Panepinto: “The Department of Transportation has inexplicably and inexcusably failed the people of Western New York”
(Long Island, NY) Senator Marc Panepinto (D-Buffalo) is calling for the immediate reconstruction of the Scajaquada Expressway into a functioning parkway. After decades of calls for a safer solution, and in the wake of Maksym Sugorovskiy’s tragic death, the Senator released the following statement:
“There are no words to express my sorrow over the death of Maksym Sugorovskiy. The pain in the voices of his family members is one that I won’t soon forget. This is made all the more difficult knowing that his tragic death could and should have been prevented. The Department of Transportation has inexplicably and inexcusably failed the people of Western New York. On any given day between 37,600 and 65,000 cars travel NYS Route 198. Given its proximity to residential neighborhoods one thing is clear: the Scajaquada can no longer function as an expressway. Potential solutions being tossed around for its reconstruction are nothing new to the residents of this community. Instead, it’s what they have called for and deserved for more than 20 years: safety. Yet, the DOT has repeatedly and irresponsibly placed their concerns on the backburner for over two decades. The bureaucratic handling of this issue has cost the life of a young boy. His sister and mother injured. Their lives forever changed. Governor Cuomo’s swift executive actions over the weekend laid the groundwork for permanent change. That said, the DOT’s public pandering following this tragedy is nothing short of an insult. We must demand a comprehensive and safer alternative immediately. The time for conversation is over. We must stand together to ensure these changes become reality.”
Senator Panepinto is proposing the following plan for converting NYS Route 198 from an expressway to a parkway:
- Narrowed lanes with appropriate signage and traffic lights to ensure the new permanent 30 mile per hour speed limit is being met
- Landscaped median and roundabouts in line with the neighborhood’s Olmsted heritage
- Installation of bicycle and pedestrian lanes for increased accessibility to Delaware Park
- Designation as an “urban arterial”
Senator Panepinto represents the 60th Senate District, which includes parts of the City of Buffalo as well as communities in both the Northtowns and the Southtowns of Western New York.
