Instead of new sewer plants and systems to keep storm and sanitary sewage from appearing the in Commercial Slip, Buffalo River, and Cazenovia Creek, and their tributaries, there is a better solution.

In Syracuse, after years of debating new sewer plants to clean up Onondaga Creek, and Onondaga Lake and their tributaries, their county executive has scrapped the new plants and they will instead use new green technology in the forms of rain gardens and roof gardens.

It would be nice if the same solution could be applied to the aforementioned bodies of water in Buffalo as well.

It would also be nice if the buried portion of Scajaquada Creek, between Pine Ridge, on the Buffalo-Cheektowaga boundary and the western end of Schiller Park, could also be unearthed, so that the stream will flow through such park once again. It would also be nice if the Towpath Park portion of the creek buried beneath it and Hertel Avenue could also be unearthed through such park and flow through it again. Both of those creeks through Schiller and Towpath parks could also be cleaned through the same aforementioned green technology and gardening being proposed in Syracuse by Onondaga County.

As well, the Buffalo Sewer Authority, Buffalo Water Authority, Erie County Sewer Authority, and Erie County Water Authority should all be merged into one authority the “Buffalo and Erie County Water and Sewer Authority,” as there are simply too many authorities across New York State.

As well, the New York State Thruway Authority, New York Power Authority, and Peace Bridge Authority should all be abolished. All are greedy in terms of land, power, and money. There would no longer be those burdensome tolls without the Thruway Authority and there would be greater integration between Interstate 290 and Route 33 to the north as well as with Interstate 190, Route 219, and Route 400 to the south if Interstate 90 is transferred to the state DOT in addition to 190 being closed between 290 and Michigan Avenue. The waterfront lands owned by the Power Authority would be transferred to the state or municipalities as parks, the space that is not used for power purposes and power production would return to private, tax-paying hands and not need money pried from them.

Everyone knows why the Peace Bridge Authority needs to be abolished with the current plan being too invasive and blocking the construction of the beneficial Ambassador Niagara Bridge from the western end of Route 198. Instead of having the Peace Bridge transferred to the Niagara Bridge Commission, the Peace Bridge should instead become privatized and owned by the Ambassador Niagara Signature Bridge Group. Both a new bridge, for all types of vehicles, instead of trucks-only, from the end of 198, which is supposed to become a slower parkway, should be built, as well as a new second span of the Peace Bridge from the ends of Busti Avenue and Seventh Street with a smaller plaza and no duty free shop. A bridge from the end of Sheridan Drive in the Town of Tonawanda could also be built by either the Ambassador Group or the Niagara Bridge Commission.

However, a new authority should be created to manage and operate Coca-Cola Park, Ralph Wilson Stadium, HSBC Arena, Buffalo Convention Center and Convention Center Niagara Falls.

Kevin F. Yost

Henrietta

Artvoice reserves the right to edit letters for content and length. Shorter letters have a better chance at being published in their entirety. Please include your name, hometown, and contact number. E-mail letters to: editorial@artvoice.com or write to: Artvoice Letters, 810 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14202