By Aaron Besecker
VILLAGE OF LEWISTON — A forum to discuss developments related to possible changes for the Robert Moses Parkway turned into a passionate display by elected leaders Tuesday afternoon.
“We’ve been making Lewiston better and better,” said Lewiston Mayor Richard Soluri. “But we need the damn parkway.”
Soluri was addressing fellow municipal leaders from Youngstown, Porter and Lewiston who gathered at a quarterly forum organized by the Lower Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce.
Officials from USA Niagara Development Corp. outlined the upcoming public scoping process — the goal of which is to ultimately lead to a reconfiguration plan for the northbound section of the Robert Moses Parkway from Niagara Falls to Lewiston.
Dozens of possibilities exist for the reconfiguration, said Paul Tronolone, senior project manager for USA Niagara. One of those options could be to leave the parkway as it is, though the entire list of possibilities will be the product of public involvement.
“This process is intended to identify that,” Tronolone said.
State officials plan to spend a portion of a $700,000 segment of funds for planning work by a consultant. The consulting firm will then guide the public scoping process, which will take at least 18 months.
The state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation are the lead agency on the project and officials hope to have a consultant hired to work on the project by summer, said Chris Schoepflin, president of USA Niagara.
The scoping will involve the creation of committees of stakeholders who will have the overall goal of finding a “viable community alternative” for the parkway’s future.
The scope of the planning project does not have a final, northernmost point, thought it must be “in the vicinity of” the Niagara Falls city line, the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge and Interstate-190, according to a memorandum of understanding signed by state parks officials.
Once officials develop a documented “Public Involvement Program,” public comment will be solicited through various means in order for community members to be involved in the discussion and decision making.
Lewiston Supervisor Fred Newlin insisted that even though the notion of taking out the parkway as a whole can be imagined, he believes there is too much public opposition and it shouldn’t be discussed.
“Full removal isn’t a possibility,” he said.
Newlin wasn’t the only town official who said he wanted to make sure Lewiston’s opinion is heard.
Lewiston Councilman Michael Johnson urged leaders to maintain early and frequent communication with all parties involved, especially state agencies.
“We want to make sure we’re on the front line,” Johnson said.
Village of Lewiston Trustee William Geiben told officials he would have liked to have been kept more informed of developments with the southern section of the parkway, as described by USA Niagara officials.
“If we were left out of this, is somebody going to be left out of the next part?” Geiben asked.
