We are in support of GI town boards vote of no closure of the WestRiver Parkway
152 Comments
J
Joseph T Buscaglia
10 years ago
The state has never kept a single promise to Grand Islanders starting. It's a tradition that goes back hundreds of years.
J
Joe Smith
10 years ago
I have never seen so many ignorant comments in my life.....
If any of these silly voices in your head took the time to look at any plans, you would see that no access is being cut off to anyone. This plan enhances everyones use of the river, except now more people can use it for a purpose. And the river is not owned exclusively by a west river homeowner as much as some may think it is.
Would you rather have a highway in front of your house or a leisurely bike path? And if the state decides to maintain the area more, then great. If they decide to keep things the same...well it still looks unmaintained, but you now have a bike path!
There is absolutely no reason to use this the parkway to commute to anywhere. Joy riding and joy riding alone is the sole reason anyone uses this road. Baseline, Fix, Whitehaven, Love, Staley.....these are all roads that lead to the thruway and if you do so happen to love the parkway so much, traveling fix rd to love rd along the parkway you are saving 3 minutes of travel time vs using west river rd.....and if you live on west river, you have to drive on west river rd to get to the parkway for at least 30 seconds which means nobody on west river is getting anywhere more than 2 minutes and 30 seconds faster.....dont believe me? Clock it. And I bet you'll find the view a lot more enjoyable at 30mph vs 55mph
Enough of this circa 1960 mentality. Stop holding Grand Island back with your incredibly ignorant and fearful thoughts. And anyone who thinks this is just about Grand Island needs to get off the island now and then...this is about anyone in the region. Visitors are what makes our community strong.
Anti path reasons that make no sense:
1). Don't make the bike path because the elderly like to drive there (the elderly can also drive west river or park at the overlook, as can anyone else)
2). I want to be able to have access to the water (any access you have now, is only enhanced by this path)
3.) I don't want more people
J
Joe Smith
10 years ago
This is crazy
B
Betty Olmstead Grand Island USA
10 years ago
Residents against bike path
H
Heidi Sinsel
10 years ago
Do not add the bike bath.
A
Anonymous
10 years ago
Pls. Don't close the parkway! It's nice to take a nice ride in the car if you are elderly and enjoy the view. Stop at lookout and enjoy a snack or read!
B
Bill Jenkins
10 years ago
No way should the Parkway be closed.
R
Reg Schopp
10 years ago
If people only take a step back and see how poorly the State lives up to it's promises. Closing the Parkway is a bad idea. The bike path could be great but it needs a serious commitment from the State to maintain it and that is something you will never get. They have broken every promise they made when they took the land by eminent domain.
J
Jonathan Hildebrandt
10 years ago
Do not add the bike bath.
C
Chris Russell
10 years ago
I do not support closing the Parkway. As the past Chairman of the Town's Traffic Safety Advisory Board, we looked at this several times. The state has been looking at the Town assuming responsibility for the WRPkwy for years in an effort to save money. Whole I don't oppose the town acquiring the land, do we want to acquire the expense of maintenance? Closed or not, we will have to spend tight taxpayer dollars to maintain the roadway and grounds. I suggest acquiring the land, keeping the roadway open as a town road and invest in opportunities for the town residents and visitors to utilize the natural attractions available. The cost to add a suitable bike path to the area would be minimal and would accomplish the goal of increased usage by bikers and pedestrians. Having the roadway open with parking to accommodate future town-owned swimming, boating and fishing areas would allow the area to flourish similar to the parks in Tonawanda along the river. Invest in our town, don't restrict it'susage to just a few.
T
Tara Cadmus
10 years ago
I have been very disappointed in Supervisor McMurray's erratic behavior regarding this issue. This is not a project supported by his constituents. Talking down to residents who don't share his views has me counting the days until the next election.
J
Joelle drexelius
10 years ago
Then it would be a wasted view of the river .
