2015 Buffalo/Niagara Falls mini-meet?

[cl94]

Would people be up for July the 18th?

Yep. I'll clear my schedule.

Sounds like an open date for me.
What's the itinerary?

I have some basics in right now:

LaSalle Expressway stub
Skyway, because Skyway
Cleveland Drive bridge construction
A quick tour through Love Canal to see a piece of history and some really abandoned urban roads.

There will be more, including some bridge photography.

Other suggestions are abandoned NY 263 in Amherst (well, not entirely abandoned, but vehicles are banned) and the Peace Bridge project. While in Niagara Falls, the Robert Moses roundabout (just opened, not entirely finished) and I-190/NY 265 construction at the power project are practically right there.

[Roadgeek Adam]

I just literally was in that roundabout twice today, so I have no opposition.

[Rothman]

Heh.  I've been working on the funding for the "Buffalo Gateway" project.  Might be too traumatic to go visit the site.

[cl94]

Heh.  I've been working on the funding for the "Buffalo Gateway" project.  Might be too traumatic to go visit the site.

It's a mess. Plain and simple. And thanks to the NIMBYs, they can't do what is really needed (tear down a couple blocks of slums, expand the plaza, and build a new NB span).

[Dougtone]

It should be noted that the 2004 Buffalo road meet did go into Niagara Falls, NY. We covered Love Canal, the LaSalle Expressway eastern stub end and the Robert Moses State Parkway near the Whirlpool Rapids when we went into Niagara County. I'd say some things have changed between then and now.

[Buffaboy]

There is the 219 stub that's in Springville.

[Roadgeek Adam]

There is the 219 stub that's in Springville.

That was covered in the 2008 meet (the construction of 219), but that's a deep trip into Erie County.

I have created a facebook event for the meet: https://www.facebook.com/events/1449610322009052/

The official details:

2015 Buffalo/Niagara Falls Road Meet
Saturday, July 18, 2015 - 12 PM

Buffalo Brewpub
6861 Main Street (NY 5)
Williamsville, NY 14221

We will go to Duff's or Anchor Bar (will be by consensus) after the meet. I wanted to have the meet at a true Brewpub.

[cl94]

Yeah, US 219 is a good 45 minutes out of the way unless you wanted to hit up the Zoar Valley Road reconstruction or the construction in Irving as well (the latter of which is quite a hike from US 219). Beautiful area I love driving in, but it is quite far and most of the recent activity is up north. Good for a side trip if you want a fun, scenic drive, but make sure your brakes are good for Zoar Valley Road.

I will note that, within the past year, the LaSalle Expressway got parkway-style shields as part of a major region-wide sign replacement and only a couple of the old square ones remain, both located on NY 384 by I-190. No pictures of those online. Robert Moses also got a small realignment near the Discovery Center.

[route17fan]

There's also a really old NY Thruway trailblazer assembly on Fillmore Ave and William St 

[Alps]

Oh hey, an entire meet got set up while I wasn't around to comment. Yeah, if it's not early August, forget me.

[Rothman]

Thanks for setting it up, Adam.

[Roadgeek Adam]

Thanks for setting it up, Adam.

No problem, I wasn't expecting such an interest.

[froggie]

Oh hey, an entire meet got set up while I wasn't around to comment.

I think you'll survive...

As for the meet, consider me doubtful, but I'm not going to rule it out entirely.

[AsphaltPlanet]

The Buffalo Bisons are in town that weekend for a 6:05 start...

[Roadgeek Adam]

The Buffalo Bisons are in town that weekend for a 6:05 start...

I couldn't guarantee that we'd be able to be at the restaurant at 6:05, so I think that we'd be unable to get the Bisons game by 6:05.

[froggie]

You could if we skipped the traditional lunch gathering and went straight to the tour...

[vdeane]

So only the tour for those of us not into sports?  I think I'm partial to the lunch/dinner idea myself...

Already got my route in planned out.  It's a good chance to clinch NY 33, NY 193, and more of NY 5.

If we're doing the Skyway, the Mile Strip Expressway shouldn't be far out of the way.

[Buffaboy]

Mile Strip is 10 minutes from the skyway. There are the two Mile Strip Rd stubs to look at as well. It's an interesting area because you can tell where the expressway would've ran and the U.S. 62 intersection ROW, but is now just an arterial street.

[cl94]

I am into sports and lunch/dinner is fine with me just because it'll cost less. Well, that and I refuse to pay for parking, as NFTA employees ride mass transit for free... 

[Rothman]

The events link doesn't work for me.  Facebook says it's unavailable.

[froggie]

So only the tour for those of us not into sports?

Nothing stopping people from getting together beforehand or afterwards to do whatever sort of meal is desired.  I am increasingly of the mindset that road meets operate better and with more flexibility when there ISN'T a formal lunch or dinner.

[Roadgeek Adam]

The events link doesn't work for me.  Facebook says it's unavailable.

Because it seemed to auto set to Private. You're going to have to add me unless someone tells me how to fix that.

Mile Strip is 10 minutes from the skyway. There are the two Mile Strip Rd stubs to look at as well. It's an interesting area because you can tell where the expressway would've ran and the U.S. 62 intersection ROW, but is now just an arterial street.

I have the basic route put down right now, southernmost we go is Ohio Street/NY 5.

So only the tour for those of us not into sports?  I think I'm partial to the lunch/dinner idea myself...

Already got my route in planned out.  It's a good chance to clinch NY 33, NY 193, and more of NY 5.

If we're doing the Skyway, the Mile Strip Expressway shouldn't be far out of the way.

We're clinching the 198 and most of the 33 on the meet, don't take them yet. As for 179, we'll see. I haven't set it in stone yet.

[Roadgeek Adam]

As for the game. I have the 18th for Columbus@Buffalo. Cheapest tickets are $12. If we want to do this, we can do the game, then go to Anchor Bar if people want.

This game is also a Fireworks night game.

So, would people be up for ballgame, fireworks and Anchor Bar?

[PHLBOS]

Unfortunately, I will probably not be able to attend this meet.  My July weekend calendar is nearly booked with other commitments. 

While the 18th is the only July Saturday that I don't have a prior commitment nor an event planned; Buffalo's just a little too far for me to do a day-trip (at least by car: roughly 6-1/2 hours one-way).

I'll have to see whether or not Sunday July 19 is clear (for my return-drive).

[dgolub]

So only the tour for those of us not into sports?  I think I'm partial to the lunch/dinner idea myself...

Already got my route in planned out.  It's a good chance to clinch NY 33, NY 193, and more of NY 5.

If we're doing the Skyway, the Mile Strip Expressway shouldn't be far out of the way.

Yeah, I'm not into sports either, and I'm definitely up for clinching some more routes during the game.  How about also the Aurora Expressway (NY 400)?  It's not every day that you get to drive on a highway named after Sleeping Beauty!