NYS Dept. of Transportation’s proposed changes to Rt 394/Fairmount Avenue in the village of Lakewood.
A public hearing on New York State’s proposal to add sidewalks to parts of Fairmount Avenue in the village of Lakewood brought out naysayers Thursday night.
Nearly 50 people attended the hearing at Busti Town Hall about the 2.5 mile proposed construction project on Route 394 that stretches from Route 474/Ashville Road to Elmcrest Avenue.
Erdman Anthony Senior Associate Paul Presutti said the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) held community meetings in 2023 and 2024 to gather input.
He said the scope of the proposed sidewalks was reduced significantly, “No new sidewalk from the bridge west of Ashville Road to Ashville road. New sidewalk on the south side only from Ashville road to Erie Street. New sidewalk on the north side only from Erie Street to Shadyside Avenue and no new sidewalk from Shadyside Avenue to Elmcrest Avenue. The length of proposed sidewalk was reduced from approximately 22,000 linear feet to 9,400 linear feet, so over 57%”
Presutti said impacts to properties have been reduced, including reducing retaining wall installations by more than 75% and reducing tree removals by 50%. He said the State DOT will work closely with property owners to replace the impact of trees or shrubs.
The proposed plan also includes the addition of a center turning lane from Elmhurst Avenue to Shadyside Avenue.
Of the 13 people who shared comments at the hearing on the project, 12 are against the project. Lakewood Village Trustee member Ellen Barnes along with former Trustees Richard Fischer and Nancy Jones all spoke in opposition, saying they had gone door-to-door to talk to affected residents and businesses.
Barnes said the expansion of Fairmount Avenue will encroach on many properties, reducing the buffer zone between homes and the public, “A lot of people will lose a lot of their property, relatively speaking, because they already sit close to the road. People are going to be losing their landscaping and other things that they have invested a lot of money in. I don’t know how the state compensates you for that. I hope that that does happen if the project goes through”
Barnes said one of her safety concerns is the intersection of Fairmount Avenue and Big Tree Road where the sidewalk ends on the northside, continuing across the street on the southside, “So, you’re going to be crossing the sidewalks from the north side of the road across to the south side. You’re going to put more people in that danger zone, because they’re going to be crossing heavy traffic that is very heavy traffic. In the summertime, it’s nearly impossible to get out of places for long periods of time.”
NYSDOT officials confirmed to WRFA that there are no additional traffic lights planned for installation and that there is no crosswalk planned for the intersection of Fairmount Avenue and Big Tree Road.
Construction is anticipated to begin in Spring 2027 and be completed by Fall 2028.
NYSDOT is accepting written public comment on the project until Wednesday, March 18, 2026.
All correspondence should refer to Project Identification Number (PIN) 5064.37 and be mailed to:
Cameron Schulz, PE, Regional Design Engineer
Attention: Robert Schaller, PE, Assistant Regional Design Engineer
New York Sttate DOT Region 5
100 Seneca Street
Buffalo, New York 14203.
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