Unique Collaboration Will Complete Sectioned Resurfacing from Fairfield to Elmwood 

ERIE COUNTY, NY— Today, Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz was joined by Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, Erie County Commissioner of Public Works John Loffredo, and Erie County Legislator Lynn Marinelli (D-Buffalo, Tonawanda) to announce a unique collaboration between Erie County (“the County”) and the City of Buffalo (“the City”) to resurface and improve over 2 miles of Kenmore Avenue between Fairfield Avenue and Elmwood Avenue. The County owns and maintains the westbound lane of Kenmore Avenue and the City owns and maintains the eastbound lane. With this partnership, the two municipalities will perform the resurfacing work in sections, with each carrying out repairs to both sides of Kenmore Avenue.

Under the terms of the Intermunicipal Agreement to be signed by both parties and approved by the County Legislature, Erie County will begin work in the Fall of 2013 with a “mill and overlay” of both the County and City sides of Kenmore Avenue from Fairfield Avenue to Colvin Boulevard, a distance of 1.11 miles. The milling process will remove approximately 3.5 inches of asphalt and replace it with new material, and the heights of manholes will also be adjusted within project limits. The cost of this phase of the project is estimated at $557,000. In the 2014 construction season and following the City’s signing of an Intermunicipal Agreement to cover the work, the City will mill and overlay both sides of Kenmore Avenue and raise manholes between Colvin and Elmwood Avenue, a distance of 1.01 miles. The City will also do spot patching, as necessary, on the section between Military Road and Elmwood Avenue.

“This collaboration to resurface and improve Kenmore Avenue is a good example of what can happen when municipalities seek innovative and efficient ways to get projects done,” said Poloncarz. “As I said in my ‘Initiatives for a Smart Economy’ address, building partnerships across many sectors is essential to helping our region reach its potential. Today’s economic realities make collaboration a necessity. Whether it means cooperation on critical infrastructure projects such as this or combining resources between public and private partners elsewhere, the people’s business is done most effectively when we work together and focus on common goals. I want to thank our partners in government, Mayor Brown and Legislator Marinelli, for their willingness to consider this road project from a collaborative perspective, with a result that will benefit both the County and City."

“This joint City of Buffalo-Erie County collaboration on Kenmore Avenue is good news for everyone, especially for the many motorists who travel this busy roadway on any given day,” said Mayor Byron Brown. “The City will commit $500,000 to redevelop a one-mile stretch of Kenmore Avenue between Colvin and Elmwood Avenue during the 2014 construction season, and I want to thank our partners in government, including Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, for teaming up on this infrastructure project and strengthening a popular corridor that links the University District and Black Rock-Riverside as well as several suburban communities. Investing in infrastructure is critically important, helping to spur new investment and create jobs. I look forward to the completion of this project and will continue to work with our partners on other repairs to help make our city streets stronger.”

Finally, a federally-funded reconstruction project tentatively scheduled for 2015 will cover a 0.94-mile stretch of Kenmore Avenue between Main St. and Fairfield. This 2-year project will include the rehabilitation of the road surface, as well as lowering of the railroad track grade to improve visibility and safety. The project will cost approximately $5 million, with the City and County each paying 2.5% of the cost.

“Kenmore Avenue tops the list of regional road projects. It averages 16,000 vehicles using this route daily,” said Legislator Marinelli, who represents the 3^rd District, which includes Kenmore Avenue. “This joint Erie County-City of Buffalo road work is an ideal link between UB and Black Rock-Riverside. While I am fighting to get the entire road done, I’m pleased this portion of the project will proceed. Together with the community and my partners in government, I will continue fighting for additional construction funding from federal & state sources to work on Kenmore Avenue, which was slated for $17.7 million in road work. The timeline’s been pushed back and the amount’s been reduced to about $5 million. Further advocacy is imperative for this road which impacts our economic development and quality of life.”