Complete Streets are streets that have been rethought and redesigned to accommodate everyone, including bicyclists, pedestrians, drivers, transit users, and people of all ages and abilities. The Town of Hamburg recently completed an Active Mobility Action Plan, which through community input, identified priority areas for investments in safer streets to better connect the community and create new opportunities for active transportation, like biking and walking.

Through that process, Lake Avenue stood out as a top priority for safety improvements, after three pedestrians were fatally struck by drivers while attempting to cross Lake Avenue in a three year period. While Erie County has installed a mid-block crossing with a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB), nearby residents continue to fear crossing Lake Avenue, as drivers continue to regularly exceed the speed limit and disregard the pedestrian crossing. The issue is made more urgent by the fact that residents of the Our Mother Good Counsel senior apartment complex frequently cross the road on foot to access the Save-a-Lot, Dollar Tree, CVS Pharmacy, and Dollar General stores directly opposite the apartment complex on Lake Ave.

While all pedestrians are vulnerable road users compared to drivers, seniors are particularly vulnerable as pedestrians, as they may have limited mobility, may move slower, and are more likely to have hearing and eyesight limitations that make crossing roadways more difficult. Residents of Our Mother Good Counsel have expressed frustration with the current approach to roadway design that prioritizes the speed of vehicles over the safety of pedestrians. To address these frustrations, the Town of Hamburg has contracted GObike Buffalo to conduct a pilot project that explores safer roadway designs that utilize complete streets principles.

The section of Lake Avenue between South Park Ave and McKinley Parkway is the project focus area, and the road is under the jurisdiction of Erie County Department of Public Works. Because the roadway is maintained by Erie County, GObike and the Town of Hamburg will work with the County closely to secure approvals and permits to complete the project.

The Lake Avenue Healthy Streets Initiative builds off of the community input received during the Active Mobility Action Plan process, which included a community survey, regular meetings with the Hamburg Moves committee, and a walk audit with residents of areas of concern in the community. You can read the Town of Hamburg Active Mobility Action Plan and the summary of community engagement from that process here.

GObike will continue to seek community input on the proposed temporary designs for Lake Avenue at upcoming public meetings, which will be announced on this page and through social media and our monthly newsletter.

The interventions mentioned below are created with simple materials – like paint, plastic bollards, and rubber curbing – and allow residents to “test” the changes and provide feedback on their experience. GObike then takes that user feedback under consideration before providing recommendations for more permanent installations to Erie County and the Town of Hamburg.

Bike Lane/Cycle Track: A portion of the roadway that has been designated by striping, signage, and pavement markings for the preferential or exclusive use of bicyclists. Bike lanes enable bicyclists to ride at their preferred speed without interference from prevailing traffic conditions and facilitate predictable behavior and movements between bicyclists and motorists. (More information)

A cycle track places all bike activity on one side of the roadway and provides two-way travel for bikes that are physically separated from vehicles. (More Information)

Sidewalk Extension: Provides additional pedestrian space at street corners by extending sidewalk space into the roadway, thus narrowing driving lanes and creating a shorter distance for pedestrians to cross the roadway safely. (More Information)

Crosswalk & Pedestrian Island: Using white paint to demonstrate the path pedestrians should take when crossing the road, crosswalks should be designed to offer as much comfort and protection to pedestrians as possible, while helping to facilitate eye contact by moving pedestrians directly into the driver’s field of vision. (More information)

To supplement crosswalks, a space can be installed partway through the crosswalk using rubber curb barriers and bollards to create additional protection for pedestrians as they cross, called pedestrian islands. (More Information)