Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development officials joined consultant engineers for the presentation to the public, held in the hotel lobby. Mark Geise, deputy county executive who heads the planning department, said the Vineyard-Millard Fillmore corridor is very important to local planners.

“We chose this project as one of our priority projects,” he said. “We all recognize (the corridor) does have challenges in terms of accessibility, walkability and attractiveness.”

Geise made clear that Chautauqua County is not in position to build anything yet. The county owns and maintains the drives. Planners are currently constructing a formal proposal that can get used for grant funding applications.

Trying to make a case for improving pedestrian access to the area, Geise stated that 14% of Dunkirk households and 9% in Fredonia have no cars, the majority of households in both localities have access to just one vehicle, and many SUNY Fredonia students also do not have autos.

Phil Galbo of Watts Architecture and Engineering discusses plans for renovations along the Millard Fillmore Drive/Vineyard Drive corridor Tuesday.

Consultants from Buffalo’s Watts Architecture and Engineering discussed the concept of the project and some of the ideas they are proposing for it.

Explaining the timeline of the project, Watts’ Phil Galbo said, “The start is where we are.” However, he said there were two important points to make: the project has the support of Chautauqua County government, and there are many grant opportunities available for it.

Galbo outlined that much has to be done before any changes to the drives are in place. Funding has to get secured, an engineer will need to be selected, both preliminary and final designs must get approved — and then there’s the actual process of construction, including going out to bid.

Watts’ work so far on this project has been “more of a conceptual level” than a full plan,” Galbo said.

Still, they’ve come up with a large list of ideas for improving the corridor. These include paving repairs, pedestrian walkways, high-visibility bicycle lanes, LED streetlights with banner arms, trees and fencing to screen the nearby Thruway, Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps and pedestrian signals, wayfinding signs, and removal of the disused railroad crossing at the Vineyard/Main Street Extension/Millard Fillmore intersection.

Galbo said Watts has done surveys and safety analyses about the corridor and “probably everybody didn’t feel safe walking (it).” Some 75% of survey respondents said the area is neither safe nor easy to walk or bike.

Repairs to paving were sought by 69% of the survey’s 496 respondents. About 76% want more lighting in the corridor and 65% seek additional trees.

Watts continued its surveying efforts at Tuesday’s meeting. A table was set up featuring maps and conceptual drawings of what the project could be. Meeting attendees were invited to leave comments on them.