K
Karen demartin
10 years ago
Featured
I am for a bike path but don't believe the parkway should close, even some of the cyclist's club said they wouldn't use it, they like 30mph for their speed. Please look at other options..
K
Kim Kalman
10 years ago
As avid user of all our bike paths and trails including running & biking on west river currently - how many of the people signing "yes" for the bike path utilize the ones we currently have? I love riding and running on west river - it's one of the best roads on the island with wide shoulders and slower mph - but ask yourself this - if you lived there would you want it? I'm siding with the homeowners that don't want it- if it does happen - i will be on the path waiting to see all the people that signed the yes petition -
D
Don McLeod
10 years ago
I am a West River resident and strongly oppose the closing of the parkway. I support the points in the letter from the West River Homeowner’s Association and want to add the following.
My wife and I both drive the parkway to and from work in Niagara Falls each day.
We pay road taxes to provide and maintain these roads; bikes don’t pay taxes.
Preventing vehicle access would also prevent police access and the shoreline could become a hangout for youth.
In the early 1980’s the upper road was widened and repaved specifically to provide bike and pedestrian access.
I am a recreational biker, and the upper road with wide shoulders, light traffic, and a low speed limit is ideal for road biking.
The parkway, without vehicle traffic, would become an overgrown eyesore.
What we really need is for the Parks department to maintain the grass and landscape on both the W River Parkway and the Beaver Island Parkway as they agreed to when the land was seized from the prior owners.
L
Lisa McLeod
10 years ago
I support the town board to block the closing of the West River parkway.
V
Valerie Funk
10 years ago
Featured
i believe that by allowing the state to close the parkway residents will lose access to the river. I think the state will put up keep out of water signs due to liability issues,so that people will not be able to swim, fish or scuba dive as they do now.
S
Stephen Stouter
10 years ago
The West River Parkway is a scenic parkway that connects the two state parks on Grand Island. I believe that West River Road is more appropriate for bike traffic.
D
Darilyn scheuing
10 years ago
I'm against changing the parkway.
N
Neil Gallagher
10 years ago
I ask you this...
Have you driven East from Fort Niagara along the Robert Moses?
Broken concrete, overgrown weeds, trash...
This is the future for the West River Parkway. The state has done studies on traffic patterns, they say not enough people travel the road. It really is doomed. We can decide its fate before the downhill slide.
Just as the parkway above, the West River Parkway will fall into disrepair. We Islanders have been given a chance to create something beautiful. The plan is to create something that future generations of Islanders can enjoy. Close the parkway and turn it into a bike and walking path that families can enjoy.
The state has never kept a single promise to Grand Islanders starting. It's a tradition that goes back hundreds of years.
I have never seen so many ignorant comments in my life..... If any of these silly voices in your head took the time to look at any plans, you would see that no access is being cut off to anyone. This plan enhances everyones use of the river, except now more people can use it for a purpose. And the river is not owned exclusively by a west river homeowner as much as some may think it is. Would you rather have a highway in front of your house or a leisurely bike path? And if the state decides to maintain the area more, then great. If they decide to keep things the same...well it still looks unmaintained, but you now have a bike path! There is absolutely no reason to use this the parkway to commute to anywhere. Joy riding and joy riding alone is the sole reason anyone uses this road. Baseline, Fix, Whitehaven, Love, Staley.....these are all roads that lead to the thruway and if you do so happen to love the parkway so much, traveling fix rd to love rd along the parkway you are saving 3 minutes of travel time vs using west river rd.....and if you live on west river, you have to drive on west river rd to get to the parkway for at least 30 seconds which means nobody on west river is getting anywhere more than 2 minutes and 30 seconds faster.....dont believe me? Clock it. And I bet you'll find the view a lot more enjoyable at 30mph vs 55mph Enough of this circa 1960 mentality. Stop holding Grand Island back with your incredibly ignorant and fearful thoughts. And anyone who thinks this is just about Grand Island needs to get off the island now and then...this is about anyone in the region. Visitors are what makes our community strong. Anti path reasons that make no sense: 1). Don't make the bike path because the elderly like to drive there (the elderly can also drive west river or park at the overlook, as can anyone else) 2). I want to be able to have access to the water (any access you have now, is only enhanced by this path) 3.) I don't want more people
This is crazy
Residents against bike path
Do not add the bike bath.
