Neighbors Protesting Kensington Expressway Project In Buffalo

As we get closer to the beginning of construction of the pending Kensington Expressway Tunnel, more and more people are expressing their dissatisfaction of the project. What was originally touted as a way to reconnect a community that was nearly destroyed a generation ago is looking more like that's, in fact, not the case.

Just a few weeks ago, New York State officials announced that they hope shovels will be in the ground as soon as this fall, which isn't exactly what residents in the surrounding community are looking for.

READ MORE: Watch The Kensington Project Rendering Video

What Is The Kensington Expressway Project?

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

READ MORE: More Buffalonians Disapprove of Kensington Expressway Project

The original Kensington Expressway was built in 1958, and the Kensington Expressway project would cost taxpayers around $1 billion to build. 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 median atop the tunnel, providing around 11 acres of new publicly accessible green space.

Neighbors Are Marching and Protesting Against Kensington Project

Several residents around Humboldt Parkway, along with multiple community groups, are planning to march in protest of this project to continue expressing their dissatisfaction.

On Saturday, April 20, 2024, We Are Women Warriors, Stop The Violence Coalition, East Side Parkways Coalition, Jes' Breath Cancer Awareness Group, WNY Peace Center, and Covington Associates Consulting are partnering to organize the neighborhood and community support rally and march.

The group will have a press conference starting at 10:30 am near the corner of Jefferson Ave and E.Ferry and then will March down E.Ferry to Humboldt Parkway.