North Buffalo Rails to Trails

The North Buffalo Rails to Trails project was a Locally Administered, Federal Aid project sponsored by the City of Buffalo.  The project created a 6,000-foot multi-use path connecting the University Heights neighborhood with the LaSalle Metro Station, Kenmore Avenue, Shoshone Park, and with Taunton Place.  These connections form a pedestrian and bicyclist network of access, previously not available to the north side of Buffalo.  Watts was the prime consultant for the City on this project.

Design details include a 12-foot wide asphalt path, lighting, electrical services, bicycle racks and lockers, a 130-foot long ADA access ramp, and wayfinding signs.  Achievement of public consensus was a key element and consisted of numerous public meetings. 

For the project advancement, several right-of-way acquisitions and property leases were necessary, and Watts coordinated this process through the incidental and acquisition phases.  Noteworthy in this was the rapid schedule under which the acquisitions needed to be completed.

The bidding, construction inspections, and construction administration phases are also provided under this contract.

The final design included connections small landscaped “pocket parks” and lighting.  The cost of construction was $1.4 million.