Buffalo Residents File Lawsuit to Stop Kensington Tunnel Project

The path to reimagining the Kensington Expressway is about to take another turn as more than 60 residents have banded together to file a lawsuit against the State of New York to stop the project from happening.

Not only are residents claiming that New York State is breaking its own rules with current plans for the Kensington Expressway project, but the group also wants to completely remove the Kensington Expressway and restore Humboldt Parkway to its original splendor as it was. was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. .

What is the Kensington Expressway project?

The New York State Department of Transportation, with support from the Federal Highway Administration, plans to reconstruct a section of New York State Route 33, which passes through the city of Buffalo; the stretch in question is colloquially known as the Kensington Expressway.

READ MORE: Buffalo Residents Protest Kensington Expressway Project

The original Kensington Expressway was built in 1958, and construction of the Kensington Expressway project would cost taxpayers approximately $1 billion. It reconstructs a 3/4-mile section of the highway into a six-lane tunnel between Dodge Street and Sidney Street. It also creates a 90-foot-wide tree-lined central reservation at the top of the tunnel, providing approximately 11 acres of new publicly accessible green space.

What is the basis of the resident’s lawsuit?

According to the lawsuit filed in New York State Supreme Court on Thursday, June 13, 2024, attorneys for the more than 60 residents allege that New York State law requires this project to have approval from the legislature of New York State, an approval which the legislature did not give. This is just one of 70 claims filed in the court filing.

READ MORE: NYSDOT Releases Kensington Project Rendering Video

Residents want New York State to return Humboldt Park and Humboldt Parkway to their original designs. The original Humboldt Parkway was described by its designer, Frederick Law Olmsted, as the widest and grandest street in Buffalo. Today, Humboldt Parkway looks nothing like the design Olmsted conceived more than 150 years ago.

At the lawsuit announcement event, several community members and the Eastside Parkways Coalition mentioned that this was just the first of many lawsuits.