Buffalo Harbor Interactive Simulation Model –

Buffalo Harbor Bridge

Fostering Economic Development

through Industrial Partnerships

Tom Furlani, Ph.D. – UB, CCR

Charles Hixon – Bergmann Associates
Steven P. Ranalli, P.E. - ECHDC
Keith Harlock, P.E. – Parsons Brinkerhoff
 Outline
 Driving Innovation
 Bergmann – CCR Partnership
 Virtual Design
 Virtual Design Basics
 What is it? Why use it?
 Overview of the Harbor Project
 Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation
 Parsons Brinkerhoff
 Buffalo Harbor Interactive Simulation
 Buffalo Harbor Bridge 3D Model

Driving Innovation - A Technology Partnership

 The Partnership Objectives

 Research initiatives (TRB, FHWA)
 Expert programming capabilities
 Workload capacity

 The Results
 The creation of an effective run-time engine
 The ability to see our projects in real-time (interactively)
 Integration of traffic data into virtual reality applications
• Street Scenes
 Ability to link data to virtual environments
• GIS, BIM, etc…

 The Future
 Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) Initiative
 Integrated Project Delivery (IPD)
 Virtual Design Basics
 Virtual Design Methods Being Used
 Hand Renders and Physical Models
 Photo-simulation
 3D Modeling and Animation
 Web/Multi-Media Development
 Interactive (Virtual Reality) Simulation
 Real-time Vs. Animation
 Real-time (Interactive)
 Images created “on-the-fly” - computer drawing geometry and textures every
frame
 Similar to today’s video games
 INTERACTIVE - user can navigate environment on their own
 Animation
 Computing done ahead of time producing a video
 Capable of higher resolution (shadows, reflectivity, lighting effects, etc)
Animation Real-time
Why Use Virtual Design and Simulation?
 Planning and Design Tool
 Interference Detection (Clash Detection)
 Context Sensitive Design
 Construction Sequencing
 Traffic Simulation
 Building Public Consensus
 GenX grew up on VR - will expect it
 Local Applications

 Buffalo Harbor Interactive Simulation Project

 ECHDC, CCR, Parsons-Brinkerhoff
 Peace Bridge Visualization Project
 CCR, Bergmann Associates, Parsons Engineering
 Peace Bridge Gateway Improvement Project
 CCR, UB Urban Design Project
 Buffalo Olmsted Park Conservancy
 CCR, UB Urban Design Project
 Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus
 CCR
 Williamsville Toll Barrier Improvement
 CCR, Bergmann, TVGA Engineering
 Cars on Main St Project
 CCR, DiDonato Associates
 UB2020 Campus Master Plan
Buffalo Harbor Simulation Overview
 Primary Objective:
 To support public and agency understanding of
Buffalo Harbor Bridge project and alternatives and
helping to advance the project through an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process.
 Secondary Objective:
 To educate the public through the visualization of
actual and proposed Buffalo waterfront inner and
outer harbor redevelopment efforts.
Buffalo Harbor Bridge Project

 Buffalo Harbor Bridge Project:

Directly and efficiently connect the New Downtown and the Outer Harbor Area with a
multi-modal transportation facility over the Buffalo River and/or City Ship Canal
Range of Alternatives
Scoping
Primary Screening Criteria

Secondary Screening Criteria

Retained Alternatives
 Design Criteria and Technical Issues
 Waterside
 The River/Ship Canal are federally-regulated
shipping channels – USCG
 Vertical Clearance, vertical and horizontal
impacts - USCG/USACE
 Waterway Environmental impacts
NYSDEC/USACE
 Recreational and Commercial Boater Access

 Landside
 Comprehensive Plans, Queen City Hub Plan,
Draft Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan
 Bridge approach constraints: NFTA, City
Streets , Connecting Terminal Grain Elevator
 Ownership/R.O.W. - Miscellaneous
 Parkland, Wildlife Refuges, Historical
Resources, Development – Miscellaneous

 Roadside
 Highway Design Guidelines – City, State, FHWA
 Light Rail Design Guidelines – NFTA/FTA
 Multi-Modal (Pedestrians, Bicyclists, Public
Transit) – Miscellaneous
Integration of Other Projects
 The Challenges
 Analyzing impacts of potential bridge locations
and alternatives:
 Determining extent and degree.
 Effectively communicating to agencies,
stakeholders and the general public
 What, where, when, why, how?
 Consensus building for a “community-preferred
alternative”
 Demonstrating and educating
 The Solution
 A Virtual Reality based planning and design
tool
 3D computer model cross linked to planning information
• GIS, Building Information Modeling (BIM), 2-D CAD, traffic, etc
 Interactive Project Phase Timeline
• Isolate and present progress year to year
 Real-time viewing
• Infinite amount of viewpoints
• No time limit
 Easy Understanding
• Fully conveys impacts in basic terms that the average person can
understand.
 Public/Agency Meetings
2008
•City of Buffalo Waterfront Committee Meeting:
November 20 @ City Hall

