Ultimately, time will be the judge of its aesthetic value. Both places possess the exact suspension bridge proposed for Buffalo and both advertisements prominently feature this bridge. Showcasing these ads really undermines any argument that this design should serve as a visual symbol for our fair city. If our apparent need to keep up with the Joneses is that severe, we can at least pick Joneses worth emulating. It is ridiculous and embarrassing for architecturally majestic Buffalo to gaze with envy at Alton and Tampa Bay, which have probably built so much sprawling generica on land that they have to fly ad agency photographers over a bridge so they won't see the town up close.
Buffalo is also a short drive from a certain world-famous signature waterfall.
Alongside these geographic, historic, and cultural distinctions that other cities would kill for, the Signature Span seen in the popular computer-generated poster looks as goofy as lipstick on the Lincoln statue in Delaware Park. This representation unintentionally reveals the subtext of the debate thus far, in which too many Americans are behaving as though the Peace Bridge is the de facto and de jure property of Buffalo alone and those Canadians oughta just butt out of our business. And we wonder why we aren't wildly popular across the border. Now, by having defended the embattled Peace Bridge, I am not supporting the Peace Bridge Authority, which has earned the criticism it has gotten for deflecting public participation. Nor do I advocate the Twin Span design.