Buffalo Riverline Trail Buffalo, New York

Services Provided

Riverfront & Greenway Planning Public Realm Design

People Involved

Andy Knight
Sean Hare
Donny Donoghue
Elika Ghavvas

Award

2025 APA NY Upstate Gold Best Practice Award

Transforming a former rail line into a neighborhood greenway and gathering space

MKSK was a finalist for an international competition to envision the Buffalo Riverline, a rail-to-trail conversion of the former Delaware, Lackawanna and Western (DL&W) rail line into a linear trail and park through several historically redlined and underinvested neighborhoods southeast of Downtown Buffalo. In 2023, MKSK was selected as part of a multidisciplinary team to develop concept designs that advance a community-driven vision and support future implementation.

The concept design focuses on taking this underutilized corridor and reclaiming it for neighbors and the community at large. The greenway trail links a series of community gathering spaces through existing neighborhoods and provides new opportunities for residents to connect with nature in their day-to-day lives, part of the mission of the Western New York Land Conservancy.

The trail’s alignment connects the neighborhoods from the edge of Downtown to the Buffalo River and serves as a conduit for ecological restoration and water access. The vision creates a community-based recreational amenity unmatched in Western New York.

The resulting concept plan includes a bold and implementable vision for the Buffalo Riverline - a series of bridge designs, trail facility types, areas for play, rest and education, and a signature terminus of the trail in the “Half-bridge” overlook of the Buffalo River. MKSK led the design updates for three bridges, modified and updated trail alignments and provided input to other team members on shaping user experience and overall character of the future trail.