Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand say Buffalo will get $102 million in federal training to create a new rapid transit bus line for Buffalo's East Side.
It will span along the entire 7.5 mile length of Bailey Avenue from Main Street to South Park.
"Bailey Ave. is the spine of the East Side and one of Buffalo’s busiest corridors, but ask anyone who has been stuck behind an NFTA bus while trying to get to work, it can also be one of its most frustrating for traffic and dangerous with dozens of collisions every year. This $100 million to create the new Bailey Ave. bus rapid transit line is how we can turn congestion and collisions into a smoother commute for Buffalonians," said Schumer.
"I created this program because reconnecting communities with affordable transportation; making long overdue safety and infrastructure upgrades that for years have been beleaguered in Buffalo is how you lay the foundation for a better future. From the students on UB’s south campus to the veterans who us this bus route to travel to the VA on Bailey Avenue, this funding will cut down on commutes and make connections more seamless to improve quality of life for Bufalonians. Whether its traveling for fresh affordable food from the Clinton-Bailey farmers market, or riding the bus to the community center or local pharmacy, these improvements will help put the East Side and its residents on the road to a brighter future."
Funding through the Inflation Reduction Act will allow NFTA to reconnect communities. It will also increase safety features for pedestrians and cyclists and help with traffic flow.
"This is a long overdue investment in Buffalo’s East Side, and I’m proud to have advocated hard to deliver it," added Gillibrand. "I helped lead the creation of the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program that funded this project. Soon, it will help thousands of East Buffalo residents get where they need to go quickly, cheaply, and safely, and make Buffalo more equitable and more livable. I’m a proud supporter of this project and I will keep fighting in Congress to deliver for Buffalo."
There will also be 13 stations to give a more comfortable place to stay.