Buffalo Residents File Lawsuit To Stop Kensington Tunnel Project

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

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

What Is The Kensington Expressway Project?

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

READ MORE: Buffalo Residents Protest Against 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.

What's The Basis Of The Resident's Lawsuit

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

READ MORE: NYSDOT Releases Rendering Video of Kensington Project

The residents want New York State to restore the Humboldt Park and Humboldt Parkway to its original design. The original Humboldt Parkway was described by its designer, Frederick Law Olmsted, as the widest and grandest street in Buffalo. Today, Humboldt Parkway in no way resembles the design Olmsted had for it more than 150 years ago.

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