Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - As thousands of concert-goers attend musical performances happening regularly in the summertime at Buffalo's Outer Harbor, some are starting to take notice that the peninsula is not very well equipped to handle the significant traffic that comes before and after events.
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"Limited ports of entry, I think is a really important thing [to note] here," says Lynda Schneekloth, Professor Emeritus at UB's Department of Architecture and member of the Our Outer Harbor Coalition.
"Of course, hours of waiting for cars to get in and out and also, people who want to use the Outer Harbor for other things are not able to do so during that time not only because of the traffic, but because of the noise and lights that goes on there. I think it's really important to just remember that it's a peninsula and the geometry of the peninsula is that there's one way in and one way out."
This has resulted in concert-goers taking alternate routes to try and beat the vehicle traffic. Last Friday, traffic gridlock resulted following a concert, leaving rideshare vehicles unable to pick up patrons and pedestrians wandering in traffic and even a few attempting to cross the Skyway seeking a way to get to Downtown Buffalo.
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"That's terrifying to me to know that that actually happens. It is very, very dangerous," said Schneekloth.
Is there a way to help alleviate the intolerable traffic?
"I can't see how it would be changed, except it could be possible that they could provide public buses, in different ports downtown, or different areas next to larger parking areas. There's a possibility that, if they were willing to pay for that, that would be a good public service. But otherwise, one way in and one way out is what's going to [continue to] happen."
Schneekloth believes that concerts shouldn't be happening at the Outer Harbor in the first place. Schneekloth provided us with a little history of the Outer Harbor.
"The Outer Harbor was once the largest wetland on on Lake Erie down on our end," said Schneekloth. "It provided amazing fish resources. It is on an international flyway, birds fly back and forth every year. We filled up the Outer Harbor so that we could use it for industrial purposes. It was abandoned in the 1970s, and nature started to take over again. Since ECHDC (Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation) has been in charge, that nature has been compromised, it has been removed. Now, the Outer Harbor is actually less viable than it was when they started.
I really agree with the notion of making it available to people to be able to go down to the beach or the waterfront, but it doesn't have to be large events. It doesn't have to be entertaining. It could be much different."
Schneekloth is aware the concerts will still be planned at the Outer Harbor, especially given the newly-built events pavilion, scheduled to debut next year. Going forward, Schneekloth thinks it would be wise to preserve and focus on what the Outer Harbor has left naturally.
"I think what's really important is for the Outer Harbor could be part of the 3030 strategy and policy that's been put in place, both at the federal level, and also by legislation in New York State, which says, 'We preserve 30% of the land by 2030.' This Outer Harbor could be a part of that solution, rather than being used for large events, or being used to make money. The Outer Harbor serves as what you call a barrier island, it really protects the city from all of the onslaught of those huge storms that are coming across Lake Erie, it takes the blow. We should be actually supporting that activity, so that the Outer Harbor can actually do its function and take care of the inner city, not destroying it. We are not doing a good job right now of protecting ourselves and the Outer Harbor."