “Since it was constructed in the early 1960s, the 3.6-mile Scajaquada Expressway has sliced through Buffalo’s Delaware Park, the crown jewel in a celebrated park system designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. The state highway, Route 198, replaced two tree-lined streets and was contested from the start. In addition to destroying Olmsted’s vision for the hourglass shaped park, it segregated surrounding neighborhoods, especially communities of color.”
Our Michael DeLuca and Mark Nowaczyk are part of the Scajaquada Corridor Coalition (SCC), a diverse group of local organizations, advancing design plans, momentum and consensus behind a plan to eliminate the 198 highway altogether. Renderings released earlier this year represent numerous possible improvements, including a widened and restored Scajaquada Creek; a reconnected Delaware Park; bike lanes and pedestrian paths; increased recreational space; and renewed connections between neighborhoods and commercial, education and healthcare centers.
In an article about the SCC plans we published earlier this year, DeLuca shared, “The light is brighter than it has ever been (for this new proposed plan),” said Deluca. “We look forward to continuing this vital community project and to see it finally be realized.”
