Department of Public Works
General Information
Community Interests
HEADS UP! FULL ROAD CLOSURE ON WILLET ROAD STARTING MARCH 4TH.
ERIE COUNTY HIGHWAY PROJECT AT ABBOTT ROAD/SOUTH DRIVE – NOVEMBER 29 THROUGH DECEMBER 2
From November 29 through December 2, the Erie County Highway Department will be working on a project on Abbott Road at South Drive that will require this section of road to be closed from 9AM to 5PM each day.
A detour route will be clearly posted. Please plan travel in this area accordingly during the construction period and watch out for construction crews/equipment. This schedule is weather dependent and subject to change. Any updates from the county highway department will be shared as soon as possible.
WARSAW STREET BRIDGE UPDATE
This morning, engineers from Clarke Patterson Lee (CPL) and equipment operators from the NYS Department of Transportation performed a physical inspection of the Warsaw Street Bridge. On hand for the inspection were Mayor Annette Iafallo, DPW Commissioner Tony DeSantis and other DPW crew members.
Using a hydraulic NYS DOT Bridge Inspection Truck, a $1 million piece of equipment, CPL engineers navigated under the bridge to conduct a comprehensive structural review to include sections previously flagged by the NYS DOT as being in a significant state of disrepair and other areas which have since begun to deteriorate. 
The results of this engineering review will be used by the City of Lackawanna to request grant funding through the BRIDGE NY program for the purpose of performing a complete rehabilitation of the bridge.
Additional updates will be provided as the project progresses. As a reminder, the Warsaw Street Bridge remains closed to vehicle traffic until further notice.
A Message from the DPW – Winter Conditions and Road Salt Effectiveness
As the winter season progresses and temperatures remain consistently at or below freezing, motorists are advised to be extra aware of road conditions when driving, especially overnight when temperatures are normally at their lowest and freezing road conditions are most common.
Temperatures impact both road conditions and the effectiveness of road salt applications. Salt applied to icy road surfaces depends on sunlight and/or friction from cars driving over it to melt the ice into slush, which then mixes with the salt so that it won’t refreeze.
Without sunlight or driving activity, salt applications are less effective. That’s why salting of roads during periods of snow and ice most often occurs during the day vs. overnight.
Please know that our DPW crews are treating roads as quickly and efficiently as possible based on the winter conditions at hand.
DPW Annual Toy Drive – Making the Christmas Holiday Special for Lackawanna Families
Last evening, employees from the DPW made the Christmas holiday special for 19 families and 47 children throughout Lackawanna by delivering toys collected through the annual DPW Toy Drive.
Congratulations to Rob and Lisa Reese and Kait DePasquale along with Jay Adams, Dave Cruz, Joe Gehen, Dan Geercken, Gregg Kowalik, Jake Kowalski, Matt Mendez, Pete O’Connor and Alex Rodriguez for their tremendous efforts in making this year’s toy drive successful.
A short video of the DPW Toy Drive Delivery Caravan in action can be viewed by clicking https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFobyUODmxE.
Once again, thank you to the Lackawanna DPW team for your dedication and service to the community and to all who generously supported this year’s DPW Toy Drive.
DPW TOY DRIVE DROP OFF LOCATIONS
It is the time of year again! The Lackawanna DPW has begun to collect NEW-unwrapped toys, gift cards and monetary donations to help distribute a little holiday cheer to multiple families in the Lackawanna community. We will be collecting donations until Monday, December 14th at the drop-off locations listed below.
Last year, thanks to the overwhelming support from local businesses and our amazing community, Santa was able to deliver toys, coats, and clothes to 40 children (20 family’s) ranging in age from ages 9 months to sixteen years old. Help us to make this year an even bigger success!
DONATION DROP-OFF LOCATIONS
Lackawanna City Hall – Lobby (714 Ridge Rd.)
Lackawanna D.P.W. Garage (67 Reddon St.)
Lackawanna Fire House #3 (2990 South Park Ave.)
Lackawanna Public Library (560 Ridge Rd)
Lackawanna Senior Center (230 Martin Rd.)
Joker’s Bar (1783 Electric Ave.)
Matthew Glab Post 1477 (1965 Abbott Rd.)
Moose Lodge 959 (121 Fernald Ave.)
Murph’s Bar & Grill (1 Warsaw St.)
Nite Cappe (1769 Abbott Rd.)
Pour House Sports Bar (2847 South Park Ave)
Steel City Pub (1449 Abbott Rd.)
V.F.W. (2909 South Park Ave.)
Please call 716-827-6406 or 716-341-6600 if you have any questions.
City Council Ordinances Establish Year-Round Alternate Parking on Victory and Colton Avenues
In the interest of public safety, the Lackawanna City Council passed two ordinances during their July business meeting which amended parking on Victory Avenue and Colton Avenue to allow for year-round alternate parking.
This past June, Lackawanna Fire Department crews responded to a fire on Victory Avenue. Cars parked on both sides of Victory made it very difficult for fire crews to reach the home, establish a hose feed from the hydrant to the pumper truck, and secure ladders and other necessary tools. This created a dangerous situation for our residents and fire crews.
