The day is nearing for the New York State Department of Transportation’s next listening session about the future of the Kensington Expressway, but some residents are skeptical of how past sessions have gone.
The East Side Parkway Coalition is one of the primary advocates pushing for the expressway to be restored to Humboldt Parkway.
East Side Collaborative Partnership Founder Sherry Sherrill is part of the coalition. A primary concern is the format of listening sessions, she said, with no guarantee that residents’ comments on Post-it notes are considered.
“How do we know that the sentiment is being going to be part of the process of determining the scope and the design of the project moving forward?" she said. We have absolutely no assurance whatsoever. The listening sessions were ... something designed to give a false sense of security and fraudulent assurance."
Many of the comments mention specific things residents want to see, like the restored parkway, NYSDOT Public Information Officer Ryan Whalen said.
"It's not a binary choice. It's not multiple choice," he said. "You have an opportunity to come and talk about whatever you want, and you don't have to set artificial limits on yourself."
But questions remain about the transfer of information to residents, like if not all residents receive the same information because their questions differ, Sherrill said.
The sessions don't feature a group discussion dynamic, instead opting for tables where department employees can focus on individual discussions with residents.
One-on-one interactions could be an asset to start sessions, but having a group setting would provide the advantage of a town-hall dynamic, said Buffalo native and University of Maryland professor Jennifer Roberts, who has an extensive history working with Humboldt Parkway advocates.
"It could have different aspects, in the sense that, this town hall meeting is like, 'what would you envision? What would you like? What do you not like?,'" she said. "You could have a different town hall meeting about, 'what have been some of the challenges from how the situation is right now?'"
Speaking with individuals at this stage is easier than addressing a full group, but there is potential to modify the format with future sessions, Whalen said.
“It's hard for us to sit there and answer questions to a large group about a specific project, because we're telling people, ‘this is open ended.’ This is not a specific project that you need to have. So, I would say we're listening. We're looking at ways that the format can change.”
Listening sessions so far have included two on the East Side and one each in Cheektowaga and Getzville, which is an effort to visit the neighborhoods of commuters as well as residents, Whalen said.
But in doing so, they are decreasing access for East Side residents who are most affected by any decision, Sherrill said.
The next listening session will be noon on March 5 at Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Centers.
Roberts will speak Tuesday at Villa Maria College, discussing the Humboldt Parkway initiative, as well as inequities within the Black and First Nations communities.
