City of Buffalo DPW provides update on several ongoing street paving projects

City of Buffalo Commissioner of Public Works, Parks & Streets Michael J. Finn, P.E., recently provided a progress report on seven key street paving projects taking place across the Queen City.

“We have kicked off the 2022 street reconstruction and paving on seven paving projects. This work will enhance travel and safety for everyone who uses our roadways, while also improving access for the disabled through ADA-compliant sidewalk ramp reconstruction,” Finn said.

Earlier this week, initial repaving of Franklin Street, between Chippewa and Court streets, was completed. This work is part of the city’s $8 million effort to upgrade key corridors of the downtown entertainment district.

The project kicked off in 2021 along Chippewa Street, between Elmwood Avenue and Main Streets, included repaving, complete sidewalk replacement and new curbing, as well as new city-owned LED street lighting, benches, catenary lighting and other amenities. In 2022, similar improvements are being completed along Franklin and Court streets.

Here is a snapshot of the city’s other major ongoing street projects:

•Delaware Avenue (North Street to Forest Avenue): Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant ramp updates are continuing along the northbound lane, to be followed similar ramp work along the southbound lane, and concluding with milling and repaving of all four lanes. Two-way traffic will be maintained throughout the project, with lane restrictions as needed. This project is scheduled for completion this summer.

•Bailey Avenue (between Elk and Clinton streets): Pavement milling will start the week of April 24 on the two northbound lanes. Two-way traffic will be maintained through lane shifts. Crews will be starting work at 4 a.m. to minimize impact on vehicular and rail traffic.

In addition to pavement work, utility modifications, including a National Fuel project, will take place. The project is expected to finish up this summer.

•Dingens Street (Bailey Avenue to James E. Casey Drive): The project will move into the paving phase the week of April 24. Curb ramps have been reconstructed, and milling is complete. All paving will be finished in May, with striping to follow.

•East Delavan (Humboldt Parkway to Fillmore Avenue): Pavement milling is scheduled to start in early May, followed by utility structure adjustments work. The project will wrap up with paving and should be complete during the summer. ADA ramp reconstruction was done in 2021.

•Suffolk Ave (Langfield Street to Kensington Avenue): This project, which includes a stretch of Suffolk Avenue in front of Frederick Law Olmsted School at Kensington, will begin in late June when the summer break begins. The project will be completed before the start of 2022-23 school year. Work includes ADA ramp reconstruction, as well as milling and paving.

•Virginia Street (Elmwood Avenue to Main Street): This project started this week with ADA ramp reconstruction, to be followed by milling and paving, and all work will be completed this summer. Work is also continuing on the multiphase Niagara Street reconstruction and streetscape and “Allen Street Complete” projects.

The nearly $200 million Niagara Street reconstruction and streetscape initiative, which began in 2014, is now in phase 4a, and is focused on the stretch between Tonawanda Street and Hertel Avenue. The full reconstruction includes a completely redesigned street, new cycling and parking areas, as well as new street lighting, traffic signals, landscaping and street furniture.

Lane closures and parking restrictions will be in place throughout this phase of the project, which will be substantially complete by the end of 2022.

Phase II of the of the $13.4 million “Allen Street Complete” is currently focused on the stretch of Allen Street between Delaware and Elmwood avenues, and is closed to vehicular traffic.

Both Irving Place and Upper Park Street, which run between Allen and North streets, and Lower Park, between Virginia and Allen streets, have been converted from one-way to two-way traffic during this phase of the project, and on-street parking will be limited to one side of the street. 

The city has completed the installation of new waterlines, and Verizon is currently conducting its utility updates. When that work is finished, complete reconstruction of the street bed, along with new parking areas, sidewalks, lighting, landscaping, street furniture and public art, will get underway.

Waterline replacement has started along Allen Street, from Elmwood Avenue to Wadsworth Street. Lane restrictions will be in place to accommodate that phase of work.