Pls. Don't close the parkway! It's nice to take a nice ride in the car if you are elderly and enjoy the view. Stop at lookout and enjoy a snack or read!
No way should the Parkway be closed.
If people only take a step back and see how poorly the State lives up to it's promises. Closing the Parkway is a bad idea. The bike path could be great but it needs a serious commitment from the State to maintain it and that is something you will never get. They have broken every promise they made when they took the land by eminent domain.
Do not add the bike bath.
I do not support closing the Parkway. As the past Chairman of the Town's Traffic Safety Advisory Board, we looked at this several times. The state has been looking at the Town assuming responsibility for the WRPkwy for years in an effort to save money. Whole I don't oppose the town acquiring the land, do we want to acquire the expense of maintenance? Closed or not, we will have to spend tight taxpayer dollars to maintain the roadway and grounds. I suggest acquiring the land, keeping the roadway open as a town road and invest in opportunities for the town residents and visitors to utilize the natural attractions available. The cost to add a suitable bike path to the area would be minimal and would accomplish the goal of increased usage by bikers and pedestrians. Having the roadway open with parking to accommodate future town-owned swimming, boating and fishing areas would allow the area to flourish similar to the parks in Tonawanda along the river. Invest in our town, don't restrict it'susage to just a few.
I have been very disappointed in Supervisor McMurray's erratic behavior regarding this issue. This is not a project supported by his constituents. Talking down to residents who don't share his views has me counting the days until the next election.
Then it would be a wasted view of the river .
I am for a bike path but don't believe the parkway should close, even some of the cyclist's club said they wouldn't use it, they like 30mph for their speed. Please look at other options..
As avid user of all our bike paths and trails including running & biking on west river currently - how many of the people signing "yes" for the bike path utilize the ones we currently have? I love riding and running on west river - it's one of the best roads on the island with wide shoulders and slower mph - but ask yourself this - if you lived there would you want it? I'm siding with the homeowners that don't want it- if it does happen - i will be on the path waiting to see all the people that signed the yes petition -
I am a West River resident and strongly oppose the closing of the parkway. I support the points in the letter from the West River Homeowner’s Association and want to add the following. My wife and I both drive the parkway to and from work in Niagara Falls each day. We pay road taxes to provide and maintain these roads; bikes don’t pay taxes. Preventing vehicle access would also prevent police access and the shoreline could become a hangout for youth. In the early 1980’s the upper road was widened and repaved specifically to provide bike and pedestrian access. I am a recreational biker, and the upper road with wide shoulders, light traffic, and a low speed limit is ideal for road biking. The parkway, without vehicle traffic, would become an overgrown eyesore. What we really need is for the Parks department to maintain the grass and landscape on both the W River Parkway and the Beaver Island Parkway as they agreed to when the land was seized from the prior owners.
I support the town board to block the closing of the West River parkway.
i believe that by allowing the state to close the parkway residents will lose access to the river. I think the state will put up keep out of water signs due to liability issues,so that people will not be able to swim, fish or scuba dive as they do now.
The West River Parkway is a scenic parkway that connects the two state parks on Grand Island. I believe that West River Road is more appropriate for bike traffic.
I'm against changing the parkway.
I ask you this... Have you driven East from Fort Niagara along the Robert Moses? Broken concrete, overgrown weeds, trash... This is the future for the West River Parkway. The state has done studies on traffic patterns, they say not enough people travel the road. It really is doomed. We can decide its fate before the downhill slide. Just as the parkway above, the West River Parkway will fall into disrepair. We Islanders have been given a chance to create something beautiful. The plan is to create something that future generations of Islanders can enjoy. Close the parkway and turn it into a bike and walking path that families can enjoy.