Perusing around google maps, I noticed this project on Rachel Vincent Way. A bunch of homes are being built by Marrano Homes on an existing rail bed. 

The abandoned rail bed to the east connects to the Tonawanda Rails to Trails (TRTX) bike path which is generally regarded as a successful project promoting alternative modes of transportation, recreation, as well as maintaining the existence of green space to combat the heat island effect that contributes to climate change. 

The city with NFTA has a study in the works to create trail/park system on the existing rail bed  that runs from the Franklin Train Terminal to Red Jacket River Front Park and beyond to the Buffalo River. An obstacle of this project is working around the homes that were built directly adjacent to it in the later years. 

With this project in mind I can’t help but ask why are we permanently reducing green space that logically could be turned into a trail system  connecting to TRTX while simultaneously trying to correct the same poor design in the southeast part of the city? 

Like what. I’d rather have some green space that provides some cooling and is a more sustainable design than creating more blacktop, impermeable pavement, and copy pasting the same boring house over and over again. 

There are reports that the surface runoff from the existing rail bed and increasing this runoff with more pavement is causing flooding issues for residence in the area. 

At least plant some trees. Damn. 

Rant over. Don’t even get me started on the Kensington expressway project…

Is Buffalo doing anything to combat climate change