In a scene and scenario reminiscent for other recent "Kensington Expressway" listening and learning sessions, the overwhelming support leaned towards reverting significant portions of the busy highway back into its original Frederick Law Olmsted-designed parkway.
Much like earlier sessions in Buffalo and Cheektowaga, those in attendance at Thursday night's DOT-sponsored session at the Amherst Senior Center said, if they had their druthers, they would support the growing grassroots effort to bring back the Olmsted design to the Kensington.
Thursday's session was one of several scheduled by the DOT as a prelude to a formal environmental impact statement that could be underway by later this year.
Any formal decision is at least two years away, DOT officials said.
The fate, and future, of the Kensington is one of the region's top urban planning issues.
And, for commuter-heavy Amherst, the fate of the Kensington is a major discussion point.
Since it was completed in 1964, the Kensington is now handling more than 75,000 vehicles on a daily basis. The Kensington is a main connector between Buffalo and such first ring suburban towns as Cheektowaga and Amherst.
In recent years, the grassroots effort to restoring the original Olmsted design has become something of regional clarion call, with strong support from both Buffalo and suburban residents along with political leaders like recent, independent mayoral candidate Michael Gainer.
"I get that connects Buffalo with the outskirts, but there are better solutions," said Sam Anthony, a Buffalo resident.
If the Olmsted design becomes reality, it may shift suburban commuters from the expressway and into Buffalo neighborhoods along Genesee Street and Walden Avenue.
"I take those streets a lot of times, just because I like driving through Buffalo," said Fran Kruse, a Snyder resident. "It doesn't stop me from going to mass at St. Michael's (Church on Washington Street) or going to Shea's."
Anthony agrees with Kruse's assessment.
"If someone wants to go to Shea's, they will find a way to get there," she said.