BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited the Buffalo Museum of Science on Friday to discuss the future of the Kensington Expressway.
The Kensington Expressway was constructed in the 1950s along Humboldt Parkway. It replaced a tree-lined boulevard with a highway that divided neighborhoods in East Buffalo.
"Consciously or not, we all know that infrastructure can divide. It's encoded into our language. The fact that American English has the phrase 'wrong side of the tracks' tells you everything you need to know about our awareness deep down that infrastructure can divide just as sure as it can connect," said Secretary Buttigieg.
In May 2022, lawmakers on the state and federal levels announceda $1 billion funding investmentto bring changes to the Kensington Expressway.
A scoping report for the project was completed in December 2022 which determined the construction of a six-lane tunnel between Dodge Street and Sidney Street was the best concept and should be studied further.
In February, lawmakers on the state and federal levels announced the project would receive $55 million through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill.
On Friday it was announced that the expressway will be converted into a six-lane underground tunnel. Above ground, the expressway will be covered and redesigned for pedestrians and bicyclists with a tree-lined walkable park, new homes, and more.
"Buffalo neighborhoods have been torn apart by the Kensington Expressway for decades, and this $55 million investment from the Reconnecting Communities Program will help jumpstart the effort to reconnect the Humboldt Parkway community. This funding will play a key role in laying the foundation for a more equitable future here in Buffalo, which is why I was excited to bring Transportation Secretary Buttigieg to Buffalo and show him first hand exactly how the investment will help bridge divides and reunite the community. Our infrastructure should connect, not divide our communities," said Senator Schumer.
The Kensington Expressway project is one of the biggest infrastructure projects in the nation.
