A press release from Governor Paterson's office, that also quotes Congressman Brian Higgins and Public Bridge Authority General Manager Ron Rienas, announces federal approval of 5 new bridge designs (below).  Open houses to further describe the five possible bridge design concepts will be scheduled for Buffalo and Fort Erie, Ontario in January and February, 2010. 

The open houses will also show modifications of the U.S. plaza that the project sponsors have been working on since the public last commented on the plaza design in March of 2008.

The release called the announcement a "significant breakthough in moving forward the long-stalled Peace Bridge project."  The designs have been approved by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and the Public Bridge Authority, in agreement with State, federal and Canadian environmental agencies.  The release states that of these five environmentally acceptable design concepts, any of them "can be chosen by the project sponsors and moved forward to construction."

Congressman Brian Higgins said: "With this hurdle behind us, we can now move forward with a project that will not only construct a bridge but build our economic future. With a new Peace Bridge we add the predictability and capacity necessary to allow for the flow of traffic that can support and boost our manufacturing, retail, cultural, educational and medical industries."

Ron Rienas, Executive Director of the B&FEPBA, said: "We believe the public will be pleased to see how closely we paid attention to their concerns and how hard we have been working to maximize the benefits of this project not only to Buffalo and the rest of the region, but also to the area that will host the project."

The five designs are as follows:

1) Two tower cable stay with towers 345' tall with diamond shaped towers

2) Two tower cable stay with towers 345' tall with needle shaped towers

3) Three tower cable stay with towers 300' tall with diamond shaped towers

4) Three tower cable stay with towers 300' tall with need shaped towers

5) Three span arch with arches of graduated heights the tallest 226' high

"With this federal approval, the Peace Bridge development is ready to move forward. I am proud to unveil to the public - for the first time - these five new designs, one of which will become the signature bridge that Western New Yorkers deserve and have waited for," Governor Paterson said. "The environmental concerns have reconciled with the public's desire for a magnificent structure connecting the United State with Canada. This is about more than just a symbol for Western New York; it is about the economic expansion of a region through international commerce."

(Note:  No renderings of the park or plaza were available to us at this time.)