Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Nearly two months ago, the City of Buffalo announced interim improvements to Niagara Square, marking the beginning of a long-term effort to transform the square into a safer, more accessible, and more welcoming space for everyone that passes through that part of downtown.
In the weeks since the improvements were implemented, city officials continue to like what they see.
"In collaboration with both the parking department and the public works department, we recognize that many people felt that Niagara Square wasn't safe, no matter how they traveled it - in a car, as a pedestrian, as a cyclist, using public transit. So we tried to really just put some common sense into how it should be better utilized," said Buffalo's parking commissioner Justin Booth.
The improvements followed a community survey conducted back in June that gathered 562 responses from residents and visitors who regularly visit or travel through Niagara Square. The survey was designed to better understand how the space functions and to identify priorities for its future.
Among the improvements made included:
- Converting Niagara Square to a single travel lane to simplify traffic patterns, reduce vehicle speeds, eliminate confusion for drivers, and improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, and motorists;
- Shortening pedestrian crossings and improving sightlines by eliminating areas where vehicles can illegally park;
- Creating additional pedestrian space and protecting sidewalks from vehicle encroachment;
- Preventing vehicles from parking on the historic brick surface surrounding the McKinley Monument, allowing the space to function safely as a public gathering area and reducing the need for repairs to the surface;
- Adding seating and other amenities to make the square more welcoming for residents and visitors.
One area of focus going forward for the city is to improve the splitter islands in Niagara Square to be more effective.
"With the people parking in those splitter islands, that reduces sightlines. So whether you're a pedestrian trying to cross a street or a driver trying to pull out in traffic, it's a major safety concern. And so all this is is about making Niagara Square a better space, while, at the same time, making it safer for everybody," Booth said with WBEN.
"All the splitter islands and the inside of the circle itself will have bollards in place within the next couple of weeks to delineate where you can access as a vehicle and not access as a vehicle. So we're going to cut off all those triangles for all the illegal parking that's happening now. And we're going to put out the planters to make it more attractive."
The city wants to bring better access for people to cross the street and get into Niagara Square itself for special events. Part of that will also include the inner ring along the roadway, around the circle itself.
"The travel lanes before were so wide, we were able to reduce that space, going to a single lane. But then we want to make that inner lane more pedestrian space so we can use it for special events, we can use it for Food Truck Thursdays. We can have the mounted sheriffs parking there, and those different types of groups that still need access," Booth explained.
In the nearly two months these changes have been in place, Booth says the public response he's been hearing is widely positive.
"Lots of 'thank yous', very happy to see these positive changes occurring. And we are not done," Booth said. "All these things leading up to a longer-term capital improvement project that will really kind of reimagine Niagara Square and make it a place for people."
Booth adds this is a good model that's been used in many other cities.
"We are going to test out new traffic patterns simply by using some paint, some bollards, some planters. Do pre and post surveys with the public to see what's working, what's not working, to collect the data - everything from crashes to pedestrian and bicycle and vehicle volumes - to determine what is the data saying and what is the public actually saying? So before we make the millions of dollars in capital investment into these spaces, we know we get it right," Booth noted.
For some that traverse through Niagara Square throughout the week, they are already noticing the differences.
"I'm down here pretty often. I work at Ingram Micro, and we just moved into our Downtown Buffalo office. So me and my coworkers, we walk around a lot, we come to Food Truck Thursday. So I really like that they're trying to make it safer for people walking around," said Isabella from Grand Island with WBEN. "Sometimes crossing the street, it can get a little scary. So the fact that they're trying to change it shows that the city really cares and wants it to be a safer place for people to walk around, and support local businesses and restaurants."
Isabella appreciates the city not only focusing on safety for its residents and those working and visiting, she likes how the improvements will also focus on allowing the city to promote its businesses through more events in Niagara Square.
"Sometimes you didn't know exactly where or when to cross, but now it's a lot more clear, and feels safer for me and my coworkers to come and walk around and enjoy our lunch break, and see what the city has to offer," she said.