Alternate parking signs posted on both Victory and Colton Avenues have been modified to reflect the year-round alternate parking requirement – which is necessary on both streets to provide sufficient room to maneuver first responder and other City vehicles safely. Residents are asked to comply with these alternate parking rules, which will be enforced by Lackawanna Police.
As has been the case since the outbreak of Covid-19, Lackawanna City Council meetings are conducted and recorded using Facebook Live. Recordings are posted to both the City of Lackawanna Facebook page (Lackawanna NY – City Government) and web site (www.lackawannany.gov). Meeting minutes are also available on the City web site and printed in the Front Page newspaper following each meeting.
NASON PARKWAY NOW ONE WAY
Effective April 1, Nason Parkway was re-designated as one way. Vehicle traffic will now enter Nason from Electric Avenue and exit onto South Park Avenue. The speed limit was also reduced to 25 MPH. This will help improve noise levels and safety along Nason – while preparing for larger future development along Ridge Road.
These changes were shared at a well-attended meeting of Nason Parkway residents on March 5 in the City Council Chambers and subsequently approved by the Council in March– the minutes of which are posted on the City web site and in the Front Page.
There were early issues with signage which we are in the process of correcting. Please know that we are monitoring these changes on Nason Parkway closely and are open to further adjustments as necessary.
DPW Projects
LOT PREPARATION FOR PAVING
Starting tomorrow, September 25, 2024, Occhino Paving will begin preparing for the Lackawanna Dog Park/ Little Loop parking lot for paving. Please be aware that the lot will be blocked off with cones until the paving is complete, which is expected to be by mid next week.
NEW paved roadway NEW curbs & sidewalls NEW sanitary & storm sewer connections NEW waterlines
CLEVELAND AVENUE MILLING/PAVING PROJECT UNDERWAY
The Cleveland Avenue milling/paving project which began on July 11, 2022, is moving along nicely – with the milling portion completed and paving starting today, July 13th. The project will take several days to complete based on weather conditions.
Below are a few progress pictures from today. Our thanks to the Lackawanna DPW, Clark Patterson Lee (CPL) Engineers and related contractors for their great work on this project!
In addition, the DPW and CPL are continuing to plan for upcoming projects on Center Street, Franklin Playground and Veterans Stadium, among others. Start times for those projects will be established and communicated once all partner agreements are finalized and supplies and materials arrive.
CLEVELAND AVENUE MILLING / PAVING PROJECT JULY 11TH & 12TH
A milling / paving project will be conducted on Cleveland Avenue on Monday, July 11th and Tuesday, July 12th, weather permitting.
Once the milling phase is completed, driveway access for homes on Cleveland Avenue will be unavailable for 24-48 hours. Cone markers will be place over the gutter in front of driveways as a reminder. Once these markers are removed by the contractor, driveway access can resume – residents are asked NOT to remove the cones on their own.
During construction, residents are asked to park on a nearby side street. If this is not possible, parking on Cleveland Avenue will be permitted after 6:00 PM – provided vehicles are removed by 7:00 AM the following morning.
Information regarding this project will be delivered to Cleveland Avenue residents by Councilman Karl Anderson and others in the coming days. Click and expand the letter image below to see the message Councilman Anderson will be delivering.
A community update call will also be sent late afternoon on Friday, July 8th & Sunday, July 10th to those who subscribe to receive calls.
Any questions about the Cleveland Avenue project can be directed to the Lackawanna DPW at 716-827-6425.
Please share this information with others who may not follow this site or receive community update calls. Thank you.
100 RED OAK TREES PLANTED IN LACKAWANNA TO RECOGNIZE ARBOR DAY
In recognition of Arbor Day 2022, the City of Lackawanna has planted 100 new red oak trees throughout city playgrounds and the Senior Center on Martin Road.
The seedling trees are currently surrounded in a PVC sleeve as illustrated in the following pictures to protect them from high winds and animals while they take root and grow.
Mayor Iafallo and DPW Commissioner DeSantis would like to recognize and thank Lackawanna DPW crews for their hard work in getting the seedling trees planted and protected!
Cleveland Ave property owners:
Crews are expected to be working on Cleveland Avenue beginning Spring of 2022. As part of this project, tests are being performed to determine the condition of laterals to the street.
If a lateral is identified as collapsed, homeowners are responsible for the cost of repairs. Homeowners with a collapsed lateral will have two options for completing this repair work:
- Option one is to directly hire a contractor. This work must be completed within two weeks of receiving a repair notice from the contractor.
- The second option is to have our contractor repair the lateral, with the cost added to your second half of the City tax bill
There is a county assistance plan. Please contact the Lackawanna Housing Development Corporation at 716-823-5124 or email DBlowers@lhdcorpwny.org to see if you are eligible for assistance to help pay for it.
A crew member on behalf of the contractor will provide any homeowner on Cleveland Avenue whose lateral is identified as collapsed with both a verbal and written update.
