More Peace Bridge Blah, Blah, Blah
Saturday, May 15, 2004
I wouldn't even bring this tired topic up except for Donn Esmonde's column in the Buffalo News titled 17 years in shadow of the bridge.
His article doesn't really have any point but it does remind us that any new
Peace Bridge at the current site will destroy all or part of the nicest Upper
West Side neighborhood between Richmond Avenue and the river. And for
what?
For new jobs? What new jobs, pray tell? We already have a half-dozen bridges
(counting the railroad bridge) from Canada into western New York. If there were
a job-bonanza in international bridges, we'd be experiencing a little of it
already.
The truth is that, since the passage of NAFTA, there's no particular benefit
to Canadian companies to have a branch on this side of the border. Sometimes
there's a logistical benefit -- but there's no longer any significant tax or
tariff advantage.
"Well, we're losing traffic to the Detroit bridges", you say. Are we? The
crossings between Ontario and Detroit have grown faster than the
crossings here. But that might have something to do with the fact that 2/3 of
the United States land mass (not to mention all of Mexico (see NAFTA)) lies west
of Detroit. And has anyone claimed that Detroit is prospering from all this
bridge traffic?
I doubt that any sensible Toronto business will send its shipment of hockey
sticks (or softwood lumber) to New York City through Detroit because the bridges
over there are more efficient than ours. And speaking of efficiency, we all
(every one of us) know that the reason for traffic tie-ups at the Peace Bridge
are due to under-manned customs booths.
A six lane bridge with the same number of customs inspectors will simply
result in six lanes of traffic sitting over the river instead of three.
"But, but if the design is chosen properly, it could provide Buffalo with a
gorgeous and distinctive emblem." Yes it might.
A new Peace Bridge will keep several hundred construction workers busy for a
few years (politicians will like that), it will destroy the last viable
neighborhood on the far West Side, and it may result in a beautiful structure
that will be a source of pride to a still-dying Buffalo.
Talk amongst yourselves (hold another damned charrette if you want).
So has anyone looked at the "ambassador niagara signature bridge " lately? Its an awfull ugly thing. looking at Illustrations the plaza looks like at hot wheels track gone wrong. Most of the Area is Brownfield though. Hard to judge what the effects on old Tonawanda street. And the ends of East and Dearborn would be.
Posted by: V | March 26, 2006 at 10:11 AM
Yes I have looked at the Ambassador Bridge Projects Proposal and I think that well whats the best way to put it "its private money" no more waisting tax payers money talking about a bridge if they wanna build it and spend there own cash go for it.
just do it!
Krista
Posted by: krista | April 18, 2006 at 09:48 AM