Submissions received for Skyway Corridor competition

  • 2019-07-08
New York governor Andrew Cuomo challenged top architects, planners, economists, and designers to come up with a vision for the Skyway Corridor in Buffalo, a request that generated more than 100 responses.

The Buffalo Skyway is a limited-access, four-lane expressway that runs for four miles along Lake Erie. It sits on an earthen berm that elevates the roadway, eventually connecting to a bridge 110 feet high, that crosses the Buffalo River's shipping channel. The road was finished in 1953, and was first intended to provide a route for trucks traveling from factories and the Port of Buffalo to the new interstate highway system.

According to the rules of the challenge, the new design has to present a clear picture for the future of the city's waterfront. Improving the Skyway Corridor, Cuomo said, is the next step in revitalizing the entire city, adding he and staffers were looking forward to seeing the proposals that were submitted, some from as far away as China, India, and Italy. Brochure printing may be used to create informational materials for residents interested in processes like this.

The proposal chosen as the top design will win $100,000, with $50,000 going to the second place design, and $25,000 to the third. As many as 20 of those who responded to the first phase of the competition will be invited to submit a second proposal. Final designs will be selected in September.