2009
•1st Official Project Team Meeting: January 27
@ECHDC
•Notification of Project Initiation: February 2, 2009
•Buffalo Niagara Riverkeepers: March 12 @ ECHDC
•USACOE Meeting: March 23 @ECHDC
•Buffalo Harbor Sailing Club: March 24
•Notice of Intent: April 13, 2009
•Elected Officials Meeting: June 16 @ ECHDC
•Agency Meeting #1: June 18 @ ECHDC
•US Coast Guard Meeting: June 22 @ PB
•Agency Meeting #2: June 23 @ ECHDC
 Public/Agency Meetings
•General Mills Meeting: June 25 @ General Mills
•RCR Yachts Meeting: June 26 @ RCR Yachts
•First Buffalo River Marina Meeting June 30 @ FBRM
•Website established July 2009:
www.Buffaloharborbridge.com
•Project Stakeholder Meeting #1: July 6 @ ECHDC
•Project Stakeholder Meeting #2: July 7 @ ECHDC
•Project Stakeholder Meeting #3: July 9 @ ECHDC
•State Historic Preservation Office: July 16 @
ECHDC
•Public Information Session: July 22 @ Common
Council chambers
•City of Buffalo Waterfront Committee Meeting:
October 16 @ City Hall
•Agency Meeting #3: December 21 @ ECHDC
•Draft Scoping Report Public Meeting: December
16, 2009
 Public/Agency Meetings
2010
•Agency Meeting #4: January 5 @ ECHDC
•Buffalo Niagara Riverkeepers: January 7
•USCG/USACOE/NYSDEC Meeting: January 14
@ECHDC
•Richard Grainger, Sailboat Owner: January 26
@ECHDC
•USEPA Meeting: January 28 @ECHDC
•NFTA Meeting: January 28 @ NFTA
•Times Beach Advisory Council: February 9 @
ECHDC
•Industrial Heritage Committee: February 28
@ECHDC
•Preservation Buffalo Niagara: February 28
@ECHDC
•Campaign for a Greater Buffalo: February 28
@ECHDC
 Public/Agency Meetings
•City of Buffalo DPW & OSP Staff: March 3 @ City
Hall
•NFTA Staff Meeting: March 8 @ ECHDC
•Erie County DEP Meeting: March 9 @ Erie County
•NYS Historic Preservation Office: March 17 @
ECHDC
•Henry Baxter, Grain Elevator engineer :March 24 @
ECHDC
•Elected Officials Meeting: March 24 @ ECHDC
•Buffalo Niagara Riverkeepers: April 23 @BNR
•General Mills: April 27 @ GMI
•Working for Downtown: April 28 @ ECHDC
•USACOE/NYSDEC: April 30 @ ECHDC
•Final Scoping Report approved by FHWA: May 4,
2010
 Public/Agency Meetings
•Waterfront Village Advisory Council: May 11 @
Waterfront Village
•Citizens Regional Transit Corporation: May 26 @
ECHDC
•Niagara Frontier Bicycle Club: May 26 @ ECHDC
•VOICE-Buffalo: May 26 @ ECHDC
•Partners for a Livable WNY: May 26 @ ECHDC
•Buffalo Niagara Partnership Committee: June 2 @
ECHDC
•NYS Department of State: June 8 @ NYSDOS
•University at Buffalo Partners Day: June 9 @ Adams
Mark
•Erie County IDA “Area Managers” Meeting: June 30
@ ECIDA
•Green Options Buffalo: July 1 @ ECHDC
•Buffalo Place Board of Directors: August 4 @ BP
•Working for Downtown: August 25 @ ECHDC
 Public/Agency Meetings
•USACOE/NYSDEC: April 30 @ ECHDC
•Final Scoping Report approved by FHWA: May 4,
2010
•Waterfront Village Advisory Council: May 11 @
Waterfront Village
•Citizens Regional Transit Corporation: May 26 @
ECHDC
•Niagara Frontier Bicycle Club: May 26 @ ECHDC
•VOICE-Buffalo: May 26 @ ECHDC
•Partners for a Livable WNY: May 26 @ ECHDC
•Buffalo Niagara Partnership Committee: June 2 @
ECHDC
•NYS Department of State: June 8 @ NYSDOS
•University at Buffalo Partners Day: June 9 @ Adams
Mark
•Erie County IDA “Area Managers” Meeting: June 30
@ ECIDA
 Public/Agency Meetings
•Green Options Buffalo: July 1 @ ECHDC
•Buffalo Place Board of Directors: August 4 @ BP
•Working for Downtown: August 25 @ ECHDC
•Citizens Regional Transit Corporation: September
15 @ ECHDC
•City of Buffalo - Waterfront Committee Meeting -
November 10
•Meeting with Doug Swift and Catherine Schweitzer
November 29 @ECHDC

2011
• Meeting with NYSDEC January 4 @ NYSDEC
• Meeting with Tom Yots – Preservation Studios
January 11 @ ECHDC
• Buffalo River Remediation meeting -January 25 @
Riverkeepers
• Meeting with Jason Wilson - Preservation Studios
January 27 @ ECHDC
 Public/Agency Meetings
Meeting with NYPA – CTGE -February 3 @ ECHDC
• Agency Meeting March 16 @ PB Offices & Remote
• Meeting with Bill Brown – CTGE March 17 -Remote
• Agency Meeting March 22 @ PB Offices & Remote
• Meeting with RiverKeeper / NYSDEC March 28 @
RiverKeeper
• USACE Presentation @ USACE Buffalo – April 13
• Agency Meeting – SHPO – April 26 - Remote
The Buffalo Harbor