Intermunicipal Cooperation on Highland Parkway Increases Efficiency, Better Serves Residents

ERIE COUNTY, NY— Today, Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz was joined by Town of Tonawanda Supervisor Anthony Caruana, Erie County legislator Lynn Marinelli (D-Buffalo, Tonawanda), Tonawanda Highway Superintendent William Swanson, and area residents to review a joint paving project, involving both County and Town resources, on Highland Parkway in the Town. The Erie County Highway Department, along with Town highway workers, will be paving Highland between Delaware Road and Colvin Boulevard using a Town-owned milling machine and paver, while Erie County provides the trucks, rollers, and asphalt materials for the project.

“The work being done here on Highland Parkway shows what can happen when governmental partners work together, pooling resources to more effectively and efficiently deliver the services that residents demand,” said Poloncarz. “As I said in my ‘Initiatives for a Smart Economy’ address, building meaningful partnerships is key to completing projects and establishing our community as a region that gets things done. I would like to thank Supervisor Caruana, Bill Swanson and the Town of Tonawanda Highway Department, and John Loffredo and the Erie County Department of Public Works for the cooperative spirit they’ve shown in getting this project underway.”

“Highland Parkway is an Erie County-owned road within the Town of Tonawanda, and the conditions of the road impact Town residents who live on or travel on Highland,” said Supervisor Caruana. “We appreciate the efforts of Town Highway Superintendent Bill Swanson for agreeing to partner with the Erie County Highway Department to ensure that this street will remain safe for years to come. The Town will use our personnel to mill and pave the street, while Erie County will provide some equipment and materials. I would like to thank Erie County for working with us to address some critical road repairs for the safety of our residents.”

“Highland Parkway is a major thoroughfare for Kenmore and Tonawanda and I am pleased to see work happening on this important stretch,” added legislator Lynn Marinelli. “I am also glad that the county was able to work together with the Town of Tonawanda to share resources and manpower in order to complete this joint project. We are also working cooperatively with the Town of Tonawanda on Kenmore Avenue and the new Sherwood Trail bike path this year, which I hope will be a model for projects going forward.”

The joint mill and pave project is expected to be completed in approximately one week, weather permitting.