Any homeowner on Cleveland Avenue who receives a lateral repair notice is asked to contact the DPW at 716-827-6428 to let them know which repair option is being pursued.
While that work is being performed, we asked all Cleveland residents, and those planning to travel in this area, to plan accordingly and to watch out for the Crews working nearby.
Thank you.
RIDGE ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STARTING THE WEEK OF AUGUST 23rd.
Please share this information with others who may not receive community update calls or follow the city’s website and social media. Thank you.
A Message from Mayor Annette Iafallo – Successful Completion of the National Grid Streetlight Conversion Project
I’m excited to share great news for the City of Lackawanna.
Through the National Grid Streetlight Conversion Program, over 2,300 streetlights throughout Lackawanna were successfully converted to energy efficient LEDs. This upgrade moves nearly 99% of the City’s streetlight infrastructure to a more energy efficient system.
This project was accomplished with minimal cost to Lackawanna taxpayers due to the generous rebate incentive we earned for participation in the conversion program and the size and scope of our project – which was the largest LED streetlight conversion project completed by National Grid in Erie County to date.
During a ceremony held today at City Hall, National Grid awarded Lackawanna a rebate incentive of $162,000, which covered over 90% of the total cost to implement the project. As a result, our net out-of-pocket cost for this major streetlight infrastructure upgrade was approximately $9,000.
With the conversion to LED streetlights, Lackawanna is projected to save approximately $25,000 annually in streetlight energy costs, resulting in a project payback of less than one year on the $9,000 net project cost after incentive.
My sincere thanks to the National Grid project team, led by Regional Director Ken Kujawa and Account Manager Larry Martin, for their expertise, guidance and partnership throughout the project. We could not have asked for a better working relationship.
I also want to thank Lackawanna Public Works Commissioner Anthony DeSantis for his critical role in delivering this important project. Commissioner DeSantis recommended Lackawanna’s participation in the National Grid conversion program when I was on the City Council and again when I was Council President in 2019. From that point, he worked diligently to ensure both our participation and a successful implementation … which was recognized during today’s ceremony. Congratulations Commissioner DeSantis for a job well done!
And thanks again to National Grid for helping Lackawanna move forward!
Annette
Work began this week on milling and repaving of Milnor and Keever Avenues, a project made possible through the Community Development Block Grant Program (CBDG).
This work is scheduled to be completed early the week of October 12, weather permitting.
LACKAWANNA AND GOBIKE BUFFALO INTRODUCE THE RIDGE ROAD PROTECTED BIKE PATH PROJECT
At a press conference this morning held on Ridge Road in the First Ward at the former Friendship House site, Mayor Annette Iafallo and Justin Booth, Executive Director of GObike Buffalo officially announced the launch of the Ridge Road Protected Bike Path Project. Construction began on Monday, August 31.
This partnership project between Lackawanna and GObike Buffalo will produce the region’s first on-street protected bike lane – creating 1.4 miles of temporary bike lane along Ridge Road starting at Route 5, heading east to Electric Avenue and then north onto Nason Parkway.
Earlier this year the speed limit on Nason Parkway was reduced and the road re-designated as one-way in anticipation of this bike lane project and the grant-funded community parkway which is being constructed adjacent to the old City Hall building to provide a safer and more convenient connection between Lackawanna and the over 120,000 annual visitors to Botanical Gardens and South Park.
Through the Ridge Road Protected Bike Path project, bicyclists in Lackawanna and neighboring communities can experience and provide feedback on the temporary bike path design which will provide access to the Outer Harbor, Canalside and the proposed extension of the Shoreline Bike Trail to Woodlawn Beach through the redeveloped former Bethlehem Steel site.
The protected bike lane will also provide greater connection for the larger bicycling community to Lackawanna’s restaurants and shops.
As a temporary design project, the City of Lackawanna is able to test out the Ridge Road Protected Bike Path design before any decisions are made on a permanent bike path at a fraction of the cost. The project will also allow residents, business owners, and visitors to participate in the design process by touching and feeling the temporary protected bike lane to understand the pros and cons of a permanent installation.
Design concepts and information for the project can be
found at https://gobikebuffalo.org/…/ridge-road-pop-up-protected-bik… .
This site also includes a survey for providing direct feedback about the plan design once construction is completed.
Joining Mayor Iafallo and Mr. Booth at the press conference were Lackawanna City Council President Frederic Marrano, City Council members John Ingram (First Ward) and Dean Moretti (Third Ward) along with Lackawanna Director of Development Richard Stanton and DPW Commissioner Anthony DeSantis – who were recognized by Mayor Iafallo during the press conference for the great work they and their teams have done to make this GObike partnership possible.
A picture of the project design is below.
A Facebook Live presentation was attempted however audio challenges were experienced during the recording and the recording was removed from this site. We apologize.
News coverage of the event was very strong … with Channels 2, 4, 7, Spectrum News and WBEN Radio attending. Anyone interested in the event should be able to find on-air and/or online coverage on these stations.
