Iroquois Drive Reconstruction

The State University of New York Buffalo State University (Buffalo State) was founded in 1871 and is a 125-acre campus. The campus sees approximately 11,000 vehicular commuters per day including students, faculty, and supporting staff. Iroquois Drive serves as a primary access road for the north parking lots. It connects the athletic facilities at Coyer Field to the Moore Complex and center core of campus. The road had experienced extensive deterioration and damage to the road surface, roadbed, subgrade, curbs, sidewalks, traffic protection (guide rails), retaining walls, surface drainage structures, and subsurface stormwater piping system. The existing sidewalk did not have a continuous walking pathway to accommodate walkers, joggers, and bicyclists who traveled along the roadway which created a safety risk.

The goal was to significantly enhance the northern boundary of the campus by establishing a sustainable complete street that accommodated vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists while creating opportunity for passive recreation and integration into the evolving Scajaquada Expressway corridor. The project was implemented under the State University Construction Fund (SUCF). Key stakeholders included Buffalo State University, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), and the City of Buffalo.

Complete street improvements included:

• Pavement reconstruction including full depth reconstruction of the existing roadway.
• Separate Pedestrian/bicycle multiuse pathway connecting campus activity centers.
• Retaining wall structural condition assessment and rehabilitation.
• Upgraded traffic barrier with cast-in-place concrete.
• Storm sewer replacement.
• New energy efficient street lighting and pedestrian scale lighting for multiuse pathway consistent with the campus’s lighting standards.
• Stormwater treatment implemented outside of the project limits for discharge to a Class B stream.